Detective Comics #32
Storytellers: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellatto
There’s a moment where Batman stands above a giant squid tank and we’re graced with a view from the bottom up and see a slightly blurry Batman standing above. It’s at that moment that I realized this ‘Tec run is going to be something really special.
On the surface, the Icarus storyline is a simple gangland storyline. However, I think underneath that there are underpinnings of something bigger happening. Manapul and Booch are just getting started. First off, we’re just finally being introduced to Annette (who I think will play a bigger role as the story progresses). Secondly, as we’re already three issues in, we seem very far from resolution. If resolutions do occur by the end of this five issue opening arc I’m guessing it’ll just be busting the door wide open for a continuing story.
But back to this issue, we find ourselves hot on the trail of Elena Aguilar’s murderers as Batman does great Batman stuff like leaping off of buildings, scuba diving, and wrestling giant squids. All of this is beautifully illustrated by Francis Manapul. My jaw dropped quite a few times while reading. It’s bright and colorful in a way that’s different from the usual Batman book (but also different from FCO Plascencia’s coloring in Batman which is important).
Yes, this is a series that reminds me of silver age escapades, but revitalized under a darker and modern tone. This style suits the book well because even as outlandish as it all seems it is tightly conveyed as street level. The criminals are gangs in drug war, not the Riddler creating an apocalyptic wasteland. Batman still struggles. It reminds us that Batman is human under the mask.
F.D. White cleans up his street just like Batman, one piece of garbage at a time. You can follow him on Twitter @fdwhite19
There’s a moment where Batman stands above a giant squid tank and we’re graced with a view from the bottom up and see a slightly blurry Batman standing above. It’s at that moment that I realized this ‘Tec run is going to be something really special.
On the surface, the Icarus storyline is a simple gangland storyline. However, I think underneath that there are underpinnings of something bigger happening. Manapul and Booch are just getting started. First off, we’re just finally being introduced to Annette (who I think will play a bigger role as the story progresses). Secondly, as we’re already three issues in, we seem very far from resolution. If resolutions do occur by the end of this five issue opening arc I’m guessing it’ll just be busting the door wide open for a continuing story.
But back to this issue, we find ourselves hot on the trail of Elena Aguilar’s murderers as Batman does great Batman stuff like leaping off of buildings, scuba diving, and wrestling giant squids. All of this is beautifully illustrated by Francis Manapul. My jaw dropped quite a few times while reading. It’s bright and colorful in a way that’s different from the usual Batman book (but also different from FCO Plascencia’s coloring in Batman which is important).
Yes, this is a series that reminds me of silver age escapades, but revitalized under a darker and modern tone. This style suits the book well because even as outlandish as it all seems it is tightly conveyed as street level. The criminals are gangs in drug war, not the Riddler creating an apocalyptic wasteland. Batman still struggles. It reminds us that Batman is human under the mask.
F.D. White cleans up his street just like Batman, one piece of garbage at a time. You can follow him on Twitter @fdwhite19
A Look Inside
