Conway doesn’t do much with Gotham City this issue, instead it’s just Batman in pursuit of the villainous Manikin. Except, of course, it’s not clear how villainous the reader is supposed to find her. She’s a tragic villain–Conway doesn’t give her any resolution past surviving, but I suppose there might be an insanity defense in her future.
Unfortunately, when it does come back to the prologue to the previous issue–Batman saved the Manikin (I assume the spelling is so DC could trademark the name) from a car bombing–there’s no real reaction from Batman. It’s all in a day’s work; Conway taking the time to make the Manikin and Batman have some history is pointless.
Still, it’s competent and nears being touching. Or at least implies nearing it.
The backup stories work. Barr’s regular people of Gotham is fanciful real life. Rozakis’s four page mystery is decent filler.
CREDITS
Dressed to Die!; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Dan Adkins; colorist, Adrienne Roy. The Pursuit of Joy; writer, Mike W. Barr; artist, Dan Spiegle; colorist, Tatjana Wood. Diamonds Aren’t Forever!; writer, Bob Rozakis; penciller, Trevor von Eeden; inker, Steve Mitchell; colorist, Roy. Letterer, Ben Oda; editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.
