Tag: Don Newton

Detective Comics 513 (April 1982)

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How did DC let this one get to the printers? Chiaramonte’s inks are a complete disaster. Maybe Newton was in a rush and Chiaramonte had to cover a lot but… it doesn’t even look like Newton here.

The story’s got some interesting parts, not the “Batman is missing” parts (Two-Face has kidnapped him and is holding him prisoner, keeping him alive due to lucky–or unlucky–coin tosses). Jim Gordon’s out of his job, which is interesting, Vicki Vale is telling Alfred she knows Bruce’s secret… unfortunately, neither of these parts get any real attention once the action starts. We also don’t get to find out why Two-Face’s girlfriend hates Batman. In a way, it’s “real,” but it’s also some sloppy editing.

The Batgirl backup is atrocious. Worst Delbo art yet (I make that comment a lot). But the writing’s bad too. The story’s trite, obvious and boring.

CREDITS

…Is Better Than None!; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Frank Chiaramonte; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. Duel with Demons!; writer, Cary Burkett; penciller, Jose Delbo; inker, Joe Giella; colorist, Tom Ziuko; letterer, Adam Kubert. Editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Batman (1940) #346

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The cover villain is Two-Face but apparently he’s got a girl sidekick who’s the one who’s really after Batman. Presumably we’ll find out her story next issue.

The most interesting–I was just reading some comic creators on Twitter say critics use the word “interesting” to mean “bad,” which is ludicrous, but anyway–the most interesting thing about the feature is the way Newton draws Vicki Vale. She looks like a professional woman in her thirties, someone you could believe as a magazine editor. It gives her romance with Bruce a lot more heft, especially since it’s still not clear if she’s after him as a story or a lover.

The Catwoman backup disappoints. Jones spends three pages describing the backstory of the villain, then just a couple wrapping it up. It’s a decent wrap-up–Catwoman watches the villain die–and it’s well-written and the art’s ambitious and good. It’s just a slight finish.

Batman 346 (April 1982)

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The cover villain is Two-Face but apparently he’s got a girl sidekick who’s the one who’s really after Batman. Presumably we’ll find out her story next issue.

The most interesting–I was just reading some comic creators on Twitter say critics use the word “interesting” to mean “bad,” which is ludicrous, but anyway–the most interesting thing about the feature is the way Newton draws Vicki Vale. She looks like a professional woman in her thirties, someone you could believe as a magazine editor. It gives her romance with Bruce a lot more heft, especially since it’s still not clear if she’s after him as a story or a lover.

The Catwoman backup disappoints. Jones spends three pages describing the backstory of the villain, then just a couple wrapping it up. It’s a decent wrap-up–Catwoman watches the villain die–and it’s well-written and the art’s ambitious and good. It’s just a slight finish.

CREDITS

Half a Hero…; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Frank Chiaramonte; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. In the Land of the Dead!; writer, Bruce Jones; penciller, Trevor von Eeden; inker, Pablo Marcos; colorist, Tom Ziuko; letterer, Shelly Leferman. Editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #511

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Conway finds the right mix of Batman and Bruce Wayne antics for this issue. Robin’s in it too, which means there’s even less page time for Batman–Conway gives Dick his own subplots to deal with. It’s too soon to tell how they’ll tie into Bruce’s subplots, which here are concern for Jim Gordon’s career, the return of Vicki Vale and his position as a businessman.

Most impressive is the villain. Some costumed madman is terrorizing Gotham while Bruce has all sorts of stuff going on. The villain’s got a wacky power–he induces hallucinations in people–but there’s no origin, there’s no hackneyed villain moment where he tells Batman all his plans. He’s just the bad guy Batman’s got to deal with this issue.

It’s a really well-produced issue–Chiaramonte’s not the best inker for Newton, but the art’s still excellent. The fine narrative structure overcomes any deficiencies.

Detective Comics 511 (February 1982)

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Conway finds the right mix of Batman and Bruce Wayne antics for this issue. Robin’s in it too, which means there’s even less page time for Batman–Conway gives Dick his own subplots to deal with. It’s too soon to tell how they’ll tie into Bruce’s subplots, which here are concern for Jim Gordon’s career, the return of Vicki Vale and his position as a businessman.

Most impressive is the villain. Some costumed madman is terrorizing Gotham while Bruce has all sorts of stuff going on. The villain’s got a wacky power–he induces hallucinations in people–but there’s no origin, there’s no hackneyed villain moment where he tells Batman all his plans. He’s just the bad guy Batman’s got to deal with this issue.

It’s a really well-produced issue–Chiaramonte’s not the best inker for Newton, but the art’s still excellent. The fine narrative structure overcomes any deficiencies.

