Throwback Thursday: Detective Comics #27 Review and *SPOILERS*

Holy Giant Sized Issue Batman!

Written By: John Layman

Art By: Jason Fabok

Cover Price: $8.99

Release Date: January 8, 2014

This issue came out three years ago and it was a big deal...Detective Comics #27!  Get it?!?!  Well, DC went all out and made it an over sized Anthology with some kick ass creators.  It may have kicked off Gothtopia, but the reason I included it this week is because of Scott Snyder's story that ties into the beginning of this week's All-Star Batman #11.  Also of note was Eric bringing up the point that Killer Croc is white in the "dream world" of Gothtopia...he caused a bit of a stir way back when with it. -Jim

In this issue we have the special giant sized Detective Comics to celebrate 75 years of Batman.  In the pagesof Detective Comics #27, 75 years ago we were shown the polar opposite of Superman to add to the growing craze of superhero comics, which is probably just a fad, and we haven't looked back since.  Batman has evolved, gained friends, and has been elevated to a almost deity like factor.  So all hail Batman.  Even though this issue has multiple writers, artists, and stories, I'm only going to reviewing the Gothtopia story, that will be the big Batman story arc for the next couple of issues, and other title tie-ins.  I mean come on.  With my summary style reviews, that's one hell of a long review.  That might sound lazy, but you'll thank me next month when we're still on Gothtopia, and the rest of the stories don't matter.  So I bring to you the beginning of Gothtopia!

Explain It!:

We begin this story with Poison Ivy walking the streets of Gotham, yelling at everyone around her that the city is being destroyed, and for them to WAKE UP.  Since none of her screaming though the city peaks any interest, (she acts like she's never been in the city before.  If we stopped and listened to everyone who was screaming, or yelling about something, nothing would ever get done.) Poison Ivy decides to start making them listen though crazy plant violence.  (another thing she got wrong, normally the screaming people resort to broken bottles, and urine when they want to get violent.)  But luckily for the the citizens of Gotham: The City of Hope.  Weird right?

Batman arrives with a spiffy new light grey costume, and his sidekick the sexy wonder Catbird.  She was never referred to as the sexy wonder so keep that to yourself.  So Ivy's disappointed that Batman isn't seeing the world the way it really is, and that leads to more frustrations, which leads to plant on bat violence.  The two tussle and Poison Ivy gets the upper hand, she pins Batman to the side of a van, and almost plants one on him HA! Get it?  Bah that was funny.  So she almost kisses him, when Catbird beats the ever lovin' hell out of her.  So the police show up, and Batman and Catbird stand in the morning light and kiss.  Gotham sure is strange today.

Later in the day Batman starts realizing that even though Gotham has the lowest crime rate in the country, over the past week, it's suicide rate has sky rocketed.  Out in the Wayne Gardens where Batman likes to think, he finds a thorn that was attached to him from the fight with Ivy earlier.  When he looks up again, he sees his parents graves.  Batman is starting to remember.

Batman takes the Bat Jet into Gotham to get a feel for the city he thought he knew, and while walking the streets, he runs into Catbird who followed him.  Batman tries to tell her the crazy truth, that the world is not the way it's supposed to be.  She in return does the only thing you can do when you think Batman is crazy.  Hit him in the face, until he goes down, and hopefully he doesn't kill you.  Which for the most part works, especially since she brought a lot of the Bat Family as backup.  Flying Fox, The Gothamite, Bright Bat, Bluebell, and her team the Wings of Truth.  With all these people he cares about willing to fight, Batman does the only thing he can think of to do.  He lets them win.

In the end Batman is taken to the Crane Rehabilitation Center, where Dr. Crane promises Catbird he'll get the finest psychiatric attention.  On the last page we're shown what's really going on, where Batman is in a straight jacket in front of Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, and Harley Quinn.  Here's a weird thing I noticed.  In the Gothtopia world it seems you get anything you really want, and Killer Croc was white.  Am I to believe what Killer Croc really wants is to be a blond haired white dude?  Weird right?  Next issue Batgirl #27, be here to continue Gothtopia.

Bits and Pieces:

This giant sized issue was a lot of fun with all the else world Batman's, and what could eventually be Batman, we don't know.  The two that really stuck out for me was the beginning of Gothtopia, and The Sacrifice.  All in all a great set of stories, and a great beginning to the big Batman story arc, we'll be reading in the future.  Here's to another 75 years!

7.8/10