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by Dave Scrimgeour and Kevin McCluskey   Writer- Marv Wolfman Pencils- Pat Broderick Inks- John Beatty Letterer- John Costanza Colourist- Adrienne Roy Associate Editor- Dan Raspler Editor- Denny O'Neil Creator(s)- Bob Kane (with Bill Finger) Published 13/06/1989 by DC Comics Inc. SynopsisBatman pushes himself to the limit in order to solve the mystery of who is behind the "crime war that plagues Gotham," which is the cause of entire mob families losing their lives. This self-flagellation is a result of Bruce Wayne's guilt, and sense of responsibility for, the recent death of Jason Todd. The more distant past also comes back to haunt the Bat-Family, in the form of Anthony Zucco, the man responsible for the death of The Flying Graysons, who is up for release from prison, pending a parole board decision. A decision that Alfred Pennyworth is determined to influence to protect Dick Grayson from the painful memories his release will unearth. Painful memories which are also possessed by a certain Timothy Drake. Dave Back in time again, to 1989, for Batman Year 3 Chapter One, and here we have a new team of collaborators on this one. I'll start with the usual; what do you make of the cover? Kev I quite like the collage nature of this cover, which features a very stoic, serious-looking Batman, Dick Grason in that awful Nightwing costume, and Sister Mary Elizabeth, all in monochrome, with only the anguished young Dick in the Grason’s Flying Circus death scene in colour. The cut rope that led to Dick’s parents death being front and centre here is a good choice, compositionally, as well. Dave And the shadowy figure of Anthony Zucco in the bottom also. Kev Right enough. The sinister Tony Zucco. Dave Yep, it is well composed. I like this cover. It could have easily been cluttered but, in fact, it’s very well done. It's setting the scene for a number of characters in this story. Kev Definitely. It introduces us to all the main players. Dave I really like the first splash page. There’s so much attention to detail, and the harbour marina setting works well, as it's not quite hitting night time, just mid evening. The colours are good too. Nothing overbearing, and the blue Batman look works so well in this panel. It's interesting, because until Tim Burton's ‘89 'Batman,' he was always the Bat in the blue and grey suit. Kev Yeah, I'm a fan of the use of colour as well. Cracking work, unsurprisingly, by Adrienne Roy, whose work we've covered before in our discussions. Bats certainly was always in the grey and blue tights in this era, yeah. Remember, you weren't allowed to have any colour to a superhero costume on the big screen between 'Superman' and 'Spider-Man.' Even the X-Men were decked-out in that all-black leather. Dave And this sets the scene also for the ensuing mob wars taking place, with the hits. Who's behind this? I'm pretty sure Frank Castle hasn't taken a trip to the DC universe to visit Gotham City. Kev Ha, ha! Definitely not. This is no Marvel Vs. DC style crossover here. We also open with the 24 hour rolling news, which has been a feature of the 'Year' stories. Dave Nice background colours on pages 2 and 3, with the sun setting amongst a massacre. There’s no time wasted there. And Batman won't allow murder regardless of who it is against, his principles firmly rooted.  Bob Fossil's Heli-Chopper. Kev Yeh, we're dealing with a much more fully formed Batman than the one we were in 'Year Two,' and certainly in 'Year One.' I love the use of those oranges to illustrate the twilight of the setting Gotham sun. It's fantastic. “The sky is darkening. It’ll be another hour before The Batman feels more at home.” Batman being more at home in the dark is telling. Dave Yeah, he has certainly grown from the first two years. Plus, he's not out at night time now. And the clever trickery of a news channel's helicopter to mask the killers is a nice turn. Kev I liked that as well. This was the "present day" Batman. Well the "present day 1989" one. Crazy to think that this was released at the height of 'Batmania.' Dave Did this come out mid-summer '89 then? Kev It did indeed. We're also dealing with a Batman that is reeling from the death of Jason Todd in 'A Death In The Family.' Which we need to cover at some point as well. We maybe should’ve covered it before this actually. Dave True, 'A Death In The Family' was another classic story that I remember. One of