Review: Detective Comics #1032
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer:Â Peter J. Tomasi
Art:Â Brad Walker & Andrew Hennessey
Colors:Â Dave McCaig
Letters:Â Rob Leigh
Reviewed by:Â Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
While Hush prepares the rest of the Bat-family to go under the knife, Bruce finds Damian so they can put together a rescue!
Positives
One of the aspects of the Batman mythos that comes and goes is family. Sometimes Bruce is the dark avenger in the night working alone. Sometimes he is joined with one of a cadre of Robins. And, other times, we get to see that like it or not, Bruce has built a family of ever growing crime fighters that share his desire for justice and a relationship that can only be described as family.
It’s been a very long time since I found the “I want to be alone” Batman interesting. As one ages, the importance of others in one’s life becomes more and more apparent. It only makes sense that at some point Bruce would figure out that building those relationships instead of sabotaging them will bring forth a happier and more fruitful life. Detective Comics #1032, and indeed this entire storyline has been building on this theme.
Positives Cont’d
Most remarkably, it’s Bruce that reaches out to Damian to attempt to find a solution to what’s transpired between them. (See recent issues of Teen Titans.) He even tells Damian he loves him! While they don’t get to sort out their issues, Damian is all in for joining Bruce in a rescue mission of the rest of the family. Hopefully, this will usher in a new area of transparency in the family and the Bat-family will really start to act like a family.
It’s particularly diabolical, but Hush’s plan to put the family under the knife in order to donate needed organs is weirdly interesting. Tommy Elliot is a doctor and a villain and a killer, but this particular plot makes some sort of bizarre sense even to me. There’s a lot of psychology under those bandages. Â
While Bilquis Evely and Matt Lopes are not illustrating Detective Comics #1032, Brad Walker, Andrew Hennessey and Dave McCaig bring their own strengths to the Dark Knight. Walker’s figures are weighty and solid, you can really feel how big a man Bruce is. Walker also does some fun things with Batman’s cape as it bunches, twists and blows in the air. It adds some extra dynamism. There’s also some great framing that intensifies the drama. Plus, Hush looks perfectly menacing in his depiction! And, it’s great to see that two disparate styles both work on Batman wonderfully.
Negatives
I guess you haven’t been paying attention…this run on Detective Comics and his rotating teams of artists just can’t be beat!
Verdict
There’s just a positive, feel good element to this series as Bruce works to be the head of a family of crimefighters. It’s not overly emotional, but one can’t help in recognizing the difficult relationships in one’s own life that are echoed in Bruce’s relationships with the members of the Bat-family. We know he loves them, but it’s nice to see him say it, especially to his biological son. Now, if we can just get them to bury the hatchet!
