The Good
There’s something about this comic that simply makes me happy. It exudes a different kind of feeling we don’t have in most comics. Since the first issue came out, I tried to pinpoint what specifically about this series appealed to me and I think I may have figured it out. Books that have teen characters usually carry a certain level of innocence about them as the characters try to find their way in a world full of superpowers and superheroes. What makes GOTHAM ACADEMY feel different is our main characters don’t actually have superpowers. Readers now feel a stronger sense of the danger they could be in especially being part of the Batman Universe.
One of the mysteries in the book is who is Olive Silverlock and what happened to her over the summer? In this issue, Olive reveals some details about her mom and why she’s so on edge and protective. In a nice bit of continuity, we also saw last week mention of her mom in ARKHAM MANOR. The pieces are now starting to fall into place. As certain events start to happen here, we can put more of those pieces together and get an idea what the backstory is.
Karl Kerschl’s art and Geyser, Msassyk, and Serge Lapointe gives the book an almost animated feel. The colors are phenomenal and you have to stop and take in all the expressions and emotions on the characters’ faces.
The Bad
We are slowly getting some answers but there’s still the matter of not getting a lot of character development. We’re at the third issue of the series and we still barely know the characters. We now have an idea about Olive’s mom but it feels like we learned more in ARKHAM MANOR #2. Those that aren’t reading that series will have missed out what might be coming up. Speaking of what might be coming up, will there be more to the fact that Olive managed to easily survive a fire due to what her mom might be capable of?
There are also some of the other characters like Pomeline, Colton, and Kyle. They're all taking part in the story but we're not entirely clear of who they are or what their motives are. I'm not saying we need the story to completely stop so we can get a full background on all the characters. But as we're seeing more and more characters brought in at the school, we need to some answers when there are so many questions.
The Verdict
We’re getting some answers and mini-bits of closure with the characters as the story moves forward. This series continues to stand out from other books. We're still getting to know these normal characters and the more you see, the more concerned you become for their safety. There's still a lot we don't know and with this being the third issue, that could be a problem for some. Some answers are starting to come out and you'll find yourself hanging on to see what happens next. The art and color are really bringing the characters and story to life. This series is offering something different in the DC Universe and that's a good thing. Don't miss out on this series.