Batman #434 (June, 1989)
"The Many Deaths of the Batman, Chapter Two: How Many Times Can a Batman Die?"
Writer - John Byrne
Penciller - Jim Aparo
Inker - Mike DeCarlo
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Assistant Editor - Dan Raspler
Editor - Denny O'Neil
Cover Price: $0.75
Let's check in with Part Two of The Many Deaths of the Batman to see if the words have caught up with the art! That is to say... will there be any words? Let's find out!
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We open with Batman chasing a caped baddie across rooftops in Paris. The chase leads them to a pier and ends with them both falling into the drink. This segues pretty seamlessly to a scene in Gotham City wherein the GCPD are fishing a "Batman" out of the river.
This time around, Gordon's got no time to mess about... he unmasks the body just as soon as they get him on a gurney. He's surprised to see that this Batman is, in actuality, Mark Jenner... a legendary stock car racer whose career was cut short when he was paralyzed in a wreck some years back. The Assistant Coroner suggests that being paralyzed would be the perfect "cover story" for a guy who is really Batman but the Commish ain't buying it... after all, this is the fourth dead Batman to turn up in the last twelve hours.
We join Gordon some hours later at his office. He's poring over photos of the dead Batmen, who include Jenner, a demolitions expert named Stone, a chemist named Kingsley, and a bodybuilder named LaSalle. He is interrupted by the unnamed Coroner, who has some deets from the Jenner autopsy. The water they found in his lungs was tap water... suggesting that while he did drown, it wasn't in the river.
We shift scenes to a trendy gym called the Swet Shop (misspelling intentional?). One Peter Allison swaggers in, he's a world-class gymnast and is here to put on a bit of a show for proprietor Hank Jones. He heads into the dressing room, and emerges... dressed like Batman. Jones is a bit surprised... though Allison is adamant that Jones sent him a letter with an offer of twenty-thousand dollars to perform in a Batman costume. Just as he begins... he is shot through the heart with a crossbow!
It's not long before the GCPD swarm the gym and begin questioning poor Mr. Jones. Turns out a third party had sent letter to both he and the late Mr. Allison to arrange the demonstration and make it seem as though both men were the interested party. We see that the assassin left his crossbow behind and escaped through a vent in a storage room. Gordon suggests that whoever "pulled the trigger" must have been quite the skilled marksman. Talk about timing, Hank informs the Commish that Olympic Crossbow champion Raphael DiGiorda just landed in Gotham City this very morning!
Back in France, Batman deposits the caped crim to the cops. It's here that he gets an eyeful of the front page news... Batman, Mort! Seems like this is new information to him!
Back in Gotham, Gordon and the Coroner are making a beeline to Mr. DiGiorda's... I dunno, Hotel? Along the way, the Coroner mentions that she still believes Jenner to be the "real" Batman, using his paralysis as a cover. She just won't let that go. I mean, it's a decent enough theory... but when one of the very few folks on the planet to sorta-kinda know Batman tells ya you're barking up the wrong tree... it's probably best to drop it. Anyhoo... they barge their way into DiGiorda's pad, and wouldn'tcha know it, he's dressed like Batman!
They go about their questioning... walking the line between accusing him of wrongdoing and warning him that he might be in danger. He informs them that he'd received the costume from... Bruce Wayne (record skip sound here). The Coroner comes up with another kooky theory... perhaps the bored playboy Mr. Wayne is the killer... and his ultimate bounty is the real-deal Batman! Gordon quickly poo-poos that idea. While they argue, they don't notice DiGiorda dying behind them. He's been poisoned!
Next stop, Wayne Manor. The Commish and the Coroner arrive and share the story of the past 24 hours. He thinks on it a bit before asking Alfred if any packages had arrived. Turns out there just so happens to be a box from Acme Costumes in the mail. Wanna guess what's inside it? Yup.
As he pulls the Bat-togs outta the box, the utility belt clunks to the floor. An officer picks it up, and latches the buckle... which is pretty dumb. The officers and Bruce are pleased to see that such an act did not trigger an explosion. What it did trigger, however, was an acidic reaction in the costume itself. Meaning... if Bruce were wearing it, he'd be little more than a puddle at this point!
While Bruce and Gordon try to figure out their next move, we wrap up by visiting with a... heavy-set gentleman dressed as Batman entering a bedroom to be with a, er... "city gal". Turns out he's just the next Batman to die!
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A very solid chapter.
