Detective Comics #1062 is the start of a new run.

[thanekos]

It's the first issue of " Gotham Nocturne ", an arc title underlining the use of " gothic " and " operatic " as descriptors of the story to come.

It has a narrative scope that doesn't make the reader think " Detective Comics is a satellite to Batman, the book, telling stories for the story's sake " - the wringer it's putting Bruce Wayne through is something that would be at home in that other book as well.

It opens with Batman dealing with smugglers in the Gotham docks handily - and then finding a much hardier challenge in " Bruno Maroni.. Sal's nephew.. ", turned into something inhuman and strong.

The fight was interrupted by the transformed Maroni being shot in the head by Talia al Ghul, who then turned and fled Batman's regard.

Batman pursued - but the only thing he caught was Talia's warning: " They're coming and you are not prepared. "





Bruce steadied himself.



He dismounted.



Elsewhere, in a visually congruent location: " Mother..



(That is indeed a " Title Deed ", granted by a past mayor of Gotham to one " Edouard Arkham ".)



(If you think the implied connection between " Orgham " and " Arkham " is too obvious, that's because it's spelled out in the next issue.)

There was an advance agent of Arzen and his mother in Gotham, already - one Gael, chastising Gothamites he'd employed: " That is unacceptable.



(Yes, this is the smuggling operation Batman foiled.)

Gael educated the men inside, while associates he'd brought with him educated those outside.



The narrative cut from Gael awaiting regard..



.. to Bruce being taunted over shying away from perceiving.



He awoke.



(Pagecount's 7 and a little more than 9/10ths of 24, from Detective Comics #1062's main story in July.

Writer's Ram V, art's Rafael Albuquerque, colors're Dave Stewart, and letters're Ariana Maher.

Publisher's DC.)

Comments

[cygnia]

And now the plot bunnies in me wanna see a Batman/Hellraiser crossover...

[lissa_quon]

Oh good I'm glad I'm not the only who was like "...so its a lamentation configuration?"

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Motto.

[icon_uk]

It opens like the Lament onfiguration, but it sure does look like the Pandorica

[blues32]

Oh right. Barbatos is a thing. How often I prefer to forget.

[xammax]

I want to love Barbatos. I love the idea Bruce has a demon in his basement that is both obsessed with him and wants to destroy him. I love the idea that it's unclear if Bruce made the demon with his own obsession or if it was drawn to him. I love the idea of there being a physical manifestation of the toxic elements of Batman and it's something he has to contend with.

Man, they have made it so crappy.

[blues32]

Yeah, turning him into some dark god from outside the Multiverse was a terrible idea.

[icon_uk]

Didn't Barbatos first show up in a Riddler story, possessing Eddie and making him more murderous than usual (for the time)?

[jgraygaming]

I can't wait for Dan Slott's eventual jump to DC, where he uses Barbatos as the lynchpin of a Batverse event.

[scorntx]

And then the inevitable Bat-Gwen.

... wait, no. Heroes Reborn already took care of that one.

(Hmm... The Gwen Who Laughs?)

[jgraygaming]

I imagine the Batman equivalent of Spider-Gwen would be Bat-Vicki.

[scorntx]

Dunno. Vicki Vale's probably too well known to be the Gwen equivalent.
She's never been particularly big, but the 89 movie, the Arkham Games, the Telltale games, they've all given her some exposure.

Julie Madison might be the better fit.


(The alternative is Talia, and that's just crazy talk.)

[cainofdreaming]

Sorry, but gothic and operatic always makes me think of

[blues32]

Spear and magic helmet?!

[mastermahan]

Batman can use his treadmill to call various members of the Bat-Family AND play Super Smash Brothers.

[bradygirl_12]

Love the panel with Bruce's smile as he jokes with Dick. That's my Dynamic Duo! 😄

[blues32]

Nightwing must have felt good about prompting that response. Getting Bruce to joke is a task and a half.