Detective Comics 558 (January 1986)

Moench paces the feature pretty well–Batman’s taking Catwoman to the hospital while Robin hangs out around Nocturna’s observatory. Throw in Robin having the save a guy obsessed with Nocturna and Batman having a little dust-up with the Nightslayer again (seriously, terrible villain).

The nicest stuff is actually with Bullock, who has to deliver bad news to a new widow. Moench also focuses on the romance between Batman and Catwoman, but doesn’t actually give them any time to develop together. They’re either fighting someone or she’s in a hospital bed. It remains to be seen what Moench’ll do once she’s out of the bed.

The art, from Colan and Smith, is rather nice. Robin’s got some good moments, though the Jason Todd angle of the character has almost disappeared at this point.

Truly terrible Green Arrow backup, written by Dean R. Traven. Even Trevor von Eeden’s pencils are lazy.

CREDITS

Strange Loves; writer, Doug Moench; penciller, Gene Colan; inker, Bob Smith; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, John Workman. Green Arrow, Believe Everything I Hear; writer, Dean R. Traven; penciller, Trevor von Eeden; inker, Dell Barras; colorist, Jeanine Casey; letterer, Agustin Mas. Editor, Len Wein; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #522

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Starting the issue, I kept thinking Conway had already done a Batman versus the abominable snowman issue. Then I slowly came to realize it was a sequel to that issue I had already read. Maybe the Irv Novick art threw me off. Even with Marcos inking him, the art is painfully mediocre.

The story’s kind of a bore–Batman in China (he speaks Chinese)–and Conway’s forcing some division with Dick (to prepare for a new Robin, I think). At least the Vicki Vale stuff is interesting–I mean, if Bruce is lying to her about who he is (being the bored playboy), why does he care?

The actual story about the mutant snow villain (think Iceman mixed with Sabretooth) meanders but never offends.

Then there’s the Green Arrow backup… which is sillier than it is anything else. Ollie gets a new sidekick. Again, Von Eeden art’s is disappointingly unambitious.

Detective Comics 522 (January 1983)

The actual story about the mutant snow villain (think Iceman mixed with Sabretooth) meanders but never offends.

Then there’s the Green Arrow backup… which is sillier than it is anything else. Ollie gets a new sidekick. Again, Von Eeden art’s is disappointingly unambitious.

CREDITS

Snow Blind; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Irv Novick; inker, Pablo Marcos; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. Automatic Pirate!; writer, Joey Cavalieri; artist, Trevor von Eeden; colorist, Tom Ziuko; letterer, John Costanza. Editors, Nicola Cuti and Len Wein; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #521

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Good to know editorial disconnect isn’t something recent. Conway apparently hadn’t been reading the excellent Catwoman backups running in his issues of Batman and Detective because here he’s got her guest-starring and menacing Vicki Vale and acting… well, cat-shit crazy.

Sadly, the issue features some of the best Vicki Vale writing Conway has done since she showed up. Instead of just going after Bruce to reveal he’s Batman, Conway’s giving her some layers here. Unfortunately, even if I wanted to give the issue credit for that development–to be fair, he does write one decent Catwoman scene, before she goes nuts–the Irv Novick superhero artwork is atrocious. Characters not in costume, fine. In costume… awful.

The Green Arrow backup is a silly early eighties computer story. I think Ollie gives away his secret identity at least twice. Von Eeden’s art is fine, but disappointingly unambitious. Page filler.

Detective Comics 521 (December 1982)

The Green Arrow backup is a silly early eighties computer story. I think Ollie gives away his secret identity at least twice. Von Eeden’s art is fine, but disappointingly unambitious. Page filler.

CREDITS

Cat Tale; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Irv Novick; inker, Sal Trapani; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. The High Tech Highwayman!; writer, Joey Cavalieri; artist, Trevor von Eeden; colorist, Tom Ziuko; letterer, Phil Felix. Editors, Carl Gafford and Len Wein; publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #519

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Kupperberg writes Batman and Robin like something out of the TV show. They’re celebrities, they go on very public adventures, Robin loiters awkwardly around the Batcave in his tights. The approach is just awkward–it’s like a fifties story stretched over a whole issue so there’s no way it isn’t going to overstay its welcome.

