Review – Batman: Detective Comics #1011: The Last War

Batman: Detective Comics #1011 – Peter J. Tomasi, Writer; Christian Duce, Artist; Luis Guerrero, Colorist

Ratings:

Ray – 9/10

Ray: Batman: Detective Comics #1011 is far cry from your standard Batman story. Pete Tomasi’s latest arc on Detective Comics has surprised with an island adventure that brought in some of the most entertaining new characters in a while. After his plane was shot down by Deadshot along with a group of his fellow billionaires, Bruce found himself on a deserted island and was kept alive by a pair of World War II veterans – from opposite sides – who have made the island their home for over seven decades. Clarence and Hiroshi, this island odd couple, provide most of the issue’s humor and some great commentary about the futility of war. But the threat is never far away, and now that Deadshot knows Batman is on the island he’s determined to take him out even if he has to kill all his hostages.

While Clarence and Hiroshi were mostly Batman’s saviors in the last issue, this time they get into the fray and take the fight to Deadshot in one of the most entertaining action stunts in a Bat-comic in a while.

Whenever a comic with old heroes happens, I get nervous. Killing off the old people to show the hero what really matters in life is such a common trope – and I was sure it was going in that direction when one of them takes a bullet. Thankfully, Tomasi seems to have taken a much more optimistic tone with this issue, and after a particularly entertaining battle between Batman and Deadshot, the two old men are left to recuperate and enjoy their private island – with a better supply stream thanks to the help of the man whose life they saved.

The epilogue, involving Mr. Freeze putting his plot to resurrect Nora into effect, was a reminder that we’re in the middle of an event but little more, but this arc showed off Tomasi’s writing at its best and emphasized that sometimes the best thing you can do for a Batman story is to upend what you’d expect and throw him in the deep end of a new situation.

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Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.