those ones you had to save the pocket money up for when it came out. Kev Ha, ha! Too right. I still have my copy here. It’s on a shelf behind me, as we speak. Dave Batman’s not having much luck trying to hang onto the helicopter on pages 4 and 5. Was that the "Batarang"? Kev It was. Bounced right off that dude's bonce. Dave Bing Bang Bonce! Also, it’s interesting on the bottom of page 5, how the officers say, "He doesn't have to keep pushing himself like that" and Jim Gordon replies with, "Doesn't he?" Is he seeing the depths of despair Gotham is falling into, and knows that Batman is necessary for fighting crime in this town? Kev Could be, yeh. Or does Gordon know that Bruce was kind-of responsible for a child's death and is punishing himself accordingly? Dave True, he's guilt ridden over Jason Todd. And so begins the parole hearing of Anthony Zucco, which leads us into our first backstory of this issue. Kev I don’t know if I like Wolfman’s use of dual narrative caption boxes here. We’re getting a first and third person clash of perspective, and it feels jarring as a result. Dave I’ve got to admit, when I first started reading page 7, I thought it was Bruce Wayne on that page, as Dick Grayson is built like a brick shithouse here. And he even looks like Bruce.  Richard Grayson- catalogue model! Kev He does indeed. This is a very grown-up looking Dick Grayson. Dick and Bruce are somewhat estranged here, as evidenced by the fact that there are no “trophies” from after Dick left Bruce. Did it all end there for Bruce? Is this also why there is nothing of Jason Todd? Dave Bruce has become really detached from this hasn't he? Kev Definitely. And that is why Alfred has reacquainted with Dick Grayson, to try to bring Bruce back from the edge a little bit. Dave It's interesting how little narrative we have had directly from Batman. So far anyway. He has become very withdrawn and solemn. All the narrative is from Dick and other characters. I'm really impressed with the artwork and colours in the first 7 pages. And the writing too. It has a multitude of back stories to cover, but I like the simplistic plot thread of the crime families getting hit to carry it through, and the parole hearing of Zucco. I love that bottom panel on page 8. The transition from parole hearing, to young Zucco's childhood, is very cinematic. Almost like ‘The Godfather,’ ‘Once Upon A Time in America,’ and any other mobster movie that did that. Plus, a little bit of ‘Mobsters’ from 1991. The teen orientated mobster movie with Christian Slater.  The magical time travelling table portal. Kev Ha, ha! There’s a definite 'Oliver Twist' influence in this story of street urchins. It feels a little ‘Gangs Of New York’ too. Those were the two I went with. I hadn't thought about 'Mobsters' in years. I love how Batman is the sort of character whose supporting cast is so strong that he can barely be in an issue, bookend it essentially, and it's no less entertaining as a result. Dave Totally. This story is so well structured. The Anthony Zucco backstory could have easily been a stand alone issue. Kev Yep, I agree. Zucco’s backstory is pure Scorcese. Dave "His father was a bully, there was always stronger bullies. That's the first lesson Zucco learned." I like that. Kev Yeah, that's good. Dave One of the interesting things about Gotham, especially in ‘Year 2’ and ‘Year 3,’ is how it really flips from the more affluent looking areas, to the poorer parts. It's not just portrayed as this Gothic mess of a city, which could be seen in some of the film and TV incarnations, parts of it looked really nice, yet it was still riddled with crime. Kev Yeh, it feels more like a real city, rather than just some dystopian urban nightmare, doesn't it? Dave It does, and through those transitions it paints it as a more realistic city, not just tarred in grime and darkness constantly. Man, that dude who is whacking Zucco’s dad with a wooden club is wasted as a debt collector, he should have been getting into the WWF. Psycho Sid Vicious in his pre-wrestling days. Kev Ha, ha! Ah, Sid Eudy, may he rest in peace. This is pretty brutal stuff. The violence in Zucco's revenge pulls no punches, and his work with the shiv is bloody alright. Dave I'm not quite following the timeline from when his parents were killed, to when he was sent to the orphanage, and to his first kill. I know it says two weeks later he disappeared but jeez, he looks like he's aged about 10 years on those panels. Kev That's a good point. I wonder if that was done deliberately to illustrate just how much he has had to grow up since he left the orphanage. Although that panel of him fleeing into the night, like a cackling villain, and the lightning behind him isn’t winning any awards for subtlety. Dave Yeah, that’s a bit Joker-esque there. He also looks like he's been struck by lightning on that panel.  