Review: Gotham Academy #5
Previously in Gotham Academy #4
Maps is everything that’s great about this issue. There’s a lot of good stuff here, but damn. Maps steals the show.
Olive is finally face-to-face with what’s been lurking behind the walls: a giant named Croc, who was kept in a cell across from Olive’s mother in Arkham. He runs off before Olive can get more info out of him. Olive and Maps give chase, but lose him in the tunnels that lead to the North Hall, which is blocked.
Back at Olive’s room, her roommate snaps at the two interrupting her as she tries on dresses for the dance. She makes a smart remark about Olive and Kyle no longer being together, and this crushes Maps’ heart.
Later, the girls enlist Pomeline and Heathcliff to help them get past the barrier while everyone else is at the dance. Of course, Heathcliff insists Olive help him retrieve his bag of contraband from the headmaster’s office in exchange for his help - and she agrees since it’s her fault it was taken to begin with.
Kyle interrupts their planning session and wants to know why they have a map of the North Hall. Olive distracts him from his suspicions by asking him to the dance and the look on Maps’ face would melt the coldest, darkest heart.
The night of the dance, they each ditch their respective dates (Poor Kyle) to go off snooping in the North Hall, looking for Croc. When they come across a door with a mysterious puzzle lock, Maps proves - again - her awesomeness by going all zen for a few seconds and then solving the puzzle.
Once outside, Maps arms Olive with a crossbow even though Olive says she doesn’t need it.
“Shhhh,” says Maps, handing her the weapon. This little girl is everything.
Olive freaks out and uses the weapon on a bat, which turns into Tristan. So, he is a vampire! Well, he has the Langstrom Virus, which I’m guessing is basically the same thing. He admits he saved her from the fire on the night in question and says it was as if the flames were alive and calling to her. Before he can tell her more, Maps arrives and scares him off.
When they finally find Croc, he’s a lot more talkative after they’ve given him food. He says Olive’s mother was the one who told him about Arkham and the school being connected by tunnels. He’s been watching over Olive as a favor to her mom, who was always nice to him.
Story time is then interrupted by an unexpected guest.
Thoughts & Questions:
- I’ll admit, I’m still not entirely sure what happened that Olive felt the need to block out, and I don’t know what’s up with her mom or the fire - or why she felt the need to break up with Kyle - but I’m still enjoying the ride.
- Finally more on Tristan. Clearly he’s a new love interest and I’m okay with this as we never see Kyle, and Olive’s connection to Maps seems to be the only reason we care about Kyle.
- *Tink tink tink* Oh, Batman. What do you want?
