Batman: Detective Comics #1096 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Mikel Janin, Artist; Norm Rapmund, Inker
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: From the start of Tom Taylor’s run, a series of mysteries have been brewing. Who is Batman’s new girlfriend Scarlett, and is she tied to the twisted series of killings of juvenile delinquents? How does this all link to Bruce’s father saving Joe Chill in a freak encounter when Bruce was a boy – and Martha helping Joe’s abused wife escape him? And who is behind the mask of the sadistic assassin Asema? Those answers are all revealed this issue, as Faultless’ corporate headquarters comes under attack – right after Batman exposed Scarlett’s company’s misgivings to her. She claims innocence – and the fact that she’s being attacked sort of seems to give that away. The reveal of Asema’s true identity is the only one that makes sense, and the nature of her appearance makes a lot of sense given the themes of this run – but it’s her motivation that makes the most sense.
There seem to be a few similar plot threads here as there are in the current sequel to Hush, with a villian asking the question of why Batman can’t remove a select few villains from the world to make it a better place. I think Taylor is better equipped to tell those stories, given his fascination with social issues and thorny moral questions. This issue puts Bruce in one of the most emotionally fraught situation he’s ever been in, and does a great job of exploring why he’s so firm about the no-killing rule no matter how much pain someone causes him. It’s rare to see the Waynes explored this way, and the B-plot involving the Bat-kids taking the fight to the corrupt prison at the center of this story was extremely satisfying. This issue seems to slam the door on one plot – only to reveal a much bigger one hiding in the background to explore. It’s a great finish to act one of Taylor’s run.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
