|
Dave Scrimgeour and Kevin McCluskey   Writer- Marv Wolfman Penciller- Pat Broderick Inker- Michael Bair Letterer- John Costanza Colourist- Adrienne Roy Associate Editor- Dan Raspler Editor- Denny O'Neil Creator(s)- Bob Kane (with Bill Finger) Published- October 1989 by DC Comics Inc. SynopsisZucco is dead! Gunned down by forces unknown as he is released from prison, which causes even further tension between The Dynamic Duo. This results in Bruce going on a violent rampage in order to find answers, whereas Dick takes a more subtle, investigative approach. Both methods yield the same result however, and The Caped Crusaders find themselves returning to the location of Dick Grayson and Anthony Zucco's shared history, the Orphanage. Dave Finishing up now, with the concluding part of 'Year 3,' chapter 4, 'Resolutions.' Any initial thoughts on the cover? Kev I like it. It has all the story elements we need. Dick, front and centre in the Bat Signal, Sister Mary Elizabeth and Taft in the bell tower, Zucco’s ledger of many indiscretions, and the silhouette of The Bat, gazing down upon proceedings in front of the Gotham skyline. George Perez wasn’t bad, was he? Dave Yeah, I like the cover as well. It is also a sure bet to stick some rainy, stormy weather in there to up the ante of the story. The colours, again, are good, and the composition of the layout also tells us where this story is heading. At first glance, I thought Taft was Penguin on this cover. But that was before I even read any of the series. Kev Me too, actually. I even had to check before I read this issue. I was asking myself, "The Penguin doesn't make an appearance in this, does he?" Dave Also, the Bat signal highlighting Dick is good. This issue is his story, as Zucco is out of the frame. Or, at least, he is after the first panel in this issue. Kev Yeh. The “main” antagonist is out. Dave Also, the cover isn't concerned with giving away spoilers, as this is a story that isn't going for the big reveal at the end as to who’s behind all this. Kev No. It's kind-of a lower-key mystery, and all the better for it. Dave It's more about Bruce and Dick trying to put the puzzle together, only each on their own, and we, the readers, are now one step ahead of them from this point in this issue. Kev Yeh, this is a good exchange between Bruce and Dick; Bruce pushing Dick away, as a means of protecting both Dick and himself is to be expected at this point. The guilt of what happened to Jason, is clearly the driving factor for Bruce at this moment in time. Dave It’s a good opening page, of the dead Zucco, spread over 3 panels, as Dick starts his exchange with Bruce. Also, it's good that this is just an exchange of words, as there was no need to go over the top by having him physically attack Bruce and give us the type of pointless brawl that you would be more likely to get nowadays just to amp up the entertainment. It lets the exchange unfold and it gives us more of an insight as to what's going on with the dynamic of Bruce and Dick. Dick is desperately trying to get through to Bruce, but the blockers are still up. Kev Yeh, there's no real, stereotypical, fights in tights, "superheroics" in this story at all really. Dave Again, the artwork and colouring have been great so far. Even that bottom panel on page 3 of Taft is a nice eye catching visual, with just a white background, putting all the focus onto him.  Could be worse. It could've been in a Signal group chat. Kev Again, Pat Broderick and Michael Bair’s artwork has been excellent in this issue so far. I also like that Alfred is the one with the most insight when it comes to Bruce and Dick. It’s such an interesting element of the Bat-Family dynamic. Dave That's a great little interaction between Alfred and Dick on page 5 and 6. His wisdom is spot on. Plus, the seamless jump back to the past on page 6 is cleverly put in. "Fear overrules logic.” Get a book of Alfred’s quotes and insights published. Kev ‘The Book Of Quotable Pennyworth.’ Dave I like that; ‘The Quotable Mr. Pennyworth.’ Kev Ha, ha! Copyright 2025, We See The World In Ben-Day Dots. Dave I also like how, on page 5, there’s the contrast of the cherry red background and the blues of Batman and Nightwing. They really work well together in those panels. Kev The flashbacks in this have been so well done. As they are again here, with the profile of the character having the flashback in the foreground, Dick Grayson in this instance, and the memories they are recalling in the background of the panel. The thought bubble style borders on the panel are a nice touch on this as well. They suggest a hazy, incomplete, perhaps even unreliable nature to the memories they house. Dick is quick to point out that he’s not Bruce, and while I agree with him on that front, I can’t help but feel that when he claims Bruce “grew up alone,” he’s shortchanging Alfred’s role in Bruce’s upbringing. Dave I thought that as well. Bruce had Alfred to care for him. Kev That’s a good line from Dick, when Alfred asks him if he “wanted to lash out against Zucco” and he replies, “Wanted to? Of course I’d want to.” As we’ve discussed before; this shows such maturity and emotional intelligence on Dick’s part. And then we cut to Bruce, raising all kinds of brutal, violent, and bloody hell to get to Drexel. The contrast between the two men is certainly on full display here. Dave Also, this custody battle in the courtroom scene allows us to see another side of Bruce, not only through a young Dick’s eyes but Sister Mary Elisabeth’s as well. "He must have thought it was white boy day. It ain't white boy day is it?" Oops! I’m quoting the wrong Drexel character. Kev Ha, ha! I love that quote. Yeh, I thought that flashback was exceptionally well done.  