CREDITS

The ‘I’ of the Beholder; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Frank Chiaramonte; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, John Costanza; editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #509

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Conway really lays on the melodrama for his resolution to Bruce and Selina’s romance–Catwoman’s still too much in the picture for her to be able to stick it out–but it still works somehow.

The major part of the story is Catman coming back for revenge on Batman and Catwoman. This issue might be the first Catman story I’ve read as an adult (certainly in memory) and he comes off as an annoying whiner. Still, I’ll agree he’s dangerous–but so’s Catwoman, right? Conway plays her like a damsel in distress here, like Selina Kyle is only Catwoman when she’s in costume.

Still, with Newton and Adkins and Conway’s earnest (if occasionally saccharine) writing for Bruce and Selina, it works.

The Batgirl backup, teaming her up with Supergirl, is lame as far as the evil, big-headed villain goes. But, Batgirl’s jealousy of Supergirl makes it a worthwhile read.

Detective Comics (1937) #508

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I’ve been trudging through Conway’s Batman comics the last few days–maybe the Irv Novick art on Batman is getting me down–so it’s nice this issue of Detective Comics is fantastic. It’s a completely absurd story about one of Bruce Wayne’s egyptologist friends going nuts and kidnapping Selina Kyle because he thinks they’re reincarnated Ancient Egyptians and he’s going to send them to the afterworld together.

So, clearly, it’s up to Bruce to figure it all out and save Selina.

Conway’s got Don Newton and Dan Adkins on the art and it’s just fantastic. What Conway brings special is the humanizing of Bruce Wayne–Batman’s a tool of Bruce’s here–and it’s Bruce whose desires are paramount. Specifically, Bruce has got it bad for Selina.

It’s too bad the Batman series isn’t on par with Detective.

The Batgirl versus a mad scientist backup is silly; Delbo’s art doesn’t help.

Detective Comics 509 (December 1981)

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Conway really lays on the melodrama for his resolution to Bruce and Selina’s romance–Catwoman’s still too much in the picture for her to be able to stick it out–but it still works somehow.

The major part of the story is Catman coming back for revenge on Batman and Catwoman. This issue might be the first Catman story I’ve read as an adult (certainly in memory) and he comes off as an annoying whiner. Still, I’ll agree he’s dangerous–but so’s Catwoman, right? Conway plays her like a damsel in distress here, like Selina Kyle is only Catwoman when she’s in costume.

Still, with Newton and Adkins and Conway’s earnest (if occasionally saccharine) writing for Bruce and Selina, it works.

The Batgirl backup, teaming her up with Supergirl, is lame as far as the evil, big-headed villain goes. But, Batgirl’s jealousy of Supergirl makes it a worthwhile read.

CREDITS

Nine Lives Has the Cat…; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Dan Adkins; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. The Fires of Destruction!; writer, Cary Burkett; penciller, Jose Delbo; inker, Joe Giella; colorist, Tom Ziuko; letterer, Milt Snapinn. Editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics 508 (November 1981)

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I’ve been trudging through Conway’s Batman comics the last few days–maybe the Irv Novick art on Batman is getting me down–so it’s nice this issue of Detective Comics is fantastic. It’s a completely absurd story about one of Bruce Wayne’s egyptologist friends going nuts and kidnapping Selina Kyle because he thinks they’re reincarnated Ancient Egyptians and he’s going to send them to the afterworld together.

So, clearly, it’s up to Bruce to figure it all out and save Selina.

Conway’s got Don Newton and Dan Adkins on the art and it’s just fantastic. What Conway brings special is the humanizing of Bruce Wayne–Batman’s a tool of Bruce’s here–and it’s Bruce whose desires are paramount. Specifically, Bruce has got it bad for Selina.

It’s too bad the Batman series isn’t on par with Detective.

The Batgirl versus a mad scientist backup is silly; Delbo’s art doesn’t help.

CREDITS

Secret of the Sphinx Sinister!; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Dan Adkins; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. The Attack of the Annihilator!; writers, Wendy Beraud and Cary Burkett; penciller, Jose Delbo; inker, Joe Giella; colorist, Carl Gafford; letterer, John Costanza. Editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #507

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Conway doesn’t do much with Gotham City this issue, instead it’s just Batman in pursuit of the villainous Manikin. Except, of course, it’s not clear how villainous the reader is supposed to find her. She’s a tragic villain–Conway doesn’t give her any resolution past surviving, but I suppose there might be an insanity defense in her future.

Unfortunately, when it does come back to the prologue to the previous issue–Batman saved the Manikin (I assume the spelling is so DC could trademark the name) from a car bombing–there’s no real reaction from Batman. It’s all in a day’s work; Conway taking the time to make the Manikin and Batman have some history is pointless.

Still, it’s competent and nears being touching. Or at least implies nearing it.

The backup stories work. Barr’s regular people of Gotham is fanciful real life. Rozakis’s four page mystery is decent filler.