Slivers of truth revealed.
Creative Staff:
Story: Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher
Art: Karl Kerschl
What They Say:
Classes are suspended for a funeral. So, is it really true that grieving students get all As?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
After giving us a mostly standalone installment the last time with a guest artist that focused on Maps to good effect, Gotham Academy is back on track fully here as it deals with the fallout from the revelations about Olive’s mother. This issue has a pretty somber tone throughout a lot of it and it plays to familiar ideas that we’ve seen numerous times over the years in countless types of media. But because of the investment we’ve made in the characters, and the expansion on some of them, it manages to work well. Even if you want to throttle both Olive and Kyle at times for doing things they shouldn’t. But you also realize that they’re young and these are the stupid things we do when we’re grieving or concerned.
Opening with a funeral scene is something that feels like it must happen in a lot of stories for those that live in Gotham, and it’s a rough on here with the tone, the rain and the way Olive has largely shut down. She’s processing a lot of emotions but is keeping it all inside rather than letting it out for the most part. The only times she really reacts to things is when Kyle does his best to get her to stay away from Tristan, as he’s convinced that there’s something up with him. But because of the shared past she has with Tristan and the fires that have caused so many problems, she’s entered a kind of trust with him. One that may or may not be warranted. But the last thing she wants to hear from anyone is that she has to do this or that, especially when it comes to relationships with other people.
Olive is a bit more on the edges of this book overall as it instead focuses a lot more on Kyle. This is definitely welcome as he’s been kind of underserved so far, so seeing him trying to protect Olive works well. He ends up making the discovery of what’s up with him relatively early on and that’s a game changer for him. It gets more complicated when Maps finds out though because she’s totally into it in a really great visual way. Seeing him working with her in understanding the secret passages is a lot of fun here as is her enthusiasm for finding the “were-bat” as she calls him. There’s more secrets to be revealed of course, especially after Tristan is attacked by something in the cemetery at night (shocker) and Kyle ends up being the one to help him. Events are moving along at a familiar pace and point in expected directions, but it all comes together because of the cast, the artwork and the smaller nudges within it all.
In Summary:
Though I certainly had no issue with the guest artist the last time around, there’s something reassuring about having Kerschl back to tell this next round of stories. There’s a wonderful moodiness that comes from this issue with the weather and tone set by the story and it plays out beautifully as Kyle’s getting more frantic about protecting his friend and warning her of danger while she’s closing herself off more and more. With some very good supporting character moments, a little more time with Langstrom in the lab and Tristan potentially being something far more than expected, it’s building a pretty solid story here. The visual presentation really is the big seller for me, but it’s working with the right kind of story and characters for it to be told with.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: DC Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: July 8th, 2015
MSRP: $2.99
