Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • Podcast: New Comics Bulletin Publisher Mark Stack reads The Dead—RCBC

      Rafael Gaitan
      June 28, 2016
      Reboot Comic Book Club
    Recent
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 1

      Daniel Gehen
      October 30, 2020
    • Comictober 2020: DRACULA MOTHERF**KER

      Daniel Gehen
      October 27, 2020
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • The Suicide Squad: A Brief Introduction

      Rafael Gaitan
      August 3, 2016
      Big Two, Columns, DC Comics, Suicide Squad
    Recent
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • Stan Lee

      nguyen ly
      November 7, 2020
    • Collecting Profile: Jack O’ Lantern

      nguyen ly
      October 31, 2020
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • Interview: Junior Braves of the Apocalypse: Boy Scouts Vs. Zombies

      Rafael Gaitan
      September 23, 2016
      Indie, Interviews, Oni Press
    Recent
    • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

      Daniel Gehen
      December 14, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • 4.5

      TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      October 29, 2020
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
    • Valiant
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 2.0

      Avengers #76/#491

      Rafael Gaitan
      January 2, 2004
      Reviews
    Recent
    • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

      Daniel Gehen
      December 14, 2020
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • 4.5

      TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      October 29, 2020
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Brandon Seifert: A Gear Shift to Raising Some Hell

      Rafael Gaitan
      April 6, 2012
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

      Daniel Gehen
      June 8, 2020
    • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

      Mike Nickells
      March 4, 2020
    • Simon Roy

      Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

      Mike Nickells
      January 29, 2020
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • Classic Comix Cavalcade: The Best of Comix Book

      Rafael Gaitan
      March 6, 2014
      Classic Comics Cavalcade, Columns
    Recent
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

      Mark Stack
      January 2, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • Exclusive Preview – Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier #4 from Marvel

      Rafael Gaitan
      January 15, 2015
      News, Previews
    Recent
    • 2020 Ringo Awards Winners Announced

      Daniel Gehen
      October 26, 2020
    • BAD IDEA Announces 2021 Publishing Slate

      Daniel Gehen
      September 29, 2020
    • A Full Replay of NCSFest 2020 is now Available

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2020
    • Press Release
    • Kickstarter Spotlight
  • Books
    Random
    • 'The Smell of Starving Boys' is a Brilliant, Haunting Western

      Rafael Gaitan
      November 29, 2017
      Books
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      CB Staff
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      CB Staff
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Collecting Profile: Batwoman
  • Collecting Profile: Daredevil
  • Collecting Profile: Floronic Man
  • Review of Cheetah in Wonder Woman 1984
  • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist
  • Collecting Profile: Transformers
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Reviews

Detective Comics #876

Rafael Gaitan
May 2, 2011
Reviews

While Grant Morrison is taking Bruce Wayne on an international tour in Batman Incorporated, someone has to watch over Gotham City, and that someone is Dick Grayson. Since taking over in #871, Scott Snyder has been a refreshing voice in the long history of Detective Comics, leaning away from the occult and the supervillainy to more cerebral, humane stories. Snyder has really gotten to explore Dick Grayson as he assumes the mantle of the Bat, and proving himself capable of the task on an acrobatic and mental level. While the last two issues were phenomenal James Gordon stories, #876 launches a new arc, “Hungry City,” which features some honest-to-Grodd detecting from our hero. Since complaining about comics is unheard of, absolutely no one has been clamoring for more Batman in this title, so TOO BAD NERDS — he’s back.

“Hungry City” begins with a dead killer whale found in the lobby of the biggest bank in Gotham, and Jim Gordon asking Grayson for forensic help. Not satisfied with one mystery, Snyder expertly uncaps a matryoshka doll of awesome — when performing the autopsy on the whale, another body (a human one, this time) drops out. Whose? The assistant to the the head of Gotham Global Modern Bank, of course! Not content with only minor shock, Snyder goes for the full jaw-drop: the head of the bank is the daughter of the man that killed Dick Grayson’s parents. A less dignified comics critic might refer to this as “fucking awesome writing.” As much as I loved the Jim Gordon/James Gordon Jr features, Snyder proves that he’s as intricate and complex a mystery writer as he is a gifted dialogue sculptor. A conversation between Gordon and Grayson ebbs and flows so naturally, as it would when two old friends talk shop, while advancing the plot at a brisk pace. It doesn’t feel like talk for talk’s sake.

Snyder’s also demonstrated a keen visual flair in his run, and has fortunately had the artistic firepower to pull it off. Francesco Francavilla’s art in the previous arc was career-making stuff (as is Snyder’s writing), but Jock translates Snyder’s visions with equal fervor and potency. Not wanting to be outdone, his pencils are sharp and focused, giving the comic a gritty look that perfectly conveys the neo-noir grittiness of a modern Gotham where human bodies turn up inside whale bodies. The layouts Jock constructs are also fabulous — he poses Grayson free-falling in multiple panels within a splash page, conveying his acrobatic skill, and also creating as distinct an entrance for him as Bruce Wayne’s signature “cape-drop.” Snyder and Jock demonstrate a gift for inventive panel/page construction — the last page is as memorable and visually arresting as any of Francavilla’s insanely dope layouts. Colorist David Baron also makes Jock’s art more stimulating, giving the book a very sparse color spectrum of muted grays and greens, unless there are moments of tension, which he graces with shocking reds, like in the superlative final page.

“Hungry City” is a great jumping-on point and a great insight into a writer whose work is sure to be counted among the definitive runs of this title and the character of Batman altogether.

David BaronDCJockRafael GaitanSal CiprianoScott Snyder

Share On:
Tweet
The Forever People #8
Top Ten Batcave Trophies

About The Author

Rafael Gaitan
Rafael Gaitan

Rafael Gaitan is a writer for Comics Bulletin

Related Posts

  • Collecting Profile: Floronic Man

    nguyen ly
    December 26, 2020
  • Collecting Profile: Streaky the Supercat

    nguyen ly
    October 24, 2020

Latest Reviews

  • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

    Daniel Gehen
    December 14, 2020
  • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

    Daniel Gehen
    December 3, 2020
  • 4.5

    TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    October 29, 2020
  • 4.5

    Micro Review: Commanders in Crisis #1

    Jason Jeffords Jr.
    October 12, 2020
  • 3.0

    Review: GHOST WRITER Fights the Spectre of Unevenness

    Daniel Gehen
    September 3, 2020
  • 3.5

    Review: Strange Skies Over East Berlin

    Yavi Mohan
    August 11, 2020
  • DRAWING BLOOD: A Hyper-Stylized, Fictional Autobiography

    Ben Bishop, Brittany Peer, David Avallone, Drawing Blood, Kevin Eastman, Tomi Varga
    August 9, 2020
  • 3.0

    Alien: The Original Script #1 – This One’s For The Fans

    Jason Jeffords Jr.
    August 7, 2020
  • Singles Going Steady: Why? Lettering!

    Daniel Gehen
    July 28, 2020
  • 4.5

    X-MEN/FANTASTIC FOUR #4 is a Finale of Moral Questions

    Daniel Gehen
    July 22, 2020
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders