Batman Confidential #29 - DC

I may be a little behind on this, but . . I just noticed last week that Andrew Kriesberg is also one of the writers on one of my favorite TV shows, Fringe. There's a big article over on CBR about that commitment and why he isn't writing World of New Krypton. I guess he's also done Simpsons and Boston Legal. It's ironic to me how much the resources and ideas of the comic book medium cross-over with the larger mainstream media . . TV and movies. It makes sense though. If you want new ideas or fresh perspectives, why not tap into a resource that's been doing it largely unnoticed for 70 or so years. Most people wouldn't even know if they stole an idea. I'm sorry. That last bit came off a bit cynical. I appreciate anyone, or thing, or medium that shines a light on the resource of my years of enjoyment. And comics are after all a drama . . be it crime, or hero, or sword & sorcery . . played out on sheets of thin white paper. Anyways, all of that is because Andrew wrote this book. He's the regular writer on Green Arrow & Black Canary, but I guess his time is freed up enough that he can occasionally do some stories on the side. This issue appears to be around the same time as the Ventriloquist first appeared. In it we're introduced to a new character, Bad-Cop. His name is Geoff Shancoe. He's an ex-Gotham police detective. Apparently his daughter was killed, and somehow in the process he shot his partner, paralyzing him, and Jim Gordon in the shoulder. He must've wigged out because he ends up in Arkham. And, as luck would have it, he's roomed right next to the Joker. After a recent visit by his ex-partner, the Joker goads him into escaping. It turns out there's a tunnel right under his cell that leads to the sewers. At the end of the issue we see him dressed in full riot gear and attacking the students at the police academy. I thought it was an interesting story. It was a neat introduction to a new character. We'll just have to see, after this, if he has the staying power. Scott McDaniel does the art. The amazing cover is by Stephane Roux. This girl is really improving by leaps and bounds. She's turning in some amazing stuff. Like I said, overall I thought it was interesting. We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out next issue.