Between crafting a new villain and forcing Batman to battle a virus that takes away his fear, Detective Comics has a lot of intriguing things going on. Writer Tom Taylor and artist Mikel Janin are pushing Batman, an agent of fear, into new, dangerous situations. In Detective Comics #1104, contingency plans are put in place to protect Bruce and his Bat-family.
Detective Comics #1104 marks part four of “The Courage That Kills” storyline, opening with Batman ready to swing into the night off a tall building. Taylor’s captions capture Bruce’s perspective as he contemplates jumping and knowing full well that a tinge of fear keeps him alive. He may have shot his grappling gun a thousand times, but the fear needs to be there. This line of thinking helps establish that Batman is fully aware that, once the fear is gone due to the virus, he’ll be far less safe.
This issue does two things very well. One is capturing meaningful moments between Batman and the important relationships in his life. That includes Damian, Superman, and even Catwoman. Not only does this remind us of the bonds Batman has, but it adds some emotional stakes as Batman closes in on the virus taking full effect, and maybe even killing him. The second element is cooking up a cool new Batman costume and throwing Batman into battle with it.
Epic art!
Credit: DC Comics
Janin does a great job with the new bat-suit, which is bulky and gives him a bruiser look. The concept is to keep the virus inside the suit to prevent it from spreading. A new wrinkle, which Taylor uses to convey a slight disadvantage for Batman in hand-to-hand combat.
Customary of this story arc, the plot isn’t moving very quickly. Sure, there’s an interesting fight to start, a big climax-level fight to end the issue, but the Lion continues to be a mystery and incapable of being caught. There’s the promise in the very last panel that we’ll get more next issue, but this story arc has a classic decompression feel.
As far as art, Janin crushes, especially in the first three pages. Batman looks practically mythic in his blue costume, swinging from a rooftop and then taking on a goon in a creative nine-panel grid. Character acting is on point in the intimate scenes with Batman’s family and friends, and the general stage set for the climax in a corn field is well rendered and easy to follow. There are times where the art looks a little unfinished or at least unrefined for Janin at his prime, but we’re four issues in, so what can you expect?
Detective Comics #1104 excels at exploring Batman’s psychology and relationships while reinforcing the danger of stripping fear from a hero built on it. Though the overarching plot inches forward at a deliberate pace, the emotional weight, striking visuals, and inventive costume design keep this chapter engaging. It’s a strong installment that deepens the arc even if it’s still saving its biggest punches for later.
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