With Chuck Patton helping, the pencils are occasionally tolerable. Even Alcala inking can’t fix whatever Hoberg does wrong with Batman’s cowl, unfortunately.
There are a couple big scenes this issue–besides the resolution of the Calendar Man arc, which features Moench’s least annoying characterization of him. He’s not blathering to himself throughout. It’s nice.
There’s a big scene for Vicki Vale. She’s telling off her suitor. It’s not bad, though Moench’s either got her babbling about eighties diet fads or she’s joined a cult. She’s been a pointless character for dozens of issues now… maybe he’ll turn her around.
The other big scene is Bruce and Jason. Jason is arguing for his job as Robin; Moench is clearly trying to rationalize the character. It doesn’t work–the argument, which Jason wins, is ludicrous stuff.
Hopefully Moench has all this foster parenting, adoption, job dynamics nonsense out of his system now.
C-
CREDITS
Day of Doom; writer, Doug Moench; pencillers, Rick Hoberg and Chuck Patton; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Len Wein; publisher, DC Comics.
Hoberg and Nebres’s art is a little perplexing. The medium shots, pretty much anything with Batman, the action sequences, none of these work out. No one’s really putting in any effort. The Batman cowl, for instance, is just awful. But in the pensive close-ups of characters? All of a sudden Hoberg and Nebres are trying.
Editor Len Wein really should have sent this one back to the oven. First off, there’s the art from Rick Hoberg and Rudy Nebres. It’s awful. The figures are too static, the settings are too slight. Especially given Moench does a whole hostage airplane storyline–the art fails it every step of the way.
Moench neatly ties everything together–including Bruce setting up Nocturna for an unnecessary fall–and it’s hard to remember why any of the threads are important at all. They weren’t important to the characters, except Nocturna (and maybe Alfred); Moench’s frantic pace keeps the issue engaging but it’s not fulfilling in any way.
What an odd turn of events. One can’t help but note Moench is following a number of story beats–corrupt politician, villain masquerading as Batman–Gerry Conway did immediately prior in his lengthy run, not to mention other writers before them.