Detective Comics #533
“Look to the Mountaintop”
Gas masks. To pull the plug on an old man. |
This issue is a done-in-one story. There's been a subplot running between the Batman
titles for a bit now that I've been ignoring when writing articles:
Sgt. Harvey Bullock is a new cop in the Major Crimes Dept. of the
GCPD and he really doesn't get along with Commissioner Gordon.
Bullock is either undermining or disobeying Gordon who then threatens
Bullock with disciplinary action. Gordon would take away Bullock's gun and badge, he can't play by the rules after all, if only Bullock didn't always get results!
This all comes to a head when
Bullock, in a fit of extreme childishness, plays a prank on Gordon
that results in the Commissioner suffering a heart attack and lapsing
into a coma. This story picks up with word getting out to the
criminal underworld that Gordon is helpless on a hospital bed and one
group wanting to make that stay permanent.
Even though the crook loses, him kicking Batman in the mug is still center-page. |
Frankly, I'd ignored talking about this
subplot because I thought it was poorly written and unimportant to the overall scale of these Batman stories. Whoops. I
still won't say I'm incorrect in this assumption given that the plot
of this issue can be boiled down thus: Criminals attempt to
assassinate Gordon in the hospital, Batman stops them and Gordon
comes out of his coma, hugs abound.
This is the kind of filler issue that
is part of the entire continuing-publication aspect of comics in
general. While the stories, like this particular story, are usually
lackluster, I do enjoy these quieter stories in between all the major
supervillain-of-the-month adventures. Not everything has to be
world-shattering and I enjoy that.
Barbara Gordon doesn't need a costume to kick ass. |
Another aspect of this issue I enjoyed
was the introduction of Barbara Gordon into our selection of stories.
Barbara doesn't appear as Batgirl at all but does provide the crucial
role of the story, hiding Gordon from the assassins as well as
providing the impetus for him to rouse from the coma. The story is
framed from Barbara's point of view as she's visiting her father. She
talks to him, hoping agaisnt hope that anything she say will stir
him. She tells him a story of how he provided support for her growing
up, not giving up and always standing by her. Barbara now has to
provide that role for her father. Believing in him when no-one else
is confident of recovery.
Barbara is a strong character and one
of the few superheros who does, and will to a greater extent later,
have greater success outside of her costumed role as a human
character rather than superhero. Easily the only good part of this
entire issue, but a nice breather after the three-part Joker adventure.
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