"Whubba!" Batman: Gotham Adventures 30 Review

"Whubba." A hilarious *choking* stutter.

Commissioner Gordon summons Batman when a young boy goes missing from a military facility. The concern has to do with his condition. Following the trail, Batman comes upon the doctor that was on duty when the boy's parents removed him from the facility. When Batman catches him by surprise, he spills some of his coffee! And "Whubba."

The boys condition leads Batman to Arkham and Clayface. The former actor, Matt Hagen, might be able to teach the boy some mental self-control over his form. Hagen starts a riot leaving Arkham that Batman has to quell. Later, he tries to upgrade his deal. The boy makes a stand on right and wrong.

Under a Bob Smith-Terry Beatty cover, Scott Peterson and Tim Levins show a melancholy, sentimental story. Hagen as Clayface is a tragic figure. One can feel sorry for some vanity that drove Hagen to the condition he's in. Some choices are just plain bad. Nearly all Batman stories are about poor choices. A good choice is Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins backing Levins.

"Deals" is a heartfelt story, providing some redeeming qualities for Matt Hagen's Clayface. Batman: Gotham Adventures earns four stars. 

Hope to Sea You Later! Batman: Gotham Adventures 29 Review

A quiet night in the Batcave for Tim Drake is disrupted when the Batmobile recklessly roars back and The Caped Crusader staggers out then collapses. Mumbling deliriously and incoherently, the clues he drops for Tim and Alfred are "ozzie fish", "blue rings" and "fish tanks"! The pair situate Batman in the medical wing of the cave. Alfred takes a blood sample and suggests that Tim find Poison Ivy. His first stop is The Iceberg Lounge, and proprietor, The Penguin. With a little convincing, Tim manages to get Ivy's location from Mr. Cobblepot.

Harley and Ivy are hiding out, "on the down-low", when Tim catches up with them at Gotham Botanical Gardens. Harley nearly shoots the place apart, before Ivy is able to analyze the blood sample. 

Tim is able to piece together the mumbled clues, which leads him to Gotham Aquarium and Goggles McCracken and his crew.

Chuck Dixon's story with Joe Staton pencils is incredibly riveting. Can. Tim. Save. Batman. In. Six. Hours?!?! The thrilling story is under a Craig Rousseau and Terry Beatty cover, with Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins backing Staton.

"Six Hours to Kill" is a nifty spotlight on Tim's ingenuity. Batman: Gotham Adventures 29 earns four stars.   

Out Riddled Using an Enigmatic Scale! Batman: Gotham Adventures 28 Review

The Riddler stories are enjoyable and satisfying simply because they are sophisticated and intelligent. They are intricate and challenging. Edward Nigma's main goal is to outsmart The Darknight Detective, so his riddles usually have a double meaning. A false "surface" meaning, with the real meaning cleverly hidden within the semantics. As a reader, one feels slightly wittier and smarter than either The Riddler or The Batman in being able to deduce the solution. 

Writing Riddler stories has to be challenging and difficult. More difficult than writing a mystery. To lay out a plan through riddles that may mean more than one thing, while confounding The Caped Crusader and the reader. What's disappointing about the tie-in book to Batman: The Animated Series and the subsequent animated series is that writers, such as Scott Peterson, just simply abandon the premise. Or reveal that Batman wasn't focusing or paying attention to the riddles.

Here, Nigma once has a lofty and bold plan all laid out in riddles. Yet, the real clues come from musician Jack West, The Riddler's captive. Batman, Robin and Nightwing simply abandon focusing on the riddles and focus instead on the message from West's background music. Interesting that West would use an Enigmatic Scale.

While Peterson's story is still enjoyable, Levins' art, with Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins is definitely eye-candy. Fewer panels, grandiose images. It's awesome how Levins carries the story and injects wit and humor. A nice zinger is that Nigma has lied to The Joker's henchmen in order to get them to work with him. He's also appropriated the Ha-Hacienda... as a squatter.

The only downside is that Peterson has presented a minor character that out-riddles The Riddler.

"Notes", Batman: Gotham Adventures earns three stars.

 

 

He Knows What Evil Lurks... Batman: Gotham Adventures 27 Review

Batman and Batgirl visit Law professor Sven Svenson in prison. He's been convicted of murdering mob boss Billy Chang. There's an eyewitness. The case against him was rock-solid and airtight. Even Commissioner Gordon is convinced he's guilty. The question is: Why?

Batman decides to dig deeper. 

He visits Pieter Danner, the eyewitness. Danner admits that Gino Tivolli threatened him. He was going to recant but didn't want to face perjury. 

Unfortunately, Professor Svenson shouldn't have involved The Darknight Detective.

