Detective Comics #1073 is the shockwaves of an explosion.

[thanekos]

The explosion was the climax of #1072 - it was Batman's choice, his taking of a " sacrifice yourself to save Gotham City " offer.

The explosion was the detonation of Orgham Tower, to the shock of the crowd gathering around the opening of that symbol built on the grounds where Arkham Asylum'd stood until A-Day. It was also, to the expectation of Batman and the plan of the man who'd offered him the choice, nothing that affected the villain's lair directly under it.

The next step in the work that villain was shepherding unfolded - one of his associates, tied to the family Orgham of Svatrstal in a lesser degree than he was, came on the air.





" How many disasters laid at his feet? How many villains made in his shadow? "



The masked man repudiated Batman's assessment of his move.



(The Serpent's power was demonstrated in issue #1067 - it works through broadcast mediums as well.

Nightwing was saving people from the explosion and its aftermath.)

Elsewhere, Oracle was keeping an eye on the situation - when Arclight of the Vigil, who'd come to her previously in issue #1070, came again.

He fried her equipment that was relaying the Serpent's message:



He described again the Orgham family's plan to shape the " design, populace, history, and circumstance " of Gotham along the lines they wanted.

" This move.. is the beginning ", he said. Others perceived that.



(The first " we " is the Vigil.

The praying fellow's Jean-Paul Valley - the backup stories that've been part of this Detective Comics run will, at least in October 2023's issue #1077, include more Dan-Watters-written-Azrael.)

Back under the exploded Orgham Tower, Batman fought his foe.



Arzen Orgham, the face under the mask, the face of the Orgham family's public work in Gotham City - and the steward of their private work - reeled at Batman's knowledge of his identity.

(Arzen's sincere friendship with Bruce Wayne does not include any suspicion that Bruce is Batman.)



" .. but not in the way that you think. "

(Batman's relating what he learnt from Talia al Ghul in issue #1071.)

" You presume to know things beyond your understanding, Batman. " said Arzen, power from his Orgham upbringing surging through him.

" Enough! " he cried, and laid into Batman.

" You think you know everything. You see everything.. ten steps ahead.

" Tell me, then..



" There's no use fighting it, Batman. " said Arzen.

" Better men than you have tried to break free of the azmer. "

One of the spirit-tools of the Orghams was in Batman now..



.. and a greater spirit was reaching out to Batman: ' .. you are still up to your clever tricks. '

As in issue #1062, the demon Barbatos came to Batman.

Batman slipped Arzen's grasp with his tricks, ran upwards to Gotham aboveground as he fell downwards through his psyche.



(Taking this concurrent with the main " Batman " book, you can easily imagine Barbatos reaching out to Bruce and getting the Zur-En-Arrh personality instead: " Oh, it's you. I'll come back later - no, I won't leave a message. ")



So Bruce ran through his head, the azmer a hound at his heels, as he stumbled through the streets of Gotham.



(Pagecount's 7 and a little more than 1/5th of 22 from June 2023's Detective Comics #1073.

#1074 came out in September 2023 - the book had a two-month break for " Knight Terrors ".

Writing's Ram V.

Pencils're Ivan Reis and Goran Sudžuka.

Inks're also Sudžuka, as well as Danny Miki.

Colors're Brad Anderson, and letters're Ariana Maher.

Publisher's DC.)

Comments

[remial]

dude wearing a mask with WAY too many eyes, and none of them where they are supposed to be, goes on TV and says that the guy who beats up the Joker and stops him from killing everyone in the city on a regular basis, is the cause for all the wrong in Gotham.

riiiiiight.

[blues32]

With hypnotic powers though.

[tcampbell1000]

Good thing Gotham has all those magic TV billboards with hundred-decibel audio, through which villains can shout whatever they want to at you, like in Spider-Man: Far From Home and My Hero Academia and tons of other movies and TV shows, and like in no actual city that has ever existed. (I know, I know, it just bugs me is all. At least MHA has the excuse of being in an alternate near-future.)

[donnblake]

For given values of Hollywood hacking this is probably more plausible than it used to be. Grab the video billboards for splashy videos, and pump the audio through everyone's cell phones. That would require more speech bubble line though.

[superfangirl1]

The slow pace FINALLY pays off and I’m loving the art and story.