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)

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.

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)

So, clearly, it’s up to Bruce to figure it all out and save 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) #506

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I know kids actually read comic books back in the eighties so Conway had to keep them in mind, but he’s got a story about a golden mannequin lady killing people… he didn’t need to open with a really obvious prologue setting up the character. He could have just revealed it all when he will get around to it next issue.

Still, there’s some cool stuff here–Conway’s Bruce Wayne pages are good, really good. There aren’t enough of them. He has Bruce and Alfred discussing Gotham City politics and Bruce at the Studio 54 stand-in. Both those scenes are excellent. There’s a real effort here to make Gotham seem real, which I don’t tend to get out of modern comics–they’re terrified of exposition for setting, apparently.

The Batgirl backup’s fine. Delbo’s better than usual and the lack of a surprise ending is an interesting choice from Burkett.

Detective Comics 506 (September 1981)

The Batgirl backup’s fine. Delbo’s better than usual and the lack of a surprise ending is an interesting choice from Burkett.

CREDITS

Who Dies for the Manikin?; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Steve Mitchell; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. Farewell, My Lovely; 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 (1937) #505

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Dan Adkins’s inks are a mess here. Because of them, there’s barely one good panel of Don Newton drawing Batman versus a werewolf. The story’s something of a surprise–with Conway concentrating solely on Batman; I assumed the issue, since Conway did Werewolf by Night, would be Batman meets Jack Russell, but it’s anything but.

Since the majority of the story takes place in Alaska, after Conway does some background plotting in Gotham with Batman battling a politician, it’s sort of hard to judge. It’s got a lot a of potential, but not much of it is realized. When Batman gives his reason for wearing his costume in the Alaskan wilderness, it just made me think about how much cooler it would be if he were just Bruce Wayne.

The Batgirl backup features her going after a hunchback killer. It’s not bad, but the Delbo art is weak; he’s really hacking.

Detective Comics 505 (August 1981)

The Batgirl backup features her going after a hunchback killer. It’s not bad, but the Delbo art is weak; he’s really hacking.

CREDITS

Werewolf Moon; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Dan Adkins; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. Hunt for a Hunchback Killer; writer, Cary Burkett; penciller, Jose Delbo; inker, Joe Giella; colorist, Carl Gafford; letterer, John Costanza. Editors, Burkett and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #504

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So the Joker breaks out of Arkham for no reason other than to create an elaborate room of deadly toys to kill Batman. It’s definitely insane, but also completely idiotic.

This issue makes me wonder if there were (and are) editorial mandates for how often a villain has to appear. Maybe it had been a while so the Joker had to show up–even Batman and Gordon comment on the contrived nature of his appearance–he escaped from Arkham, who didn’t let anyone know because they lost his paperwork… forgetting they had the Joker incarcerated.

Besides that ludicrous element, it’s a fine comic–the artwork is phenomenal and Conway has some great Batman investigating scenes and Gotham City details. And some wonderful close third person Joker narration.

The backup, with Gordon fighting a corrupt cop, is the reverse. A great plot, but Kupperberg overwrites it. Delbo’s weak art hurts too.

Detective Comics 504 (July 1981)

So the Joker breaks out of Arkham for no reason other than to create an elaborate room of deadly toys to kill Batman. It’s definitely insane, but also completely idiotic.

The backup, with Gordon fighting a corrupt cop, is the reverse. A great plot, but Kupperberg overwrites it. Delbo’s weak art hurts too.

CREDITS

The Joker’s Rumpus Room Revenge!; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Dan Adkins; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. A Day in the Life of a Cop; writer, Paul Kupperberg; penciller, Jose Delbo; inker, Joe Giella; colorist, Carl Gafford; letterer, Pierre Bernard Jr. Editor, Paul Levitz; publisher, DC Comics.