The Orgham family killed Batman, sent him to the desert, and made the people of Gotham forget they needed him. Now, he’s back and ready to take back his city. It’s an epic setup that continues to build in Detective Comics #1086.
This issue is all about setting up the Orgham’s next move. The issue opens with Batman beating up a bunch of goons who work for Two-Face. Soon, he’s connecting with him, and another domino falls in Batman’s favor. He’s getting an edge, so the Orghams must react. Ram V and Stefano Raffaele don’t hold back on Orgham’s plan, which leads to compelling captions that remind us a family of power stays in power via controlling the narrative.
Along the way, Batman interacts with several different allies and some villains. Definitive seeds are being planted here to play out later.
Another element that works is Commissioner Gordon, who argues the police need Batman to act when they can’t. As the narrative visits the vigilante heroes, weirdo villains, and those in power, we get a strong sense of what the police on the ground are seeing.
The Batman strikes!
Credit: DC Comics
There’s also a check-in with Joker, who continues to be a big question mark in this story. Each of the last issues has had him appear in some way as if he’s necessary to bring Gotham back to where it is meant to be. It’s still a big mystery, but interestingly, his chaotic nature seems to be a key to getting the Orgham family out of Gotham.
All told, this is a heavy table-setting issue. It’s mostly setup, which includes the introduction of a new villain named Shadow Angel. It’s so quickly introduced it’s hard to gather their importance, but they’re a major factor in the Orgham family plans.
This issue also features a backup by Alex Paknadel, and Lisandro Estherren focused on Two-Face. Or, more accurately, one of his henchmen who messed up and needs to be punished. Or does he? The story delves into Two-Face’s dual personality and how it can sometimes lead the villain to more righteous choices.
In a key scene, the creative team strikingly shows how Two-Face can argue with himself, leading to a courtroom drama inside his own head. It’s a neat way to convey the personalities arguing.
Detective Comics #1086 builds towards a war with vigilante heroes preparing for a battle with the Orghams and their army.
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