Detective Comics #1108: Birds, Wings, and All That

Issue #1108 of Detective Comics picks up where #1107 left off, with Batman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow in the graveyard of their old teammate and mysterious new character Prion. In terms of storyline, the issue ping-pongs between the past and present early before settling into the setup for its next issue. The groundwork is laid out for the new storyline here, and it gives the previous Detective Comics #1107 a lot more nuance in retrospect.

The issue’s strength is in its three principal characters. Each of which is characterized differently and true to their roots that fans associate them with. Batman is dry and intelligent, Green Arrow has his roguish charm, and Black Canary is the heart of their trio. The dialogue interplay between all three characters is handled smoothly, contributing to how each of them feels like a distinct character rather than an inserted voice of Tom Taylor as the writer. Some of the credit for that lands on the letters by Wes Abbott, which move easily across the page and avoid hindering the readable flow of the storyline.

While Pete Woods drew and colored the last issue on their own, two notable additions join the art team for #1108: Bruno Abdias (DC’s Kal-El-Fornia Love) on art and Lee Loughridge (The Batman Adventures) on colors. The difference comes out in the characters, who have more detail to them and seem less like cutouts pasted onto the page. The line art is noticeably improved with more consistent spacing between the characters and their environments. There is more variety to the panel arrangement too, all of which serves to make the issue a more accessible read and to improve the pacing considerably. Another upgrade in quality worth pointing out is the coloring, which is much more rounded out and less blended in shades compared to the previous issue.