COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK – “Detective Comics” #639 (December 1991)

'Detective Comics' #639 (Dec. '91)

This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “Detective Comics” #639, which was published by DC Comics in December 1991. This issue is unusual because it contains a 17-page "Sonic the Hedgehog" promotional comic sandwiched in the middle of the 24-page Batman story.

The Batman story was titled “The Queen of Hearts” and was the second installment in an ongoing series called “The Idiot Root.” (The first part of the series was published in issue #472 of “Batman.”) Detective Comics #639’s creative team included Peter Milligan, writer; Jim Aparo, penciller; Mike DeCarlo, inker; John Costanza, letterer; Adrienne Roy, colorist; Kelley Puckett, assistant editor; and Denny O’Neil, editor. Norm Breyfogle was the cover artist for this issue, which cost $1 at newsstands.

The story begins in Rio De Janeiro, where Batman has been lured by the “heart-stealer” known as the Queen of Hearts. Batman and the Queen are in a drug-induced daze and are hallucinating because Batman smashed a drug dealer’s vials. The liquid inside the vials splashed the Queen in the face, but only a few drops splashed the Batman.

While in the daze, the Queen and the Batman are at the mercy of a bad guy called “The Idiot.” While in this state, the Idiot can cause a person’s mind to unravel, and while it’s unraveling, he becomes stronger by feeding on the person’s mind. At the present, the Idiot only exists in what he calls the Idiot Zone, but eventually, if he eats enough minds, he’ll become real.

The Idiot eventually disappears, and Batman’s left alone with the Queen, who just stands there like a zombie. Batman catches his breath and recalls a drug dealer, an older guy and a group of children he dealt with earlier. Batman leaps to the streets, where he finds the drug dealer, loading a group of kids into the back of an old pickup truck. They plan to drive them into the jungle and feed their minds to the Idiot.

One kid pulls a gun and takes a shot at Batman only to have it knocked out of his hand by a well-thrown Bat-a-Rang. The truck speeds away, but not before Batman pulls the “older guy” out of the front seat and ties him to a street lamp. Later, while the Batman interrogates him at a charity hospital, we learn the man’s name is Zeno.

Batman eventually takes Zeno into a room filled with “dead boys,” kids who’ve had their minds sucked out by the Idiot. Zeno explains that the Idiot has to eat as many minds as possible, but he can only eat the minds that enter the Idiot Zone. The only way for them to enter this zone is to consume the “Idiot Root.” Once he’s eaten enough, he’ll become real.

Next thing you know, Batman and Zeno are aboard a small plane, flying over the Amazon. While on the plane, Batman reviews a set of notes belonging to a Dr. Crosby, who was familiar with the Idiot’s operation. According to the notes, Crosby was introduced to the Idiot Root though some Amazonian Indians.

Not only does the root supposedly induce telepathy, but it also transports you to “another world.” During an experiment, Crosby linked four mental patients together and gave them the root. Their minds apparently merged into a fifth distinct personality called the Idiot.

Crosby took the root himself so that he could meet the Idiot. When he arrived in the Idiot Zone, the Idiot made Crosby believe that he’d entered some kind of heaven and that the Idiot was some kind of god.

As Batman and Zeno talk, the plane begins to wobble. Batman goes to see what’s wrong and finds the Idiot in the cockpit, sucking out the pilot’s mind. The Batman interrupts the Idiot, who explains that he’s getting stronger and more real with every mind he consumes. This actually works against the Idiot, but Batman punches him, which makes him disappear.

The pilot’s knocked out, so Batman tries to fly the plane, but he can’t keep it from crashing. Batman rescues the pilot and Zeno from the plane, and Zeno begins leading Batman through the jungle toward the ruins where Crosby conducted his experiments. Just as they come within view of the ruins, they’re attacked by a gang of children armed with knives and clubs.

Zeno runs off into the jungle as Batman is swarmed by the kids and eventually knocked out by a kid with a large rock. The issue ends with a semi-conscious Batman on the floor of the ruins, not far from the four mental patients. Crosby’s there too and is poised to inject Batman with a large syringe full of Idiot Root.

This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in buying it, search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.