Review: Detective Comics #1005

Batman has long been the world“s most popular superhero and part of what has made him so popular is his massive rogues gallery that consists of some of the all-time greatest comic book villains. So when a writer tries to expand on the array of scoundrels and brutes there is extra pressure due to who and what characters will be compared against. With the current arc of Detective Comics Peter J. Tomasi and Brad Walker have attempted to make their mark with as they have created the character of Arkham Knight who they are designed to be that next big threat for the Cape Crusader. This issue marks the end of that arc as Batman with the help of Robin attempt to stop her master plan.

Considering the world of deconstruction and decompressed storytelling we are living it this type of straight forward affair is a bit refreshing. If you simply want a story of a comic hero attempting to stop a villainous plot that is far more complicated than it needs to be this comic will scratch that itch. For some, it may seem a bit dated while others may enjoy basking in the nostalgia of this type of story. Despite Arkham Knight being a brand new character, her general scheme is playing in very familiar ground.

Using the Arkham Asylum as her base of operations she has enlisted the help of other villains to assist her in taking out Batman in her own unique way. Trying to release a bomb that will not destroy the city but bring it into the light to show Gotham the harm Batman is causing. The last issue provided a breakdown of her origin and the major motivation driving her to these actions. She is not purely evil like other Batman foes as her resentment towards him comes from an understandable place. Her actions may be immoral but she does live by a certain mutated honor code.

What becomes evident within this issue is how limited those motivations are and how they fall apart the more the story tries to build upon them. Her blaming of Batman for the death of her mother is built upon a lie that is lacking in reasoning. What she is attempting to accomplished is ill-conceived and limited in impact. The ticking time bomb that is the driving force of this issue is simply not loud enough to give major moments the tension they need. When the climax does occur the solution to this chaos is bland and without much imagination.Â

For Arkman Knight to become a character with a lasting impact she will need more intrinsic motivations that are deeper than a simple response to a contrived situation, because once the mystery of who she is no longer exists the why becomes the vital part of the story. Once that complete story came together that ”˜Why“ became less and less convincing. You end up with a character that is to overtly manufactured to fit a specific purpose. Villians work best when they are their own unique character and so far Arkman Knight loses her identity once she steps outside the shadow of Batman. That could be something to build on for future stories. Currently, that does not seem to be the direction this story is going.Â

Now there is fun to be had. Tomasi is at his best when it comes to the relationship between Bruce and Damian. They bicker but not to the point where either character becomes annoying. When they are in that element they are one and the same with that ever-present level of confidence. Once the action kicks rarely are conversations more than a few words. You can see the trust between them and how both have something important to contribute to the mission. Never will either be the sentimental type, but through the way they interact in the heat of battle their confidence in one another speaks to how much they care. Even if they are not willing to admit it themselves.

Artist Brad Walker was an inspired choice for this arc and his style is pitch-perfect for the tone of this story. It too has a more throwback quality as the way he renders characters is a tad more on the cartoony side. What is also very different from his work compared to much of the artist of today is his panel design. We live in a world where panel bleeding is the norm. How panels will intersect and interlock on nearly every page. Walker goes the other direction where his panels are often distinctively separated. Borders are broad and well-defined giving each scene its specific focus. This gives each page a clear flow and pattern. Even with the story is less than stellar his work does a lot to keep things exciting.

Final Thoughts:

Detective Comics #1005 marks the end of the first Arkman Knight arc and considering the build-up it is a finale that stumbles as it ends. Where the desire to leave room open for future tales leads to an ending lacking in consequence. Prior to that though we are given a generally enjoyable Batman and Robin romp that is refreshing with its throwback tones. All of this leads to an uneven issue that will hopefully lead to better things down the line.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Story and Words: Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils: Brad Walker
Inker: Andrew Hennessy
Colorist: Walker/Fairbairn

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Daniel Clark

A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.