I was pleased to see that this issue was not without dialogue. This was definitely a Jim Gordon story, and it was a damn good one. While much of the "detective work" was predicated on convenience, it was still entertaining to watch him work his way through the clues.
The story itself, having to do with notable names receiving letters and packages from a "mystery mailer" feels like something out of the Silver Age. Not a bad thing, to be sure. I appreciate that this feels like an updated take on a story of old... seems right up Byrne's alley. It's a shame his stay on Batman was so short. I think he could've done some amazing things with the character.
Aparo's art continues to be top-notch... the multitude of balloons and captions proved not to be a hindrance. Speaking of art, the cover by Byrne is pretty wicked too. We've seen covers featuring heroes in "the drawers" before, but this one is super cool. Not only does it look great, it fits the story perfectly!
Interesting thing I realized after finishing up the first chapter yesterday... it's an issue of Batman... about Batman, that didn't feature a single panel of the Batman! In reading this second chapter, I thought it interesting that the actual "Batman" scenes... that is to say, the ones occurring in France, were... silent! I gotta wonder if these bits were originally intended for the silent issue... and pushed out for some reason. Might just be thinking too hard... but that's kinda what I do.
Overall, lotta fun with this one. The Many Deaths of the Batman is a great story, and I would certainly recommend it. I'm surprised it hasn't shown up (at least to my knowledge) in collected edition. Perhaps that's due to Byrne's stint being so short. I'm sure had we written a few more issues, he would've gotten a trade paperback. Anyhoo, this one is available digitally.
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Batman #433 (May, 1989)
"The Many Deaths of the Batman, Chapter One: Period of Mourning"
Writer - John Byrne
Penciller - Jim Aparo
Inker - Mike DeCarlo
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Assistant Editor - Dan Raspler
Editor - Denny O'Neil
Cover Price: $0.75
"..."
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We open on a Gotham City night... police cars are speeding down the busy streets with little care for the civilians in their path. They pull down an alley, hop out of the car and continue on foot with only their flashlights to show the way. What they come across is something none of them could have prepared for.
The Batman is loaded into an ambulance and swept away to Gotham General. The doctors seem to be mixed on whether or not they should unmask him... but ultimately settle on not. They do what they can for the Caped Crusader... but it's all for naught. Batman flat-lines on the table.
The body is wheeled down to the morgue. An opportunistic photog makes his way into the hospital, and down to the drawers. He pays off a security guard, and snaps himself a few pics.
It's around this point that I realized that this was probably going to be a "silent" issue. Whether that means I'm a bit slow on the uptake, Aparo's storytelling was just that engaging, or a combination of the two, I'm unsure. After these photos are taken, news of Batman's demise spreads to the papers, and the Gotham News runs the item on their front page.
From here, we see a few reactions to the news. In Arkham, the Penguin is quite displeased indeed.
Two Face has to flip a coin to see how he feels... and I'm left unsure because the only reaction face we see is the scarred side... which is always scowling. His "good side" might be smiling, I suppose!
Dick and Kory come across a copy of the paper on the street. Dick looks devastated. The pair embrace.
At Wayne Manor, Alfred sees the paper while on his way to deliver breakfast to Bruce. He drops his tray, and runs down to the Batcave.
Finally, Commissioner Gordon is told. He cuts out of the Police Commissioner Convention, hops a plane and flies back to Gotham. He is driven to the morgue... and when he is shown the body, utters the only line of dialogue in the entire issue. Two words, "Get out."
Alone with the body, Gordon proceeds to... unmask Batman! What he finds behind the cowl is a... blonde fella. I'll concede that it's been forever since I first read this, but I can't recall if they were hinting that Jim knew that Batman and Bruce Wayne were one in the same... or if there's something else here that tips him off that this isn't the right dude.
Either way, he orders the Bat-signal lit. In the lights glow, we can see... Batman... atop the Gotham Plaza Hotel. Suddenly, there's an explosion... and among the rocks and rubble that falls is shreds of Batman's cape and cowl.
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I had totally forgotten that this was a silent issue!
It really wasn't until about halfway through (page 11-12) that I realized what was going on. Like I said above, that's either high praise on the storytelling of Byrne and Aparo... or an indictment on my perception acumen. I feel like the silence really added to the mood they were going for... and only having it shattered the one time really emphasized the importance of that line.