White Boy Day. Dave I like how poignant young Dick was too, saying he didn't want a father, and Bruce replying that had no intention of trying to take that role (although Bruce had ulterior motives that he kept close to his chest), but from an external viewpoint he was going to raise him to have a better quality of life. It's a very wordy issue again. It's settling down into a story that needs to unfold through dialogue, detective work, and flashbacks to fill in the gaps. Kev Yeh, Bruce was honest in that he wanted to give his young ward a better life, but perhaps somewhat economical with the truth in that he made no mention of training him to be a soldier in his war against crime. It is quite dense, isn't it? But rewardingly so, I would say. Dave Also, in this flashback, it shows the difference between child Dick and young Bruce, in that Dick is naturally a more open person, who is not afraid to show his feelings, and cries openly as well. He lets his feelings out, so he is more emotionally balanced, whereas Bruce was always more locked into himself, suppressing his feelings and his darkness inside. Hence Bruce was more destined to go down the route of becoming this fighter against crime. Would Dick have gone down their shared path without Bruce’s influence? It certainly raises that question. Kev Perhaps he might have. But maybe through a more official route. Detective Frye did say that he thought Dick would make a good cop in the last issue. Dave Good point, Dick would have likely been an law enforcement office of some kind. Kev And in a slightly better uniform, that's for sure. Dave Unless he has to go undercover to bust Gary Glitter. Kev Yeh, to bust a paedophile ring. Anyway….. Moving swiftly on..... Dave I was going to mention that the panel on page 5, where Bruce says "No" to Dick’s offer to come with him, may be the first crack in him coming around and showing that he’s afraid of losing Dick. Even though he's adamant he doesn’t need another partner ever again, it leads perfectly into the pearls of wisdom from Alfred. Kev Definitely. Fear and guilt are Bruce's main motivating factors at this point. Those are some big rats on the streets of Gotham in the top panel of page 12. And I appreciated the D. H. Lawrence, ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ reference. Dave Yeah, the rats are having a party. Pages 10 and 11 show Bat's in full arse kicking mode, swiftly pummeling his opponents in brutal style, and showing off his strength by lifting Drexel up in the air by his collar. Plus. we get the Darth Vader panel on page 11 to highlight he has him off the ground. I love that 2nd panel on page 12, there’s so much attention to detail and the use of colours is fantastic. It really stands out.  I dunno, man. There's some "real spicy" sections in that book like. Kev Totally. Him lifting Drexel off his feet, straight into the air, is a show of just how intense Bruce is at this point in time. Yeh, and those are some good, moody panels of Batman on page 13 as well. Dave Especially when his face gets shaded out in parts, that really adds to the moodiness. Kev Yeh, highlighting how far into the darkness Bruce has fallen. Dave Don't these henchmen never learn, about thinking they can get Batman once he turns his back to them? Kev Ha, ha! They're not the sharpest tools in the drawer, are they? I guess they don't call them "the muscle" for nothing. They're not being hired for their brains. Dave And you can tell it's the ‘80's; everyone's carrying an Uzi. Kev Ha, ha! They were the firearm of choice back then, for sure. The differences in Dick’s and Bruce’s approach are night (wing) and day. Bruce, at this point, is employing brute force, and intimidating through sheer violence, whereas Dick is using his smarts and a little humour to get, arguably better, results. Dave Plus, Dick is doing things the way he was taught to. It's Bruce’s teachings that are ingrained in Dick. Kev Definitely. Doing as Bruce says, rather than what Bruce is currently doing. I’m intrigued by the little bit of mystery, with Zucco’s beginning being the criminal underworld’s ending. That’s got me hooked. I’m a sucker for that in a piece of writing. Plus, it’s good to see The Caped Crusaders actually doing a bit of detective work together. Again, something that I believe is severely underutilised in too many modern Batman comics. And just as I say that, Dick completely misses