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Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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PhonogramIG01_CoverWednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Top Pick: Americatown #1 (Archaia/BOOM! Studios) – It’s the near future and the US has gone to crap causing Americans to flee the country and become undocumented immigrants in others. This story focuses on a town in Brazil that’s risen due to this. A fascinating comic with both social commentary and family at the heart of it.

Descender #6 (Image Comics) – Jeff Lemire’s mysterious sci-fi series has been mesmerizing in both story and the art by Dustin Nguyen.

Letter 44 #19 (Oni Press) – Is it time for President Blades to surrender and end World War III? Does he have more fight in him? Writer Charles Soule always seems to have a twist I don’t see coming in this futuristic sci-fi political thriller. Plus there’s that whole astronauts dealing with aliens far away from Earth thing too.

Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1 (Image Comics) – I haven’t read the first two volumes, but I’m looking forward to seeing what the praise and hype is all about.

Rebels #5 (Dark Horse) – Writer Brian Wood has been digging into the American Revolution, and giving it a personal touch by focusing on just a few individuals and not being bogged down by grand plans and battles. It might be taking place in the past, but the series is relevant to the world today.

 

Alex

Top Pick: Howard The Duck #5 (Marvel) – I have no idea what’s happening in this series half the time, but I absolutely love it. There’s the kind of humour I love peppering each issue, from the front cover right to the end. It’s always a happy Wednesday when I get to pick this up.

Batman #43 (DC Comics) – Of the two titles staring just Batman (this and Detective Comics), Scott Snyder’s writing is putting this comic head and shoulders above the other. Snyder is the bet writer to tackle the Dark Knight in years, and I love Greg Capullo’s art work.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Star Wars: Lando #2 (Marvel) – The first issue of this series was surprisingly fun and with a great twist of an ending. It will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

A-Force #3 (Marvel) – One of the more interesting concepts for a Secret Wars series gets its third issue. The first was so-so, the second was a lot better, how will this one turn out?

The Beauty #1 (Image Comics) – The emphasis on beauty is always an issue in modern society, and so it will be interesting to see what the take is on it in this series.

Gotham Academy #9 (DC Comics) – There still hasn’t really been a missed opportunity so far in this series, and that will likely continue here as the gang faces a werewolf.

String Divers #1 (IDW Publishing) – Now that Ant-Man made miniaturization cool again, we might see more stories like this, about a group of scientist fighting supernatural threats at the microscopic level.

 

Elana

Top Pick: Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1 (Image Comics) – This is one of the best comics series of the 00s and now it’s back. Everyone who loves music needs this comic, even people who don’t read comics. Here’s my short review of issue 1. I’ll be writing a bigger piece soon because it’s worth it!

A-Force #3 (Marvel) – Interesting premise. Female characters that I can’t get enough of like She-Hulk and Dazzler and a school of Namors. The story presents a mystery intriguing enough that I keep buying this book even though I can’t deal with the outfit they put Nico in. I’m sorry but not only is her get-up impractical it’s not even goth. Nico would never wear that. But buy this anyway because it’s a lot of fun.

Catwoman #43 (DC Comics) – Spoiler is back! Series writer, the awesome Genevieve Valentine was our podcast guest last night. We think she’s doing outstanding work and taking the characters in directions that make sense yet are 100% unlike what we’ve seen before. In this issue Steph wear’s a Black Canary band t-shirt and Selina wears more contour because clothing should reflect the people wearing it damnit! Love this book.

Constantine: The Hellblazer #3 (DC Comics) – Now the great ConJob is heading back to London. That city is full of bad memories for him and it looks like he’ll be getting help from an interesting new character. This series keeps gets better with each re-reading so I expect issue 3 to be the best yet.

Gotham Academy #9 (DC Comics) – Olive and Maps are starting to have her own Scooby Gang whether they want it or not (Maps does, Olive says she doesn’t, which is why she needs it most of all). Look at all of these adorable children! They keep melting my stoney heart with their cuteness and feelings and mystery solving and angst.
Mr. H

Top Pick: Batman #43 (DC Comics) – The new Dark Knight Jim Gordon’s maiden voyage continues. He’s got the tech does he got the stuff? Meanwhile the mystery of Mr. Bloom starts to grow. Oh yeah that Bruce Wayne guy shows up to give some pointy eared advice too.