In this story, Batman has a Washington DC adventure and Robin goes to the arctic. It feels like a James Bond parody.

Having Calnan on the inks is also a problem, but it’s not like, even with the regular quality Newton art, the story wasn’t going to be weak. Kupperberg doesn’t even give the issue any subplots. It’s just Batman and Robin splitting up to fight the villains.

However, at least the Batgirl backup is worthwhile. Randall continues to overwrite, but what she’s overwriting is interesting. Here, Batgirl loses, feels bad, story ends. Plus, great art.

Detective Comics 519 (October 1982)

In this story, Batman has a Washington DC adventure and Robin goes to the arctic. It feels like a James Bond parody.

However, at least the Batgirl backup is worthwhile. Randall continues to overwrite, but what she’s overwriting is interesting. Here, Batgirl loses, feels bad, story ends. Plus, great art.

CREDITS

…Like a Dreadnought in the Sky!; writers, Gerry Conway and Paul Kupperberg; penciller, Don Newton; inker, John Calnan; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda; editor, Len Wein. …When Velvet Paws Caress the Ground!; writer, Barbara J. Randall; penciller, Trevor von Eeden; inker, Rodin Rodriguez; colorist, Gene D’Angelo; letterer, Janice Chiang; editor, Dick Giordano. Publisher, DC Comics.

Detective Comics (1937) #518

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It’s decent, underwhelming issue.

In the feature, Batman recovers from his vampire attack–and it’s apparently forgotten Dick was a vampire for a while (he’s fully recovered here, with the explanation being he was hypnotized not converted)–and then gets into a big fight with Deadshot, teaming up with the Human Target posing as Bruce Wayne.

The issues long subplot about Vicki Vale and the Bruce Wayne is Batman photos is resolved and everything is just hunky dory at the end… except the possible suggestion the priest who helped Batman fight the vampires is bad.

Oh, and Dick and Alfred act like sitcom morons. Thank goodness Batman recovers fast.

The Bruce Patterson inks make Newton look like (a better) Jim Aparo. It’s clean, solid superhero art but it’s missing the Newton feel.

The Batgirl backup is overwritten; Randall loves her some wordy exposition. The art is too design oriented; way too static.

Detective Comics 518 (September 1982)

It’s decent, underwhelming issue.

Oh, and Dick and Alfred act like sitcom morons. Thank goodness Batman recovers fast.

The Bruce Patterson inks make Newton look like (a better) Jim Aparo. It’s clean, solid superhero art but it’s missing the Newton feel.

The Batgirl backup is overwritten; Randall loves her some wordy exposition. The art is too design oriented; way too static.

CREDITS

The Millionaire Contract; writers, Gerry Conway and Paul Levitz; penciller, Gene Colan; inker, Bruce Patterson; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. He with Secrets Fears the Sound…; writer, Barbara J. Randall; artist, Trevor von Eeden; colorist, Jerry Serpe; letterer, Milt Snapinn. Editor, Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Batman (1940) #349

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It’s Robin versus his vampire girlfriend while Alfred hires the Human Target to trick Vicki Vale and Jim Gordon decides to stop being a mope.

Batman barely makes an appearance–he shows up at the beginning to remind the reader he or she needs to pick up the month’s Detective Comics. It’s a weird few pages, because the art on Batman (just on him) is bad. And it’s Gene Colan and Alfredo Alcala so the weak art is a big surprise.

The art’s excellent on the rest of the issue. It’s an all action issue, except the Alfred and Gordon scenes. Conway and Colan doing seventies Marvel-type vampires, only at DC. It’s strange to see.

The Catwoman backup is unimpressively okay. Jones does these stories in two parts; he really needs three. He has to resolve the previous story’s cliffhanger, move things along and finish. There’s not enough time.