In January 2000, Gotham Knights became the new voice, providing readers with a mystery narrator for eleven months, under Devin Grayson's quill. Larry Hama took on the main title, Batman, despite the disappointing stories he offered during the Bat-event the year before. But who would get to write the longest-running Bat-book of all time? Greg Rucka.
Detective Comics #742, The Honored Dead, was the best way to kick off Gotham City in the new year. It introduced a new two-tone, complementary colour scheme, an experiment which gave every fan a reason to sit down and take notice. More importantly, the story ensured those same fans, as well as new readers, that if this was the kind of tale they could expect from Rucka in the future, they'd definitely stick around.
The Gotham City Police Department, particularly Jim Gordon, shared the benefit of the extra pages this monthly now offered. Promotions and reassignments prevailed, as the commissioner restructured his precinct, after the tragedy at the conclusion of No Man's Land. The cops, along with Batman, enabled Rucka to put the "detective" back in Detective Comics.
Gordon's grief reminds Batman of his own, so in order to make sure that Jim doesn't do anything rash, the Dark Knight tails him for several weeks, to see how he's holding up. One of the Gordon's cops is killed, sending him rampaging into mafia territory to hunt for the culprits. Batman's search for the same people gives Rucka the witty opportunity to use the issue title and number as a clue. This leads to a confrontation between Gotham's two greatest guardians, who always find themselves solving crimes on opposite sides of the law. Batman lends the commissioner the voice of reason, causing Jim to quit the headstrong approach. Throughout most of No Man's Land, the commissioner and the vigilante were at odds, but here, they work together to apprehend the gaggle of murderers.
A striking cover from Brian Stelfreeze makes Detective Comics #742 even more perfect. Strangely enough in this issue, Greg Rucka uses the words, "Officer down!" to begin 2000. These same words will work their way into the Bat-books in January 2001, to baptize another new direction for Batman and the GCPD.
February 2000 found the DCU 2000 Secret Files And Origins special arrive. Like other Secret Files books, this one implements Who's Who style annotated galleries, with stories utilizing characters from the focus of the title. But this isn't a spotlight on the Batman or Superman realm. This mammoth volume comprises all of the major groups of characters in the DCU, with a few others thrown in for fun.
It's essential for DC newbies, because it introduces them to teams like the JLA, the JSA, and the New Gods. The issue also updates regular readers who can't afford to pick up every one of DC's mainstream monthlies. Aside from the aforementioned groups, there are profiles of Young Justice, the Titans, and the characters from the Flash, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Green Lantern books.
The lead story from Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning finds Kyle Rayner surveying several DC heroes on behalf of a rogue agent from the Department of Extranormal Operations. He collects technical data from every hero he encounters, unwittingly aiding the DEO agent in the creation of Amazo 2000, a bigger, and supposedly better mimic. But Kyle's no dumb-dumb. He's got the universe's most powerful tool, and he knows just who to create.
Eliot Brown ably reproduces the new Metropolis and Gotham cityscapes, as both cities were reshaped for the new year, under Lex Luthor's bald evil gaze. He also supplies a map of the world, focusing on various locales, like Santa Prisca, Qurac, and Markovia.
Other highlights include a lecture on bombs from Ray Palmer, a virtual reality tour with Ted Kord, dating tips from Roy Harper, and a field trip to the graveyard of fallen heroes.
Perhaps the single greatest achievement in the DCU 2000 Secret Files comes from Bob Greenberger and Phil Jimenez. With no Crisis or Zero Hour on the horizon, these two catalogue a seven-page comprehensive timeline for the DCU, which spans 12 years of history, throwing us into Year 13. That achievement alone is commendable, even though there might be a few retcons to contend with, as a result. The timeline proves that continuity can be maintained, without the need for a universe-obliterating event.
When March 2000 came around, so did a new format at DC Comics. The Realworlds books told stories of characters who grew up just like we did, in a world with comics, movies, and TV shows about superheroes. They emphasized how the fictional existences of these heroes affected and inspired the lives of realistic people. The first of these efforts was Realworlds: Batman, from the writing team of Christopher Golden and Tom Sniegoski. Fan-favourite Marshall Rogers helps portray this Prestige Format issue, with inker John Cebollero.
The story involves a mentally challenged young black man named Charlie Duffy, perhaps the biggest Batman fan in New York (outside of those at 1700 Broadway). A major fan of the live-action TV show from the '60s, Charlie - who works at a small grocery shop - avidly counts down the days to the premiere of the 1989 Batman movie. But before Tim Burton's dark interpretation alters his view of the happy-go-lucky Batman, while at work, Charlie encounters his childhood friend, Clarissa, stealing food from his employer. Learning that Clarissa has fallen in with the wrong crowd, Charlie attempts to emulate his hero, donning his Bat-mantle in a sincere effort to save her from any further evil.
Every emotion wiggles its way into this book, allowing you to connect with Charlie through his memories, adventures, and setbacks. You'll recognize some of yourself in him, and feel sympathy, when he runs into trouble.
People say that every tale's already been told, but stories like you'll find in these Realworlds books redefine what it means to be a fan of your favourite hero.