Taft hiding behind the door in Drexel’s apartment. Some detective. Maybe he wasn't cut-out to be a cop after all. Ha, ha! Dave This series is going back to the Detective roots, whereas ‘Year One’ was Batman trying to find his feet and stumbling many a time, and ‘Year Two’ was him having to learn to cross boundaries into areas that he didn't expect to go into. This is an great example of good ole fashioned Sherlock Holmes in a cape. Kev Yep, I agree. Dave I do like the Zucco mystery. That was a nice, well written, unexpected twist and I also like how it talks about childhood attachments as comforts. What a great insight, and how true as well; the place from whence you came, or spent significant time with a strong emotional attachment, still resonates as an adult. Kev “It always comes back to your childhood, doesn’t it? To wherever you were happiest.” There’s a quote for Ben-Day Dots, right there, if I ever read one. I do like his joke about Drexel not missing the “small smudge down there" in the shower. And Taft is a pretty cold customer. “Goodbye, Drexel.” Dave Backtracking to page 13; those first two panels of Zucco in the shower, I know it is supposed to be steam, but it looks like the bubble bath was on the go as well. “This man showers in style.” Absolutely perfect quote.  Sudsy PAWG. Kev Ha, ha! I thought that as well. Drexel's got some good lather in that shower. Quality suds. It’s interesting that Alfred is intimately familiar with Zucco’s file, having probably poured over it for hours, imagining the revenge he was going to exact upon him once he got out of jail. A revenge he ultimately could not follow through on. Dave Alfred deserves more credit for the amount of detective work he puts in. The man is thorough in his work. Kev Yep. Alfred is arguably the rock of the Bat Family. Give the man his flowers. Dave Plus, Taft is sneaky and deserves credit for a Batman style entrance, quick and out of nowhere. Kev True. Does Sister Mary Elizabeth recognise Nightwing as Dick? “I know you…I know you very well.” Dave Possibly. I was wondering that as well. Kev “Times have changed. They're building a new shopping center here, they tell me. Somehow progress doesn’t seem so much like progress to me.” Don’t we know it, Sister. These days they’re not even building shopping centers anywhere. Just flats for rich oligarch’s to have multiple properties, or for greedy landlords to pad out their portfolios. Sorry, I’ll get off my commie soapbox. Dave Greed breeds greed. Nice panel on the top of page 17, of Wayne manor. Again, that background is excellent and sets the tone for a dynamic looking, striking visual. Kev Absolutely. Dick calling the orphanage Zucco’s “womb” is maybe a bit of a stretch though. Dave I do like that the rain has become such a prominent feature as we reach the tail end of the story. And it's interesting how Dick and Bruce still haven't pieced it all together yet. Kev Yeh, rain is an excellent mood setter for Batman stories. Jesus! Taft has no scruples. He’s cracking a nun across the back of the skull with a crowbar. I’ll say a prayer for his soul, like the good Catholic boy I am. Speaking of cracking; that’s an excellent panel at the foot of page 20. Dave Yeah, that's a great panel on page 20. Anything rain related puts me in mind of ‘Kraven’s Last Hunt’ for comic books and ‘The Crow’ for movies for tone setting.  Heath. Kev ‘Blade Runner’ too. Dave The pacing in this story is really good, as it is slowly building up to the reveal of the ledger, and the climax of Taft trying to kill Dick. Kev Yeh. The pacing of this has been fantastic. It's a slow burn, but the tension and the intrigue continues to ramp up towards the inevitable conclusion. Dave I was a bit surprised that Taft managed to catch Dick with the crowbar, but it adds to the drama of the ending. Kev I thought that too. But I suppose Taft bludgeoning Dick with the crowbar is a nice touch by Wolfman, for bringing back horrible memories for Bruce of Jason experiencing a similar fate courtesy of The Joker. Dave That's exactly what it was; for Batman to finally face the horror of losing Jason through the immediate horror of potentially losing Dick as well. I like that little Joker flashback panel on page 22.  Muck & Mire. A little seen buddy cop TV show from the 1970's. Yet another one season wonder. Kev Yeh, the intensity of those panels is palpable. Wolfman, Broderick and Bair have made good use of panel grids throughout this story, particularly in this issue, employing 6, and sometimes even 9 panel page layouts. It’s very Watchmen-like. Dave Also, the economy of rounding-up the story. I like the shift between pages of lots of dialogue, and these pages with minimal dialogue. Kev It's great comicing, eh? It really helps the tension, the push and pull of techniques, and it keeps you engaged as you're reading it by keeping it interesting and never allowing your brain to go into autopilot and get bored. Dave Taft takes a plunge to his death, and the pages of the ledger scatter. Lucky the rain was heavy that night, eh? Kev Yeh, Taft suffers the same fate as a lot of ‘80’s villains, in that he plummets to his death. He joins a long list of ‘80’s antagonists who met their maker in this fashion. Dave Taft is going out Hans Gruber style.  