Detective Comics #990 Review

About Face
Writer: James RobinsonArtist: Stephen Segovia, Ivan Plascencia, Allen Passalaqua, and Rob LeighCover Price: $3.99Release Date: October 10, 2018
While I have enjoyed James Robinson on this book since he jumped on for this little stint before Peter Tomasi takes over, I thought that the last issue took a bit of a step backward from the start.  Maybe it was just me, but the story seemed to focus a bit too much on the Fireflies and not enough on Two-Face.   I understand that must be Robinson's plan, but I want more Two-Face, dammit!!!  Since the cliffhanger involved old Harvey Dent, I am hoping my wish comes true this issue and I am fully back on the trolley.  Well, am I?  Let's find out...
Things look good right off the bat as we get a pretty awesome dual panel of Batman and Two-Face.  The art in this issue looks really good throughout, but Stephen Segovia really flies out of the gate with one of the best-looking pages I've seen in a while!

The scene itself is quick and lets James Robinson introduce or remind (depending on your knowledge) the reader a bit of the Batman/Two-Face dynamic.  I can't say I liked Batman's dialogue here ("I've battled New Gods, Man!"), but that has been hit or miss in this entire arc.

The scene ends in a big explosion and after Harvey escapes, we head to the mansion where Duke shows up to give Brice some intel.  I have praised Robinson for doing more to get Batman's overall current continuity into his story, but this scene with Duke is forced, feels a bit silly and made me roll my eyes more than once.  Duke does tell Batman about Kobra and the fact that Two-Face has multiple hideouts, but when he announces that he is better at being the Signal and namedrops the Outsiders, it was just too much.  He came off as an actor entering a scene, saying his lines and then exiting stage left.

This does set up the next scene where Kobra tries to take over the GCPD.  There is a big firefight and a couple big names might be dead, if not for...I won't spoil that part!  It all leads to the ending with Batman and Gordon trying to get on the same page as far as Two-Face is concerned and Batman getting a step ahead of Two-Face and setting up a possible team-up I would love to see.

Well, we do get more Two-Face, but three issues in and it still feels like the story hasn't actually started.  I hope Robinson can tie things together going forward as well because what we got here makes a lot of what we already read feel a bit pointless.  I loved the art in this issue (to repeat myself), but the dialogue, lack of progression and forced moments make this my least favorite of this arc so far.

Bits and Pieces:

We get a little more Two-Face in this issue, but unfortunately, we also get some forced dialogue and situations that still don't push the overall narrative forward by much.  The issue looks great, but I need some more story going forward.  Hopefully, that starts next issue.

6.0/10