Review: Gotham Academy Second Semester #1

DC Comics
Review: Gotham Academy Second Semester #1
By Philip Schweier
May 10, 2017 - 05:03

DC Comics
Writer(s): Brendan Fletcher, Becky Cloonan, Karl Kerschl
Breakdowns: Rob Haynes
Penciller(s): Adam Archer, Msassyk
Inker(s): Sandra Hope, Msassyk
Colourist(s): Msassyk
Letterer(s): Steve Wands
Cover Artist(s): Karl Kerschl

Gotham Academy is deep trouble, as old secrets have been revealed, and students are transferring to other schools quicker than you can say “double secret probation.” Olive Silverlock is in the thrall of an ancestral witch who is determined to exact her revenge on some of the oldest names in Gotham – familiar names like Dent, Cobblepot and Wayne.

Colton, Maps and Pom seem determined to stick it out, but it won’t be easy. Hampering their investigation are three pranksters in animal masks, identified in Gotham Academy lore as the Terrible Trio. I love this resurrection of a Silver Age concept, as well as an obscure reference to the Batman animated series. Featuring both in a single story only reinforces how vast the Bat-lore is.

This is reputed to be the final story arc for the series. What that means for the characters it has established remains to be seen. Many have the potential to appear in other titles in the Bat-franchise, or perhaps even beyond, in the greater DCU.

But I hope the creative team has some place to go. They’ve done very well establishing a new visual style for Gotham Academy, and I feel it would be welcome at just about any title.