I enjoyed the first two issues of this series and welcomed the exploration of a different side of Gotham City, a different perspective on the dark, dangerous place it is. But I have to admit, it wasn't until this issue that I found the compelling and grounded police drama I was expecting from the start. Fans of Law & Order and Homicide: Life on the Street take note... the believable police drama has found its way into DC's stable of mainstream comic books.
Marcus Driver's hands may still be healing after his encounter with Mr. Freze and his partner may be dead, but he refuses to take time off... mainly because there's an outstanding case he needs to address. It's a kidnapping gone bad, as the teenage girl who disappeared turns up... murdered. A trip to the medical examiner's office yields some new information, though, indicating that the case is not necessarily what it seems to be.
Lark's gritty approach here suits the urban setting and the grisly nature of the plot nicely. The inkier quality of his work on this title struck me as being a bit weaker than what we saw from him on Scene of the Crime (also written by Brubaker). But the thicker linework here has grown on me quickly, and I find I'm getting a better sense of the characters already. The backgrounds are remarkably realistic... just look at the streetscapes on page 13. Giddings provides some appropriate muted colors as well.
The opening two-part story arc on this book was entertaining, but I'm honestly not surprised that the alternating writer approach that begins in this issue works better than the team-up method we saw in #s 1 and 2. Brubaker and Greg Rucka are both excellent crime-fiction writers, but I find there's more focus at play here, and I expect Rucka's solo efforts on his story arcs will boast similar added strength as well.
The most interesting aspect of this issue -- and it's plenty interesting all around, what with some strong characterization and realistic police work moving the plot along -- is Brubaker's examination of a different part of Gotham City. The detectives interview families from what one might describe as Gotham's upper middle class. These people live on the few streets that safe in Gotham, but they're not the ones sees at the posh fundraisers that the Riddler or the Joker crashes every time the Batman needs a villain to chase. Brubaker isn't just fleshing out Gotham's police force here, but the city as a whole.
