Detective Comics #943: Since Snyder's run six years ago, "Detective Comics" has consistently been the best DC series on the shelves. Whereas "Batman" is often mired in myth-building (and said myth-building often goes awry), "Detective Comics" has focused on the characters and their relationships with each other. This issue is one of the best examples of that. Kate is pressing Bruce to take Stephanie's absences seriously, and it seems clear she's doing so at least in part to get him to come to terms with Tim's "death." (Her line about not accepting Bruce's therapist without checking his credentials elicited not only a laugh from Alfred, but also me.) In so doing, she's serving the role Dick used to serve, pushing Bruce to face issues he doesn't want to face. It is incredibly fun to watch, but it also adds a depth to both their characters that I haven't seen in ages. Moreover, Tynion spends some quality time with the JV squad. We learn Harper has given up her role as Bluebird to focus her talents on other areas, like building a secondary electricity grid for low-income households in Gotham. I'm not sure it'll stick, but it seems clear it's what Harper needs right now. Seeing her friendship with Stephanie is also really satisfying, since it's probably the first new friendship in "Batman" comics since Dick and Damian. But, it's Clayface's scenes with Orphan that left me the most intrigued. Matt asks the Batcomputer to send the worst villain after him in the Mud Room, and it's Clayface. Orphan immediately stops the program, but Matt is shaken, wondering if he'll always be a monster. Orphan responds in a way that shows she's also making progress with "emotions," bringing him to the police gala Luke Fox is hosting to show him he's not alone. Harper and Stephanie easily accept him in their ranks, and I just have to hope it sticks, that Clayface gets to be a hero in the end. Finally, Bruce wants to bring in Luke Fox to replace Tim in running the team's technical operations, but Kate opposes, viewing him as a rich dilettante who hasn't faced any real adversity in his life. Truthfully Kate? Given your observation in the car that no one in the team is unaffected by tragedy, maybe you could use a guy who isn't. At any rate, we're likely going to see all of them in action in the next issue, as a group calling itself the Victim Syndicate attacks the gala. In sum, Tynion has quietly built Batman's first team book since possibly the "Outsiders" and I can't believe our luck.
Also Read: Batgirl #4; Bloodshot U.S.A. #1; Titans #4
No comments:
Post a Comment