Detective Comics #1077 Review

     

   

Written by: Ram V

Art by: Jason Shawn Alexander
Colors by: Dave Stewart
Letters by: Ariana Maher
Cover art by: Evan Cagle
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: November 15, 2023

Detective Comics #1077 continues Selina's recruitment drive to assemble a team capable of rescuing Batman from a public hanging by the Orghams.
Is Detective Comics #1077 Good?

Wonder of wonders. This is the second issue in a row within Ram V's increasingly troubled run that rises to the level of... okay. You're not going to be blown away, but you can at least see a clear plot, purpose, and direction in Selina's quest to rescue Batman.

When last we left Selina Kyle, she recruited Jim Gordon to help form a team capable of "stealing" Batman away from the Orghams before his scheduled hanging three days later. As the issue progressed, more players joined the eclectic group. Now, Selina picks up a few more strays (*ahem*) to complete the group takes with pulling off an impossible heist, including Eiko, Mr. Freeze, and Azrael. And that's about it.

It's amazing how Ram V's writing elevates to passingly okay when he dispenses with the pompous, flowery language and settles on a clear, purposeful plot. To be clear, the dialog is unnaturally poetic in spots, but on the whole, this issue is a significant improvement over the previous twelve months of laborious reading.

What's great about Detective Comics #1077? Less flowery, overwritten language and a cleaner, purposeful direction in the plot are just the shot in the arm this series needs. If Ram V can stay the course, this may be his best arc on Detective Comics yet.

What's not so great about Detective Comics #1077? The setup is ridiculous. Without explanation or an ounce of believability, Ram V would have readers accept that Batman is going to be marched out in public to be hanged, and not a single person (besides Selina's team) has enough will to speak up to stop it. Ram V, once again, asks readers to swallow too much without putting in the work to make the scenario plausible.

How's the art? Not bad, overall. Jason Shawn Alexander appears to be channeling Bill Sienkiewicz's style in some panels and almost makes it. In other panels, the work looks muddy and haphazard. This is the third artist on the title in as many months, so either the scripts are being reworked too quickly for a regular artist to keep up, or something odd is going on.

Backup Story

There's a backup story that serves as an impromptu mother/daughter therapy session between Jade and Lien. If you want more insight into their troubled relationship, this backup is fine, but you'll probably get more from the currently running Green Arrow series.


About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces:

Detective Comics #1077 takes another big step toward cleaning up this series's act by toning down the bloated language and focusing on a clear, directed plot. Setting up a heist to save Batman is an intriguing idea worth following, and the art is mostly good.

6.0/10