Review – Batman: The Detective #2
Written by Tom Taylor
Illustrated, inked and coloured by Andy Kubert, Sandy Hope & Brad Anderson
Published by DC Comics
Released in May, 2021
SUMMARY
Batman: The Detective #2 is the second issue of a brand new and gritty Batman series. Written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by Andy Kubert with inks and colours by Sandy Hope & Brand Anderson.
This elaborate game of chess continues, and it’s the Bat’s move. With a hired goon of the mysterious Equilibrium bugged and on the run across Europe, Batman follows in the shade. In a game of chess, pieces must be sacrificed for the greater good. However, in this game, the line between good and evil is often blurred.
ART
Good artwork compliments a narrative. Great artwork creates its own narrative surrounding the existing narrative. This series does both! Without getting into spoilers, two pages of the artwork beautifully subvert the readers expectations with the use of combined colour, shading and illustrations from Kubert, Hope and Anderson.
Anderson’s use of colour against Hope’s well of black ink throughout this comic is gorgeously grotesque and grandiose, weaving a murderous mystery backdrop for the caped crusader to unravel. A haunting blood red sky hanging over a stage of lavishly decrepit brown and gold cities in England and Europe. Like a Ripperesque Lowry painting.
WRITING
Similar to the first issue of this series, Taylor knows when to be humorous. Too little and you begin to take the story and characters too seriously, too much and you start to question the stakes of the situation at hand. A perfect balance of goofy and gritty dialogue.
Crucially, we learn more about the mysterious antagonist and by god are they interesting and unique. Callous but cool and inhume yet intelligent, this could very well be the new Moriarty to Batman’s Sherlock Holmes. Making for a very interesting and battle of prestigious wits and hits.
OVERALL
In conclusion, Batman: The Detective #2 is a step in the right direction and I am so excited to see where this series can go. The addition of some of Batman’s rogue roster from all over the globe makes for fresh and engaging world building as well as fine fan-service, you don’t need to recognise them to understand and relate to them.
A fantastic blend of noir-like darkness and Ripperesque reconnaissance, this issue understands what it means to be Batman, The Detective.
[yasr_multiset setid=1]
[yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1]
Let us know in the comments your thoughts on Batman: The Detective #2, who you’d like to see from the rogue gallery of Batman and be sure to read my review of the first issue, Batman: The Detective #1!
Buy tickets for BGCP Comic Con in and around Glasgow Scotland – BUY TICKETS
Check out all of our Comic, Movie, Television and Videogame Reviews HERE and our Podcasts/Interviews HERE
If you want to be part of the BGCP community, Join us on Discord, Twitter, Instagram etc then click HERE
