Detective Comics #1080 Review

    

      

Written by: Ram V
Art by: Jason Shawn Alexander, Mike Perkins
Colors by: Dave Stewart
Letters by: Ariana Maher
Cover art by: Evan Cagle
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: December 26, 2023

Detective Comics #1080 deals with the aftermath of Batman's rescue via Catwoman's crew. How far will the Orghams go to retrieve their prize?
Is Detective Comics #1080 Good?

After a time, it's fair to ask how many issues of Detective Comics in a row can DC publish where Batman is barely in it. I don't know the answer, but if the main story's ending in Detective Comics #1080 is a clue, we have quite a few to go.

When last we left Catwoman, she staged a daring (and not quite believable) rescue of Batman after a public hanging by the Orghams by giving him a drug that made him seem dead. While Catwoman's crew unleashed chaotic distractions across the city, she stole the "body."

Now, the jig is up as Jim Gordon and Selina desperately race out of Gotham City with Batman's "body" before the Orghams catch up. The escape works, for now, with the help of a two-faced gangster, carefully placed snipers and explosives, and a rival beloved. However, Batman's road to resurrection is just beginning, but the focus now turns to Commissioner Montoya and her quest to find out who murdered Detective Henry Fielding.

If the setup is taken at face value, the next arc will focus on The Question's mission to solve the murder of one of her good detectives. That means a goodly chunk of Ram V's remaining tenure on the title will be another arc focusing on somebody other than Batman.

What's great about Detective Comics #1080? By far, the coolest part of this issue is Two-Face's entrance. Up to this point, Ram V has presented the Orghams as an unstoppable group, always two steps ahead of their adversaries. It's nice to see the uber-powerful family eat a little humble pie.

What's not so great about Detective Comics #1080? Except for the realization that Batman is barely a player in his own comic, the pacing in this issue drags to a crawl in several spots. Ram V's ponderous, flowery narration is back with a vengeance to make a brief series of events draw out three times longer than necessary.

How's the art? Inconsistent. Jason Shawn Alexander and Mike Perkins are backing up each other in Detective Comics #1080, and it's clear which artist handled which panel or page. Sometimes the details look great. Other times, an entire panel is rendered with loose paint strokes, which is a no-no for a $4.99 comic.


Backup Story

Damian Wayne recalls a story about a warrior's quest to cross a desert with a demon tethered to his soul. The story gives Damian repeated nightmares that even his techniques in lucid dreaming can't eliminate. At ten years old, Damian is still afraid.

Dan Watters's tale about Damian's dreams is an interesting insight into Damian's personal mind, but that's about it. This short has no connection to the main story or develops Damian beyond what you already know about the character.

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 #1080 gets Batman out of Gotham City to begin a period of reconstruction for the city and the hero. Ram V's script has one or two cool moments, and the possibilities are intriguing, but the poor pacing and inconsistent art are a bummer.

6.5/10