Detective Comics #1000 is a milestone and a reason to celebrate. So DC comics has gathered a ‘Who’s Who’ of past Batman writers to make this a great anniversary issue. ‘Manufacture For Sale’, by Kevin Smith, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair and Todd Klein, is a surprisingly moving story that adds a nice, new touch to one of the most well-known origins in all of comics.
Detective Comics #1000
‘Manufacture For Use’
Written by: Kevin Smith
Art by: Jim Lee
Inks by: Scott Williams
Colors by: Alex Sinclair
Letters by: Todd Klein
Writing
It’s hard to write about Batman’s origin. It’s one of the most well-known origins in all of comics and been told so many times you would think nothing new could be added. But Kevin Smith has found a way to not only add a nice new detail to the origin but make that detail meaningful and even positive (not an easy feat for The Dark Knight). It won’t be spoiled here but let’s say it involves the gun that murdered the Waynes, where it is currently and what is finally done with that fated weapon.
But Smith doesn’t hinge the story on just that detail and twist. He fills his pages with some great moments; like a nice selection of cameos from some of Batman’s best villains and in what may be the best bit, a nice extended use of Bruce Wayne’s underworld alter-ego ‘Matches Malone’. Comics NEEDS more Matches Malone.
Art
This is Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair working together. That’s one of the best art teams in comics and they once again deliver the goods. Lee draws the hell out of every villain cameo and he executes single panels with strong detail and energy. When you add in Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair, you get a sleek and detailed finish that gives the story that duel classic and modern feel the Lee/Williams/Sinclair team has always been known for.
Conclusion
‘Manufactured For Use’ is exactly the kind of story you want as part of an anniversary issue like Detective Comics #1000. It’s short, sweet, acknowledges the past yet changes things a bit for the future. Great job by all.
