Detective Comics #942
By Avi Weinryb
October 12, 2016 - 21:33
DC Comics
Writer(s): Steve Orlando
Penciller(s): Andy McDonald
Inker(s): Andy McDonald
Colourist(s): John Rauch
Letterer(s): Marilyn Patrizio
Cover Artist(s): Yanick Paquette & Nathan Fairbairn; Variant by Rafael Albuquerque
This issue was more-than-adequately written and does a good job of wrapping the storyline. Steve Orlando juggles a lot of protagonists so it’s hard to fault him for the flatness of the personas presented, but the dialogue itself is on point and gets the job done. The one standout is Clayface who continues to play a surprisingly helpful role, serving as an ally to the Bat-family rather than as his usual villainous self. As a non-antagonist, he’s surprisingly helpful and this storyline finds creative uses for his powers -- especially in this issue but also in part 4 of 6 of the storyline. I’m looking forward to reading more from Orlando as he finds his footing in the Bat-universe.
Andy McDonald’s artwork is top-notch. He offers strong levels of detail, great panel layouts, and a vivid sense of movement. His depiction of Bruce Wayne on the final page looks a little goofy, but he draws a good Batman. John Rauch’s colors are excellent, with a diverse palette and some bold choices even in spite of the dark and gloomy requirements Gotham City imposes on artists.