Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Detective Comics #1 Review

By Dan Horn
September 7, 2011 - 15:21

I've decided to review Detective Comics #1 first this week for one reason: recently, I'd said pass on this book due to Daniel's unimpressive track record on the Batman series. I, myself, often ignore my own advice, and thus picked up this first issue of the iconic title's reboot to get a better feel for where Tony Daniel was going with this fresh start. After reading Detective Comics #1, I have to admit to being utterly impressed. Tony may make a believer out of me yet.

In Detective #1, Batman (and only Batman, really; only a faint glimmer of his Bruce Wayne persona appears in one scene) is hot on the trail of a serial killer, the Joker, whose erratic M.O. has been hard to peg for the past six years. When a new succession of murders performed with uniform methodology hits Gotham City's fetid underbelly and the Joker is implicated, Batman closes in on his quarry even as a bigger picture unfolds around him. Is Joker the killer or the next victim in this new string of grisly homicides? The answer may just shock you, as well as baffle you.

This issue is an absolutely explosive debut. It hit every note that a Batman comic book launch should: a dense narrative, dynamic action sequences, dark imagery, mystery, and, of course, Batman vs. Joker. Even Daniel's artwork seems to have a new found uniformity and creativity, and Winn's inks and Morey's colors compliment that creativity perfectly. There are some gorgeous and impressive layouts and panels in this issue, and noticeably less inconsistencies than Daniel's work on other titles. Detective #1 feeds into a larger arc, but this issue is neither meandering nor a lethargic origin tale. It gets right to the heart of the character and this new story without wasting any time, building this new Batman from the ground up without using flashbacks, dream sequences, or other cliches, which is a rare feat for Tony Daniel.

The rebooted Batman hasn't changed a whole lot, it seems. He's at odds with the law again, as I suppose all of the heroes are now, but he still has ties to Commissioner Gordon; he's still opulent playboy Bruce Wayne by day; he's still got Alfred watching after him. This is simply a rejuvenation, and an admirable one at that. Batman's got quite an accrual of continuity in the old DC Universe, but this reboot seems to be proving that, as long as we stay true to the core of the character, everything works out for the best in the end.

In terms of value, this book had so much more to it than Justice League #1 did and Detective #1 costs a dollar less. This is, however surprisingly, the book to follow from here on. Tony Daniel, this has been me eating my own words.

Rating: 9 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12