This page contains summaries and reviews of Batman: The Gotham Adventures comic books issues 7 through 12.
ISSUE: "Dagger's Secret" (#7)
WRITTEN BY: Ty Templeton
PENCILED BY: Rick Burchett
INKED BY: Terry Beatty
ISSUED: October 7, 1998 (Cover date is December)
RATING: **** (out of 5)
"A man who doesn't learn to shut up can get himself killed."
--A homeless man to Dagger Dixon
SUMMARY: After getting out of jail, Dagger Dixon (see the Batman and
Robin Adventures #14) is hanging out in a bar explaining to someone that
he's learned his lesson and will never break the law again. Batman and
Robin crash into the place looking for a man who sends a lot of henchmen
after them. As Dagger is leaving the place to get out of the way, he
and Robin see each other. Dagger recognizes Tim Drake under Robin's
mask. After he punches Robin, the man who B & R are after is whacked by
Dagger. Batman finishes with the criminal's men and Robin ties the guy
up. Batman remembers Dagger and thanks him for his help. Robin leaves
rather dismayed. Dagger is in debt to his landlord, and, seeing that
Tim was adopted by Bruce Wayne, he calls Tim to se if he can get some
money. We find out that Dagger was a friend of Tim's father and was the
only one of "Shifty's" friends that was nice to Tim. When Tim says he
can't do anything, Dagger decides to blackmail Wayne, so he goes to the
Penguin to see how he should carry out the operation. The Penguin
figures that the secret Dagger knows must be a big one, so he has some
men try to get it out of him. After an hour, Dagger is still resisting,
and when the henchmen's guard is down, he escapes and runs to the Wayne
Manor. The Penguin has followed him and tells Bruce that he's an
employee that has embezelled some money. As they are taking Dagger to
the car, Nightwing arrives (Tim paged him; he was using the Batcave's
weight room) and takes care of Penguin. Dagger also gets the burdon of
the secret off his chest by telling Penguin and Bruce that Tim has a
criminal record (a published fact, which everyone already knows). It
turns out that the trick was Tim's idea. Weeks later in San Diego,
Dagger gets a tattoo of Robin as a reminder to keep the secret of Batman
and Robin's identities.
COMMENTS: When I read the original appearance of Dagger, I could have
cared less about the character and I really didn't see much to the story
of that issue. However, this issue had a great story and developed
Dagger's persona much more. Besides the well-done story and
characterization, the art in this issue was spectacular, as always. Not
only Burchett's pencils, but also Beatty's inks and especially
Loughrige's coloring brought this issue to life. I think, artwork-wise,
that this is the best issue so far. The coloration is beautiful and
jumps off the page. If only every episode of the show was painted this
well. Wow.
CRITICISMS: None, really. This was a very good issue.
BOTTOM LINE: This is a well-told story with beautiful artwork and
excellent characterization. Highly recommended!
ISSUE: "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (#8)
WRITTEN BY: Ty Templeton
PENCILED BY: Rick Burchett
INKED BY: Terry Beatty
ISSUED: November 4, 1998 (Cover date is January)
RATING: ** (out of 5)
"No gun...?."
"I know... but it's a personality quirk. He's got a thing about
them."
--A detective and Batgirl discussing Batman's
orders
SUMMARY: Batman and Batgirl are in Paris, France, to meet a detective
there who has a lead on the League of Assassins. A member of it is
hiding out in Paris, so they go and capture him. They go to an old
monestary where they won't be disturbed to try and get the location of
the league's headquarters from him, but he escapes. Batgirl hears a
scream during her pursuit and sees the man cowering before a large shape
in a cloak. He turns out to be an ex-policeman who was dying of cancer,
so he attempted to recreate Clayface's experiment on himself. A fire
began as a result of the experiment, and the man was cooked into his
form, so he can't change it like Clayface. Idolizing Batman, he has
become the defender of Paris. After the league member escapes again, he
takes matters into his own hands a strangles the location out of him.
Finally the man spills the truth, and the monster-guy reveals that he
wouldn't have killed the man; he was just making him think that he
would.
COMMENTS: The art was well done in this issue (though more detailed
than the actual series would be...). I also thought that it was nice
that the Deadman issue was tied into this one.
CRITICISMS: This issue was pretty much pointless and a waste of time.
Guy is captured; guy escapes; fight; guy is captured; guy escapes;
fight, etc. I also didn't care very much for the new character's
design, origin, or lack of a name.
BOTTOM LINE: There a better comics out there, unfortunetly, than this
one.
