Detective Comics Annual #3 Review

Can this Icarus tie-in live up to the fabulous main story? Read on to find out.

The official description from DC Comics:

A tie-in to “Icarus”! Follow the movements of a deadly stash of Icarus through Gotham City, as it impacts the lives of those it comes into contact with: Elena and Annette Aguila, Harvey Bullock, and even Batman!

Detective Comics has really prospered since the creative team of Brain Buccellato and Francis Manapul have taken over, with the freshness of the series being very commendable. In this tie-in to the current Icarus story we see how a young man sees Icarus as an opportunity to give him and his girlfriend a better chance in life, with a well known Batman character also getting a subtle introduction.

Brian Buccellato goes solo for this Annual telling a self contained story centred around the Icarus arc. Despite having one clear focus throughout Buccellato manages to tell many different tales, with the overall depth and emotion shining through. Despite this it’s the introduction to one of Batman’s most intellectual rogues that interested me, with the subtle build-up making it all the more impressive. In addition to this Buccellato manages to show just how drugs can affect people, with there being a tale of love and mistreatment within.

I have to say I was rather disappointed in the art on this issue. Individually Werther Dell’Edera, Jorge Fornes and Scott Hepburn do a terrific job, but the inconsistency in art really hurts the flow of the story. If that wasn’t bad enough we also get three different colourists, with the different palette’s of John Kalisz, Lee Loughridge and Jon Proctor clashing with each other. One piece of artwork that I really loved however was Guillem March‘s cover, with it being very symbolic to the introduction of the character I mentioned.

Detective Comics Annual #3 proves to be the best in the series yet, not only being a terrific tie-in to the current Icarus story, but also an emotionally deep self contained tale. Highly recommended.