Writer: Brenden Fletcher
Artist: Adam Archer
Gotham Academy picks up this month with the second part of its “Yearbook” storyline. Unfortunately for me, it missed the mark in similar fashion as it did with last month’s “Yearbook” part one.
Although this month’s issue has some entertaining moments, the plot veers so far off the beaten path from what I’ve come to expect from Gotham Academy thus far, I found it hard to get on board with its disjointed delivery.
Frankly, this “Yearbook” divergence feels a bit like “filler” offerings rather than a serious attempt to move the title’s story forward. That may seem harsh, but DC has something really good going here. In that vein of thought, I’d rather see it keep the hammer down on its original endeavor instead of wasting time with gimmicky tangents. I’d be surprised if the majority of Gotham Academy’s loyal fan base didn’t agree.
Still though, I’m always on the look out for silver linings and did find some humor in the Professor Scarlett “Staff Party” piece. The “Serpents and Secrets” homage to role-playing games was also cool, and the incorporation of Ham, the unofficial Gotham Academy mascot, was pleasing and clever.
Now a word about the creative team. Aside from the normal Gotham Academy crew, this issue collaborated with several new talents which contributed to the final product. In no specific order these include: Sandra Hope, Steve Wands, Zac Gorman, Eduardo Medeiros, Rafael Albuquerque, Dave McCraig and Mingjue Helen Chen.
Given enough time every book eventually has a lull period. Even though this issue (and the previous one) wasn’t my cup of tea, I’ve been a big fan of this title from the start. That said, I look forward to next month’s issue and hopefully getting back to business as usual.
