Detective Comics Centennial 800

When is an anniversary not a celebration?


When it is Detective Comics #800 (January, 2005).


This issue has two stories, both great tales, but not detailing a happy time in the life of Batman.

So, let's look under the cover by Mark Simpson....

Alone At Night

First story in the issue has Batman dealing with the Mad Hatter, and his drones (including a hypnotized Killer Croc) all across Gotham in a story by Andersen Gabrych, Pete Woods, Cam Smith and Drew Geraci.

Batman is dealing with the fallout of recent activities in Gotham (the War Games Bat-titles crossover), with Nightwing (Dick) being injured (and tended to by Alfred), Robin (Tim), Batgirl (Cassandra), Oracle (Barbara) and even Commissioner Gordon all leaving the city.

During his run through Gotham, Batman even finds the Mad Hatter is a pawn of the Black Mask...and does thwart his plans....for now.  But, Catwoman confronts Batman, declaring him unfeeling, with Batman admitting she's wrong....he feels everything....which is why Batman does what he does (and drives those he cares about away....

In The Dark

The second story is by David Lapham, and is a moody piece about Batman confronting crime on his own.


This is a Batman who is aware of being a part of the night, and swoops down vengeance on those who harm others.



Gotham will be safe....or at least as safe as one man can make it.



Both not exactly the joys of previous anniversary issues (like 500 or 700), but dark looks at the life of the Batman.

Now, there isn't an official Detective Comics #900 (it was numbered #19 thanks to the new 52....too much math!  It does feature a variant on the star of 400), but that might be covered later.   As next week is Detective Comics #1000....don't want to end on a downer, but time to prepare for life after Batman as well!

Action Comics Centennial 800 and 900

Here are the last two major numerical milestones that Action Comics had to pass to get to the big anniversary issue #1000....

...those of Action Comics #800 and #900!

Action Comics 800

Action Comics #800 (April, 2003) has a painted cover by Drew Struzan, evoking the image of of the cover of Action Comics #1, with Superman taking out that pesky car, is written by Joe Kelly (with art by a small army of artists, with Pascual Ferry, Duncan Rouleau and Lee Bermejo handling the main connection story of "A Hero's Journey").

This issue details the current history of Superman from Kryptonian orphan to Smallville farmboy to Metropolis reporter (in a pretty straightforward fashion than hiding it behind a villain's plot, like Action Comics #500), with intermediate breaks in the art to summarize Superman's history in other media such as radio and TV, and how the world at large perceives the Man of Steel, with art by Alex Ross, Tony Harris, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave Bullock, Ed McGuinness, J. H. Williams, Dan Jurgens, Klaus Janson, Kilian Plunkett, Jim Lee, Tim Sale and Lee Bermejo, with inks where needed by Cam Smith, Mario Alquiza, Scott Hanna and Duncan Rouleau. 

If you look hard, you can even find a representation of the late Curt Swan in the book.....

Action Comics 900

Action Comics #900 (June, 2011) had a main cover by David Finch, and main story of "The Black Ring Finale Reign Of Doomsday" written by Paul Cornell, with art by Pete Woods, Jesus Merino, Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund, Rags Morales, Ardian Syaf, Jamal Igle and Jon Sibal and Gary Frank, with additional stories and covers as well.....

The main story wraps up an epic Superman/Luthor battle that had been running for a while, with Luthor gaining ultimate power (with it, he could be a hero, but he'd have to stop hating Superman, and Luthor just couldn't, losing all that power because he just couldn't accept victory without defeating Superman), while also setting up for the next run of stories with Steel, Superboy, Supergirl, the Eradicator and the Cyborg Superman facing off against multiple Doomsdays!

The additional covers were by Adam Hughes (evoking a famous Neal Adams' cover from Superman #233), Alex Ross (going back to Action Comics #1) and Rodolfi Migliari....

...with stories "Life Support" by Damon Lindelof and Ryan Sook dealing with a little help Jor-El got on Krypton, "Autobiography" by Paul Dini, R. B. Silva and Rob Lean focusing on what a Superman can and cannot do;

"Friday Night In The 21st Century" by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank with Lois inviting the Legion of Super-Heroes for dinner, "The Incident" by David Goyer and Miguel Sepulveda having Superman ill-advisedly give up the American Way part of his mantra (forgetting having the freedom to disagree is a part of the American Way), and set up like movie drawboards, a story by Richard Donner and Derek Hoffman with art by Matt Camp, revealing Superman is "Only Human", with the issue capped off by an illustration by Brian Stelfreeze showing "The Evolution of the Man of Tomorrow".

With that, time to get ready this month for Action Comics #1000 and 80 years of Superman!