With all that said... I'm glad I didn't buy this off the rack, because I'm sure I'd have felt ripped off. Seems crazy to say, we still do get a story here, and a lot of awesome Aparo art... unhindered by thought/speech balloons or captions, but I flipped through this in less than five minutes. Couldn't imagine trudging myself up to the newsstand, plopping my meager lunch money on the counter in exchange for this issue... going home and feeling satisfied.
I feel like this works as a part of a greater story... but as a chapter unto itself, it's something I definitely would not have appreciated at the time.
Silent issues are always a bit hit or miss... well, let's say 5% hit-95% miss... though, I'm only speaking for myself. I still remember being mystified reading an article in Wizard Magazine about G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21 (March, 1984). I thought it was the neatest thing ever... and there was a bit of controversy as to whether or not the issue was originally intended to ship without dialogue (Larry Hama would confirm that it was). I just couldn't shake the idea of this weird issue being out in the world, and what's more... it made sense! It was an issue featuring the mute Snake-Eyes, after all.
Years later, Deadpool #42 (July, 2000) would do a riff on the classic ARAH issue... even red-white-and bluifying the logo and adding the subtitle "A Real American Zero!" I recall really enjoying that issue as well, because... well, it's Deadpool, and if you're going to do something silly... ya may as well do it with Deadpool. Hell, Reggie and I just covered the "Gumped" Deadpool #11 for the Cosmic Treadmill Podcast. Give'r a listen if you're interested.
At this point, Marvel Comics decided it would be a good idea to do an entire month of silent issues... the dread Nuff Said! initiative. That's when novelty turned to... I dunno, whatever the opposite of novelty is... whatever it is, it certainly overstayed its welcome. That entire month was a chore... and, outside a few of them, felt like a big time rip-off. I still bought all of them... because I was/am an idiot... so, I suppose I was part of the problem!
Anyhoo... for the issue itself. You ever hear the theory that every problem that happened in Seinfeld could have been fixed with a single cell phone? That's kinda where we're at with this issue. This is definitely the kind of story that could not be told today without there being some mention of "cell towers being down" or something. All it would take is a single phone call... and the whole "reveal" would unravel.
Speaking of the reveal... I gotta wonder how Gordon knew that it was the wrong guy behind the mask. I'm at a bit of a disadvantage as I haven't read this in... I dunno, fifteen years or so... and didn't want to read ahead and ruin my reaction, but it's interesting to consider that Gordon knows... because he's almost have to, right?
Overall... this issue is like a master class in sequential storytelling. Aparo is able to make this entire silent story flow with only minor cheats (the newspaper does feature words, after all), and a single two-word line of dialogue. I can't promise you'll be satisfied with twenty-two (mostly) wordless pages... but, then again, there's no way I advise anyone not to experience it either. It is available digitally... but priced at $1.99. Not sure I'd spend two bucks... but, then again, these days we comics enthusiasts spend far more for far less.
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Justice Society of America (vol.3) #4 (May, 2007)
"The Next Age, Chapter 4"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Penciller - Dale Eaglesham
Inker - Ruy Jose
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Colorist - Jeremy Cox
Assistant Editor - Adam Schlagman
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99
"More JSA?" asked nobody. Sure, why not!
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We pick up right where we left off with Vandal Savage facing off with Wildcat's son Tom... who appears to be a, Werecat?! After some small talk, they lunge toward one another. At the same time in Blue Valley, at least I think it's the same time... could'a sworn it was nighttime in Brooklyn, and it's mid-day here. I dunno, I'll just blame it on daylight savings time. Anyhoo in Blue Valley, the Justice Society arrives save Pat Dugan and Son from the Fourth Reich. We get a neat bit about Cyclone, and how she was a huge JSA fan, and of Stargirl in particular. She had a fan club and she was the lone member (at times). It's almost cringy, but overall pretty touching.
We shift to Philadelphia where the rest of the JSA arrives to aid the Golden-Age Liberty Belle. The Fourth Reich ain't messing around... even going so far as to wield the actual Liberty Bell as a weapon! Main takeaway during this scene is an internal monologue from Damage. He recalls all the, er, damage he'd done with his powers... then, he proceeds to advise the team to "evacuate" so he can go boom to take down the Reich... but goes off before Liberty Belle (the current one) can escape the blast radius!
Back in Brooklyn, Savage and Tom-Cat continue their tussle. Vandal cuts a gas main with his blade to erupt a fireball. In a cute bit, Tom mocks the "caveman" for trying to start a fire... without missing a beat, Savage informs him that he was the one to discover it in the first place! After the explosion, Wildcat stirs back to the waking world, and notes that perhaps his boy left out a detail or two when discussing his past.
