REVIEW: ‘Detective Comics,’ Issue #1071

Detective Comics #1071 from DC brings us closer to the final confrontation and the beauty that is Annabel Mead. Let’s tackle the big story first: ‘Gotham Nocturne: Act II- Lost Sands,’ written by one of comics’ best, Ram V. A squad of artists join him, namely Stefano Raffaele, Ivan Reis, and Eduardo Pansica. Inkers include Raffaele, Danny Miki, Joe Prado, Juan Castro, and Julio Ferreira. Brad Anderson and Adriano Lucas bring the layered colors to life, while Ariana Maher fills the void with crafty lettering. Gotham has a whole new underground Batman never knew about. The city may be sentient and the Orghams are soon to celebrate the opening of their place.

Everything is looking up. Except for the fact the Orghams are evil and their unveiling also spells doom for Gotham’s citizens. Batman previously had a discourse with his old flame, Talia, and in this issue, we get the down low on the origin of the feud between the League of Assassins and the Orghams. Spectacular art doused in wonderful inks makes the story visually thrilling. V fills readers in on how the Orghams’ goals involved Ra’s al Ghul in the past, and Talia’s place in the present scheme of things. I not only enjoyed the story as it played out, but also the tenderness between Talia and Batman, Batman’s talk with Nightwing and Batgirl, and the current plotline of the Orghams back home in Europe.

To put it bluntly, V is an expert juggler of storylines. They have never once made this grand story, now in its second big act, feel like it dragged. We’re offered as much about Batman and Gotham as we are on the Orghams. Here, plots coalesce. You can see the inevitable showdown about to boil. V has given fans an impeccable new cast of villains, and I hope this all changes Gotham and the Dark Knight in unexpected ways forever.

‘Absolute, Part 3,’ concludes the Mr. Freeze short by Simon Spurrier, with art from Caspar Wijngaard, and letters by Steve Wands. Or really, this should be the Annabel Mead short story. While being saved by the young Sorrow (glowing bird tattoo kid rescued by Jim Gordon), Mead has gone through some changes besides hearing a ghost voice. But that will have to wait because, much to her chagrin, Sorrow and Mr. Freeze have to fight. Along the way, we learn a thing or two about Sorrow, the weird energy Freeze is studying. But Annabel has had it. My gosh is she the star of this story as a fiery, witty, no-nonsense character I would love to see in her own book. Not a limited series, but a series about Gotham citizens and how they handle living in urban hell. She would be perfect.

Wijngaard’s art remains a joy to my eyes, as are the catchy colors used throughout this three-parter. Spurrier has written an amazing story that Wands organized to a tee on every page. Mr. Freeze, one of my faves, is rendered a very complex being trapped inside his own personal iceberg, with layers of depth so few villains (and heroes) get.

Well done. Bravo. Detective Comics was already a banger and then V and company stormed the gates in a cloud of midnight to paint Batman’s world a deeper shade of black, while Spurrier gave us a maddening tour into the pastel hellhole of Gotham’s quixotic underbelly. There are no disappointments to be found here, with its great storytelling, majestic art, cthuloid inks, dashing hues, and crisp letters.

Detective Comics #1071 is available wherever comic books are sold.