Batman 352 (October 1982)

It’s Batman versus the sky pirates! The bad guy’s name is Colonel Blimp. He and his pirates fly around in a tricked out zeppelin.

Of course, the issue doesn’t open with the sky pirates. It opens with the Gotham police admitting their beating up ex-commissioner Gordon because he’s investigating election fraud. They make this admission in front of Batman, who I would have thought could have called the UN or the President or someone when in a situation like that one… but he doesn’t. In fact, he forgets about it for the rest of the issue because he’s got a date with Vicki Vale.

Kupperberg has a really weird narrative gimmick in the issue–he has a cliffhanger, then immediately reveals what happened in a layered flashback. It reads they were originally making space for a Catwoman backup, then didn’t have one.

Calnan’s inks are atrocious. He mutilates Newton.

CREDITS

The Killer Sky!; writers, Gerry Conway and Paul Kupperberg; penciller, Don Newton; inker, John Calnan; colorist, Carl Gafford; letterer, Ben Oda; editor, Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #516

The Batman feature is problematic to say the least. Batman infiltrates a school for criminals as “Matches” Malone (gag) and is quickly found out. He then has to dispatch of the criminals as Batman. Conway and Kupperberg–not sure why Conway needed an assist here, there’s no heavy lifting in this issue–never explain how the criminals figured out it was Batman.

An additional problem is with the ruse itself. Why didn’t Batman just shut the school down himself? Why bother auditing the classes?

It’s silly but not terrible. The Newton art is good and there’s enough going on with Alfred and Gordon to keep the issue moving. Oddly, all of Conway’s B plots seem to involve everyone but Batman.

The Batgirl backup is actually pretty neat. She’s unconscious for the majority of the story, which is lame, but the end is great–she’s turning into a giant serpent lady.

Detective Comics (1937) #504

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.