Electro-Riddler. Kev Ha, ha! He really does. Dave That might explain the mad hysterics!!! Kev It might do, actually, yeh. The dude with the wings in his hair, in panel 4 on page 11, looks like Paulie Walnuts from 'The Sopranos.' Dave Well, there is a mobster theme in this story. Kev There is that. Is “the movie” a reference to ‘Batman?’ Which would have been in cinemas around then. Dave That probably is a bit of an in-joke, yeah. The transition from the parole hearing to Dick Grayson's backstory is nicely done again. Kev Yeh, what I initially took as confusing, is actually quite sophisticated storytelling from Wolfman and Broderick. There’s lots of cuts between the present day and the flashbacks. It’s good stuff. I’m liking it now. I’m tuned in. I was just too stupid to appreciate it. Dave Again, I like how it takes you into another side of Gotham, which, visually, looks great. Kev Yeh, the flashback to the Haly Circus is another change in aesthetic alright. Dave I had to question when the photo is taken on page 13. Is that meant to be a young Tim Drake meeting a young Dick Grayson, or do they just have a similar name? Kev Yeh, this is Tim Drake being introduced to The Grayson's. The dual timelines are starting to line up now. Dave It's not going in half measures to paint the idyllic family life of the Graysons before the Zuccos show up. Kev Ha, ha! No. It's a travelling family utopia at the Haly Circus. It contrasts nicely with Zucco's upbringing though; a loving, nurturing environment, as opposed to the cold, abusive one that Zucco was raised in. Which is, of course, why they end-up on such, 'Different Roads.' Dave On the third panel of page 14, Zucco looks a bit Riddler-esque in that outfit. Especially the coat.  You could've at least matched the hat to the suit, Anthony. Kev You're right, he does. Hat and everything. Dave The references are coming in fast "...the boy-wonder." Kev Ha, ha! “.....the fabulous boy-wonder himself…..” Foreshadowing indeed. Dave Also, on the bottom panel, the way that Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake are in the same panel watching the young Dick Grayson, some people in 2024 would say that's a bit meta. Kev Yeh. All of the pieces are falling into place for Tim Drake to become the third Robin. Y'know, to cheer Bruce up since he lost Jason? Like a child getting a new goldfish to replace the previous one that died. I mean, why not put yet another young boy's life in danger on a nightly basis. Dave Actually, I’ve just noticed, in the panel on page 14, the circus announcer next to Bruce and Tim Drake has a slight Penguin look to him, with the jacket, the top hat, and the build. I wonder how many of these were put in here just for a bit of fun. Kev Jeez, you're right. Dave This Bruce Wayne is a jinx, alright. Stay clear of him. Probably the worst child minder since Liam Neeson in ‘Taken,’ Or before ‘Taken.’ Kev True. He does have a very particular set of skills though. Dave He does indeed. Kev That’s a good splash page of “.....the Batman.” “He’s horrible.” Ha, ha!  "Horrible Histories!" Dave To be fair, you can't blame Liam Neeson for the first ‘Taken’ movie; his character did try to talk his daughter out of going on holiday. Kev That's true. It was all Shannon from Lost's fault. Dave Yep, the jump from pages of dialogue, setting up the inevitable with Dick Grayson’s parents, to the short panels of them plummeting to their death with no dialogue is interesting. Kev Those panels are properly horrific. The horror that's conveyed on the crowd's faces is really quite disturbing. Dave That's a great splash page of Batman. From a point in time when he was still not fully embraced as Gotham’s Caped Crusader, I guess. Kev No. He's definitely not “...the hero that Gotham needs” yet. Dave It's another good wall-art picture there. Great colours and attention to detail in it as well. And here we see how Dick has a similar reaction to Zucco. "Two children, both saw violence and both wanted revenge, two children, the same and yet very different." We’re