After celebrating 1,100 issues, Detective Comics is diving into a new story arc titled “The Courage That Kills” in Detective Comics #1101. Courage and fear are big elements of Batman, and it seems a new threat is going to put those elements to the test as Bruce encounters a silent killer. How do you catch a killer who can’t be seen?
Detective Comics #1101 is an eerie issue right from the start. It opens “Then” with a young boy being told to hide. His father is clearly some criminal, but he’s just a kid, and that’s his dad. Soon, he’s yanked through a window, and what looks like Batman is flying him off. It’s unclear whether this Batman is literal or the child’s interpretation, but Mikel Janín renders him in a supernatural manner that’s quite exciting.
The story then cuts to the present, with the same establishing shot of Gotham, now colored darkly and shrouded in fog that envelops the city. We soon learn that much of this issue is set on a boat in Gotham Harbor, a rare location for any Batman book. The eeriness intensifies when bodies are spotted in the water and a ghost ship crashes into a party boat. It’s evident writer Tom Taylor and Janín are delivering the perfect blend of supernatural and scares right in time for Halloween.
Cool rendering of Batman here.
Credit: DC Comics
This issue lives up to the title’s name, with Batman immediately in detective mode once he brings a woman to safety. There are clues to think about as Batman tries to figure out how so many could be dead. I, for one, was intrigued by what could be going on here, especially since the threat isn’t punching him, but attacking in a brand new way.
While the story technically doesn’t have a lot to it, the cold open, the boat sequence, and the closing scene had Janín and Taylor fully invested in every aspect of what Batman uncovers. The bigger-picture threat is also unique and an interesting one, mainly because we’ve all survived COVID, and it seems a danger of that caliber could be coming to Gotham. The final few pages perfectly add a ticking clock and the stakes that should make the story exciting to continue in later issues.
Detective Comics #1101 kicks off “The Courage That Kills” with an eerie, horror-tinged mystery that feels both timely and fresh. Tom Taylor and Mikel Janín create a chilling mood piece that leans into Batman’s detective roots while teasing a new kind of villainy, setting the stage for a story arc that could redefine courage and fear in Gotham. Bottom line, this latest story arc feels fresh while living up to the legacy of Batman detective stories.
You must be logged in to post a comment.