By Hunter T. Patrick

Welcome to the penultimate issue of Tynion IV’s Detective Comics run. Has it been incredible? Eh. Has it been bad? Eh. Now we are ending this run the only way this run knows how with an eh. The problem with the run that also is a huge problem with this issue is that there are so many great characters at play, but not enough time to see them do anything but be in the middle of the action. Like most issues, this is another one jam-packed with action. It refuses to take a breather as we go from scene to scene, its a wonder how this run of twice monthly, two-year comic run is supposed to wrap this arc up in the next issue. If it can be pulled off, then I salute Tynion, but as of this issue, I feel any ending would be way too rushed.

I am really excited for Detective Comics moving forward as issue 1000 is coming soon. I am also especially excited for Tynion to write Justice League Dark with such a phenomenal cast of characters. This issue had a few moments (especially the end) that made me excited for the next issue and to see where Tynion takes these iconic characters next for the finale. This issue would be wonderful to get to finish the run or to collect every Detective Comics ever, but besides that, this is an issue that is only worth that. It would probably work much better in a trade format as every other week has never cut it for me.

The artwork looked great. It is easy to forget this is a Batman book as it primarily is about the bat family not just Batman. The artwork captures the darkness that is Batman but also plenty of colors for other Gotham characters and appropriately has the right colors when looking at flash “forwards”. The use of the color red both looks cool and ominous for what is to come. The variant cover for this is one of the coolest covers for this series and if you like to buy comics for covers, get that cover, especially with DC’s new near virgin variants.

The art looks great and the pacing feels off. A question that should be answered is whether or not this lives to be a noteworthy Batman comic. The answer is no. If it’s for Detective Comics, then sorta, yes for the run, no for the issue. Batman comics are the pinnacle of comic storytelling and this would fail what is an incredible Batman run after run after run. This is not to that level and fits much better with being Detective Comics, which is a great honor. On a single issue format, it is a skip but is a good average comic on stands. There has never been a bad issue but none that have blown everything off the stands, this is the perfect continuation of it and we can only hope the next issue culminates everything in a wonderful fashion and what comes next is also as good as looking at this run overall.  

Score: 3/5

Detective Comics #980
DC Comics