Detective Comics #1079 Review

     

      

Written by: Ram V
Art by: Jason Shawn Alexander, Liam Sharp
Colors by: Dave Stewart
Letters by: Ariana Maher
Cover art by: Evan Cagle (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: December 12, 2023

Detective Comics #1079 finds Catwoman grappling with the failure of her plan to rescue Batman before he is publicly hanged. But did she fail?
Is Detective Comics #1079 Good?

Detective Comics #1079 brings Ram V's mini-arc to a close when Catwoman reveals her plan is not the plan you thought was the plan, but the real plan does indeed require Batman to be hanged. Ouch!

When last we left the temporary heist team, Azrael was sowing chaos in the streets, Lian, Jade, and Grundy freed the imprisoned citizens underground, Cass and Mr. Freeze were headed for the Reality Engine, and Catwoman took Arzen Orgham hostage as leverage to free Batman. Unfortunately, the Orghams have dedicated their life (or death) to the cause, so Batman was hanged.

Now, we learn Catwoman's hostage ploy was a dupe to keep everyone occupied while Batman's not-so-dead body could be spirited away. And that's it.

In truth, Catwoman's plan is clever enough that you won't see the twist coming. If you're into impossible heist stories, Ram V deserves credit for constructing a (almost) decent one.

What's great about Detective Comics #1079? Ram V displays an uncharacteristic amount of energetic pacing and satisfying plot development. The story moves fluidly, and the clever twist is clear. As a bonus, the path forward is in no way predictable, so this issue elevates curiosity for what comes next.

What's not so great about Detective Comics #1079? The nagging question from the lead-up to this arc still lingers. How were the Orghams allowed to get away with a public hanging without Commissioner Montoya or any authority figure stopping it? If Selina put a "no killing" rule in effect, how does that work when Azrael and Mr. Freeze have clearly killed multiple people in their respective parts of the plan? How was Selina able to "save" Batman when hanging combines asphyxiation with a broken neck? What the heck does the Reality Engine do?

In short, Ram V's mini-arc works in the moment, but the circumstances that created the scenario and the resolution don't make a whole lot of sense.

Backup Story

A ship headed for Gotham Harbor is plagued by a series of unexplained deaths. When a young mate witnesses the ship's special passenger is the Orgham Matriarch, he learns that death is necessary to put down assassins and keep secrets.

Dan Watters's regal arrival of the Orgham Matriarch to Gotham elevates the lethality of her character but doesn't do much else. The art is decent enough, and the character work is solid, but the outcome of this short is immaterial to the main story.

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 #1079 brings the "Let's Hang Batman" mini-arc to a close with clever twists, moody art, and an ending with potential. That said, everything surrounding the Orghams is a convoluted mess, and Catwoman's clever twist wasn't thought through.

6/10