DC Comics: Bombshells#1 (DC Comics) – Tales of mighty maidens from WW2 era. Very historically retro style book coming our way. Plus who doesn’t want to see A League of their own style Batwoman?

JLA: Gods and Monsters #1 (DC Comics) – The creative team from the hit movie gives us the backstory on how this big Three got together. All I know is I can’t get enough of Bekka as Wonder Woman!

Secret Wars #5 (Marvel Comics) – In Doom we trust. I sure do. Nuff Said.

Paul

Top Pick: A-Force #3 (Marvel) – She-Hulk has broken the biggest rule of Battleworld…no travelling between regions. And now the Thors are coming! This is a fantastic story with the ladies of Marvel, and as I’ve said before, anything wit She-Hulk front and center is great. If you’re not reading it, go get issues #1 and 2..I’ll wait…go now!

Secret Wars: Battleworld #4 (Marvel) – I have really enjoyed this book, giving us 2 shorter stories showing us characters and areas of Battleworld not explored in the main books. This is the last issue in this series, so I’m very interested to see what final stories will be told before the end of Secret Wars.

Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde #2 (Marvel) – Issue #1 was a fun, light hearted story in-between all the darker stories being told in Secret Wars. Peter is an anomaly that Kitty will not let out of her sight…and Peter wouldn’t have it any other way. Will she take him back to Valeria, or keep this discovery for herself?

Pharoah

Top Pick: The Beauty #1 (Image Comics) – In a time where dystopia and vanity is all over mass media, this comic hits it right on the nose, as the creators imagine a world where beauty can come to anyone as sexually transmitted disease, WHOA!!!

Doctor Who: Four Doctors #1 (Titan Comics) – All I have to say , what happens when you have the 10th, 11th and 12 doctors join forces, is a whole lot of quips and more than quadruple the trouble

Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl #1 (Image Comics) – I love McKelvie and Gillen’s work on everything they have done so far, as music and magic are one and the same in this world, as the buys kick off a brand new arc

Providence #3 (Avatar Press) – Alan Moore, continues his exploration of all that makes Lovecraft, a master of what he did, as Moore and Jacen Burrows only furthers the unsettling discovery.

King Tiger#1 (Dark Horse) – who does not love a good old kung fu movie, as this comic, has all the makings of a classic Shaw Brother movie.

 

Troy

Top Pick: A-Force #3 (Marvel) – One of the more interesting Secret Wars tie-ins in my opinion. A-Force continues the story of an elite team of female avengers as they continue to unravel the curious mysteries of Battle World.  Knowing that the A-force brand and team will continue post-battleworld this is sure to be a rewarding read to invest in!

Inhumans Attilan Rising #4 (Marvel) – With the upcoming Inhumans movie, and seeds planted on the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The inhumans are poised to make a big splash in the MCU over the next few years. A traditionally reclusive community the ensuing emergence of the Inhumans both on the small screen and the big screen makes a surreal parallel to the source material. Now  is very good time to learn about them and see what makes them so amazing. Who wants to get me some Terrigen crystals this Christmas?

Secret Wars # 5 (Marvel) – Despite achieving some manner of Godhood the chinks in Dr. Doom’s Deistic armor are starting to show. Last issue hinted at a showdown between Doom and his longtime rival Reed Richards. There’s definitely something epic about an impending battle of wits between a God and Mortal who are in a lot of respects equally matched. I can almost hear Michael Buffer’s clarion call in the distance. Impatiently awaiting this cosmic scale knock down drag out J

Review: Batgirl Annual #3

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batgirlannual003When reading the modern medium of comics, it is easy to forget that comic stories did not always have the same format.  As opposed to the modern day where one-shots are an absolute rarity, they used to exist more or less in this format across the entire medium.  Long story arcs were rare, and heroes usually met a villain and dealt with them in a short amount of time.  These stories which can be more easily located in the silver age, had a fairly common format of hero encounters villain, is beaten at first but then quickly recovers and wins.  This format is interesting because it is still occasionally used, but also because it is used in this most recent Batgirl Annual, and used quite cleverly.

