COMIC REVIEW: Detective Comics #880

Detective Comics #880

A Comic Review by David Gordon

Sometimes in life, it is VERY good to get kicked squarely in between the legs.  It’s been two week. TWO!  Almost not enough time to recover from the ball smashing, ass kicking I received from Detective Comics #879 (reviewed here!).  But, here I am again, writing a review for Detective Comics #880.

Scott Snyder has hands down jumped to the forefront of my favorite writers.  And I was honest with you two weeks ago, I haven’t really even read much from him.  I believe this is just the fourth book and I’m amazed to no end.  There are athletes out there, who have a Pete Rose syndrome and go all out for every game.  Guy Lafleur (that’s a hockey player for the unknowing) once said “play every game as if it is your last” and to me Scott Snyder puts as much character and story into each book as if it is his last book.  I love that.

Many people will go about how great a Joker that Scott writes.  I completely agree.  I even touched on it last issue.  This issue doesn’t disappoint either.  The Joker seems not insane but completely detached from the world he lives in and floats on waves of insanity that takes him panel to panel.  And even in that insanity and scariness that surrounds him, he takes it even further and busts out “you’re not my BAT.” And now you know that he knows.  And that makes him even more dangerous.

So, yeah… A lot of reviewers will go on and on about the Joker (and deservedly so) but not me.  Me, I’m so much more intrigued and caught up in the story of James, the commissioner’s son.  Last issue, we learned what evil within the family can do.  This issue, Scott rewrites that evil and makes the Manson Family look like the Cosby Show family.  It’s one thing to be a maniacal, crazy son of a bitch.  But, when you erase the walls of sanity and you slip into this bottomless void and you can do this to your family… Then you know true fear.

It gave me goose bumps.

And, if you wrap up all that story in edgy, strong lined art work of JOCK (who, may have created the best Batman cover, EVER); what you get is possibly one of the best, wrapped up Batman story Arcs ever.  That’s not hyperbole.  That’s not me being caught up in the moment.  That’s me being honest and seeing honesty wrote into a book and just what madness can do to a family…  It makes me happy.  And scared.

Verdict: * * * * * out of Five