THEIR DARK DESIGNS, PART 6
To save Gotham City, Catwoman will have to commit the greatest heist in the city’s history! But hot on her trail are the Penguin, the Riddler, a horde of assassins, and the master criminal called the Designer! And the most dangerous person standing in her way is the man she’s trying to save: Batman. And what complications will his arise from his new sidekick, Harley Quinn?
Creators
Writer
Artist
Artist
Artist
Artist, Cover Artist
Colorist, Cover Artist
Letterer
Variant Cover Artist
Associate Editor
Editor
Editor-in-Chief
Characters
Slade Wilson
Harleen Quinzel
Edward Nygma
Collected In
Community Reviews
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Bought and read this digitally, was very skeptical of this new run. The art was the main thing, Jorge is really really good. But i generally don't buy series just for the art. The writing was ok, especially for the Joker,...
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Great opening featuring the Joker talking about his meeting with the Designer. There's an exciting fight between Deathstroke and Batman as the dark knight tries to reason with him. Both Catwoman and Harley look stunning...
Discussion
Just looked through the variant covers from 86 to this issue and Fracesco Mattina may hit Artgerm status with work like this.
I like his work much more than Artgerm.
You know Mattina got in trouble for tracing last year right? At least Artgerm doesn't trace.
I am unfamiliar with the controversy.
@gferg1991 What was the settlement? Did this go to court?
Hadn't Heard that I Sstill love his work and at least it isn't tracing porn.
I dont remember the specifics I just remember it was something to do with older work he was either tracing or repurposing or something like that. It made him go down a bit in my book. I've always preferred artgerm anyway.
What I am asking is this fact or just speculation? If there was a court case and a settlement then it's real. Otherwise it's just speculation.
Got ya. I am asking... I am not in the know.
It was not proven fact this past time (although the similarities between art is 100% convincing). The first time he was caught, a few years ago for doing it is considered fact though. He was re-purposing others art to meet deadlines via tracing or using already finished digital work as the groundwork for his own. This was the second time he was caught. The first time he was caught Marvel refused to work with him afterward (Hence not many Mattina Marvel Covers from then on out). This can't be taken to court because it's technically not against the law, but is heavily looked down upon among artists.
No matter how much you love Mattina, the examples of where he traced or re-purposed other's art are blatantly obvious and it does sour his art to know he's done that shit.
DC nor Mattina have commented on his second allegation although when the news first broke he was off Batman Covers for a few months and Mattina variants plummeted online and have not reached their value or appeal of what they once were since.
Dude literally cant work at Marvel anymore....lol...
Just curious, which cover is better to collect the regular or card stock?
It is just a personal preference. With the way DC does variants the variant isn't more valuable than the regular cover.
For DC you can order as many of any cover you want. Marvel's variants are "rarer" because there are quanity requirements on the regular cover to be able to buy variants(1:50, 1:100) so those might be more valuable but DC's aren't. A good example of this are the artgerm covers my shop orders primarily his variants 3 or 4 times the standard cover.
Thank you so much,. So that's why in ebay the standard cover is more higher than the variant.
I collect for pleasure. I just kinda hate the trend of variants and hope it ends someday. Variant covers these days are much worse than the 90's era of gimmick covers. Which make me appreciate it today because those gimmick covers are more creative ( die-cut, hologram, chromium etc..) than making 5 variant covers at different prices.
Likes your comment
In the older Boom comics (e.g., Deathmatch) the variants are more valuable. They are not cardstock.
it depends on your taste.
"Yeah, he's usually pissed about that, too."
That was hilarious.
The art is the best part. You can kind of tell this is just a place holder story for whatever they are changing in a few months. It's fine but I expect more from the Batman book.
I'm not in love with design but I have really enjoyed the build up of the character.