REVIEW: ‘Detective Comics,’ Issue #1073

Detective Comics #1073 from DC tears Gotham down, and the Batman along with it. The main story is written with neo-Gothic decor by Ram V, with Ivan Reis and Goran Sudzuka killing it with those beautiful, haunting art renderings. Sudzuka joins Danny Miki in making Gotham and its people drip black ink while Brad Anderson paints the story in steep charcoal dread with shocks of lightning colors.  Ariana Maher dazzles panel after panel with eye catching lettering.

Batman has pulled himself together, more or less, to face down Arzen while Gotham burns yet again on the surface. This time, Orgham Place has exploded, a cheap means by that evil family to garner sympathy from Gothamites. Nightwing is on the scene to rescue bystanders, but the influence of the Orghams is getting deeper as Arzen sets to recalculate the city’s spirit to make it suit his needs and not those of its citizens, or the Bat.

V has run Batman through the wringer in this story, taking him to the limit multiple times. But the interesting thing here is an underlying sensation that, despite having his head back in the game, Batman can’t win this one. Either Arzen, his family, Gotham’s outlook or the lurking Barbatos will drag him into oblivion. Or, at the very least, a long term defeat. As a villain, Arzen is fairly standard fare with the monologues and extremist views as he slanders the hero’s morals. It’s the things he controls (Azmer and the Reality Engine) that make him a character worth watching.

As Gotham is dealt another destructive heartbreak, Detective Comics #1073 shows you its other heroes rising to the occasion. The Bat Family and supporting cast are given strong roles in the issue with well-rounded storytelling.

The artwork, colors, and lettering are fascinating to behold, aiding a tight, gripping, chapter. The Orghams using their own explosion to shift public opinion away from Batman is not original, but a masterful display of timing plays into the goals with the enigmatic Engine deep underground. There’s the sense that as Gotham changes, Batman isn’t. Maybe he will in the end, or maybe he’ll be too late. But watching this place burn once more sure makes for a popcorn worthy read.

Detective Comics #1073 slides us from its surprise ending and into the next arc in the tale of Arzen’s youth. I said last month that, desbite not being poorly told, this story didn’t hit me. After being attacked in the Orgham family garden, young Arzen shows his mother just how well he listened to the words of his murdered father. From a young age, Arzen is show to be cold, resolute, extreme — vicious, even. This puts his behavior front and center. Before I felt it wasn’t necessary to see this part of the story, but this look at his backstory digs into the boy and also a little into his mother, culminating in a strong ending.

Best believe Dan Watters can write solid characters and plots. Stefano Raffaele continues to create fluid artwork brushed gently by the hand of Lee Loughridge. Steve Wands letters the story very well and keeps everything orderly.

If you want an amazing comic from DC, Detective Comics needs to be your jam. Everything top to bottom is crafted to perfection. It’s all grim business here, but the business is so, so very good.

Detective Comics #1073 is available wherever comic books are sold.