Gotham Nocturne: Intermezzo – “Batman, Outlaw” – Part Five, and “Aleasa”
Writers: Ram V and Dan Watters
Artists: Jason Shawn Alexander, Mike Perkins, and Christopher Mitten
Color Artists: Dave Stewart and Triona Farrell
Letterer: Ariana Maher and Steve Wands
Review by James Attias
Detective Comics #1080 is here, and now that the Bat and Cat are out of the bag, can Selina safely transport Bruce’s unconscious body to safety, or will the bad guys catch up and finish what they started?
Weekend At Brucie’s
So… Batman isn’t dead, as we read in the pages of the previous issue, much to our surprise. The heist to save him was a success, despite the Orghams poisoning, hanging, and having a demon possess his mind for however long this story has been going. Now, however, the good guys can’t seem to wake the Dark Knight. If I was him I wouldn’t want to wake up either.
So, it appears they need to get him out of town to recuperate, but it’s not just cuddles on the beach (I’m looking at you, Tom King), this time it’s going to be something otherworldly… but they have to get him there first! So, it’s up to Selina and Jim Gordon to drive the unconscious Bat in a van through the tumultuous streets of Gotham!
I can’t tell if this story is meant to have funny elements or if we’re meant to take them seriously, but the van ride didn’t last long. I was hoping for a gauntlet through the occupied streets of the city, defending the van containing the world’s most precious cargo. It lasted 2 panels. Then onto the next part. oh, well… I wanted more. What I got wasn’t bad, I just wanted more.
All in all this chapter of the story felt like it was a middle child, too big to be a part of the last issue, yet too small to be a full issue itself. In a cameo-filled chapter, so I’m expecting bigger things to come next.
Aleasa
Again, we’re treated to a somewhat random backup story, but what did we learn a few issues ago? These mini-tales can be seeds planted for future stories! So I welcomed seeing Damian Wayne, 10 years old in this tale, so we know it takes place about 4 years ago (around the same time he was about to meet his father for the first time, but he mentions Robin, so it might be a continuity error, but I won’t dwell on it).
He’s learning from the best fighters, philosophers, and teachers that Al Ghul money can buy, but what can he use to defend himself against a nightmare? This was a great, spooky little tale from the almost always spooky Dan Watters. I look forward to seeing if/how this story bleeds into the main one.
Conclusion
Detective Comics #1080 was the way out of one troublesome situation, and the slow boat ride into the next for the Caped Crusader. Let’s hope next year brings the Dark Knight better luck and slightly more cohesive issues of Detective Comics.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
