Detective Comics #822

Detective Comics #822
I love Dini's work on this title. Can I just reiterate how much I like standalone issues? For the same reasons that I like shows like Law & Order and CSI, not miring the reader in past continuity is always a good technique to garner new readers, especially at the front end of a writer's tenure.
I find the usage of red outlines of speech bubbles to denote fright an interesting technique. Whose domain is that? The artist's or the letterer's?
Quibbles: How can Riddler lean up against the batmobile? Doesn't it have lots of security devices? Like tasers? Also, the next issue blurb says that Ivy is coming back...but, didn't she die in Batman's arms a year(?) ago?
I love these parts:
p.10 Bats shows up the Riddler: As they enter into a fetish club, Riddler acts as if Batman would never have been in such a place. Batman then proceeds to speak with the proprietess of the club in very familiar terms.
p.11 Bats lets the Riddler ride in the batmobile! "Nice car," the Riddler says, "first time I've been inside it conscious." "Don't touch anything," Batman replies.
p.15 Batman discovers clues that the Riddler has missed in his investigation. But instead of pointing it out to his "partner", he goes and investigates by himself. "Why bother him when he's happy?" Batman says while smiling. I like smiley Batman. It's such a refreshing change of pace from snarling-barely-held-in-check-homicidal-tendencies Batman. Batman should have a sense of humor. He's had a lot of success in his chosen career, and as Bruce Wayne he has no worries
either, so really, he should smile every so often. And he's nicer too. He actually puts up with Riddler's grandstanding, humors him, and doesn't immediately put him down as he might have in the hands of last year's writers. And after threatening a witness by hanging him off a building, he offers him a handkerchief!!! What a turnaround! And yet, it's still in character. It just shows how well Batman can be written by a writer who actually loves him. Thank you Paul Dini.
I liked the idea of the Riddler as a bumbling detective, but from his expression on page 21, it unfortunately looks like his realization that Batman has shown him up will be the impetus which leads him back into a life of crime. Let's hope not. He's a comical character, and as a villain, was always rather lame (except when portrayed by Frank Gorshin). This is a clever new usage of the old character, and one could even go so far as making it a backup feature. Or a least a miniseries played for laughs...the bumbling detective who solves mysteries despite himself, a la Clouseau.
[Edit: Actually, it's been pointed out elsewhere that the Riddler is actually quite brilliant, and I agree that my assessment of his character was unfair. The only reason he failed as a detective in this issue was because of his enormous ego...which would still make for a very interesting series. Please join me in petitioning the PTB's at DC for a Riddler mini or possibly ongoing series.]
A solidly GOOD issue. I could go very good, but I'll hold off for now, to see what Paul Dini does next issue. Last issue had much nicer art though - much more innovative. But the writing has certainly improved since last issue, meriting the GOOD rating, even in the absence of J.H. Williams' beautiful layouts from last issue.
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