Batman’s allies are gone, but his mission is never over, when the demonic Deacon Blackfire kidnaps a boy the big bad Bat has to take to the sewers and save the young lad before Blackfire can corrupt him forever!
Title: Detective Comics #982 (The Cursing of Gotham City!)
Writer: Michael Moreci
Art: Sebastian Fiumara
Colors: Dave Stewart
Letters: Clem Robins
Publisher: DC Comics
What You Need to Know:
Following several bombshells (read Batmen Eternal, it was amazing!) the Belfry’s destruction and the insanity caused by Brother Eye, the Batmen disbanded. Despite his allies needing time and space to process, Batman’s mission never ends!
What You’ll Find Out:
We open on a nightmarish Batman interrogation of a homeless man turned Deacon Blackfire disciple, he ruminates on how easily he could’ve come to the same fate as this man, lost, alone, looking for guidance, in the thrall of a charismatic cult leader turned demon ghost monster fueled by worship. The man gives him no useful information to find the boy, and Batman continues in his quest, ending up in an abandoned subway tunnel.
As Batman walks the labyrinthine tunnels he senses someone nearby at that second a much larger disciple of Blackfire pops up behind him and grabs him in a chokehold (cue “Thank god for my Kevlar gorget” internal dialogue bubble a la 1997 Robin comics) and holds him down. Suddenly the spectral Deacon himself makes an appearance, and Batman realizes his mind is beginning to feel clouded and disoriented, the Deacon is beginning to effect his mind. Batman needs to focus on the task at hand if he’s going to find the boy!
Batman is already lost if he can’t find the strength to fight, the Deacon gains strength as belief in him grows, and he plans on using the kidnapped boy in order to attempt a resurrection, amassing enough power to reconstitute his physical form after being obliterated by the Spectre. (waaay back in Batman Eternal, incredible series) Batman has to find the motivation to fight, he needs to save the boy!
You’ll need to discover the rest of this issue for yourself! Pick up a copy of Detective #982 today!
What Just Happened?
Goodness, the one shot is a lost art, and this issue nailed it! This almost felt like a 1970’s issue of House of Horror or Phantom Stranger, super fun. I am a big fan of the era for DC Comics issues and it’s always a welcome change when an issue isn’t tailor made for a collection or crossover.
The art in this issue was a bit different than is common these days but is fantastically detailed particularly facial expressions and costumes, it’s always nice when they manage to portray a dark setting without it becoming drab. In particular, the Deacon himself looks phenomenal and there are some really evil looking monster shots, kudos to Sebastian Fiurama!
Don’t forget to check out writer Michael Moreci’s series from Vault Comics Wasted Space, with Cold War’s Hayden Sherman, super fun series that is only 2 issues in right now and well worth your time! Likewise, Fiurama is currently working on BPRD: The Devil You Know, which is a beautiful book.
Rating: 9.5/10
Final Thoughts:
What a cool issue, I hope to see more of this creative team on Detective in the future, it’ll be disappointing if it’s just this one issue, interested to see what the future brings for this title. You know what else I miss? B side stories, someone needs to bring those back! One shots and B stories, remnants of a bygone era…
If anyone ever wants to contact me, look me up in my groups for the love of comic books and New Fans, Old Comics, I also have several comic pages dedicated to my various true loves, Batman, Superman, Sword and Sorcery, Indie Comics, Spider-man, Marvel, Oldie Goldies, and Hats! (Long story on that last one haha) or on Twitter @johnbatusijack
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