In Philadelphia, Hourman rushes to Liberty Belle's side... and it looks like she's going to survive. She tells Rex to cool his jets, as what Damage had done was just an accident. Amid the chaos, Captain Nazi grabs Damage and unmasks him... revealing his horribly scarred face (though not to the reader). Hourman pulls his disfigured fat outta the fire by hurling the Liberty Bell... the actual bell, not the woman, into the bad Cap'n.
At this point the battles of Brooklyn and Philly wrap up. The Wildcat family's fight with Vandal Savage is taken to the streets... where the latter gets nailed with a Fire Engine. Damage kayos Cap'n Ratzi with an explosive sock to da mush.
The next day... I'm assuming, Wildcat and Tommy arrive at the JSA Brownstone... it's here that Tom tells his Pop that his transformations began when he was in kindergarten... and is the reason why he has shied away from fighting ever since. Fair enough! At that very moment(ish) the founders, Green Lantern, Flash and Hawkman make Power Girl an offer she can't refuse... Chairwomanship of the Justice Society of America!
Deeper in the Brownstone, we visit with Dr. Mid-Nite and Mr. Terrific. Mid-Nite's looking for a second opinion on his patient Nathan Heywood... who appears to be growing a new metallic limb!
We shift down to... I wanna say Virginia, where we meet up with Mr. America's pal and contact, Jeffrey Graves. Upon learning that he was associating with a mystery man, he'd been relieved of his duties with the FBI. As he's walked out, we hear the narration of Wildcat. Vandal Savage thought chopping down a few key family trees would kill the Justice Society... but it's not about "bloodlines", not completely anyway. It's about symbols... these heroes are iconic symbols of justice and what is right. When one falls... another will be there to claim the mantle and continue fighting the good fight. Maybe even one Jeffrey Graves, it seems.
We rejoin Wildcat as he is about to introduce the Justice Society to his "kid", Tom. This is another amazing two-page spread. Eaglesham continually knocks these spreads outta the park. Just jaw-dropping work (which my photos do absolutely no justice)!
We conclude in Gotham City where some colorfully clad kids are running amok... hmm. We also meet out old pal John Dee... ya know, Doctor Destiny. He's got himself a hostage... with a strange star-shaped beauty mark on her cheek. What in the Dream Girl might this be?!
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Another excellent chapter here. Man, I say this every single time we cover the Justice Society... but, I love this team... and this run.
This was a great way to close out the first story arc... basically a trio of fight scenes on different fronts. It allowed for a bit of a focus on characters who had been left sorta-kinda on the periphery thus far. Most notably (for my money), Damage.
Damage recalling the events of Atlanta... I really like that. It's weird, it's not really a "deep-cut" but it is a part of his history I thought they would glaze over. I feel like in the post-New 52! and Marvel NOW! (the first one... the first-first one) writers are more hesitant to make plain references to events in a characters' past for fear that they won't jive with what they want that character to be. So often continuity gets conflated with "baggage"... and, don't get me wrong, I can see how it might pigeon hole characters or limit what a writer can do with a story... but sometimes ya just gotta play the ball where it lay. Geoff Johns gets that better than most... which, again... baffles me as to why he'd be on board with "Flashpointing" the DCU just four years after this.
Let's chat up Power Girl's promotion. Makes perfect sense to me. This entire story arc is about the "next age", the next generation of the Justice Society of America. Power Girl was one of the first of the "next generation" back in the day, dating back to the Super Squad in All-Star Comics... she is the best choice to lead the team into the next age. At the risk of being controversial (and one of the criticisms I get most often is how uncontroversial I am), I feel like if this scene were written today, it would be wrapped up in the fact that a woman was leading the team... rather than a seasoned veteran who has more than earned her place (and the respect of the entire superhero community) is now leading the team. Johns handles this with class... and appropriate pomp, without resorting to making it all about Power Girl being... ya know, a Girl.
If Legion of Super-Heroes were a subject in school... I'd probably say I've got a, I dunno... fourth grade understanding of them at this point. Made me positively giddy to recognize Dream Girl on that last page... I can say with 150% certainty that I hadn't the foggiest idea who she was the first time I read this.
Overall... we get a satisfying ending to our opening arc, a pretty good idea at who several members of Justice Society: The New Class are going to be, and a cliffhanger into a good ol' Justice League of America/Justice Society of America crossover. Not much not to dig here! Highly recommended.
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