Kev He sure is. This feels like it wraps up a little too quickly for my liking. Which seems to be a recurring theme in the comics from the ‘80’s that we discuss. Maybe it’s just compressed, or economic storytelling, but I feel that if those last couple of pages were just a couple of pages longer, it would have given the scenes a bit more breathing space, which, in turn, would’ve provided them with a bit more gravitas, and maybe would’ve allowed them to resonate a bit more with the reader. Dave The last page does wrap things up very swiftly, and Dick and Bruce have finally re-bonded their friendship. Plus, we see that Bruce is acknowledging how good Dick has become as a detective. Kev And his own man too. He has officially stepped out of the shadow of The Bat. Dave I suppose it's fitting that the last panels are about Dick visiting his parents graves. Even though Dick isn't Robin anymore, he is still showing Bruce the benefits of working with a partner. Kev Oh, definitely. This Bruce needs a Robin to prevent him from succumbing to his darkness. Which is part of his problem. Yeh. Dick visiting his parents’ graves definitely feels like a satisfying way to wrap things up. This hasn’t exactly been the most explosive of finales or conclusions, in fact it’s pretty downbeat to be honest, but that doesn’t detract from how enjoyable, and ultimately satisfying it has been. Dave So, how did you find Year 3, coming back to it after all these years, and as a follow up to Year 1 and 2 in terms of the style of Batman story? Kev I feel that this is a criminally underrated, borderline ignored, by DC and the readership, final entry in the Year series. Even as recently as late last year, DC reprinted Years One and Two as part of their new DC’s Finest line, which is supposed to be, and I quote, “a major new publishing initiative presenting comprehensive collections of the most in-demand and celebrated periods in DC Comics history.” It can’t be THAT comprehensive if it’s missing Year Three. That seems like quite a glaring, obvious omission, if you ask me, as I feel this stands up there with, and is a fitting addition/conclusion to the ‘Years.’ Sure, it’s lower key than the other two. It doesn’t have the immediate, instant classic feel through the heavyweight creative team of Miller and Mazzuchelli, nor the character, and logic, defying visuals of McFarlane’s take on the Caped Crusader. And that’s not even to mention the legacy of an antagonist like The Reaper, but I genuinely think it might be the most emotionally satisfying of the three, which Wolfman, through the use of the Robins, Dick Grayson, and the recent events of Jason Todd’s death, manages to get to. He also manages to get to the heart of The Batman in the third year of his career, as well as expanding the boundaries of the Bat Family through Bruce’s supporting cast. All in all, this is a fantastically underrated gem of a Batman tale. One that has resonated with me more now than it did back in 1989. It’s an excellent crime/detective story, whilst also dealing with themes of family, guilt, and generational trauma, and I can’t recommend it enough to people. Whether they’ve read Year One and/or Year Two or not. How about yourself? Dave I think this should be included as a trilogy for all to read. This is just as important a Batman story as year 1 and 2, and the great thing is they are all different stories. This is, out and out, a foray back to the detective roots, and the pacing worked so well. This issue, in particular, had so much to cover, so it was perhaps a bit hindered by how much story needed to be carried on, but it still doesn't detract from the quality of this series. Also, it shows how much Robin has impacted the Batman series, and it was great to finally cover a story with Robin. He and Batman make a great pairing, and this exemplifies it. Kev I completely agree. They should be read as a trilogy, which is why it's irked me a little that it's been omitted from that new collection. Yeh, I couldn't believe it when you pointed out that this was the first time we've covered a story with Robin in it. In 8 years as well. How did we manage that? Dave Well, that's why Ben Day Dots is here; we cover the stuff we want to, and if it raises a tiny bit of awareness, and intrigues a few people to read this, then that's something. Kev Man, if one person reads our discussion of Year 3 and it sparks enough interest in them to seek it out to have a read, I'll be a happy man. Well, not happy, but not more miserable either. Dave I wonder why 'Year 3' has been overlooked. Kev I have no idea. I guess maybe because it doesn't have a "superstar" on its creative team. But even then, Marv Wolfman is a legend. Dave Yeah, it’s another great combination of a creative team right there. (D) & (K) The end. 
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Back issues
April 2025
|
RSS Feed