Tag: Irv Novick

Batman 339 (September 1981)

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It’s a strange issue in a couple ways. Primarily because the Robin backup is some kind of life-affirming emotional origin of the character. It’s well-produced–Conway and Novick really make the reader pay attention to all the time shifts–and it’s trite and well-meaning. In other words, solid eighties mainstream work.

Unfortunately, Novick’s art is better on the backup than it is on the Batman feature.

The feature’s got some awesome stuff–the idea of a hypnotized Batman walking through Gotham nightlife is just fantastic. That scene alone not totally flopping makes the issue. But then Conway gives it an unresolved cliffhanger and comes up with one for both Bruce and Batman–Poison Ivy takes over the Wayne Foundation.

Some of the writing is somewhat loose, but Conway’s got a nice mix of Batman and Bruce Wayne here. And Novick’s not bad, just better on the backup.

CREDITS

A Sweet Kiss of Poison…; inker, Steve Mitchell; letterer, Ben Oda. Yesterday’s Heroes!; inker, Bruce D. Patterson; letterer, John Costanza. Writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Irv Novick; colorist, Adrienne Roy; editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Batman (1940) #338

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It’s sort of hard to believe Conway wrote both the terrible lead story and the mildly charming Robin backup. I mean, the Robin story–Dick solving a mystery at the circus–has it’s problems, like Conway keeping crucial information until the last scene so as to explain all the problems away… but at least he’s trying.

The Batman lead story is another thing entirely. Not only is there an idiotic reference to fingerprints being found on wet grass, but there’s also a bunch of malarky about the Americanism of sporting events. Alfred, the Brit, says it’s un-American to dislike sports.

The story’s villain is the world’s best (chemically engineered) athlete who decides to kill all of Gotham’s famous sports figures. Batman finds him through fumbling and stops him from killing a bunch of people in a mall.

I don’t know if Conway was just dozing off through scripting or what; terrible story.

Batman 338 (August 1981)

2800.jpg
It’s sort of hard to believe Conway wrote both the terrible lead story and the mildly charming Robin backup. I mean, the Robin story–Dick solving a mystery at the circus–has it’s problems, like Conway keeping crucial information until the last scene so as to explain all the problems away… but at least he’s trying.

The Batman lead story is another thing entirely. Not only is there an idiotic reference to fingerprints being found on wet grass, but there’s also a bunch of malarky about the Americanism of sporting events. Alfred, the Brit, says it’s un-American to dislike sports.

The story’s villain is the world’s best (chemically engineered) athlete who decides to kill all of Gotham’s famous sports figures. Batman finds him through fumbling and stops him from killing a bunch of people in a mall.

I don’t know if Conway was just dozing off through scripting or what; terrible story.

CREDITS

This Sporting Death!; writers, Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway; penciller, Irv Novick; inker, Frank McLaughlin; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, John Costanza. Killer Under the Big Top!; writer, Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Larry Mahlstedt. Editors, Cary Burkett and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.