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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973
EAN num: 9781401208981
ISBN number: 1401208983
Label: DC Comics
Manufacturer: DC Comics
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 144
Printing Date: April 12, 2006
Publishing house: DC Comics
Release Date: April 12, 2006
Sale Popularity Level: 272815
Studio: DC Comics
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Writer Steve Englehart and artists Marshall Rogers & Terry Austin set a high standard with their acclaimed run on DETECTIVE COMICS in the late 1970s. Now that team is back with a new collection that pits the Dark Knight against the most famous and feared members of his Rogues Gallery, including The Joker and Two-Face.
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Rated by buyers 
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So here is the much-hyped reunion of Englehart & Rogers. Don't believe the hype. A lot of people look back fondly on their Bat-stuff from the 70's (collected in the Strange Apparations trade), but I'm not one of them. You can read my review of that book to find out why, but let me say that Strange Apparations - for all its (many) faults - is a lot more enjoyable than this dreck.
The story arc in Strange Apparitions at least had the great, iconic artwork by the late Marshall Rogers. I believe Dark Detective was his last project, and I'm sorry to say that this just wasn't up to par with his influential 70's work. More distressing, however, is Englehart's writing. It was the lousy writing, plotting and lack of belivability that sank Englehart's 70's writing for me, and it looks like he didn't get any better over the last three decades. His dialogue was, and still is, incredibly hokey.
Comics have come a long way, and so has Batman. Maybe I expect more after the greater sophistication that began with The Dark Knight Returns. Maybe others will enjoy this "old school" approach more than I did. Regardless, I didn't feel like there was any depth to this story or the characters. Silver St. Cloud comes and goes from Bruce Wayne's life yet again, and I'm left wondering what the point was. I also tired of watching the mighty Batman, expert martial artist that he is, get pummeled and knocked around by lesser opponents on page after page. Aside from some nice political humour early on, I can't think of a single thing I liked about this series.
I'm just grateful that the bookstore I bought this from was kind enough to let me return it. There are a lot of great Batman tales out there. Try something other than this one.
Rated by buyers 
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As a huge fan of the original Rogers/Austin run, with its clean, meticulous detail and sophisticated style, I was shocked at the poor quality of the artwork in this collection. Hints of the old flair are very few and far between, and most of the book is simply unattractive. Additionally, the lettering is atrocious. Once the disappointment wears off, you've got a halfway decent story to enjoy.
Rated by buyers 
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In the story, Batman is reunited with possibly the closest he's ever had to a real girlfriend, Silver St. Cloud. She is engaged, however, to a candidate for governor who is campaigning in Gotham. However, a late write-in candidate threatens the man's campaign... the Joker! His slogan: "Vote for me or I'll kill you!" Batman must try and prevent the murder of many innocent people at the hands of the Joker.
I think this writing team has put forth some of the best Batman stories ever made. The 1970's was a good decade for the Batman character. Many of the writers had gotten sick of all the campiness of the TV Batman, and returned the character to his dark, mysterious, gothic roots.
This team also knows how to write a good Joker story. I believe these are the same guys that wrote "The Laughing Fish" story, an infamous Batman tale. The characters are all pretty accurately done, and the mysterious "Joker house" laden with death traps is a sinister twist at the end of the story. This is a good story.
Rated by buyers -
There has been some criticism here about the storytelling here - that it's old school, etc. It's SUPPOSED to be that way. This is a sequel to Englehart and Rogers' classic run on DC's Detective Comics from the late '70s.
One criticism was that the lettering was done by hand. Well, back in those days, it was done that way. You could tell back then just by looking at a word balloon or caption who did the lettering. It was distinctive, unlike generic lettering done by computer.
If you liked the classic stories from the '70s, this is a fine reprise of that period's storytelling conventions (thought balloons, expository captions, etc). If you are looking for a modern approach to the Batman, there are several alternatives that can be found here.
Enjoy this story for what is - a fun, colorful revival of a great period in comics storytelling by the people who were there in the very first place.
Rated by buyers -
I just happened to see this in a local bookstore while browsing the other day and my very first thought was, when did this come out? At very first I thought it was a collection of old books. I was pretty excited to see that it was new however. Like the other reviewers I was a fan of the Englehart/Rogers Batman and just a huge fan of Marshall Rogers period. I loved his deceptively simple, elegant artwork and it remains a pleasure to the eyes still. I am really happy to see Terry Austin return as well. He was one of the very first inkers I really started to notice when I was a kid. As a young boy you tend to pay more attention to the artist than the inker but Terry always brought something extra to the titles he worked on. So it goes without saying, although I will that the art is satisfying on this title. It's a little uneven at times but it takes me back and has a classic feel to it. And it looks like Geoff Darrow may have been influenced a little by Marshall.
Where I have some trouble is the story. Steve Englehart was a writer I always enjoyed when I was younger but I also wasn't very discriminating as a child either. I was reading any comic I could get my hands on but I do remember his name being on several titles I liked back than. The story itself is a mixed bag I guess. I like the classic feel of Batman here. He's not as brooding as when he's at his grim worst. The theme seems to be more Batman: Year One then The Dark Knight Returns which I like. I don't think the story offers anything new however. We are presented with the same rouges gallery we always get. It seems like there are too many villains stuffed in here. It makes for a "classic" tale while at the same time giving us the same old thing. I got a chuckle out of some of the Joker's rants but at the same time felt some of the dialog was stilted and a little awkward.
I would say it's not as good as some of the best Batman trades out but it's better than the majority of stuff out.
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