Finally! I have been waiting for what feels like forever to talk about DC Rebirth's Detective Comics! It's got an awesome Bat-Family, a cool villain concept, and it definitely had my eyebrows lifting! So, without further ado, let's talk about "Detective Comics" on Current Issues!
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artists: Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, & Adriano Lucas
"Detective Comics" was the final publication of National Allied Publications in 1937 before the company evolved into it's current incarnation "DC Comics". Named after the aforementioned title. In 1956, the men behind the title-Bob Kane and Bill Finger-had been advised by editor Jack Schiff to make Detective Comics more about "The Bat-Family". As Robin proved to a success sixteen years prior and the Superman comics-that featured Superman and his own family-were a big hit too. This led to the creation of Batwoman, Bat-Girl, and even Bat-Mite. The book had remained about Batman and/or Batman characters from that point on, but it would often shift exactly it's focus on the Batman mythos.
In 2016, DC Comics ushered in a company-wide renumbering called "DC Rebirth" which was promised to bring love, family, and legacy back to the DC Universe. One title revised for "DC Rebirth" was "Detective Comics" which now focuses on Batman and his allies. When a mysterious enemy begins sending drones and soldiers to study heroes in Gotham, the Dark Knight decides to-FOR ONCE-ask for help from his family members. The team is treated like a boot camp for upcoming heroes and while Batman is the obvious leader, Batwoman is the sergeant. Kate Kane is the daughter of military officer Jack Kane and-after the death of her mother-spent the rest of her life following in her father's footsteps as one of the toughest soldiers the country had to offer. When she returned home to Gotham City she felt that military duty wasn't fixing the country and was inspired by Batman to use her talents for something a little more in-house. As Batwoman, Kate became one of DC Comic's most successful gay characters. And now she's back to butt heads with her cousin. Oh yeah, Jack Kane was Martha Wayne's brother so Kate and Bruce are cousins! The cadets include Tim Drake/Red Robin, a character who was criminally underused after 2011. Tim had been Robin for twenty-five publication years, he was the first Robin to have his own book, and he made Robin cool again in the 90's and early 2000's. Tim is described as being as smart as Batman and he is only 16, which means he's destined to be the next World's Greatest Detective. Then there is Cassandra Cain/The Orphan. Cass was bred specifically to be an assassin, she wasn't taught how to speak or love or do anything other than kill. But with the guidance of The Bat-Family she has started to gain humanity. Before 2011, Cass was the third Batgirl and was trained by Barbara Gordon. She was basically Damian Wayne before Damian Wayne. Stephanie Brown/Spoiler is the daughter of a D-List villain named Cluemaster and has committed her life to protecting innocent people from her father and all criminals like him. Steph is really the rookie of the team, but a proud glue to keep everyone together. Before 2011, she was the fourth Batgirl! She was Robin once too! And-last, but not least-Clayface! Yeah, him. Basil Karlo has been a Batman villain for decades, but most people forget he was once just an actor who went down the wrong path. A path that led him into becoming a monster. Batman acknowledges that, and when he finds Karlo has broken out of Arkham just to see one of his old movies in a theater, Batman decides to give Clayface a chance at redemption. Through Batman's tutelage Clayface can take advantage of his strength, his shapeshifting, his multiplying, and basically just be smart with his powers. All and all, Clayface is pretty cool as a hero.
This boot camp of heroes has their fair share of issues: Batwoman dealing with Batman's trust issues, Tim hesitating to tell Batman that he's been accepted to a highly regarded college, but more than anything they have to deal with Jack Kane. As it turns out, the drones and the mysterious Bat-Soldiers that have been popping up around Gotham are a unit devised by Jack Kane. He recognized Batman's capabilities and applied all of Batman's training to US soldiers. The only difference is that these Batmen are trained to kill and to go up against terrorist threats. Jack basically mixed Batman and Seal Team 6. Jack had prepared to bring his daughter Kate onto the project, but when she sees how he's hidden all this from her, kidnapped Batman, and even kept the project secret from the government she wages a war on her father. What's even crazier is that Jack believes Gotham to be housing a number of sleeper agents for The League of Shadows, so he wants to send his Bat-Unit into Gotham to pick off these sleepers. When Batman's team stops that from happening, Jack and his teenaged scientist resort to sending attack drones to Gotham to just start opening fire, hoping the sleepers die in the chaos. The story is pretty epic and it even ends with a hard death. But this death may be the only thing keeping this book from being perfect.
James Tynion was an understudy of Scott Snyder so his talent for writing Batman stories is apparent. He also wrote the Batman/TMNT crossover I love to death and will talk about someday. Tynion understands the characters in a way a lot of writers tend to ignore. Tim Drake isn't "just smart". Batwoman isn't "just tough". Tynion's Batman is also refreshingly sentimental and honest with his team. The combination of Borrows, Ferreira and Lucas is sleek, detailed, and cinematically dramatic. There are panels with no words that speak volumes, the dark colors are so natural without lacking color or distinction. Clayface moves like a dream, and when these artists want you look over every inch of the page they make it happen every time.
Before I wrap this up I want to mention that death from before. Spoiler. No, not her. I mean "spoiler" as in I'm spoiling part of the book. It's actually Red Robin. He dies. I won't go into how or why, but it works. Tynion make sure to make readers love Tim again, to make him as awesome as he once was and to set-up a possible retirement to the character. He was going to go to college and have a relationship with Stephanie, but it was cut short. His death is drawn beautifully, as is the aftermath. Batman goes to ease Stephanie, but Steph shows Batman that Tim was accepted by the college and that he had plans he didn't tell Batman. Batman and Stephanie have a silent moment where they hug each other. It is so goddamn great. You have to understand that after 2011 a lot of emotion was left out of Batman comics. One of my favorite aspect of any story is family. And that moment of a father and his dead son's lover sadly embracing over his death meant the world to me. But then, Tim is revealed to be alive. I won't go too far into it, but Tim is alive and kept away from the Bat-Family by someone important. So-as far as everyone is concerned-Tim Drake is dead.
"Detective Comics" offers action, comedy, and heart. Tynion considers these characters in way other writers would be bored by. Family is the threat and family is the theme. I'd go as far to say I am enjoying this Batman book more than Tom King's "Batman" and Scott Snyder's "All-Star Batman". There is just so much care put into it, so much plot and lore and character that is not left ignored. I can't wait to see Clayface be a true hero, to see Orphan become a real human being, and to see Tim return. I think if Tim's survival wasn't revealed in the same issue as his death I'd be able to call this the perfect arc. But, that's not the case. If Tim's survival was kept as a surprise down the road it would have worked better, but showing he is still alive severely hurts the emotional ending of the arc. Nevertheless, if you want one Batman title to read. Screw Scott. Screw Tom. Pick up Detective Comics.
Thanks for reading!
Oh, it went back to chronological writing after Rebirth so the actual numbering is between #934 to #940. Big numbers are cool!
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