Batman: Streets of Gotham No. 1
Published by DC Comics. Written by Paul Dini. Penciled by Dustin Nguyen. Inked by Derek Fridolfs.
Second feature written by Mark Andreyko. Penciled by Georges Jeanty. Inked by Karl Story.
The Deal: In case you haven't heard, the Batman line of titles over at DC Comics is all shiny and new now. There's a new guy in the Batman suit (the original Robin, Dick Grayson), a new Robin (Batman's flesh-and-blood son, who's an asshole and very deadly), a new guy named Red Robin (formerly known as the third Robin, Tim Drake), a new Batgirl (whose identity is currently unknown) and a bunch of new comics starring all these new heroes. Batman: Streets of Gotham is one of those new books. SOG seems to be an ensemble-type book, with a focus on characters like Commissioner Gordon, but Batman, Robin and Harley Quinn are also in this first issue.
The Good: I really didn't think I'd like Streets of Gotham. Out of all the new titles announced, it seemed to be the one with the least amount of focus. Who's the star? What is the point of this book? I had my concerns, but after reading this first issue, I see I had nothing to worry about. Why? Well, masterful scribe Paul Dini is handling writing chores and the man has some talent. Who else could string together a bunch of Batman supporting heroes and villains and create a great comic book story? Dini's work is peppered with wonderful dialogue, small amounts of necessary exposition and action that keeps you turning pages. I'm not exactly sure where the story is going, but it's engrossing.
Another good thing about this comic is that it's one of the first to feature DC's new "Second Feature" class of back-up stories. I've heard people downplay these backups as a way to justify a price increase on certain titles, but I like the idea. SOG's second feature stars Manhunter, the female who had her own series a short while ago ... until it was canceled. And, honestly, let's get real: There's no way Manhunter could support her own book. But here, supporting another title, she works great. On top of that, because the page count is low, the second features are great for attracting big-name artists. (Georges Jeanty, for example, is the penciller for Manhunter.) This seems like a great way to draw fans who followed the series before and introduce new readers to the character.
The Bad: That $3.99 price tag is a bit steep. Also, I'm not totally blown away by the art for the main feature. It seems like Dustin Nguyen is trying out a new style and it may not be detailed enough for my tastes.
The Verdict: I'll be back for the second issue.
Reviewed materials provided by Heroes Aren't Hard to Find: www.heroesonline.com.