Batman: Detective Comics #1078 – Ram V, Dan Watters, Writers; Jason Shawn Alexander, Caspar Wijngaard, Artists; Dave Stewart, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: As Ram V builds his biggest story in Detective Comics yet, the tension ramps up in a big way—with Batman’s life literally hanging in the balance. The Batman is set to hang as part of the Orghams’ takeover of the city, and they’ve decided to hang him in costume and leave his identity unrevealed as a way to “kill the mask.” They plan to have him forced by the spirit possessing him to recite propaganda as his last words, but his will isn’t cooperating. And as they prepare for his death, his few remaining allies plan a daring break-out—complete with some of the deadliest fighters in Gotham on their side. This is where Jason Shawn Alexander’s art really shines, with some brutally violent and gorgeous fight scenes.
There are so many great little details in this issue, such as the slowly repairing bond between Lian and Cheshire, or the dispute over how far to go between Cass and Mr. Freeze. But no one steals the show like Azrael, returning in his full 1990s Batman armor glory—which seems to dial his insanity up to eleven. As he emerges like a man possessed, it reminds me of just how unpredictable and scary the character was when he debuted. But when it comes time for Catwoman to pull off the final move, she runs up against the Orghams, and we find out just how far the matriarch of the family will go to ensure that the larger plan goes off without a hitch. The ending left me breathless, as the wait for next issue will definitely be intense.
V and Watters are a great writing team here and will be soon cooperating on a new shared universe for Image, and this backup by Watters and Wijngaard is another winner. It focuses on Eiko Hasigawa, the crime lord and second Catwoman, who is taking some time out from her empire to date. But her new girlfriend, Bette, is a drug dealer—and has no problem selling to schools. Watching Eiko decide who she wants to be is pretty compelling, and the last page delivered some very satisfying moments.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
