REVIEW: ‘Detective Comics’ Issue 1114

Detective Comics Issue 1114 is published by DC Comics. Written by Tom Taylor, art by Clayton Henry, colors by Pedro Estouco and letters by Wes Abbott.

This issue is Part 4 of Week 9 of the Batman: Bad Seeds event. As the sun begins to rise, Batman needs help from one of his greatest villains in Detective Comics Issue 1114.

Batman is still the tip of the spear within the Bad Seeds event, and has gone from the sky to underground. And the atmosphere in Mr Freeze’s kingdom is frosty to say the least. He interrupts a marital spat between Freeze and his wife, Nora, who Victor has irreparably changed. It’s a fascinating story, and Taylor tells almost all of it from start to finish in quick fashion in Detective Comics Issue 1114.

What really shines with Freeze’s story is how easily it can be told and yet how sincere and emotional it can be. But now it’salso being taken to another level. It’s also not the major threat or story in this plot, as the killer plants are on the verge of spreading far beyond Gotham’s borders. This event has been going on for a long time, and it’s easy to forget the whole crossover takes place over the same night. But sunrise is coming, and that will lead to the expansion of the Bad Seeds.

The pacing is fantastic in Detective Comics Issue 1114 as Batman and his newfound frozen friends try to reach Victor’s lab. There’s also a phenomenal intensity, as the threats have just gotten bigger. It isn’t just vines and spores; there are walking trees that roam the streets.

It could be suggested that Batman has been spared from seeing so much of the carnage, but now he gets to see some of the most extreme examples. What shines in this chapter is how simple the goal is, but how deep the story runs. There’s a gorgeous piece of bookending that lets Detective Comics Issue 1114 come full circle.

Detective Comics Issue 1114 isn’t really a comic about Batman, but the two icy individuals next to him. Victor and Nora are one of the most troubled love stories on Gotham’s streets. Taylor revisits that story with a new chapter, where Nora is out of her coma and enraged. She is furious about what happened to her, especially since she now shares the same cursed fate as Freeze.

What’s fascinating is that even after attempting to murder her husband, Victor is still devoted and hopelessly in love with her. The obsession has remained even after saving her life. It is interesting to see Batman forced not only to protect one of his enemies, but to defend his intentions too. It shows the understanding Bruce has of his enemies, and how intimately he knows them.

Nora changes the most throughout this singular chapter. She starts nasty, angry and violent, and it’s understandable why, considering what she’s been through. But it was surprising to see how cold she was. When Batman rushes off to help a child in jeopardy, neither of the Freezes can understand why.

Freeze isn’t empathetic at all; that’s not new, but for Nora to be confused is very telling about her character since she came out of the ice. But the moment with this child becomes pivotal for Nora, and it’s another touching scene in Detective Comics Issue 1114.

The art sees Henry step in and pick up the baton from Jeff Spokes on Detective Comics and Matteo Scalera in this crossover. The transition is flawless, almost imperceptible when this issue begins. The frozen kingdom is huge, with gigantic machines ready to unleash an endless winter.

There’s also a terrific shift in Nora’s design. She effectively has become a female version of Mister Freeze, with a very similar uniform. The difference is that she doesn’t need the big dome Victor requires. Nora starts Detective Comics Issue 1114 as a snarling figure, intense and spiteful.

Batman spends the entire comic without a cape, which is unsettling because it changes his silhouette and movement. Henry shows how well Batman can adapt, able not only to move without his cape but also with a freeze canister on his back. The giant creatures raised by the Bloom are huge and imposing, and each one is unique in its design. They’re the size of buildings, with literal tree trunks for limbs. Their heads are haunting and terrifying too. And yet, Batman still charges at them.

The colors are sensational. The blue of Batman actually makes him fit in with the Freeze’s pretty comfortably. The color coding of the couple, both with blue skin, red eyes and black uniforms, means that they match each other perfectly on the page. The myriad blue tones also push back against the Green. The lettering is consistent and clear from start to finish.

Detective Comics Issue 1114 is the epilogue to one of comics’ most tragic love stories. Ever since the Emmy-winning episode of Batman: The Animated Series, Victor and Nora’s story has been beloved for its devastation. It made Victor a sympathetic villain, because he did it all to save his wife. Now his wife is free and hates his guts. It’s a story filled with twists, turns and thorns, because they serve as weapons against the Bloom. It’s a beautifully written and illustrated comic that signals a shift from Summer and Fall into Winter.

Detective Comics Issue 1114 is available where comics are sold.