Facing off against a mysterious villain and organization tied to the name Gladius, Barbara is forced to make some unlikely alliances which take her around the bat-family.  The cover alludes to the one that fans would be the most excited about, with an encounter with Dick Grayson, but there are also some clever other interactions as Barbara follows the trail of Gladius.  She encounters two other former Batgirls from previous years (Stephanie Brown and Helena Bertinelli) as well as Batwoman, a decent collection of Bat-ladies that is only missing Cassandra Cain.  The story diverges in an unexpected direction as well, crossing over what might be DC’s two best titles at the moment, as Batgirl and the residents of Gotham Academy get to meet for the first time.

What is most interesting about this story, is that while it is told in a series of separate vignettes, each with their own style, it also still manages to be a fluid story that makes sense, without the cameos seeming too forced.  Barbara is still the star but she cedes that status easily to those that she teams up with, making this issue more than the sum of its parts.  While the main series occasionally gets tied down in its own plots, this annual seems to represent a desire by the main creative team to cut loose a bit and have some fun with the character, and they succeeded.

Story: Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher Art: Bengal, David LaFuente, Ming Doyle, Mingjue Helen Chen, Gabe Eltaeb, Ivan Plascensia
Story: 9.4 Art: 9.4 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics Celebrates 75 Years of Robin

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This year marks the 75th Anniversary of Robin, the world’s most famous sidekick! DC Comics is celebrating the Boy Wonder all year long including five new and returning comics commemorating multiple incarnations of the iconic character.

In addition to headlining Grayson, Robin: Son of Batman, and We Are Robin, he will also be featured later this year in a new weekly series, Batman & Robin Eternal, and “Robin War,” a crossover event that will begin this winter.

Batman & Robin Eternal, the sequel to the blockbuster weekly series Batman Eternal, will begin on October 7 with weekly installments over the course of six months. Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV will act as “showrunners” for the series with Tynion as lead writer. Supporting Tynion will be Snyder, Tim Seeley, Genevieve Valentine, Steve Orlando, Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly and Ed Brisson, all scripting key issues of the weekly series. Artists contributing to the series include Tony S. Daniel, Paul Pelletier and Scot Eaton.

The month of December will see a “Robin War” where Gotham Academy, Robin: Son of Batman, and We Are Robin will crossover for five weeks. These issues will be bookended by two one-shot specials written by Tom King and story by King, Lee Bermejo, and Pat Gleason, with art by Khary Randolph and more.

In order to commemorate the various Robins throughout the years, a brand new infographic was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con. Most famous is Dick Grayson, but Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Damian Wayne, and Carrie Kelley have all proudly carried the moniker. Furthermore, the newest iteration of Robin in The New DC Universe now appears as the We Are Robin team, a group of teens who all embody the idea of Robin and bravely save the streets of Gotham City.

Review: Gotham Academy #8

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ga008Since her introduction to the pages of Gotham Academy, Olive Silverlock has been an engaging yet mysterious main character.  While her supporting cast has been fun and quirky, it is her around whom the series focuses.  Despite that, there has been a definite lack of Olive recently after her introduction.  Since the break for Convergence there was an Endgame tie-in, although this was mostly a ghost-story issue more in line with the horror titles of the 1970s than what we expect from the series.  The return of the series last month was without the series main character, and so it has been the case that this is the first appearance of the character after four months.

With that kind of a break, it would seem that there is some necessity to do something bigger with the character, and it is here.  Despite her return though, this issue mostly focuses on a different problem.  Despite already having Damian Wayne on the school grounds (though he is absent here) this issue reveals that Tristan is more that what he seems, as he is afflicted with some kind of lycanthropy, specifically the kind that seems to turn Dr. Kirk Langstrom into a bat as well.  It is an interesting sub-plot to the story, especially so that Langstrom shows up here as the new science teacher who is keen to help the student.  While they deal with this, there is a darker path underway for Olive which is revealed at the end of the issue.

While the tone of the series has changed a little bit with this issue, as well as the focus, it still maintains its same high standards that it has proven so far.  The sub-plot with Tristan is distracting in a way, but then the idea here was not to bring back the series’ protagonist with a flash but rather with a slow burn.  It is an effective way to pave the way for what will be Olive’s future, but as a good story should do, it is taking its time and not rushing in, and this issue is better for it.

