Gotham was recently renewed for a fifth and final season; and the season finale is setting up No Man's Land, since the show's goal seems to have been to burn through as many Batman plotlines as they possibly can before Bruce Wayne even puts on the cowl. But I picked this issue out of the quarter bin based on the artist, not the event: from 1999, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #86, "Home Sweet Home" Written by Lisa Klink, art by Guy Davis.
Even though large chunks of the city have been wrecked by the Bat-quake and the ongoing turf wars, a pleasant little house still stands; home of Sergeant William S. Riley, known to the neighborhood as Sarge. After the war, he had built that house and lived there with his wife for many years, and although they had never been able to have children of their own, they befriended local kids and had a good life. Now alone, Sarge wasn't about to give up his home, even when confronted by Zsasz.
While Sarge is forced to give 'tribute' to Zsasz, he's not dumb enough to have all his stuff out in the open, and had stockpiled enough in his bomb shelter to still help out his neighbors. Still, the area changes hands several times just over the course of this issue, with the Joker ultimately taking charge, "elected mayor of this little community, by a majority of one."
This wasn't the first bad bit of business Sarge had seen, and it's implied it probably won't be the last; but at least he'll be there to face it, at home. I have to wonder if that house is still there now...Also, the GCD entry makes a point of it: Batman doesn't appear this issue. Batgirl (Cassandra) makes a brief appearance defending the neighborhood, but that's about it.
1 comment:
Huh. You know I do believe you've sold me on this one. While I'll probably always feel Guy Davis's art style is more suited for period pieces like Sandman Mystery Theater, he does draw a pretty creepy Joker.
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