Batman: Detective Comics #1088 – Ram V, Dan Watters, Writers; Guillem March, Christopher Mitten, Artists; Luis Guerrero, Patricio Delpeche, Colorists
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Much like many other runs, we’re now in the penultimate issue of Ram V’s Detective Comics run, which has been entirely centered around one very ambitious plot – what happens when an even more powerful and ruthless ancient empire than the Al Ghuls comes to Gotham and claims it for itself? The Orgham takeover of Gotham has taken many forms, from Arzen Orgham’s velvet touch to his mother’s iron fist. Now, she stands alone as the tyrant queen of Gotham, unleashing one horror after another in Batman’s absence. But Batman is absent no more, and the Dark Knight we see in this run lives up to his name – armored in ancient plate mail and ready to take his city back by force.
This issue is packed, with Batman’s main battle being just one fragment of the story. Across Gotham, heroes and villains alike are fighting to the bitter end against agents of the Orghams. The Ten-Eyed Man takes on the Orghams’ mad prophetess in a bloody showdown, while Mister Freeze turns the tables on one of the Orghams’ deadliest assassins. And then there’s Two-Face, who takes on a ravenous werewolf at great cost to himself. This issue veers away from superhero comics and into horror in some big ways, setting up an incredibly tense finale – and one that I find it hard to believe will be wrapped up neatly in only one issue more. One things’s for sure – I can’t wait.
That anticipation is only heightened by the backup by Watters and Mitten, which is a focused drama between Talia Al Ghul and an unexpected figure – Arzen Orgham, who is resurrected in a strange Lazarus Tank of sorts, as Talia attempts to return the boy king to power and end the war in Gotham. There’s some great musings about what ties these two together, as well as an interesting look into the roots of the Lazarus Pit. Can the younger Orgham bring peace to Gotham, or will he just be another match on the flame? We’re in for a great finale.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