Story: Becky Cloonan and Brendan Fletcher  Art: Karl Kerschl
Story: 8.9 Art: 8.9 Overall: 8.9 Recommendation: Buy

 

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Archie2015_01-0Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Top Pick: Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – The excellent series Princeless gets its first spin-off series focused on Raven, the Pirate Princess. The fundamentals are here, this time looking at swashbuckling tales. Raven must seek revenge against her brothers who have stolen her rightful place out from under her.

Archie #1 (Archie Comics) – This is huge! Archie is kicking off a whole new era with Mark Waid and Fiona Staples at the helm. This is one folks will be talking about.

Invader Zim #1 (Oni Press) – Jhonen Vasquez’s creation is back in a new comic. This is one I’ve been waiting for ever since it was announced. It’s kind of hard to not like the cartoon it’s based on, and expect this to be a hit.

Star Wars: Lando #1 (Marvel) – Everyone’s favorite scoundrel is back and in his own mini-series. Marvel has been killing it when its come to their Star Wars comics, and I expect no difference here.

Transference #1 (Black Mask Studios) – This is an interesting time travel series that is a hell of a mind bender in the first issue alone. There’s subtle things throughout the first issue that makes it stand out from the other special teams as time travelers story. A solid first issue.

 

Alex

Top pick: The Fox #4 (Dark Circle Comics) – If you’re not reading The Fox, you’re missing out. Plain and simple, this is one of the best comics on  the rack every month.

Batman #42 (DC Comics) – Although I’m not a big fan (yet) of the Bat-bunny-mech suit, I’ve got more than enough faith to see how Snyder plays this out.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Wonderland #37 (Zenescope) – There has hardly been a misstep in this series since the change of direction under the new creative team.  The series never fails to impress and surprise and that will continue here with a new story.

Archie #1 (Archie Comics) – There is finally a lot of buzz for this publisher, and it comes in the form of a revamped Archie.  No one quite knows what that means yet, but we will know soon.

Bloodstrike #1 (Image Comics) – Rob Liefeld causes a riot any time he works on comics, as he has fans and others who are pretty much the opposite of fans.  This is his best setting though, with nothing to prove and his imagination to fuel him.  How will the new sci-fi series work out for him?

Civil War #1 (Marvel) – One of Marvel’s most contentious crossovers meets the Secret Wars world.  The mix is not an obvious one, but neither have a lot of crossovers that have involved strange mixes thus far.

Gotham Academy #8 (DC Comics) – Olive returns to Gotham’s most interesting school.  A one issue break (plus the break for Convergence) means that she has been gone for a while, and it will be interesting to see what her return means for this series.

 

Elana

Constantine the Hellblazer #2 (DC Comics) – Funny, pretty, creepy, creative and hey everyone— it stars a bisexual character who’s not treated as a joke or fetishized!  More please!

Also props on the diverse creative team behind the comic, which may have something to do with the diversity inside the comic. PS, co-writer Ming Doyle was one of our podcast’s all time best guests. Go listen to her!

Gotham Academy #8 (DC Comics) – This book is one of the most creative things coming from DC. This issue is Olive’s mysterious Mother’s funeral. I’m gonna say it’s all Batman’s fault because he has a terrible track record with people with mental health issues.

Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess #1 (Action Lab Entertainment) – The name says it all. Charming, feminist, racially diverse. The number one book for kids of all ages including kids with mortgages. The new art is stronger then ever!

Storm TPB Vol. 2 (Marvel) – Storm’s first solo series was groundbreaking. If you like Storm at all, or just want to see more comics featuring women of color buy this! The story explores her personality, playing her off against some interesting foes and even more interesting friends. And the Gambit team-up is so much fun it’s criminal!

 

Paul

Top Pick: Age of Apocalypse #1 (Marvel) – I collected every issue of Age of Apocalypse when this storyline came out a million years ago.  This, to me, was one of the best X-Men runs ever released.  And I cannot wait to see the AoA region of Battleworld.  I know it won’t be exactly like the original run…but I am so excited to see these versions of the X-Men again.

Civil War #1 (Marvel) – Another storyline given a region in Battleworld, and I’m looking forward to it.  So much happened in the original run of Civil War, so I’m looking forward to reading a story where the war never ended; see what allegiances were formed, which fell apart…and who survives to see it end.

