Detective Comics #36 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I like what Percy tries to do here.  In fact, if you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that I'm happiest with "Detective Comics" when it doesn't focus on the stories being told in the larger Bat-Universe and just tells stories about Bruce actually being a detective.  Layman has been the best at that during the DCnU, even though he also really excelled at working in references to events occurring in the other Bat-books.  Percy takes a page from his book, but doesn't write it as well.

The main problem here is that everything is way too easy.  Bruce just happens to hear a news broadcast that tells him that the terrorist who released the plague in Gotham International Airport (GIA) is "believed to be in Eastern Europe."  (Journalists don't need to reveal sources, but it would be nice to know who believed him to be there.  The U.S. government?  Interpol?  Micky Mouse?)  Conveniently, Dick just happens to be torturing someone in Belarus and that guy just happens to know that the terrorist used to date a woman that runs a bar in Minsk.  Dick heads there and thankfully is a skilled enough kisser (that part I believe) to convince the woman to tell him where the terrorist is.  Awesomely, she just happens to know that he's in GIA!  Phew.  Problem solved!

In other words, I like detective stories when Batman acts like a detective.  Here, he just hears a news report, calls Dick, waits for an answer, and then punches someone.  It's not exactly Holmesian.

** (two of five stars)