Batman: The Detective #6 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE No. 6, January 2022

Whilst many Bat-fans may justifiably agree with “DC Comics” pre-publication claim that Tom Taylor’s overarching narrative for “Batman: The Detective” ultimately produced an “epic [mini] series”, there were probably a few readers of this final instalment who disagreed with the Burbank-based publisher’s belief that its sixth issue also successfully delivered a “stunning conclusion” to the Australian author’s storyline too. Indeed, considering all the utter mayhem the deadly Equilibrium have wrought upon the world during this title’s preceding chapters, the surprising simplicity of the Caped Crusader’s ultimate victory over the insane terrorist organisation could arguably be seen as something of a disappointment. Fortunately though, the fact Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego just has to hack into Charlotte Le Serf’s squadron of pre-programmed, death-dealing military drones in order to thwart her dastardly scheme to destroy London, doesn’t debatably detract from the rest of this twenty-two page periodical’s pulse-pounding plot.

To begin with, the Melbourne-born writer pens a seemingly tragic demise to Henri Ducard’s life at the hands of a truly ferocious Sullivan Petit, only to then have the titular character heroically save his former mentor in the very next panel. This sort of ‘last minute’ rescue genuinely helps make the comic an unputdownable read, but also helps demonstrate just how close to his upper limits the Dark Knight is actually being pushed by the well-financed criminal society. In addition, Batman’s sudden appearance alongside the likes of Knight and Squire on board a Thames ferryboat leads to one of this adventure’s most enjoyable rematches, as the costumed vigilante goes toe-to-toe with the gigantically-sized Sullivan for one last bout of fisticuffs; “Oh @#$%.”

Admirably supporting Taylor in all these sense-shattering shenanigans are Andy Kubert’s pencils, which do an incredible job of depicting the violence people like Le Serf can physically dish out when the situation calls for her. The woman’s single-handed rescue of her imprisoned henchmen against a gaggle of well-armed security guards during this comic’s opening really helps set a strong visual tempo for the rest of the book, and the American artist impressively manages to maintain this pace even during some of the more sedentary sequences, such as when Charlotte suicidally places a gun to her head when she realises her nemesis has just saved her life.

Writer: Tom Taylor, Pencils: Andy Kubert, and Inks: Sandra Hope

Batman: The Detective #5 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE No. 5, November 2021

Fascinatingly filled full of numerous international allies and associates, Tom Taylor’s thoroughly engrossing storyline for Issue Five of “Batman: The Detective” probably surprised some within its audience as to the sheer breath-taking scope of the European Alliance of the Bat. In fact, this twenty-two page periodical portrays the Dark Knight having such an extensive crime-fighting network of “agency heads, police chiefs, diplomats, spies and mercenaries” across the planet’s Northern Hemisphere that it is difficult to imagine any criminal managing to evade arrest for too long once they come to the Caped Crusader’s notice.

Enjoyably however, such all-encompassing affiliates doesn’t mean for a moment that the Australian author simply relies upon them to do the titular character’s actual work for him. But rather just uses the authorities as a means to set-up a truly brutal face-off against “the villainous Equilibrium” in Belgium, by having Commissioner Origi swiftly notify the costumed vigilante that the homicidal group are planning a mass execution inside the Brussels Convention Centre; “Don’t send in a negotiator. They won’t be releasing the hostages. They’re going to murder them. I’m going in.”

What follows is a pulse-poundingly paced punch-up between Batman and a significant number of armed foes, who are soon mostly put out of action by the eye-watering combination of a rampaging mobile Bat-Cave and plenty of tear gas. Superbly pencilled by Andy Kubert, this dynamically-drawn action sequence really has it all, from large-scale damage as the Dark Knight’s mighty machine drives straight through the building’s multi-paned glass exterior through to the super-hero diving amongst a myriad of bullets so as to clobber his opponents senseless at close quarters. 

Perhaps this comic’s biggest hook though is how Taylor depicts his incarnation of Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego slowly struggling with the onset of age. The hard-hitting cowled crime-fighter is clearly aware he is no longer young enough to simply go toe-to-toe with his enemies, so employs every gadget which he can to help put the odds in his favour. This intriguing vulnerability is particularly exposed towards the end of the fight, when Batman realises he won’t be able to take down the heavily-muscled Sullivan on his own, and must rely upon Squire to cosh the unhinged brute from behind before he has his head literally ripped off.

