Written by: Ram V
Art by: Stefano Raffaele
Colors by: Lee Loughridge
Letters by: Ariana Maher
Cover art by: Evan Cagle
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: May 28, 2024
Detective Comics #1085 sends a reinvigorated Batman into the dark corners of Gotham as he sets a plan in motion to take back the city from the Orghams.
Is Detective Comics #1085 Good?
When last we left the Caped Crusader in Detective Comics #1084, Batman returned to Gotham with a new attitude and a new quest to tear down the Orghams' operation, one brick at a time. The issue ends with Catowman contacting the Joker to ensure Batman's crusade doesn't end with the Dark Knight dying... again.
In Detective Comics #1085, Catwoman persuades Joker that it's time for him to get off his butt and help rid Gotham of the Orghams. Since the enigmatic family came to town, the streets of Gotham have been bright, clean, and happy. And a happy city has no need for a clown.
Elsewhere, Batman takes Jim Gordon to sit in the control chair of one of his safehouses to provide intelligence and monitor communication channels while he pulls off his latest move. Batman sets off non-lethal explosives outside Blackgate Prison to create a distraction, while he visits the Maestro inside with a specific request - use the black noise tones from the mysterious music box to create a symphony that puts Azmer to sleep.
Later, Batman visits Mr. Freeze in the bowels of Gotham with a request. Freeze recently stole a device from the Orghams that mimics the reach and control of the Reality Engine. Batman believes, that when the time is right, Freeze can use what he stole to freeze the Orghams' Azmer Army.
The issue ends with the Orghams' recruiting help who is very familiar with fear.
Backup Story
Mr. Freeze visits Magda for a special request - to help him remember whether or not there are good people worth sparing. Magda reminds Freeze there are good people, but a last-minute request from Magda confirms Magda isn't one of them. Freeze takes appropriate steps.
What's great about Detective Comics #1085? It appears Ram V has no choice but to get moving and actually do something about the Orghams before he's officially off the book in September. Batman's plan to take back Gotham is calculated, methodical, and happening right under the Orghams' noses. This isn't the best Batman story in the world, but at least it's headed in the right direction.
What's not so great about Detective Comics #1085? Long-standing questions continue to linger without answers, and the growing concern is that Ram V is out of time to answer them. What is Azmer? Black Noise is the almost total absence of sound, so how can you build a music box using it? How is Maestro supposed to create an anti-symphony to counteract nothing? How does black noise put Azmer to sleep if you can't hear it?
What was the point of building Orgham Place if it was meant to be blown up? What was Orgham Place, anyway?
The more you noodle over the extent of Ram V's run, the more you realize this series has the same problem as every Ram V series - poor pacing, symbolic plot points that go nowhere, and a general story concept that boils down to pretentious junk.
What about the backup? It adds nothing to the main story and lacks substance.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Final Thoughts
Detective Comics #1085 puts Batman on the offensive as he methodically starts assembling what he needs to take back Gotham. This is the most active Batman has been in over a year, and the series feels like it has purpose when moving into Ram V's final issues, but the metric tons of unanswered questions and go-nowhere plot points continue to go unaddressed.
5/10
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
Connect With Us Here: Weird Science DC Comics / Weird Science Marvel Comics
If you're interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.
Every time I read a detective story, I am filled with fear but for some reason I still find reading it really dinosaur game captivating.
ReplyDelete