Detective Comics #970 -- comicbook review
There’s barely any time to savor victories or joyous occasions in the world of Batman. Just two months ago, Tim Drake reunited with his friends and allies in the Batfamily by escaping his mysterious prison and returning to active duty as Red Robin. That return didn’t come without some consequences however, as Tim’s older counterpart – the Batman of the “Titans Tomorrow” era – acted on a desperate mission to eliminate Batwoman and prevent “tragedy” from striking his younger self’s future. Red Robin and his allies prevailed and were able to stop him, yet a cryptic warning left by the older Tim Drake haunts his dreams… And foreshadows the possibility that the dreadful future will still come to pass based on the actions of Batman’s third protégé.
That pretty much plays out in “Fall of the Batmen” part 2 in Detective Comics #970 – as writer James Tynion IV plants the seeds of what will certainly be a consequential storyline for Batman’s extended family when all is said and done. When DC Rebirth began, Tim Drake had a vision to leave Gotham City defended constantly on a 24/7 basis, with a team lead by both Batman and Batwoman to keep the peace and fight whatever villains threaten their city. Unfortunately things came crashing down when Tim was seemingly “killed” and placed off the board by a mysterious player manipulating the DC Universe from the sides. That started a domino effect that saw new members joining the team but others becoming disillusioned and questioning the existence of vigilantes – particularly Stephanie Brown/ Spoiler – who ironically is Tim’s love interest and the foil that keeps him grounded from his superhero life altogether.
As much as Detective is a story about Batman’s allies, it’s also about his enemies – most especially Clayface and his path to seek redemption from his criminal life past. At the start of Rebirth, Basil Karlo was given a chance to fight on the side of the angels as well as be given an experimental cure to be rid of his “curse”. However his guilt and denial have prevented him from fully embracing the possibility of living a normal life, which is only exacerbated by his guilt for a former victim of his who has no reason to grant any forgiveness to Basil. It’s these problems that ultimately lead the Batfamily to a path of self-destruction, as their old enemies in The Victim Syndicate look to ally themselves with other foes to crush everything Batman built and stands for once and for all.
Detective Comics #970 is now on sale.
TIM G. VILLASOR has idolized Batman for most of his life. He grew up reading the character's adventures during the "Silver Age" and "Post-Crisis era", and went on to enjoy The Dark Knight's tenure in TV Shows like "Batman '66", "Super Friends", and "Batman: The Animated Series" to the constant portrayals on film by legendary actors like Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck. Aside from an interest in comics, video games, movies, and pop culture, Tim also leads a cosplay life, suiting up as various characters including the Caped Crusader himself! He's a multimedia artist and writer by trade, but a normal guy who enjoys life and hobbies too. He is also one of the admins of The Dark Knight Philippines. You can find him at his social media accounts too, where he goes by the name "Timzster" FB: facebook.com/timzster Twitter: twitter.com/thetimzster IG: timzster