Runaways #2 (Marvel) – I really enjoyed the first issue of this series.  I’ve always enjoyed books focusing on the younger heroes of the MU (New Warriors, Young Avengers, Runaways), and I liked how this tie-in to Secret Wars took  some of my favourite heroes (Cloak and Dagger especially) and took them back to school, literally, to find their way in this new Battleworld.

 

Mr. H

Top Pick: Batman #42 – Capullo. Snyder. Every issue in this run has been white hot. I have no reason to believe the train will slow down. I don’t even want to buckle in!

Batman/ Superman #22 (DC Comics) – Gordon vs. Kent round 2. Can these two get on the same page so the World can have a Finest again?

Civil War #1 (Marvel Comics) – Where it all went wrong the first time, I’d like to see how they try to correct their mistakes or are they doomed to repeat themselves?

Spider-Man: Renew your Vows #2 (Marvel Comics) – This is the Spider-Man that I have waited for since the return of Norman Osborn wayyy back in the pages of Spider-Man #75. Last issue was very disappointing. I’m hoping Slott gives Peter the reunion with his daughter he deserves. Give him a happy ending for once!

TMNT Color Classics Series 3 #47 (IDW) – Classic Eastman/ Laird in color? Hell yeah. Loving this trip down memory lane!

 

Pharoah

Star Wars: Lando #1 (Marvel) – Definitely had my interest piqued when I saw it in Previews for this month’s solicitations. He is probably one of the coolest characters within the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and now he gets his own graphic treatment, the only thing I can say truly, it is about time!!!

1872 #1 (Marvel) – I love the exploration of alternate universes with familiar characters, and this is definitely one to watch out for, as they got the Avengers living in the Wild Wild West

Archie #1 (Archie) – When you have the top talents of Mark Waid of Empire fame and Fiona Staples of Saga fame, working on one of comics’ most iconic characters, it is more than worth a look.

Providence #2 (Avatar) – Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows, are reviving Lovecraft in the most exciting way possible, as he has made the mythology scary again for all of us. I have not loved a Moore series as much as I loved this one, definitely his best work yet.

Star Trek/Green Lantern #1 (DC Comics/IDW Publishing) – This team up has been creating a huge amount of buzz since it was first announced and as a fan of both franchises, it reminds me of the Batman/Spawn crossover.

Listen to Graphic Policy Radio with Guest Brenden Fletcher on Demand

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On demand: iTunes ¦ Sound Cloud ¦ Stitcher

Graphic Policy Radio interviewed writer Brenden Fletcher for our podcast and if you like his work (Batgirl, Black Canary, Gotham Academy) and/or care about creating inclusive comics in which young people, people of color, women and girls and LGBTQ people are represented then you should give it a listen.

We got to break some news last night! Brenden just received new pages drawn by the great Ming Doyle (who we interviewed the week before). The two share a gothic aesthetic so it’s a great collaboration. Not sure which project it will be for…perhaps the Batgirl Annual?

Helen Chen, the artist who drew the painterly, charming and lightly Miyazaki-ish Gotham Academy #7, will be an artist for the Batgirl Annual.

I invented the concept of Schrodinger’s Oracle. Dare we look into the box (issue 41) to see if there’s a new Oracle? Brenden’s response to my question was rather specific.

If future issues of Brenden’s books are late it’s because I told him about Gravity Falls, a TV cartoon I describe as Twin Peaks for kids. Oops.

We learned the inspiration behind rock and roll Black Canary, Brenden’s musical past, some hidden Batman characters in Gotham Academy and the secret behind why Montreal is a comics hub (it has something to do with public policy…)

And that’s just the beginning!

Graphic Policy Radio with guest Brenden Fletcher LIVE this Monday

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GP Radio pic MondayThis Monday night Graphic Policy Radio hits the airwaves with a brand new guest. Joining us for the first time is comic creator Brenden Fletcher. The show airs live Monday, June 22 at 10pm ET.

