Batman: Detective Comics #1104 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Mikel Janin, Artist; Wayne Faucher, Inker
Ray – 9/10
Ray: What’s the only thing scarier than fear? No fear. As Batman’s infection spreads and his inhibitions start to leave him, he begins making plans for what he assumes is an inevitably fatal decline. This includes communicating with Clark about plans to take him down should he lose control in the field, in an unusual reversal of Bruce’s usual plans to take down the Justice League should any of them go rogue. But Clark gets through his armor in an interesting way – wondering if this could be part of Bruce’s illness. There’s also a great segment where Bruce and Damian talk about the mission dancing around the possibility that this could be one of the last times they talk to each other. It’s a little interesting that this is the latest in a series of segments in a DC book where a hero prepares for a suicide mission and says goodbye to their loved ones, but this one is done pretty effectively.
But Bruce’s preparations are also fairly practical, as he’s worried about becoming a walking contagion. As the infection spreads, he creates a new battlesuit for himself to be able to lead the mission without spreading the disease. It’s a cool look, albeit one that would be very at home in a 1990s toy line. Where this issue excels is in a big segment as Bruce and his allies pursue the Lion into a cornfield, trying to find Scarecrow before the new villain can exploit him – only to find dozens of Scarecrows, all ready to attack and serve as human shields. This is a fantastic visual, and one that shows off Mikel Janin’s talent for horror. The ending also has a very interesting subplot involving exactly who the Lion is and why he has a vendetta against Batman. Overall, this issue feels like the calm before the storm, but it also shows Taylor’s excellent grasp on Batman and his supporting cast.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
