Written by Alan Grant.
Art by Stefano Raffaele; Ray McCarthy; Stan Woch; Drew Geraci; Noelle Giddings; & Ken Lopez.
Cover Art by Glen Orbik.
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics in 1997, this 64-page pulp noir adventure is entitled “I Was the Love-Slave of a Plant-Based Killer!” Hired by sultry Pamela Isley, Gotham gumshoe Joe Potato is mind-controlled into recovering a glowing emerald skull possessing mystical powers.
Convinced by Batman of Poison Ivy’s criminal nature, the slovenly Potato teams up with the Dark Knight to thwart her scheme to overthrow Gotham City with an army of Swamp Thing-like creatures. Inadvertently risking his long-suffering girlfriend’s life, Potato is caught up in a deadly showdown pitting Batman against one of his most dangerous enemies.
REVIEW:
Given its considerable page count, this Pulp Heroes-themed annual’s visuals (often angled like a noir film) are consistently terrific. The downside, ironically, is the hard-boiled yet eminently forgettable Joe Potato. Despite Batman’s star power, Grant relies far too much upon Potato’s overbearingly clichéd narration, not to mention his excessive ‘screen time’ helping resolve this caper. Still, as an intriguing smash-up of film noir and 50’s Grade-B sci-fi monster flicks, Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual # 5 is very readable.
For adult Bat-fans, this annual makes a welcome find in the bargain section.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The only extras are ads.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
