Joe Anybody, Batman: Gotham Adventures 41 Review

"A Tale of Joe" finds Batman taking an interest in a slacker named Joe. A guy that can't even do the wrong thing right. A guy who could probably show up late for his own funeral. Joe takes the easy way out. The path of least resistance. But even when he's invited to be part of a crime, he shows up late. He's listless. Directionless. Rudderless. Admittedly, he has no sense of purpose.

And yet, The Batman sees something in him. Something that shouldn't go to waste.

Scott Peterson has crafted a character that could be anyone. An average Joe. Drifting through life. Waiting for something, anything to happen to change circumstance and the environment.

It isn't until Joe is presented with that kind of circumstance that he realizes a change in himself.

Alfred provides the final conclusion to the story.

Peterson, Levins, Beatty, Loughridge and DeGuzman are aided and abetted here by editors Harvey Richards, Nachie Castro, Joan Hilty and Bob Schreck. This is an important moral and ethical story. A very rare breed.

"Don't waste good."

"A Tale of Joe", Batman: Gotham Adventures 41 earns five stars.

Not Built in a Day, Batman: Gotham Adventures 34 Review

A true mystery: construction workers in Gotham City are disappearing!

It turns out that Maxie Zeus is capturing them. He's "hiring" construction workers to rebuild Rome! The urgency is that a Hollywood film is being released and the tie-in is an amusement park based on Rome!

It all starts with Batman battling a roman centurion. Tim Levins' art is grand and spectacular. Scott Peterson's story bobs and weaves about, dropping clues here and there. Zeus is more of a comic figure than a mortal enemy. He's played for laughs. He's a gangster with god-like aspirations. "Small 'g', big 'o' - 'd'." He's pompous and arrogant like most of the members of Batman's infamous rogues gallery, yet he comes off more like Egghead or Louie the Lilac.

Dick and Barbara manage to figure out the plot and join Bruce and Tim for the grand finale.

It's a pretty light-hearted romp of a story. Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins are on back-up, inking, coloring and lettering. 

"When in Rome" Batman: Gotham Adventures 34 earns three stars.   

The Scarecrow Says "Boo!" Batman: Gotham Adventures 32 Review

The Scarecrow's re-designed look is just horrible. For an animated series that is supposedly aimed at kids and should be somewhat family friendly, The Scarecrow now is more horrific and scarier. There was nothing wrong with the original design. It was cartoony or cartoonish enough. Legend has it that the Batman characters were re-designed for a more cartoonish look. That may work for some characters. It really does not work for The Scarecrow. Since when did he become taller?

"The Remote Controller" finds Batman and Robin coming across a man having a heart attack. While trying to provide aid, they are overrun by panicked Gothamites. They avoid being crushed in the stampede and get the man to Gotham General before stopping by Commissioner Gordon's office to view The Scarecrow's video. Using a form of mass hypnosis, the former Professor Crane convinces everyone watching of panic! Chaos in the streets all because Crane dictated it!

The thing is to find Crane and undo the damage!

Scott Peterson and Tim Levins are back, with Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins on backup.

The Scarecrow has managed a wicked plot that Batman and company must unravel!

Batman: Gotham Adventures 32 earns three stars.

The Things We Do For Family... Batman: Gotham Adventures 22 Review

"We make out choices in life and we live with the consequences."

Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon are in the middle of a prison riot. They find out from the warden that Ned and Ted Spencer made a daring escape during the riot. Ned's a small-time troublemaker. Ted's a convicted murderer and known to be a psychopath. Now they're free.

The pair had help. A getaway car was used from Northstar Brokerage Company. Betty Spencer Welsh helped her brothers escape.

Bullock tips Gordon and Batgirl that the brothers next stop was the Darwin Bar and Grill. They got fake IDs from the bartender.

The trail ends at Gotham General Hospital.

The lesson Barbara Gordon learns from the adventure is that family is important. Another lesson learned is not to waste valuable time with family.

Once again, Scott Peterson's story is phenomenal. Tim Levins' art is awesome. Big panels. Wide eyes. Lots of expressions. Levins is backed up again by Beatty, Loughridge and Harkins.

Batman: Gotham Adventures 22 earns four stars.

What The Blind Man Saw... Batman Gotham Adventures 21 Review

When a little girl named Stephanie Herst is abducted from her home, Commissioner Gordon uses the bat signal to summon The Darknight Detective to the roof of police headquarters. He offers a photo, a locket and a glass tube as clues. Back at the Batcave, he and Tim Drake are puzzling over the clues. Dick Grayson points out that the glass tube is a slide that jazz guitarists use. Batman and Nightwing connect with blind jazz guitarist B. L. Pledge. He gives them a description of the man that was carrying little Stephanie.

Barbara Gordon interviews Stephanie's parents. Her mother works at a bank. Her father is a video editor at a television news station.

Batman gathers information from the underworld that leads to a mob boss. Turns out a mysterious hitman was captured on video for an expose.

Scott Peterson's script is riveting. Tim Levins' art is fantastic, highlighted by Terry Beatty's inks, Lee Loughridge's colors and Tim Harkins lettering.

The lesson of the story is that a handicap, is not really a handicap. B. L. Pledge turns out to be just an older version of Matt Murdock. Blind, his other senses pick up the slack. The story wraps with Pledge telling Batman that even a blind man can recognize the good guys from the bad guys.

Batman: Gotham Adventures earns four stars.