Gotham Academy Second Semester #8 Review and **SPOILERS**

By the Grudge of My Forbears

Story: Brenden Fletcher, Becky Cloonan & Karl Kerschl 

Script: Brenden Fletcher 

Pencils: Adam Archer & Msassyk 

Inks: Sandra Hope & Msassyk 

Colors: Msassyk 

Breakdowns: Rob Haynes 

Letters: Steve Wands 

Cover: Karl Kerschl 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: April 12, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

There’s something about being a kid that just brings you closer to the paranormal. I suppose part of that tendency is owed to the fact that little kids don’t know what the hell is going on in general, so they’re more likely to encounter the unexplainable. I also think little kids are more prone to be poking around abandoned houses and drainage systems that are hotbeds for creaky noises and freaky shadows. Or, you could be like the kids at Gotham Academy and basically be possessed by ghosts and beset by monsters on a regular basis. I wonder what the scamps are up to now? Let’s take a look at my review of Gotham Academy Second Semester #8, shall we?

Explain It!

Olive Silverlock is sure fired up about something…must be that time of the month! What?! That just makes her more angry? Women! You can’t figure them! Luckily, we can figure out the motivation of vengeful spirits, especially when their BFF in life writes all about their humiliation. So did Aleinor Frych, ancestor of Pomeline Fritch, write about Amity Arkham, ancestor of Olive Silverlock. Seems in Colonial Gotham, Amity was accused of being a witch and burned at the trunk of a tree. She actually was a witch, though, so she cursed everyone there—the Copplepots, the Waynes, and other important early Gothamites that would shape the city.

Of course, Amity had a baby named Beatrix, because everyone had the most horrible names back then. Amity’s pal Aleinor (see?) squirreled the baby away from the vicious Gotham mob, and the handed it over to a lovely family named the Silverlocks because, frankly, Aleinor wasn’t “feeling” motherhood. She was more into writing the Book of Gotham, a tome Bookworm wants because he’s a bibliophile, but before he can do away with a bound Pomeline and Colton with some spooky words from the book, Maps’ roommate and partial Clayface spawn Kate sets them free, allowing Pomeline to clobber Bookworm into unconsciousness. I completely forgot that Kate disguised herself as Maps’ hair flower, that happened like four months ago. And then last issue…or two issues ago?...when Maps’ hair flower wafted into the bookbag Pomeline borrowed, I didn’t even think about it. It really seemed to come out of nowhere, and they probably should have reminded us that Kate was in play over the last couple of issues.

While Olive is going all Drew Barrymore in Firestarter in front of Batman and Ms. MacPherson, her friends rush over to give her a Detective Club Hug. Olive, possessed by Amity, recognizes Pomeline as a friend, but when Batman tries to yoke her up in a batarang, she vanishes and promises revenge on Gotham City’s elite—which include Bruce Wayne! That could have gone without saying, I suppose.

Seems like the next arc might be the final one for Gotham Academy Second Semester, and that would be merciful. This book really ran off the rails, and this Amity Arkham story has been too complex with not enough stakes to provoke any extreme interest. Of course, it could just be another Summer hiatus to prepare for Gotham Academy Year Two, but based on the numbers, it doesn’t look good. There are already a lot of chefs in this kitchen, I can’t imagine the dwindling available pie looks enticing to any of them. Unless it’s a pecan pie, no one would turn that up.

Bits and Pieces:

The pacing has been way off for this whole series, but now we come to the payoff. And it's pretty mediocre. I think it's time some children got left behind.

4/10