Batman: Detective Comics #1087 – Ram V, Dan Watters, Writers; Christian Duce, Stefano Raffaele, Francesco Francavilla, Artists; Luis Guerrero, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: We’re getting to the last act of Ram V’s run on Detective Comics, and the stakes are sky high for this issue. The Orghams have debuted their newest weapon, turning one of their own into a ruthless soldier terrorizing Gotham. It’s a testament to how nothing is safe or sacred when it comes to this cult of villains. Batman is back, but far from whole, and his collection of allies contains some unlikely figures who are bringing a darker energy to the fight – like Two-Face, who knows exactly how to kill werewolves and is interested in finding out just how far he can go before crossing the line. And then there’s Scarecrow, who is working for the other side – but maybe not of his own free will.
Much of this issue centers around Renee Montoya, who as Commissioner is one of the few people keeping order in Gotham – and as such, has become target #1 for the Orghams. I kind of suspect her time in the big chair may be coming to an end, as things always get reset, and it’s good to see her get a big spotlight before then. This is a huge ensemble piece, and I’m still a little puzzled by how prominent a role Joker’s Daughter is playing in the finale, but this is one of the biggest-scale Gotham stories DC has done in some time. Ram V has been putting puzzles together since the start of this run, and the larger picture is starting to form as we head towards the big finale.
The backup, by V’s frequent collaborator Dan Watters and iconic Bat-artist Francavilla, might be even better than the main story. It’s a team-up between Nightwing, Cass Cain, and Azrael – who is still wearing his Bat-armor. Azrael is bringing a more violent energy to the battle for Gotham than either of his fellow heroes are comfortable with, especially given his past. Cass tries to bridge the gap, and there’s a great sense of compassion for everyone – but it also ends with one of the funniest panels to make it into a DC book in a while.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
