Batman The Detective #4 is published by DC Comics, written by Tom Taylor, with art by Andy Kubert, inks by Sandra Hope, colors by Brad Anderson, and letters by Clem Robins. Having been brought in for questioning by Interpol last issue, Bruce Wayne finding himself being grilled over his possible involvement in the attack on Henri Ducard.
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One of the most key elements of Batman’s character is one that many authors frequently forget. Namely, that he is human. And an intrinsic aspect of humanity is that we all make mistakes. We will let our guard down, misjudge something or someone, making whatever situation we are in far worse than it needed to be. This core aspect of humanity is one that Batman is frequently allowed to divest himself of, as writers often gift the character with a level of foresight that borders on clairvoyance. By doing this, writers often seek to make Batman into something greater than a human. Instead, they deny him the opportunity to show how much he can be by overcoming the simple oversights we all make from time to time. Happily, writer Taylor is able to show just how great a fallible Batman can be in Batman The Detective #4.
This understandable oversight on the part of our hero during his interrogation forces Bruce into a far greater peril than what would’ve been if his usual plot immunity was in full effect. As he is forced to overcome the situation he has allowed himself to fall into, Taylor delivers a running internal analysis of the situation from Bruce that highlights just how focused Batman’s mind can remain, even in the worst of crises.
The other aspect of Batman that Taylor continues to highlight throughout Batman The Detective #4 is just how much Bruce Wayne truly cares.
As the death toll from Equilibrium’s killings climbs higher and higher, the weight of those deaths, and their connection to Batman, weighs ever heavier on Bruce’s mind. This constant awareness of why these people are dying pushes another more human side of the Caped Crusader to the forefront of the story. The time and focus Taylor puts into Batman’s personality and truly exploring who Batman is, rather than what Batman does, is a refreshing change from many stories out there.
Delivering all the humanity and danger that comes from it is another fantastic performance from the book’s art team. Kubert’s lines capture the emotion within Batman The Detective #4’s story wonderfully. This is doubly true for the book’s key moment. Perfect perspective placement and extremely vivid emotional presentation on the part of the artist delivers this crucial scene in a way few others could match. Aided by Hope’s inks, the lines deliver everything a fan could ask for.
Further augmenting the book’s great linework is Anderson’s colors. The colorwork here provides the extra atmosphere the story needs to complete the delivery of its emotional points.
Wrapping up the book’s presentation is Robins’s clean letters. The dialogue throughout the book is placed perfectly, allowing the reader to follow the story easily while allowing the art to be unhindered by the dialogue.
When taken as a whole, Batman The Detective #4 delivers a great addition to the story’s continuing narrative. It shows aspects of the book’s star that many stories would avoid, but ultimately their inclusion makes the narrative stronger.
Batman The Detective #4 is available now wherever comics are sold.
Batman the Detective #4
TL;DR
When taken as a whole, Batman The Detective #4 delivers a great addition to the story’s continuing narrative. It shows aspects of the book’s star that many stories would avoid, but ultimately their inclusion makes the narrative stronger.
