Detective Comics #1035

[thwhtGuardian]

Mariko Tamaki continues to weave a truly atmospheric mystery with her second issue in what I'm hoping is a very long run. In the second installment we get more great character interactions between Bruce and his neighbor Ms.Donovan, a larger peak at the pressure newly elected Mayor Nankano is under, Batman's unraveling relationship with the police escalates further, and we're teased with a deeper conspiracy behind what otherwise would have come off as a straight forward homicide. The questions Bruce asks about the police reaction time in finding Sarah nearly as quickly as he did and why the Mayor decided to fill that section of sewer with concrete before either the police or Batman could fully investigate the area give you a great sense of growing paranoia with each page and with the added mystery of regular people suddenly acting hyper-violently it begins to turn into a deep conspiracy and the list of who could be behind it all is incredibly tantalizing. I absolutely love that Tamaki has taken Bruce's world and made it smaller again, Gotham City isn't about to be destroyed by some big event here, it's just a single case but it feels all the more dangerous because the scale makes it feel much more real.

[prepmaster]

You dont need to write a paragraph about an investigation of a murder mystery. "mystery", "conspiracy", "mystery", "conspiracy". I bursted out laughing when they said "Batman is the suspect". I like the Huntress backup story more than the main detective one.

[thwhtGuardian]

The back up is good, I especially liked how it was woven into the main story with appearances by Huntress in the back ground.

And saying Batman was a suspect fits into the larger anti-mask plotline so I'm not sure why you felt it was out of place.

[prepmaster]

And saying Batman was a suspect fits into the larger anti-mask plotline so I'm not sure why you felt it was out of place.

Because Batman would be the last person whom you suspect to be accounted for a murder. He doesnt even kill his villains.

The GCPD is inffecient against supervillains and their minions (Joker, Bane, Riddler, etc...) and crimes are still rampant but when it comes to Batman, the police pursue him like theres no tomorrow. They become competent against Batman specifically for some reason. They cant prevent crimes committed by other villains and their minions and let all those criminals slip under their radar but like to chase after Batman.

Then you have all these Gothamites showing their support for mass murderers like Punchline, Bane. The anti mask narrative is such a contradictory mess. Its anti vigilante but somehow still tolerate those show their support for villains. Criminals with masks, not our priorities. Vigilantes with masks, thats whom we should shoot.

[Captain Nostalgia]

I primarily picked the issue up for the Huntress backstory....hopefully it becomes an ongoing feature in Detective Comics.

spoilers:

I'm looking forward to the payback!

end of spoilers

[thwhtGuardian]

Because Batman would be the last person whom you suspect to be accounted for a murder. He doesnt even kill his villains.

The GCPD is inffecient against supervillains and their minions (Joker, Bane, Riddler, etc...) and crimes are still rampant but when it comes to Batman, the police pursue him like theres no tomorrow. They become competent against Batman specifically for some reason. They cant prevent crimes committed by other villains and their minions and let all those criminals slip under their radar but like to chase after Batman.

Then you have all these Gothamites showing their support for mass murderers like Punchline, Bane. The anti mask narrative is such a contradictory mess. Its anti vigilante but somehow still tolerate those show their support for villains. Criminals with masks, not our priorities. Vigilantes with masks, thats whom we should shoot.

...You do realize it's fiction right? If they were super competent when it comes to super criminals there wouldn't be a need for Batman, but in this narrative they have to be a threat to Batman and so they are competent. It's not something new, nor does it present a real contradiction.

[prepmaster]

If they were super competent when it comes to super criminals there wouldn't be a need for Batman, but in this narrative they have to be a threat to Batman and so they are competent. It's not something new, nor does it present a real contradiction.

Until another attack orchestrated by another supervillain where the GCPD dont go out to shoot the minions of the villain but shoot Batman on sight.

How they shoot Batman on sight but never allow mass murderers to be executed is beyond me.

Let's shoot the guy who never kills but not shoot / execute those that are guilty of murder.