Detective Comics #1047 Review

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Arkham Asylum, Arkham Tower, Batman, Batwoman, DC Comcis, Detective Comics, Detective Comics 1047, Detective Comics 1047 review, Gotham, Ivan Reis, Mariko Tarmaki, Shadows of the Bat

Detective Comics #1047

Review by Paul Bowler

Arkham Tower looms over Gotham in Detective Comics #1047 like a dark ominous shroud. Yet beneath its gleaming high-tech facade and promises of new therapies from the mysterious Dr Wear, a terrifying darkness is waiting to be unleashed. But with Batman taking a break from Gotham City following the events of Fear State, the Bat-Family’s supporting heroes must step-up in the Dark Knights absence. If, like me, the solicitations for this issue made you think another year, another ‘Bat-Event,’ then you’d be wise you to think again as you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. The Tower: Part 1 kicks off a 12-part weekly Detective Comics event, Shadows of the Bat, written by Mariko Tarmaki, and the first chapter of its engaging and mysterious storyline draws you in right from the outset. 

Arkham Asylum has fallen and been replaced by Arkham Tower; a new facility built in the heart of Gotham itself and run by the enigmatic Dr Weir together with Dr Chase Meridian – a consultant appointed by Mayor Nakano. The issue is something of a slow burn to begin with,  as Tamaki builds the tension with scene setting flashbacks that shift between the Towers opening, Batwoman’s investigation of the new Arkham’s therapies, and a chilling portent within the pages of a hand made tarot scrapbook before plunging us full throttle into the carnage the Bat-Family must confront in the present-day when the inevitable riot break out in Arkham Tower. Tamaki weaves grim, action-packed descent into chaos for the Bat-Family, with action divided between characters either rushing to the scene while others are missing, or trapped inside the tower in dire peril. 

Featuring pencils by Ivan Reis and Inks by Danny Miki, Detective Comics #1047 looks absolutely stunning. Every panel is awash with rich detail and steadily gathering menace. The panel layouts are dynamically structured, moving from free-flowing to chaotically haphazard, all in perfect sync with the beats of the story. There’s intense close up drama, horror, and high-rise shocks cleverly interspaced with the Bat-Family’s interactions against the backdrop of Gotham and the terror unfolding within the tower itself. The vivid colors employed by Brad Anderson stylishly accentuates the mood and pace as the drama unfolds, and letterer Ariana Maher also does a fantastic job of making this surprisingly dialogue heavy issue a throughly engrossing and gripping read.

Batman may be out of town but he still plays a major role in this issues backup story: House of Gotham by Matthew Rosenberg. Its a dark, unsettling glimpse into the not-too-distant past, with an unflinching tale of the horrifying cracks in Gotham’s mental health system that one poor unfortunately soul could soon fall through. Featuring art by Fernando Blanco and colors by Jordie Bellaire, this bleak foreshadowing of the main storyline unfolding in Shadows of the Bat looks set to be every bit thrilling.

Detective Comics #1047 is like a gloriously dark and sinister mash-up of One Flew Over the Cuckoos  and The Towering Inferno. As comic book events go this one has certainly gotten off to a compelling start with its taut scraping and impressive artwork. Detective Comics #1047 is a terrific set up for Shadows of the Bat that poses just as many question as it does answers, let’s hope Tamaki can sustain the pace and keep the narrative on track for the duration of this immense storyline. 

Publisher DC Comics

Writer Mariko Tamaki

Pencils Ivan Reis / Inks Danny Miki

Colors Brad Anderson / Letters Ariana Maher 

Cover Irvin Rodriguez

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About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

Detective Comics #1025 Review

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Batman, Batwoman, DC Comics, Detective Comics, Detective Comics #1025, Detective Comics #1025 review, Gotham, Joker, Joker War, Joker War Tie In, Peter J. Tomasi, Wayne Enterprises

Detective Comics #1025

Review by Paul Bowler.

Joker War rages across Gotham in Detective Comics #1025 doubles down on in his ruthless campaign against the Dark Knight. Joker and his clown-masked goons have unleashed the arsenal they’ve plundered from the sub levels of the Waynetech R&D department. Lucius Fox is also a hostage. Now Batman and Batwoman must set aside their differences and work together to rescue Fox!

After the dark, ominous tone of the previous issues leading up to Joker War, the action ramps up to eleven and beyond in Detective Comics #1025 with Batman and Batwoman teaming up to save Lucius Fox from the Joker’s clutches. Tales From The Joker War: Attack on Wayne Enterprises is of course a collateral damage tie-in to the main events of Joker War. Opening with a firefight that has Commissioner Bullock and the GCPD pinned down in a Gotham cemetery by the Joker’s henchmen, writer Peter J. Tomasi deftly engineers the circumstances to finally get Batman and Batwoman to work together again. 