coming back to the title, 'Different Roads' here. Kev We certainly are. Well, they do say that victims of violence often become perpetrators of violence themselves. That the bullied often become the bullies. Dick screaming, “I want him…He killed my parents,” and Bats responding, “I understand,” says it all. There’s the bond formed between them, right there. Dick demanding that Bats kill Zucco for him is pretty full-on though. Dave And then we’re straight back into the final speech in Zucco's parole hearing. Those transitions from past to present, and present to past are smoothly done. Kev Definitely. This has been very well constructed by Marv Wolfman. Here we have Sister Mary Elizabeth bearing witness to history repeating itself, and cycles of violence repeating themselves, with Zucco and Dick, albeit a decade removed. Perhaps, with different outcomes though. Dave I get the feeling that the deliberation is going to go in favour of Zucco, and that he’s perhaps got people on the take. I’m just guessing at this point though. The dismissiveness of the parole board after Zucco’s speech is pointed. Perhaps they have heard it too many times. Kev I suspect you may be correct, Sir. Is Mr. Samms the Clark Gable lookalike mobster, who now is campaigning to keep Zucco behind bars? Dave Yep, he does indeed resemble Clark Gable. "Frankly, I don't give a damn." And onto page 20, with your favourite super-hero costume worn by Dick Grayson.  Richard Grayson- Instagram model! Kev It's a bit '70's, glam rock looking for me. Particularly for the end of the '80's, going into the '90's. Dave Haha! Nightwing the glam rock star. Kev I was going to say Gary Glitter. But let's not even go there. Dave Yeah, best not go there. I was kind-of thinking the same though. Nightwing’s getting ready to sing, "I'm the leader of the gang." Kev Well, they did use a Glitter song in 'The Joker' as well. Anyway, moving swiftly along..... Dave It's kind-of funny how, back in 1939 when ‘Gone With The Wind’ came out, that the word "damn" was considered the first swear word to be used on screen. So it was considered a big deal back then to have a swear word used in cinema. Kev Ah! We've come so far as a species. 1939, also the year that Batman first appeared. Dave I was thinking that as well. Kev The third person narration in the caption boxes keeps throwing me though. I’m so used to it being first person, and Bruce’s inner monologue. In fact, I think I'd get rid of it in favour of the first. Dave We really haven't had much of Batman in this issue though; it's really been Zucco and Dick Grayson at the forefront of the story. It's a bit tricky to get your head around the narration that way. Kev Yeh. We really haven't had much of ol’ Bats. And I don't mind that at all. Dave I like the last page, with the panels of the approaching helicopter. It puts me in mind of ‘Lethal Weapon 2,’ with Riggs' caravan getting blown up. Especially the third panel on that page. That's a big puff of smoke in that explosion.  Green Thunder. Kev That's a really good call, sir. It's really like the scene at Amanda's dad, the drug dealer's mansion. Dave I was thinking of that first ‘Lethal Weapon’ scene as well. Kev We've covered a lot of Hollywood history tonight. Dave I can't help bringing in movie references when I see them. Or things that remind me of movie scenes. Kev Me neither, really. You got anything else you want to cover? Dave No. I really enjoyed this issue. It’s so well written. The artwork and colours have been great as well, and the changes in locations, showing Gotham as a less Gothic city, have been a nice shift. The seamless transitions from the parole meetings to the flashbacks to the past have also been good. It’s a great start to the series. What have you made of it so far? Kev I've been pleasantly surprised by this one. I couldn't remember much of it (it has been 35 years since I last read it), and I remember, at the time, thinking that it suffered from the rules of diminishing returns when compared to the first two, but I thought it was really well put together. It was superbly constructed. The dual timelines came together perfectly. To start with, I thought it was a bit confusing, but it rewards you for paying attention, and for doing a bit of the work to keep up with it. I'm really looking forward to reading part two now. (D) & (K) Next: A billionaire puts a child's life at risk. 
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