Swedish Mafia and Swedish Mob Boss are funny Easter eggs of a joke. Peterson and Levins offer yet another gripping suspense mystery. The more Batman digs the more dirt he actually uncovers. Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins are in fine form under a mysterious Bob Smith, Terry Beatty cover.

The final page, final panel lesson is pretty much the sound of one hand clapping.

"Lessons", Batman: Gotham Adventures 27 earns four stars. 

Angel and the Batman! Batman: Gotham Adventures 26 Review

And now for something completely different.

Word in the underworld is that everybody is looking for Kristov. Batman: Gotham Adventures 26 opens with Batman crashing a club and busting up all the underworld patrons for information on Kristov. He and Tim Drake follow the lead to a warehouse where they encounter FBI Special Agent DePaola. One of DePaola's agents shares information in Russian, which Batman is able to understand. He and Robin follow the lead further and find that Kristov is an infant.

Peterson's story just turns bonkers. To keep Kristov safe from everybody, Batman keeps the baby with him. All. The. Time. Because he's not sure if even Ra's al Ghul is looking for the baby and won't track him back to the Batcave and Alfred.

Peterson and Levins have fun showing Batman making the rounds of Gotham, carrying Kristov. This wraps up when The Caped Crusader stops a mugging - simply by using the built-in fear he's established. He tells the gang of muggers that if they do anything at all to upset the baby, he will make them very sorry. The story of every new parent everywhere. The mugging victim and even the muggers offer helpful suggestions. The victim even shops for supplies. Alfred helps him over comms with changing a diaper and feeding. This is very thick cheese.

Batman provides an ultimate solution for Special Agent DePaola and the mobs to insure Kristov's permanent safety.

It's a fun, wacky story. Stretches credibility, even for Batman. It might be considered "camp" simply for the premise itself. Your mileage may vary.

"In Arms", Batman: Gotham Adventures 26 earns three stars.    

Quick! Think Fast! The Batman: Gotham Adventures 25 Review

The Flash makes a guest appearance this issue. 

Although it's not stated, it appears that Wally West is The Flash that visits Gotham City. It seems somewhat unfair that Wally is presented as somewhat cocky, rash and impulsive. Relying heavily on super-speed rather than calm, cool quick-thinking. Of course, Batman is going to come off smarter. The Dark Knight faces adversaries such as The Riddler and The Joker. The Flash faces off against adversaries such as The Trickster. Most of The Scarlet Speedster's adversaries test his speed, not his intelligence.

Here, The Flash is in Gotham City following computer-related crimes that moved from Central City to Gotham. Batman appreciates the head's-up, however, as usual prefers to tackle things in Gotham himself. What follows is a tutorial for The Flash in clear thinking, rather than simple swift action.

Tim Drake solves the puzzling mystery with a visit to the Gotham Post Office.

Batman actually does provide the final solution. He does credit The Flash with making an effort. His final advice is to think of the consequences.

Peterson's script here is, once again enjoyable. It's interesting that Peterson chose not to feature Dick Grayson or Barbara Gordon in this story. Dick and Wally have a history as Teen Titans. It's curious... perhaps there's an undercurrent of bitterness and grief in Batman seeing Wally in Barry Allen's costume. Although presenting an immature Flash, Wally is presented more light-hearted as comic relief. There's a scene where he races up into the sky to greet an airplane that has changed course. Levins, Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins are all spot-on this issue.

It would be nice to see Wally not played for laughs or as the fool.

Batman: Gotham Adventures 25 earns three stars. 

Can a Girl Get a Little Attention - Or Does That Make Her High-Maintenance? Batman: Gotham Adventures 24 Review

Whoa! That cover! Terry Beatty and Bob Smith really grab attention with Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl and Robin all tumbling down - into darkness! What could this possibly mean? This is definitely a "grab-me-and-read-me" page-turner cover!

Inside, Tim Drake is the first to be trapped!

Dick Grayson is on a rare date but has to leave to meet a buddy. His date is not happy. He's the next one to fall into the trap.

Meanwhile Batman and Batgirl rescue a father and son from a traffic accident on the bridge. Their car is dangling precariously off the bridge, about to plunge into the drink! After the rescue, Alfred relays a message that he's lost contact with Nightwing. 

Meanwhile, Killer Croc joins Robin and Nightwing. They argue. They fight in close quarters.

When Batman and Batgirl show up, Catwoman reveals herself and the reason she's set the trap. Typical, Batman is completely clueless.

Yes, Peterson's stories do follow a formula. Things happen. As the story progresses, everything falls into place and things make sense. Yes, there is a lesson or a moral, just like a typical Saturday-morning cartoon. Tim Levins' art works very well with Peterson's stories. Although, I still prefer the Mike Parobeck design for Croc. Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins are awesome as usual.

It's a fun night out in Gotham City! Batman: Gotham Adventures 24 earns four stars.