I really liked the dynamic between Bullock and Batwoman in this issue as well. The two of them make a surprisingly good, no-nonsense team, albeit only briefly for this issue. Tomasi is always spot on when it comes to balancing characterisation and plot, and this action-packed issue is no exception to that rule —  with the palpable tension between Batman and Batwoman melding seamlessly with the actions as it unfolds. Their banter is a lot of fun though and the Dark Knight is even forced to take a back seat when it comes to the driving! Lucius Fox also continues to prove his worth as one of Batman’s most trusted allies in the wake of Alfred’s untimely death, despite being drugged up to the eyeball on Joker toxin, he still attempts to resit his brainwashing and shut down the 3D weapons printers assembly line at Wayne Enterprises.

The artwork by new series artist Kenneth Rocafort is good too, with overlapping panel layouts nicely accentuating the pace and flow of the action, characters are all clearly defined, and the overall look of the issue makes for a very pleasing read. Rocafort’s art and colorist Dan Brown’s use of bold tones and hues  also works exceptionally well together. Highlights included the battle in the cemetery, the fleet of Joker drones, and a tank-busting assault on Wayne Enterprises to save Lucius Fox.

Its been a long while since we’ve seen Batman and Batwoman working together (Detective Comics #981 to be precise), so it was great to see them team-up like this for Joker War. However, although they are willing to collaborate by the end of the issue, clearly they are still far from being on the same page as to their methods. I must admit I really enjoyed Detective Comics #1025 a lot more than I expected. Normally I’d avoid tie-in issues like the plague, but I’m pleased to say that this issue with its non-stop-action and strong characterisation was just the ticket — no doubt thanks to having a writer of Peter J. Tomasi’s caliber at the helm. I still feel that Tomasi’s run on Detective Comics has been held back slightly by having to accommodate so many DC Comics events and tie-in’s, but Detective Comics #1025 is certainly a key chapter in Joker War and well worth checking out.

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer: Peter J Tomasi / Artist: Kenneth Rocafort 

Colorist: Dan Brown / Letters: Rob Leigh

Cover: Kennith Rocafort

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About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

 

Detective Comics #1018 Review

Tags

Alfred, Batman, Batmobile, City of Bane, DC Comics, Detective Comics, Detective Comics #1018 review, Gotham, Peter J. Tomasi, Scott Godlewski

Batman Detective Comics #1018

Review by Paul Bowler

A chill wind blows over Gotham in the aftermath of City of Bane. Detective Comics #1018 finds the Dark Knight in a dark, lonely place, as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. But there is little time to mourn his greatest loss as a series of gruesome ritualistic killings have been happening across the city. It would seem that supernatural forces have unleashed a monstrous pagan spirit. Batman must quell his personal demons for now and stop the killings, or Gotham’s festive season will be irrevocably tainted with blood and death…

For me Peter J. Tomasi’s run, after such a strong start, felt like it had been curtailed somewhat because of the Year of the Villain tie-in (something which I feel also spoiled a lot of my favourite comics, including Hawkman, Supergirl, and The Flash), although it has to be said that Tomasi’s story with Mr Freeze didn’t feel shoehorned into the umbrella style narrative of that ‘event’ like so many others did, if anything he was one of the few writers that really seemed to embrace the concept to really run with it and make anything even remotely cohesive from it as a result.

Now with Detective Comics #1018 Tomasi begins getting things back on track with Dead of Winter Part 1, however, there is no escaping the grim cloud of Tom King’s run (no, I wasn’t as fan of King either) and that hangs heavily over this issue. From the blood-soaked opening scenes we find the Dark Knight dealing with a minor crime by comparison to the one we‘ve just witnessed. From here Tomasi quickly immerse us in Batman’s ongoing investigation into the series of deaths that have recently struck the city, but now that Alfred Pennyworth is dead and Jim Gordon is unavailable, Batman only has Bullock to assist him, and not even making it home in time for a game of catch with pooches Ace and Titus affords Bruce little solace from his grief and isolation.

