Detective Comics #1057: An End in Sight

Regardless of format, 12 issues will always represent a colossal story.  With that in mind, part 11 of The Tower is the beginning of the end of an event that began months ago.  As such, the issue starts to put a bow on the disasters that have plagued Arkham Tower since its introduction.  Detective Comics #1057 addresses Batman’s return to Gotham as well as Scarecrow’s most ambitious scheme yet.

The issue begins with the revelation that last week’s attack on Koyuki Nakano and Psycho-Pirate ended in the loss of the latter’s Medusa Mask.  Scarecrow, now in possession of the mask, could conceivably use the its manipulative powers to take his power over terror to new heights.  Elsewhere, the Penguin and the Party Crashers alike ramp up their efforts to collect on the late Dr. Wear’s heavy debts.

The issue continues to show yet another faceoff between Huntress and Anna Vulsion, perhaps for the last time.  The two have traded blows several times over the course of The Tower, and the sequences have delivered each time despite numerous changes to the art team.  

Finally, Batman and co. have a showdown with Scarecrow at the climax of the issue.  The penultimate installment of the arc ends with a huge hint on the nature of next week’s payoff.

Detective Comics #1057 suffers somewhat from the sort of overcrowding that is commonplace near the end of events.  At least three characters only contribute to the plot via action sequences, which struggles to justify their introduction in last week’s issue beyond shock value.  As per usual, Amancay Nahuelpan translates Tamaki’s action-packed script into great, easily understood interior artwork.  Between Nahuelpan, Max Raynor, and Ivan Reis, The Tower has consistently excelled on the aesthetic side.

Also in its penultimate chapter is House of Gotham, the backup feature by Matthew Rosenberg.  The unnamed protagonist collects the array of allies he has gathered throughout a lifetime spent in the crossfire of Gotham’s heroes and villains.  Now, he takes action against his perceived tormentors.  House of Gotham has had a better handle on weekly pacing than the main story, perhaps thanks to its abridged length.  Readers will be eager to see what the future holds for this new character.