Something sinister is happening beneath the underbelly of the streets of Gotham, reports of women that share similar physical traits have gone missing.
Unknown to Batman, Mr. Freeze is prepping for an experiment that could potentially bring his wife to life, but what does Freeze want with the other women? Why is he organizing these kidnappings? Will Batman intercept Mr. Freeze in time before the hostages suffer a chilling fate?
Finally! We’re getting to the good stuff that I think everyone has been wanting to see which was teased in the last arc. Not that I didn’t enjoy the filler arc prior, because it had a ton of great moments, but it kept teasing what Mr. Freeze was up to while Batman was away. This was exciting to see because readers haven’t seen Tomasi tackle Freeze within a mainline Batman book, which is exciting for many reasons. One, thankfully, DC did away with that terrible New 52 Mr. Freeze backstory where he is a psychopath rather than the origin that cemented him as a popular character. It is really nice to see Mr. Freeze return to his original roots as an ill-fated scientist yearning to cure his wife from the icy coma that she is in.
Now in regards to the issue, Tomasi lays the groundwork as to why Mr. Freeze is organizing this operation of kidnappings as it ties heavily toward his goal within this arc. Some of the best moments are with Mr. Freeze’s goons who are just trying to do their job and doing it horribly in hilarious fashion. There are some nice moments where readers get to see Batman as he is investigating the case, listening to GCPD radio conversations. I think some of the best things about this issue is how it pays attention to continuity, acknowledging the events that occurred in The Batman Who Laughs and the current City of Bane arc in the main Batman title. This is great because it shows that not only is Tomasi showcasing his care for continuity, but helps to cement where Batman is throughout all of the various titles that are published. There is more to the story that readers will discover that will make it a delightful read for them.
In regards to the art department, Mahnke, Mendoza, and Baron as an art team is solid as always. WIth Mahnke delivering delicious pencils that never fail to hit the mark of visual appeal. Add on Mendoza’s inks that deliver gothic goodness, Baron’s atmospheric colors, and Rob Leigh’s letters, and you’ll end up receiving a visual treat perfectly suited for a Batman book of its caliber. I think it’s a no brainer to say that this is a book that you should add to your pull list as Detective Comics continues to prove why it is the most solid Batman book out there again and again. Pick it up for new comic book day!
Newsdesk