If thats the case, here is a repost of my review of #821 & #822:
DETECTIVE COMICS #821
PLOT:
Gotham's wealthiest citizens find themselves victimized by the mysterious new villain Facade. Operating with a gang trained to pass as members of the cities' elite, the masked mastermind's crimes baffle the police and leave members of Gotham society fearing for their lives. It's up to Batman to use a "facade" of his own, that of socialite Bruce Wayne, in order to bait the villain's underlings and discover the true identity of their elusive leader.
REVIEW:
Lets start with a "wow" for this issue. Paul Dini has written something that gives us a detective mystery feeling page by page, and above all to all DCAU fans; an issue that feels like its an episode of Batman: The Animated Series. Even the text in the boxes of the panels are written like the letters from the BTAS logo. Including the talk between Batman & Robin, Batman & Gordon, Bruce and Alfred, even the final lines of the issue have all these feelings from the show. The only thing that doesn't have that feeling, from Dini's writing, are those boxes that sound like the Dini/Ross book: BATMAN: WAR ON CRIME.
At first I thought that would be it for the review, but I decided that I should talk about the new villian. Simiply because he is NEW. The villian, Facade, is pretty weird. He must have an obsession for dummies as he collects them. He must have this thing for faceless people as he also wears a mask that covers his face so you can't see inside and reflects everything. A villain that was a nobody that wanted to be a somebody and knew how to get that.
Overall; this was nice. Now, this isn't an arc at all. At first I thought it was but it seems it isn't. The next issue is different that this. The only thing these issues of Detective Comics share is the cover by Simone Bianchi. I could be wrong if the next issue picks up where this left off, which the next ones don't have anything that seem to come from this issue. And that the title doesn't have Part 1 next to it. So this is one story issue. The next will be new and un-connected to this one.
RATING: 9/10
DETECTIVE COMICS #822
PLOT:
When Karrie Bishop, a woman that Bruce Wayne saw her last, is murdered. Her case ends up being sloved by a seemly-reformed Riddler. Not even trusting the man who still may or may not his secret behind the mask, Batman decides to solve the murder case even if Riddler tends to stay around.
REVIEW:
Paul Dini must like doing the Batman books as Roxy Rocket, a character he and Timm created for the show, makes her first comic book appearence. While only a cameo appearence, and her looking as the same as the show, her appearence alone gives her the opening for the future in the books.
But on the book itself, it was another good mystery story. I can't but see it as a BTAS episode, of course with some adult elements since this is a comic book (for example: BDSM scene). Dini likes to gives us a detective story and have us, the audience, find out when Batman has pieced everything together. Some people may want a story where we find out everything before Batman does but this is better. This is written nicely.
The Riddler comes here so its not a new villian. It seems that what happened that got him into a coma a year ago has made him forget Bruce is Batman that was told in Batman: Hush. I should also point out that his green mask has been replaced with just sunglasses like I saw him wear in Alex Ross' Justice. I don't know if that was an idea they threw in or its what Riddler will look like until the next change. Either way, I like what he looks like better.
I don't know but it seems Riddler had made alot of "friends" in the BDSM private club as he said he met his henchgirls there. Yes, maybe in THAT way. Batman knows the headmistress by the name Pandora. But no, not in THAT way though.
Overall, as I said above, this was a good mystery storyline by Dini on Batman. Dini said these issues will lead up to something. I wonder what it is.
RATING: 9/10
BTW, probably in keeping witht he fact that Gotham is based on NYC, Pandora's Box is ana ctual BDSM place in NYC.
