[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artists: Marcio Takara & Marcello Maiolo
Summary
Oh my God! Somebody call Tarantino, we’re gonna need more blood to finish these shots! This issue of Detective Comics has more blood and violence in it than I’ve seen in a long time, perhaps ever for the series! And wow what an impactful story it has on top of the action.
In this issue we get to see what the League of Shadows has done to Azrael, Batwing, Batwoman, and Clayface. Meanwhile Orphan recovers as best she can.
Colonel Kane is also back with the Colony and getting ready to re-arm and armour. What’s worse is the horrors and devastation that the Colony’s tech officer has cooked up!
Positives
A lot of movies have extremely complex plots and take multiple viewings to understand, I’m looking at you Inception, Akira, and Birdman! Then a movie rolls around like John Wick — simple, to the point and clear.
This issue is exactly that, it is a to-the-point action flick with a perfect and simple story that will have you feeling good. The comparison is actually made within the issue in a way, perhaps not 4th wall breaking, but it is quite clear. There is also some simple, straight forward, analogy that is beautiful and quite touching.
What had me turning page after page of this issue was the action sequences though. They are extremely fluid and drawn perfectly to lead the eye. Something as brutal as what is contained in this issue seems like it should feel very stop and go, like the action sequences of The Dark Knight Returns, but it flows so rhythmically!
This issue did something that many issues don’t nowadays, it had me ripping through a comic and enjoying it for the simple enjoyment that I felt as a kid watching the Batman: Animated Series!
Verdict
Readers are going to pick up this issue and fly through it just like it did. I look forward to skimming the forums in a few days and seeing if there are any Easter eggs hidden away in the various 2-page spreads through out this book. I absolutely loved this issue and you will too!
