Detective Comics #1058: The Tower Falls

The Tower may have only begun three months ago, but its 12-issue length has made it feel all but never-ending. Detective Comics #1058 dispelled that notion by concluding Shadows of the Bat once and for all.

With Scarecrow’s plot to take over Arkham Tower nixed, the Bat Family moved to secure Psycho-Pirate, who was pursued by a vengeful Penguin. Elsewhere, Mr. and Mrs. Mayor Nakano addressed their respective nightmare experiences with Arkham Tower, a story Deb Donovan reiterated for the readers via a fictional op-ed. Finally, the issue’s cover is explained as the next major Batman villain makes his presence known.

If that plot summary seems to betray a razor-thin issue, it is because it does. After weeks of crowded issues, The Tower’s finale lazes along as a sort of extended recap. Little is achieved in the way of narrative advancement; the audience is still in the dark over Scarecrow’s unfulfilled endgame and the specifics of how Koyuki Nakano saved the day. This is after Batman unceremoniously hijacked an arc predicated on his absence.

The Tower will go down as a story of two parts. Unfortunately, it was only the beginning that delivered.

If the empty calorie plot achieves one thing, it is giving Amancay Nahuelpan room to draw. The artist’s action sequences of either Batgirl may just be the visual high points of this entire lengthy yarn.

Like its A-side, House of Gotham also concluded this week. The protagonist used his carefully gathered villainous allies to set up a climactic showdown between himself, Batman, and the Joker in ‘Tec #1057. This week, he put Batman in the unfamiliar position of defending his arch-rival. The conclusion is a shock but marks House of Gotham as more of a commentary on the human cost of Batman’s crusade than an actual comic book story.