Detective Comics #1002: Profess Your Fealty. Join My Crusade.

The battle is on between the Arkham Knight and the Dark Knight with Detective Comics #1002. While the fight may not be as decisive as they wanted, there are some stunning developments and a cliffhanger that will have fans undoubtedly excited for what’s to come.

Tomasi had quite an undertaking with Detective Comics first building up to the historic issue #1000 followed immediately by the introduction of the Arkham Knight into comic lore, but he has so far delivered these stories with relative ease. As an industry veteran, this consistency can be expected. The stories have been solid and uniquely entertaining, and issue #1002 is no exception.

We start with a duel between the foes in the middle of the day. This setting was a strange choice, but it actually helps to show that Batman really is out of his element. It’s a storytelling decision that provides insight into the talent of the creative team, showing that Batman may not truly be prepared for this new enemy. When the crossfire situation occurs and they are both forced to step down, the issue shifts from an action-packed thriller to a mystery that finds Robin tracking down remaining evidence. This shift is interesting because it opens up the story by taking the focus away from Batman for almost the entire last half of the issue. Some may complain about this, but I found it to be a welcome addition. The Detective Comics series has generally utilized the Batfamily more effectively in the past, so hopefully this represents a trend in bringing in other characters close to the Dark Knight.

Speaking of other people who are close to Batman, the identity of the Arkham Knight is absolutely going to be a shocking reveal. While it is unfortunate that we won’t find out who he is until next issue, he seems to have inside knowledge on Batman and even appears to have similar training. Regardless, the attempted recruitment of Robin into the Arkham Knight’s “crusade” adds an extra twist that will only make the eventual reveal that much more interesting. Surrounded by some of Batman’s most notorious villains and artwork featuring Batman and the many Robins who have helped him over the years, the Arkham Knight appears to be aiming for something much more personal with his plans.

The artistic direction has certainly changed since Mahnke was on board, but that isn’t to say it is bad or unappealing. It’s just different. The daytime battle between Batman and the Arkham Knight was beautiful thanks to some fairly imaginative coloring decisions, but the highlight was Robin’s capture and brief imprisonment. Robin is handled really well and the cliffhanger visual is one that will stick with you long after reading the issue.

Overall, Detective Comics #1002 is a great example of a solid continuation. It has everything you want in a Detective Comics book including a few surprises here and there. The arc is quickly proving to be something that may read better in the TPB format, but the pacing is enjoyable enough to keep me excited for the next issue.

Next – the reveal of the Arkham Knight! Will the creative team take direct inspiration from the hit video game or will we discover someone else entirely behind the mask? Exciting things are in store!