Detective Comics #1

Written and Drawn by Tony S. Daniel, Inked by Ryan Winn, Colored by Tomeu Morey

The Story: The Joker’s murders are even more gruesome than usual, and as usual, Batman has had enough and goes to deal with the laughing menace.

The Good: This is a good start for a new era of Batman. The Batman vs. Joker back and forth over the last…well, since superhero comics existed, has always lent to some of the most insane stories ever told, and if a writer is smart, they can do things with this classic set-up that is really shocking or surprising. Think back to The Killing Joke–the most shocking thing in that story wasn’t Barbara Gordon’s paralysis or the BDSM torture Joker put Gordon through, it was the laugh Batman gave at the end that said “yeah, Bats is just as crazy as Joker.” But writing the Joker must be one of the most thrilling jobs in the business. At least, that’s the feeling when you read Daniel’s issue. He’s writing the Joker, and he is in for the ride just as much as the audience is. He writes both Joker and Batman very well, and I’m intrigued to see what he has planned for them.

But what’s more–much more–impressive than his writing is his art. There are not many people who can write well and draw well, but Daniel is one of them. This book looks amazing, and the characters all look natural to who they are.  No overly beefed-out Batman, no gangly Joker. This Joker looks like he could take on Batman with just enough muscle to give him that lean look he always had, but not the anorexic freak we’ve sometimes seen before. And there are nods to inspirations of the Joker to. In fact, not only is the Joker wearing a similar outfit to the character in the silent film The Man Who Laughs, but one of the panels is a recreation of a famous still from the movie. But beyond Daniel’s pencils, it’s also in the inks and colors too. Ryan Winn and Tomeu Morey bring life and vibrancy to Daniel’s pencils in a way that’s perfect for Gotham and the world of Batman. The pallet is still darker, but the contrasts are sharper. It’s great for a Joker story, where the line between good and evil is clear. Joker is evil (on the other side, I like my Two-Face stories with more hazy and ill-defined colors and inks). On the artwork alone, this is a title worth picking up,