Detective Comics #20 Review

DETECTIVE COMICS #20

by John Layman, Jason Fabok and Andy Clarke

Tell me, Emperor Penguin. WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT TO BE A FOOTNOTE?

Detective Comics #20 is the conclusion to the Emperor Penguin storyline, and it's actually pretty good. Yes, the final fight seems kind of rushed, but it's a bucket of fun. I mean, who doesn't enjoy seeing Batman being Batman and kicking the snot out of people? Layman's writing is back to its usual top notch quality. His fleshing out of the Penguin seems cheesy at first, but if you read the issue again, you see his logic for his actions here. I love Layman's characterization of Batman. It feels like classic Dark Knight, almost something out of B:TAS (a show I compare this to too much). 

Jason Fabok's art looks absolutely great. The opening splash page is a piece of artwork I would buy if I had the cash, and the fight outside of the Cobblepot Mansion is brutal. 

However, the backup story is (again) the issue's weakpoint. Oglivy's origin is meant to be a mirror of Bruce's, but sorry, we've already been there with both Owlman and Prometheus. Also, Boss is a boring character, and Oglivy's proclamation at the end is well... Laughable. The only saving grace of it is Andy Clarke's art which keeps it readable.

Detective Comics #20 goes back to the basics of the first parts of Layman's run, and avoids the flaws made by his later issues. Well, most of them. 

STORY: 4/5

+ Satisfying conclusion
+ Love Cobblepot and Batman's characterization

- The final fight feels rather rushed

ART: 5/5

+ Jason Fabok. Yes

+ Brutal and awesome

+ The opening splash is great

BACKUP: 2/5

+ Andy Clarke's art keeps it readable

- Really? Emperor Blackgate?

- I won't miss the Boss. At all.

- Emperor Penguin is NOT Prometheus

VERDICT: 3.5/5