Writer: Tom Taylor, Pencils: Andy Kubert, and Inks: Sandra Hope

Batman: The Detective #4 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE No. 4, September 2021

Predominantly focusing upon Bruce Wayne’s “gruelling Interpol interrogation” for the “attempted murder of former mentor and teacher Henri Ducard”, Tom Taylor’s narrative for Issue Four of “Batman: The Detective” probably disconcerted many within the mini-series’ audience thanks to the plot’s perturbingly vulnerable portrayal of the crime-fighting billionaire. Indeed, it’s arguably hard to imagine a more trusting Caped Crusader than the one the Australian author depicts nonchalantly answering the authority’s threat-laced questions and overconfidently drinking the Police’s fizzy soda water; “I was hoping for something nice from the Champagne Region. But instead you’ve brought me sparkling disappointment.”

Delightfully however, once it becomes clear that the Dark Knight’s alter-ego has naively allowed himself to be detained by the murderous Equilibrium in a moment of misplaced conceit, this gripping grilling becomes even more exciting. The revelation that Wayne has been lethally poisoned by cyanide is really well-penned by the Victoria-born writer, and debatably creeps up upon the reader incrementally in precisely the same manner as it does the somewhat haughty, super-wealthy industrialist.

Equally as well delivered is Wayne’s plan to escape so grisly a demise, following his captors’ swift departure. Physically handcuffed inside a cell, his throat swelling and a large knife embedded in his right shoulder, the ‘old man’ follows his training to the letter by slowing his heartbeat and “lowering my metabolism”. Then, with the super-human effort of will the Batman is renowned for, the Justice Leaguer manages to break his bonds and flees to a chemist where he swiftly swigs down an antidotal cocktail of his own devising.

Adding plenty of apprehension to this comic’s ultra-tense atmosphere is Andy Kubert’s pencilling, which genuinely helps sell the sincere shock in Bruce’s eyes when he comprehends he’s been played for a profusely sweating fool by his merciless opponents, and is very likely to die at their hands within mere minutes. In addition, the American artist does a first-rate job of showing the Dark Knight’s more tender side when later inside his mobile headquarters he emotionally discovers the late Alfred Pennyworth has left him a toy dinosaur holding a giant coin as an affectionate reminder of the real subterranean Batcave beneath Wayne Manor.

Writer: Tom Taylor, Pencils: Andy Kubert, and Inks: Sandra Hope

Batman: The Detective #3 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE No. 3, August 2021

Providing a thoroughly insightful pen picture of a teenage Bruce Wayne’s apprenticeship under Henri Ducard in France, Tom Taylor’s script for Issue Three of “Batman: The Detective” caused the comic to rather impressively shift an estimated 49,000 copies in June 2021. Sure, the twenty-two page periodical doesn’t actually provide much in the way of progressing this mini-series’ central plot concerning the murderous machinations of the homicidal Equilibrium, but when the storytelling behind an aspiring Dark Knight’s fractious relationship with the “knowledgeable detective” is arguably this well-written, it’s doubtful many within this book’s audience were complaining.

Indeed, witnessing a naïve young millionaire slowly learn his man-hunting skills from one of the world’s greatest investigators debatably makes a welcome change of pace from this title’s ferociously-fast narration - especially when the cut-throat Didier is still taken down by the well-meaning amateur courtesy of a thunderous blow to the jaw with the killer’s own hand-gun. This exciting sequence really shows the potential the middle-aged Frenchman can see in his super-rich protégé, and contains some nice, notable nods to the fully-established Caped Crusader, such as Wayne wearing a forerunner of his famous utility belt; “You always keep handcuffs on your belt, Kid?”

Likewise, the Australian author does a good job of highlighting just where Batman developed his need to “primarily [be] a night time thing” and not “a morning person.” This necessity clearly will lead on to the crime-fighter’s eventual creation of his cowled alter-ego, yet is rather intriguingly depicted as not being a lifestyle which automatically leads to the vigilante requiring to ‘go it alone.’ In fact, Taylor makes it crystal clear, through the lad’s bungled attempt to track “an accountant for two crime families”, that in Ducard’s eyes a successful gumshoe needs “to have friends who have your back” as “you can’t do it all on your own”. 

Quite possibly this publication’s most memorable moment though, is Andy Kubert’s superbly-pencilled clash between the two ‘old friends’ in London, “ten years ago.” A misunderstanding at the very start quickly escalates into the pair badly hurting one another before the Dark Knight gains the upper hand, and despite requiring a little assistance from Henri in order to stop the metropolis from being “engulfed in nuclear fire”, still ultimately arrests his former-mentor for all the cold-blooded assassinations he has carried out in the past.

