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Batman: Detective Comics #3
Writer: Tony Salvador Daniel
Artists: Tony Salvador Daniel, Sandu Florea, and Tomeu Morey
Cover Artist: Tony Salvador Daniel
Publisher: DC

Gotham’s newest psychopath is ready to make his mark, and with the aid of his screwed up family, he intends to use Commissioner Gordon and Batman to make his presence known. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who guessed that the body from the last cliffhanger wasn’t Gordon, but Daniel is proving that he can still throw twists into the story. The Dollmaker, as he likes to be called, has a strong and creepy gang of minions that make for a formidable enemy for Batman. Though nothing was as creepy as when Gordon was lying on the table after clearly having been operated on.
With every issue it feels like Tony Daniel is getting a stronger grasp of writing Bruce as Batman. The story has a strong concept, and both the dialog and monologue work well to progress that story. Daniel is doing a great job of establishing Gotham PD and the roles Gordon and Bullock have with regards to the department and the city. The most surprising part of this book, and also one of the most intriguing, is the character Olivia and her apparent willingness to partake in random violence and even murder. The book is called Detective Comics, and the story is definitely starting to reflect the title more and more. 4/5

Green Arrow #3
Writer: J.T. Krul
Artists: Dan Jurgens, George Perez, Ray McCarthy, and Richard Horie
Cover Artist: Howard Porter
Publisher: DC

With millions of viewers, Green Arrow quickly finds himself having to beat the odds as he takes on Rush and his crew of misfits. Luckily, Green Arrow has just the right weapons and a great team watching out for him. He easily handles the trouble and makes it in time to make a speech for Q-Core, though not every one is happy about it. Overall I thought that his issue was all right. The first half of the book, where Green Arrow took on Rush and Co., was great. The gang itself is a very modern one, their whole existence being highly reliant on the masses of individuals who have nothing better to do than watch this version of reality TV. Krul does a commendable job with this bit of social commentary, and really it couldn’t have come out on a better week, what with the 72 day Kardashian marriage and the Bieber Baby drama. Unfortunately, what we don’t get too much of is character development with regards to Green Arrow. It is clearly evident that he’s a skilled fighter, but other than that we don’t really get much in the way of who this new DC Green Arrow is. The art was great and consistent throughout the entire book, though admittedly the action scenes felt a bit more polished and exciting. 3.5/5

Swamp Thing #3
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artists: Yanick Paquette, Victor Ibanez,  and Nathan Fairbairn
Cover Artists: Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn
Publisher: DC

With every new issue this book is quickly becoming one of my favorite DC books. With the very first page Snyder establishes the tone of the rest of the book. Underlying everything that occurs in the issue is this sense of terror and horror that keeps you on edge. We are introduced to a new character in the very first pages of the book, a likable sick little boy named William, who is part of a huge revelation later on in the book. The combination of the boy’s illness, the strangely creepy doctor, and the mean spirited kids was more than enough to fill me with tension and a sense of impending terror; I was not to be disappointed. In another part of the world, Alec is coerced into displaying his connection to the Green by Abby, a friend from the Swamp Thing’s past. The pair of them jockey for dominance, before Alec convinces Abby to explain herself. As we learn from Abby that William, her brother, and herself are connected to the Rot, the opposite of the Green, and that it is calling to them, William’s connection to the Rot is amplified. As he is being taunted by the other kids, the Rot forms a connection with him and he escapes his plastic prison, leaving a trail of bodies.
This book continues to impress in every single way possible. The story is absolutely fantastic, Snyder is doing great things here, and is doing them in a way that is interesting, informative, but not in the least bit boring. Not only that, but he’s brought a level of horror that you rarely see in a universe dominated by superheroes. Victor Ibanez does a fantastic job with William’s story. His art reads well with Yanick Paquette’s, but is unique in its own way. Paquette’s art continues to be consistently outstanding in this book. His layouts, characterizations, it all works fantastically. I feel like colorists rarely get the recognition they deserve, and in this case Nathan Fairbairn’s colors really tie this whole book together. If you’re hesitant about picking this up, fear not. 4.5/5

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Arnab Pradhan
arnab@comicattack.net