Gotham Academy Second Semester #7 Review and **SPOILERS**

The Calamity of Amity

Story by Brenden Fletcher, Becky Cloonan & Karl Kerschl

Script by Brenden Fletcher

Pencils by Adam Archer & Msassyk

Inks by Sandra Hope & Msassyk

Colors by Msassyk

Letters by Steve Wands

Cover by Karl Kerschl

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: March 8, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Here’s a track I like from Handsome Boy Modeling School, the production duo formed by Dan the Automator and Prince Paul: “Holy Calamity (Bear Witness II)”

And here’s a review of Gotham Academy Second Semester #7! What do ya know?

Explain It!

So this is the issue where we finally get the skinny on Amy. Jim Werner figured it out in the first issue, but anyone reading this series knows by now that Amy has been some kind of figment of Olive’s imagination or ghost all along. Well, turns out it’s her long lost relative Amity Arkham—yep, Olive is actually part of the Arkham family bloodline, which Batman readers know is Gotham City shorthand for “definitely cuckoo.” To illustrate, she shoves asthmatic Eric, aka the Symbolist, off the slowly-descending platform holding the rest of the Detective Club. It was in retaliation for his knocking off a bound Tristan in the last issue, but the gang is still shocked at Olive’s blatant homicide. Their conversation makes Olive realize that Amy is an imaginary friend, and she takes off through a convenient passage, and the team’s alacrity turns out to be for naught since Tristan broke free of his bonds and flapped his leathery wings back up to the platform, Eric in his talons.

When everyone reaches the bottom, Pomeline and Colton decide to keep venturing on while Kyle and Maps head back to find Olive. Pomeline and Colton come to a room full of teasure with a crazy green swimming pool that has an altar in the center, and there is the Book of Gotham. While Colton loots the treasure, Olive reads the Book of Gotham, and it connects the Arkham family to the Silverlocks. This happens just in time for Amity Arkham to reveal herself to Olive elsewhere, and explain that she’s gonna be a bitch forever. Before Pomeline can make off with the Book of Gotham, Bookworm slinks from the shadows and knocks her and Colton out. At the very end, Olive spies Batman talking to Professor MacPherson, which somehow justifies her rage as she flames out and becomes a monster on the last page!

Now we’re getting somewhere, I suppose, but I wonder if my interest in this thing has simply waned. Amy actually being the manifestation of a dead relative is a nice enough wrinkle, but come on—we all knew she was a ghost or a delusion or some kind of thing that only Olive could see. As for Colton’s expulsion, he now has the map that will somehow absolve him of this punishment, but did anyone ever care about this plot? Did it ever seem like there were any real stakes here? What is the point of this story anyway, is it just Olive’s secret origin? This book really feels like it’s lost direction, but perhaps it had to change course a few issues ago when we had that weird inventory story. I can only hope there’s a plan to be followed from here.

Bits and Pieces:

We finally get to the bottom of Olive's mysterious roommate Amy...and it's cool enough, I guess. I think this story has just gone on for too long, and Colton's expulsion feels like a red herring for the actual story, which is in this issue. That's a good thing. Here's hoping my interest can be rekindled going forward.

7/10