ISSUE: "A League of His Own" (#9)
WRITTEN BY: Ty Templeton
PENCILED BY: Rick Burchett
INKED BY: Terry Beatty
ISSUED: December 2, 1998 (Cover date is February)
RATING: **.5 (out of 5)
"Just an old man and some houseboys? Well, that's a relief. This
should be a walk in the park."
--Batgirl underestimating the headquarters of the
League of Assassins
SUMMARY: Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon are in Tibet seeking out the
base of the League of Assassins when their guides turn on them, so they
put up a fight and the guides run away. As they are climbing, Batgirl
reveals that she has a gun with her, and she won't get rid of it despite
Batman's orders. They find the hq and glide over to it on zip-lines.
The sensei knows they're there and sends minions after them, which
Batman and Batgirl quickly defeat. However, the sensei starts beating
the tar out of Batman, so Batgirl pulls out her gun. The sensei knows
she won't use it, and he talks her down befroe swiping it from her
hands. He throws it out a window and the fight resumes until it is
broken up by Ra's Al Ghul and Talia. Ra's tells the sensei to do as
Bats says, and he needs the sensei to go to jail for previous crimes
(see earlier issues in this series). Seeing he has no way out, the old
man quietly jumps out the window. Al Ghul and Talia escape without
pursuit, only after Ra's has told Batgirl that she won't survive their
next meeting.
COMMENTS: Personally, I haven't liked the whole League of Assassins
plot that has been carried through in this series, and this issue didn't
help much. The opening scene had nothing to do with anything in the
story and was utterly pointless: a fight scene for the sake of having a
fight scene. I thought that the whole ending was rather anti-climatic,
and Ra's Al Ghul has no real purpose in the story. I did, however, like
the subplot about Batgirl's gun and then Ra's' threat to her. I will,
though, be glad to get back to some more normal villains (and Gotham)
for next month's Harley & Joker tale.
CRITICISMS: Read above...
BOTTOM LINE: A weak ending to a weak storyline; try this month's
Superman Adventures instead.
ISSUE: "Mightier Than the Sword" (#10)
WRITTEN BY: Ty Templeton
PENCILED BY: Rick Burchett
INKED BY: Terry Beatty
ISSUED: January 6, 1999 (Cover date is March)
RATING: ****.5 (out of 5)
"Harleeeey! Harleeeey! Come out, come out! Daddy can't kill you
if daddy can't find you..."
--The Joker's call to a runaway Harley.
SUMMARY: On the news, Summer Gleason (yep, she's back!) reveals that
Dr. Harleen Quinzel, after being declared sane and released from Arkham,
will release a tell-all book about her years with the Joker. The Joker
hears this and is furious. He uses the escape plan of Poison Ivy (a
beanstalk that breaks through the prison's wall) to escape. Meanwhile,
Harleen has been put up in a hotel under an assumed name by her
publisher. The Joker, however, attacks the publisher at home to coerce
him to tell her location. After a night of writing Harleen finds
Nightwing and Robin (Batman and Batgirl are still in Tibet; see last
issue) at her window. They want to protect her, but she runs away from
them right into the Joker. He disposes of Robin through some gas which
Nightwing has to take care of. Harley escapes and, after awhile, she
goes back to her room. That's where the Joker is, reading her book
which turns out to be a romance novel about a female master criminal and
a crimefighter named Owlman. The Joker is furious because if it's
published he'll be a laughing stock. He is about ready to kill her when
he bursts into uncontrolable itching caused by Ivy's plant. It's
Harley's turn for revenge as she takes out all of her grief on the
Joker. She's ready to smash his head with a typewriter when Nightwing
returns. She doesn't want to return to Arkham so she calms down, and
Nightwing takes the Joker away. She says she never wants to see him
again as long as she lives.
COMMENTS: This was a great issue, and I was glad to finally see Harley
stand up for herself and resist the Joker instead of falling for him at
the end as she tends to do. The story was great, the art was great, and
I am glad to see the return of reporter Summer Gleason. Also, the Bruce
Timm cover was a GREAT touch. This was a very powerful issue that
managed to get some humor and action scenes in at the same time.
CRITICISMS: My only criticism comes from the fact that although Harley
is now free, sane, and seemingly has finally given up on the Joker, this
scenerio will most likely not be carried through to the television
show. I'm certain that the nest time we see her, she'll be out helping
Mr. J and being persued by Batman. Nothing lasts forever...
BOTTOM LINE: A well told and well illustrated tale; highly recommended!
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