Review: Gotham Academy, Second Semester #3
By Philip Schweier
November 9, 2016 - 05:35
DC Comics
Writer(s): Brendan Fletcher, Becky Cloonan and Karl Kerschl
Penciller(s): Adam Archer; Breakdowns by Rob Haynes
Inker(s): Sandra Hope
Colourist(s): Serge LaPointe, Msassyk, Michael Dialynas
Letterer(s): Steve Wands
Cover Artist(s): Karl Kerschl, variant by Fiona Staples
Last
issue, Gotham Academy’s Detective Club was looking for a mystery, and they
found a doozy when kids all over campus started acting strange, as if
mesmerized. And when each one became part of a mysterious coven of witches,
things got even weirder. And when one of their own is among the brainwashed, it
became downright dangerous.
As a so-called all-ages title, Gotham Academy requires a great deal of forgiveness. For instance, with all the strange goings-on at an institute of higher learning, things tend to get out of hand rather quickly. It’s not like Hogwarts, where much of it can be attributed to uncontrolled magic. At Gotham Academy, you have young people in an academic setting exposed to corruption, cartoon villainy and nefarious deeds by persons (mostly) unknown. You’d think parents and the more upright staff would eventually demand a formal investigation.
But that seldom works in a world inhabited by Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys wannabes. It’s usually left to the kids to solve the mystery and set everything right once more, usually with little or no consequences. But perhaps that might not be the case this time, as one member of the Detective Club may find their time at Gotham Academy at an end.
One thing I like about this book (and this may pertain in other all-ages titles) is that of the stories I’ve read so far, they’re all pretty much two-parters at the most. Rather than extended story arcs that run for 5-8 issues, each story has been mercifully brief. Not that they’re bad stories by any means, but none of the stories have required a heavy investment of time or money. Not only is that intelligent marketing to the younger readers toward which the title is aimed, but I hope it’s a strategy that filters over to other books. Perhaps not every Superman or Green Lantern comic book will encompass an overly-ambitious epic.