After last month’s rather chilly ending to the main issue, and flash to the past during the annual, Detective Comics continues its exploration of Gotham’s past, and future with this latest installment. With the addition of Mr. Freeze into the mix, and the Orghams taking more and more steps to control Gotham, things are sure to get interesting!
This issue picks up roughly where #1066 ended, with Batman and Gael frozen by Mr. Freeze, and jumps between portions featuring Mr. Freeze, and portions featuring Arzen and his team. As I’ve come to expect from Ram V, the focus is balanced between the plot and diving into more personal issues, with the issues focused on Bruce this time instead of Harvey. The plot is still squarely centered on the Orghams and their growing influence over Gotham.
As I mentioned, while the last few issues have focused on Harvey, this one turns its attention back to Bruce. Once again, Ram V tackles how Bruce is aging and how Gotham is changing around him. This time the themes are about Gotham’s changes, on the perils of being trapped in your past, and on how Gotham might be better off without Batman. This is done through Batman and Mr. Freeze having a conversation about Nora, the changes in Gotham, and the recent attack from the Orghams Freeze fended off–though he doesn’t outright state who they are. Freeze is less a physical threat to Gotham in this issue, and more another voice for what Ram V is trying to say about Gotham and Bruce. This section can feel a little repetitive with some of the themes presented in past issues, and I’d like a little more depth instead of having everyone tell Batman he’s outdated all the time. I want to see a little more done with it, which I think we’ll get soon, especially since the idea that is supposedly replacing Batman is represented by the Orghams, and they are decidedly not good people.
Speaking of the Orghams, Arzen and his team are the other major focus this issue. This is where the plot continues to move forward as they’re working to shape Gotham into something resembling their vision of what it should be. To do this, they’re not only building over Arkham’s ruins, but buying up various other parts of Gotham, including projects owned by Wayne Enterprises. And of course, brainwashing and murdering people. Which, takes their more subtle malevolent actions in Gotham and highlights some genuinely terrible aspects of their plan as well. Not that they haven’t been clearly painted as the villains, or doing terrible things, their actions here just feel a little over the top. Though, I get that there has to be something to help escalate the tension and plot.
Which brings me to my real problem with the issue: it kind of feels like more of the same we’ve seen for months now. I’m still enjoying this series, don’t get me wrong. Ram V building the plot gradually is something I as a reader don’t mind, and a style I enjoy in other stories. That said, I can see how the series can feel like it’s moving too slow for some readers. It’s certainly a slow burn to the eventual climax and conclusion, one that’s gone on quite a few issues now. At this point, even I’m feeling the way it’s dragging a bit. Moments that should be big, like Mr. Freeze showing up and quite literally freezing Batman don’t feel as explosive as they should, and don’t push the plot forward the way one would expect.
I will say that part of the problem is the month to month nature of Detective Comics. It’s hard to tell a slow, gradual, story in monthly increments. Bound together in a trade I’d eat this story up–and I am enjoying it. I am enjoying the focus on characters like Bruce and Harvey, but the story can’t just be emotional beats. I want a little more than that sooner rather than later.
Ivan Reis is on art again, with Danny Miki doing ink and Dave Stewart on colors. And, like the issue I enjoy most of it. But there are a few moments that are a little too stylized and off. Like the first shot of Bruce waking up after he’s being warmed up by Mr. Freeze. It’s a close up shot of his face, where his face feels a little overly expressive, he looks rougher than he should, even half thawed. There’s a few of these close up shots through the issue that have the same issue and it’s often distracting when the rest of the art flows really well.
There are some really lovely shots too. Especially the panels featuring Mr. Freeze’s many, many ice sculptures of Nora. The detail here is lovely, with the sculptures in a variety of poses, flowing in and out of one another as they’ve been carved out of ice. They’re really quite lovely.
Despite all my complaints about a need for some more movement in the plot, the ending does promise more action next issue as Bruce is alerted to some bigger issues in the city he’ll need to take care of.
Two-Face Backup in: A Tale of Three Halves
The backup is the final part of the three part story featuring Harvey struggling with his other side, and does a very neat job wrapping up this particular story line. I really enjoy what it has to say about Harvey struggling with the other, darker, part of himself and coming to terms with it.
As a whole, I think the three part back-up story is well done, featuring lovely art by Hayden Sherman. I’ve talked a little about it previously, but I still enjoy the dreamlike quality of his art, and the way Nick Filardi’s colors blend together. Here the reds are really highlighted as Harvey’s darker side is more the focus, as are many of the things that side helped him deal with growing up.
Even at the end of it, I still think it’s an important addition to the greater tale being told in Detective Comics, and if you’ve been skipping the backup’s I’d really recommend going back and reading these. They’ll add a lot to Harvey’s part of the narrative, and will give some context to his current and future actions.
Recommended If
- The emotional focus is back on Bruce and Batman
- Freeze getting to play a role is very cool
- You’ve been looking for the conclusion to Two-Face’s backup
Overall
This is another good entry in Ram V’s Detective Comics run. While the slow and steady nature of the series can feel a little too slow at times, I do appreciate the work put in to really flesh out Gotham, Batman, the Orghams, and the various other aspects coming in to play. It’s also nice to see characters like Mr. Freeze showing up and existing in Gotham, rather than always having a firm plan for destruction or mayhem. And the backup is still as strong and impactful on the main story as it’s proven to be so far, wrapping up Two-Faces’s three part story here. Overall, this is a solid, fun read.
Score: 7/10
DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.