Writer: Tom Taylor, Pencils: Andy Kubert, and Inks: Sandra Hope

Batman: The Detective #2 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE No. 2, July 2021

Despite being strangely devoid of any real physical action involving this comic’s titular character, Tom Taylor’s fascinating focus on portraying the Dark Knight as a keen investigator throughout this twenty-two page periodical still deservedly ensured Issue Two of “Batman: The Detective” was the twenty-third best-selling publication during May 2021 – at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”. In fact, considering just how well written this short-lived insight into Bruce Wayne’s relationship with his old teacher, Henri Ducard, arguably is, it’s perhaps surprising that this particular instalment concerning the Caped Crusader’s “European Adventure” didn’t sell more copies.

For starters, the Melbourne-born writer’s ability to depict the sheer mercilessness of the Equilibrium and the criminal organisation’s zealous determination to murder any person whom Batman has historically saved, really comes across when its leader decides to kill the utterly naïve Matthew. True, the idiotic minion doesn’t really generate much in the way of sympathy from the audience due to the fact that he had previously attempted to assassinate a bed-ridden Knight in hospital. But even so the goon’s sudden bullet to the head, simply because he would have died if the World’s Greatest Detective “hadn’t caught me” during his escape from the medical institution, is a truly horrifying moment.

Likewise the Australian author is very good at penning the somewhat tense atmosphere created by Wayne meeting up with his old mentor, Ducard, on a Paris-bound train. Both men clearly have a lot of mutual respect for one another. Yet it’s also very evident that Batman doesn’t agree with Henri’s amoral reputation as a killer within the criminal underworld, and as a result is extremely perturbed to accept his assistance; “But if it helps with your ethical conundrum here, just know more people will die without me. Also, I’ve been fully pardoned for all my known crimes.”

Admirably assisting this comic’s storytelling with some eye-catching visuals is Andy Kubert, whose pencils depicting both Matthew’s realisation that his own words have lethally sealed his fate and Ducard’s stunned amazement that he’s not as immortal as he perhaps thought, truly showcase their heightened emotions. In addition, Brad Anderson's colours help provide this book with some highly memorable action sequences, such as the splash page of Batman dangling the doomed Equilibrium stooge from the clock face of Big Ben during a sunset, or the partially-illuminated night-time chase scene between Bruce and Henri across the top of a "TurboTrain à Grande Vitesse" during a torrential downpour.

The regular cover art for "BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE" #2 by Andy Kubert & Brad Anderson

Batman: The Detective #1 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE No. 1, June 2021

Advertised by its Burbank-based publishers as “an epic tale… that will take Batman on a harrowing, action-packed European adventure”, Tom Taylor’s narrative for Issue One of “Batman: The Detective” certainly seems to deliver the goods with its carousel of high-octane explosions and insanely violent punch-ups. Indeed, there’s arguably a palpable vibe of Frank Miller’s highly entertaining mini-series “The Dark Knight Returns” to this comic’s super-heroic shenanigans, as the Caped Crusader battles seemingly insurmountable odds whilst simultaneously feeling the weight of both his years and exertions; “The pain doesn’t fade like it used to. The muscles, the scars, the memories. They ache. Just under the skin. A lifetime spent fighting.”

To begin with, the book’s army of white-costumed antagonists make it crystal clear straight from the start that they absolutely mean business by arranging for a plane load of innocent passengers to fatally crash on the West Pennine Moors, in Lancashire. This merciless mass-murder is incredibly impactive, and sets a sombre tone for each of the storyline’s subsequent set-pieces - Whether they be Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego and the new Squire facing off against a quartet of gun-toting killers inside London's multi-storey Tower Hospital, or Batman dodging a veritable hail of bullets simply so he can bat-a-rang one of his fleeing assailants and later interrogate the cowardly assassin.

However, perhaps this twenty-six page periodical’s most memorable moment comes when the Dark Knight saves Amina from a misshapen Gentlemen Ghost. Possibly transformed into a grotesque, spectral monster following his gorging upon the 146 passengers who “died here in absolute terror”, James Craddock has debatably never looked more a formidable foe than he does here when he savagely clasps the beating heart of a surprisingly slow-moving cowled vigilante, and disconcertingly perceives the one thing the crime-fighter is truly frightened of.

Packing this publication’s punch-ups with plenty of eye-wincing blows, kicks and bone-breaking impacts, is Andy Kubert, who genuinely helps depict Taylor’s incarnation of Batman as a world-weary champion for justice badly weighed down by his losses and apparent defeats. In addition, the American artist does an outstanding job of illustrating just how insanely vicious a fighter the titular character has needed to become these days whenever he is either outmatched or outnumbered by his younger, stronger opponents.

The regular cover art for "BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE" #1 by Andy Kubert & Brad Anderson