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Detective Comics #871
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art/Cover: Jock
Second Feature Art: Francesco Francavilla
Price: US $3.99
Release Date: November 24, 2010

***CAUTION: This Review Contains Spoilers!***

“The Black Mirror: Part One”

Someone is going around town wreaking havoc by using the toys of some of Gotham’s most dangerous criminals.  Toys that were under tight security in G.C.P.D.’s evidence storage.  Who is stealing evidence?  The same officer, Officer Cullen Buck, was on evidence and property duty when the items in question were originally handled.  Batman tracks down Officer Buck and strings him up for questioning.  Before the dark knight detective can get any information out of Buck, Buck’s partner ambushes Batman from behind.  The threat is easily dispelled in magnificent fashion as Batman takes her out with a sneaky new toy!  Buck tells Batman that he’s working for someone who calls himself “The Dealer.”  The Dealer runs an operation called Mirror House.  He sells various villain items to the highest bidders in an underground auction.  More information can’t be given, though, because Buck meets his end through another stolen villainous toy.  Who is The Dealer?  We don’t know, but he has his eye on Batman.  Batman’s none too pleased.

“Skeleton Cases: Part One”

Commissioner Gordon is roused from his sleep by a telephone call from Harvey Bullock.  Someone has released all the birds from their cages, down at the Gotham Aviary.  Seems pretty amateur, right?  Gordon’s not the happiest camper about getting out of bed for something this lame, but Bullock insists that he take a look at the surveillance footage.  The commissioner goes from sleepy to spooked once he sees the man responsible for releasing the birds.  No way!  How is this even possible!?

After Scott Snyder chilled us with his American Vampire and thrilled us with his Iron Man Noir, he finally gets a chance to bring us stories of the one he seems most fit to write.  Batman!  Snyder does an excellent job of setting up gripping mysteries in both of the tales in his debut issue of Detective Comics.  Riding along with Snyder in the Batmobile for “The Black Mirror” is the artist Jock.  Jock’s vision of Gotham is a dark and gritty one that fits perfectly with Snyder’s script like peanut butter and chocolate.  Providing the visuals for “Skeleton Cases” is Francesco Francavilla.  In my opinion, Francavilla gives the story a kind of Batman: The Animated Series feel.  What more could you ask for?  Detective Comics #871 is a great jumping on point for anyone who doesn’t read the title or has left it for one reason or another.  I highly recommend it!

If you would like more from Scott Snyder on what he has planned for Detective Comics and his New York Times bestselling American Vampire, please see the interview he did with myself and Comic Attack’s head honcho, Andy Liegl.

Welcome to Gotham City, Mr. Snyder.  Please take your coat off and stay a long while!

Aron White
aron@comicattack.net