Employing a series of bold, sometimes overlapping page layouts, artist Scott Godlewski brings this sombre and powerful issue to life in the most stylish of ways. Sweeping snow swept vistas of Gotham blend seamlessly with the street level action with Batman. The Batmbile is a fan boy delight to behold with its gorgeous mix of crisp animated series lines, Burtonesque undertones, and classic retro flourishes. Colorist David Baron further heightens the atmosphere with vivid tones and hues alongside swarthy deep shadows, Bruce’s attempt to cast of the winter blues with a game of catch with the dogs poignantly conveys the Dark Knight’s melancholy, while Bullock’s office seems darker than the Batcave itself. The scene of the latest killing at the botanical gardens is another visual highlight of this issue, as it looks so bizarre, a twisted nightmare decked out in tinsel and baubles more akin to something like you’d have seen in the Hannibal TV series back in its heyday.

The issue ends with a dramatic cliffhanger and the stage is now set to bring the Dark Knight face to face with the stories monstrous protagonist… So, Detective Comics #1018 is a good return to form for this series, with a strong story, and reasonable enough artwork. The ramifications of City of Bane dose mean that there’s still very much a sense of picking up the pieces to this issue of Detective Comics. I can only hope that now the recent storylines and events involving Batman elsewhere are over Peter J. Tomasi’s run on Detective Comics can now really begin to stretch its wings and finally get its time to shine in the spotlight.

Publisher: DC Comics Writer: Peter J. Tomasi / Artist: Scott Godlewski

Colorist: David Baron / Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover: Rafael Samdoval, Jordi Tarrago , & John Kalise

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About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

Detective Comics #968 Review

Tags

A Lonley Place of Living, Alfred, Alvaro Martinez, Azeral, Batcave, Batman, Batwing, Batwoman, Cassandra, Clayface, Damian, DC Comics, DC Comics Rebirth, Detective Comics, Detective Comics #968, Detective Comics #968 review, James Tynion IV, Nightwing, Raul Fernandez, Red Hood, Red Robin, Tim Drake, Tomeu Morey

Detective Comics #968

Review by Paul Bowler

A Lonely Place of Living reaches its astounding conclusion in Detective Comics #968, with Tim Drake now back on Earth, but he’s also brought a fearsome menace back with him – a future version of himself that has been tragically moulded by fate to become the Batman! This misguided Batman is determined to complete his mission to kill Batwoman and change the future, not even the Dark Knight and his allies can stand against him, and now Red Robin must fight to save everything that he’s ever fought and died for…

Suffice to say, Detective Comics #968 is not only one hell of an action packed issue, its also probably writer James Tynion’s finest story arc so far during his run on Detective Comics. With its throwbacks to A Lonely Place of Dying and nebulous links to the Mr Oz storyline going on over in Action Comics, this storyline with its timey wimey narrative has made for compelling reading, and effectively brought Tim Drake‘s story full circle as he returns to the fold in a battle royal with his future self who now wears the mantel of the Bat!

Tynion skilfully balances the cast of Bat-characters in this issue, with Batman, Red Robin, Nightwing, Damian, Red Hood, and Alfred squaring off against the future Tim / Batman in the Batcave, while Batwoman, Azeral, Cassandra, Batwing, and Clayface bravely confront a lethal attack from hacked Colony drones at the Belfrey. Everyone in the Bat-Family gets a moment to shine in the spotlight, the dialogue and banter positively crackles from the page, and the team dynamic that makes this book so strong will no doubt be made all the richer by the dramatic far-reaching implication of the events that unfold over the course of this issue.

Detective Comics #968 also dazzles with some especially striking artwork, with pencils by Alvaro Martinez, inks by Raul Fernandez, and colors Tomeu Morey, the bold, free flowing page layouts and panoramic double page spreads exquisitely relay the frenetic action and emotional beats in vivid detail; while the concise letting by Sal Cipriano ensures the dialogue seamlessly blends the narrative across each and every panel. From the face-off in the Batcave to the showdown in the Belfrey, the extensive cast of characters are all impressively rendered, dynamic perspectives give each location a distinct tone, and the temporal effect that intermittently manifests around the future Tim / Batman also provides an interesting visual flourish.

This story-arc has been nothing short of brilliant, and James Tynion IV has excelled once himself again with this issue. Detective Comics 968 delivers an extremely satisfying, powerful, and moving conclusion to A Lonely Place of Living. It’s great to finally have Tim Drake back after his apparent demise in the battle with the Colony and his subsequent incarceration outside of time by Mr Oz. A Lonely Place of Living has offered us an intriguing glimpse into the future (or at last one possible future), it will be fascinating to what happens now that Tim has returned to the Bat-family, and I can’t wait to see what Tynion and Co have in store for this team next!

Publisher DC Comics.

Writer James Tynion IV / Pencils Alvaro Martinez / Inks Raul Fernandez

Colors Tomeu Morey / Letters Sal Cipriano

Cover Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, & Adriano Lucas

Varian Cover Rafael Albuquerque

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