There is a lot going on at Gotham Academy. We already know that it is linked by tunnels to the ruins of Arkham Asylum. We know Killer Croc was haunting its tunnels. We know Headmaster Hammer knows something. And we know Olive Silverlock is on Batman’s watch list, so carefully watched, in fact, that in the last issue he enrolled his son, Damien, to investigate her and other goings ons.
Gotham Academy might as well be a Hellmouth for all the big bads, ghost, mutants, and were-things wandering it halls. It’s not just the evil mastermind plots of villains, though. There are smaller furies and betrayals, like the matter of a sabotaged (or maybe cursed) school play.
Some things are more world-shaking, like Olive’s dealing with the death of her mother and the strange spectre who keeps haunting her. But Olive’s friends are determined to help, come spooky asylum, or kidnapping, or mysterious fires breaking out around Olive.
While there are moments that feel set up just for cameos, I really did enjoy Damien and Maps teaming up. Maps drives this narrative with stubborn geeky enthusiasm and happiness. While Olive is understandably morose and anxious without Maps as a counterbalance this series would fall flat.
The art is still fabulous and poignant. I’m looking forward to following this story and seeing where Olive and Maps (and Katherine. Can we please get more inclusion of Katherine? Her story has so much potential!) go.