Brenden Fletcher has been a professional storysmith for more than a decade. Hailing from the worlds of theatre and film, Brenden made an impact on comics with DC Comics’ award-winning Wednesday Comics anthology, penning the critically acclaimed Flash story with Karl Kerschl. Since then he’s been developing new media and video game properties, most recently partnering with Ubisoft to extend its line of Assassin’s Creed graphic novels. He’s currently writing the Black Canary series for DC Comics while continuing to co-write Batgirl with Cameron Stewart and Gotham Academy with Becky Cloonan.

We’ll be discussing Brenden’s entire career but especially his work on Gotham Academy, Batgirl, and the brand new Black Canary which debuts in comic shops this week.

You can Tweet us your thoughts to @graphicpolicy. And listen in live this Monday!

Around the Tubes

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It was new comic book day yesterday. What’d everyone get?

Around the Tubes

CBDLF – Connecticut Middle Schooler Investigated by State Police for “Death Note” List – Calls for a ban in 3…2…1…

Kotaku – Batman’s Big Collector’s Edition Cancelled At Last Minute – Well that sucks.

The Full Bleed – What Movie Producers Can Teach You About Selling Comics – An intriguing read.

Newsarama – Fantastic Four Hits Denny’s … No, Seriously – Interesting.

 

Around the Tubes Reviews

CBR – Black Canary #1

Comic Vine – Black Canary #1

Flickering Myths – Burning Fields #5

Comic Vine – Deadpool’s Secret Wars #2

The Outhousers – The Fiction #1

CBR – Ghostbusters: Get Real #1

Comic Vine – Ghostbusters: Get Real #1

Talking Comics – Gotham Academy #7

Comic Vine – Ms. Marvel #17

The Outhousers – Negative Space #1

Comic Vine – Old Man Logan #2

Comics Alliance – Prez #1

Comic Vine – Runaways #1

The Outhousers – The Strain: The Night Eternal #10

Comic Vine – X-O Manowar #37

Around the Tubes

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It’s new comic book day tomorrow! We’ve already started to run previews, and we’ll have our picks in a few hours. So, stick around to see what you should be checking out this week!

Around the Tubes

The Comichron – May 2015 comics sales estimates online: Loot Crate effect hits half-million copies – And the Loot Crate comic will tank next month.

Greater Kashmir – Kashmir’s first graphic novel to be released this month – Cool to see!

 

Around the Tubes Reviews

CBR – Gotham Academy #7

CBR – Strange Fruit #1

Review: Gotham Academy #7

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ga007Gotham Academy was undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises from the past year at DC Comics, and really in comics in general.  Although it is tied closely enough to the mainstream continuity of DC Comics and especially that of Gotham City, there is also the sense that it stands on its own, telling the story of what some semi-regular kids might think and do in a world where a lot more is possible.  While it focuses on the stories of these children, especially that of series lead Olive Silverlock, it also incorporated far stronger characterization than what is often seen in comics.  The problem for DC and all of its properties is that Convergence drove a big wedge into all the series, with only a couple getting a chance to receive only a one month break as opposed to the two.  Gotham Academy was one such series that had only a one month break, with the Endgame issue occurring during the first month of Convergence.

As the characters return there is one notable addition and one notable absence.  The addition should not surprise anyone as Damian Wayne was introduced as the newest student of the academy in the issue that occurred right before the end of Convergence.  The absence is more pronounced as the series main character Olive is gone for the entire issue.  Instead what transpires is the addition of Damian into the group in an unexpected way.  As a comic book character, Batman mostly relies on fact over fantasy, and so while things like aliens and magic exist in his stories, they take a back seat to science and logic.  The same has held true for Gotham Academy as the ghosts and magic of the academy grounds have often been proven with other means than simply saying that they are supernatural.  In this case, Damian and Maps are inexplicably held together by the hand as they attempt to combat an ancient curse on the Wayne family.

While this issue was entertaining, it also comes off as being a relative piece of fluff compared to what has come before in the series.  The celebrity guest is given star status, as the series’ main character is missing.  The story is fun, but little more than that, as it feels as though it could have easily been ripped from the pages of Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys and then condensed into a single comic issue.  There were some fun moments, and it was nice to see some of the focus on Maps as well, but this nonetheless feels only like an interlude.

Story: Becky Cloonan and Brendan Fletcher  Art: Mingjue Helen Chen
Story: 8.3 Art: 8.3 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Read

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