REVIEW: ‘Detective Comics,’ Issue #1064

Detective Comics #1064 from DC Comics is a beautifully rendered enigma followed by some of the best modern noir. The first tale, ‘Gotham Nocturne,’ is written by Ram V and illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque. Ariana Maher provides letters. The Gordon tale ‘The Coda’ is written by Si Spurrier with art by Dani and letters by Steve Wands. Dave Stewart provides colors for both. So Batman is flailing about, growing weaker, and not sure why. But old evils and the demon Barbatos are nearby, so he has a lot to keep him busy. And what does Talia really know?

Well, come to find out, this issue begins with Talia training Damian Wayne in the desert near an antiquated rectangular structure. During a brief rest, she enthralls him with the dark tale of cursed soldier Farhad. It’s a moving, morbid tale of lost love, cruel gods, and demons. There’s a moral segue that feeds into Batman’s struggle in the present, but I’ll leave that for you to read. For now, know this issue begins with that tale crafted to perfection by V., and if that wasn’t good enough, the octopus spray of pitch-black ink cradling the resonant imagery by Albuquerque set those pages on fire. Stewart spilled dark neon pastels into them like blood spatter while Maher seemed to etch in the letters with her fingernails on the ruined walls of Arkham Asylum. Eerie. Malignant. Depressing. Beautiful storytelling.

From there, Bruce Wayne actually sees a real-life doctor. No longer satisfied with his equipment’s lack of results, he consulted with a normal. Aside from enough injuries to worry the doctor, Bruce is… okay. But he knows better. Dark forces are at work, keeping him from getting answers. That’s fine for now. He leaves and goes off in pursuit of one of the thugs from the dock fight. This time around, as Batman, he seems to be doing better physically. Perhaps it’s the anger coming out. But he’s on the hunt, and there are some excellent action panels taking place during the day and night. This episode ends in battles and obfuscations, but things are coming together just as the Orghams complete their entry into Gotham. I love this tale. It’s like the Batman stories in the 70s, brooding, intimate, mysterious. In tone, dialogue, and art, everything lines up. I have no idea how the story will conclude or how it will change the city, but please, please, more of all of this.

Detective Comics #1064 slithers from the trials of the Batman to the end run of Jim Gordon’s first solo story in ‘The Coda.’ First, let me state the obvious visual difference. I’ve raved about Dani’s vague, blurry mirror style and how it fits in well with this tale of Gordon in two worlds trying to find which one to rest his head in (if anyone in Gotham can indeed rest). But Stewart’s colors are such a dramatic shift from the dank, luscious blues and haunted electric spectrums of the premiere tale to the browns, slates, and other working-class hues that it immediately alters the tone of the book. Again, I love this. Once in a while, two tales in a book can appear the same, or the backup tale is not up to snuff with the first. Not so here. These are two completely different beasts, but each bellows in the dark with as much force. Fans of Gordon should be very happy with how this ends, and I never used to see Gordon thinking in the beauteous words of Dashiell Hammett, but now I can’t unsee it. Thank you, Spurrier. Amazing work in Gotham’s sandbox.

Detective Comics #1064 is a golden modern Gothic adventure. Batman gets way too many books, but this one is worth it. Get it, get extra copies, and surprise people with them who walk home at night. This is excellent. If you haven’t started this yet, go back to issue #1062 and inhale the vibe.

Detective Comics #1064 is available now wherever comics are sold.