Slam Bradley (Gotham City: Year One)

Created by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson Developed by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel Written by Tom King Comics. They’re not just for kids anymore. In case ya hadn’t noticed… Certainly, Gotham City: Year One , a 2022-23 mini-series from DC Comics, will have plenty of ten-year-olds (and more than a few long-time Batman fans) scratching their heads. Yeah, … Continue reading Slam Bradley (Gotham City: Year One)

Charles Rowland & Edwin Paine (The Dead Boy Detectives)

Created by Neil Gaiman & Matt Wagner Originally created by Neil Gaiman in his popular Sandman series from DC/Vertigo back in the nineties, EDWIN PAINE (died 1916) and CHARLES ROWLAND (died 1990) are two British schoolboys who have shuffled off this mortal coil--but that hasn't stopped them from making like the would-be Hardy Boys of the afterlife, … Continue reading Charles Rowland & Edwin Paine (The Dead Boy Detectives)

Christopher Chance (The Human Target)

Created by Len Wein and Carmine Infantino CHRISTOPHER CHANCE, better known as "The Human Target," made his actual debut way back in 1958 in the DC comic Gang Busters #61, and would have been nothing more than a slightly interesting if mostly forgotten one-shot, had he not been reincarnated in the back pages of Action … Continue reading Christopher Chance (The Human Target)

Sarge Steel

Created by Pat Mussili, Joe Gill and Dick Giordano "A cool knowing man who savors danger... who will not make one concession to fear... and whose fees may be as little as a smile from a pretty girl!" -- cover blurb from Sarge Steel--Private Detective #1 At 6'1", 198 pounds, blue eyes, black hair and a … Continue reading Sarge Steel

Timothy Trench

Created by Denny O'Neil 1939-2020 "Don't move an eyelash! Me an' Lulu are gonna smoke out some skunks!" -- Tim warns Diana Prince to back off, while he does the heavy lifting, in Wonder Woman #180 Middle-aged tough guy private eye TIMOTHY TRENCH (sheesh!) was a pet project of legendary comics creator/writer Dennis O'Neil. Trench first showed up … Continue reading Timothy Trench

Speed Saunders

Created by E.C. Stoner & Creig Flessel (art) "Oh, well, only three miles to shore and I needed a bath anyway."-- Speed gets tossed off a boat by smugglers One of Detective Comics' first gumshoes (he made his debut alongside fellow eyes Slam Bradley in the very first issue way back in 1935), SPEED SAUNDERS was … Continue reading Speed Saunders

Roy Raymond, Jr.

Created by Chuck Dixon A decidedly minor addition to private detectives to have appeared in DC Comics, ROY RAYMOND Jr. made his debut as a minor character in Robin (#38, in March 1997, to be precise). He was, of course, the grandson (or was it son?) of the fondly remembered Roy Raymond, TV Detective, who had starred in … Continue reading Roy Raymond, Jr.

Roy Raymond, TV Detective

Created by "Jack Miller (?) and Ruben Moreira (art) Everyone loved this Raymond. The first great private eye to appear in Detective Comics, rough-and-tumble Slam Bradley, a two-fisted, hard-boiled throwback to the pulp era, made his last regularly scheduled appearance in 1949 in issue #152. The very next issue marked the debut of a decidedly more modern … Continue reading Roy Raymond, TV Detective

Frank Grissel

Created by Andersen Gabrych Art by Brad Rader "Whatever you want. You can find it here. Or die looking for it." -- Frank welcomes readers to San Francisco in the intro Few noir novels, let alone graphic novels, wander into the murky areas of sexual desire, never mind homosexual desire, as well or as audaciously … Continue reading Frank Grissel

Bobo the Detective Chimp

Created by John Broome (1913-99) and Carmine Infantino "Aw, the detective thing's just a sideline these days. I make my real money in investments" --Bobo lets us in on his little secret, in Martian Manhunter Annual #2 (1999) He's known as BOBO or BOBO T. CHIMPANZEE or BOBO THE DETECTIVE CHIMP or simply DETECTIVE CHIMP, … Continue reading Bobo the Detective Chimp