We are back at it once again, BOFers! Tom Taylor and Mikel Janin have another issue of Detective Comics for us to dissect and discuss. Teenagers have been getting picked off in Gotham one by one. Taylor has readers following a trail of breadcrumbs leading to a key figure in Batman’s past. Can The Caped Crusader wrap up this murder mystery and prevent more deaths?
Let’s break down the finale of “Mercy of the Father.”
Taylor has been welcomed with open arms; his Batman leans on the detective aspect heavily, building the story up issue by issue. Taylor has been teasing a connection to the Waynes and Joe Chill beyond their eventual meet-up in Crime Alley. Taylor’s arc started hot and heavy, with lots of action and detective work. Unfortunately, Taylor bites off a bit more than he can chew. We get too much exposition from Batman explaining how he came to his conclusion, rather than reading along the way with his investigation. It almost feels like this story was cut one issue short; there are details that veteran Batman readers would have loved to see unfold instead of being told. This is a letdown since Taylor’s run leaned heavily on the investigative side of things. This is similar to how I felt about the end of Tamaki’s run on this title.
I appreciate what Taylor tried to achieve, mixing Joe Chill, the Hippocratic Oath, and Martha’s perfume. Does this tale match what Three Jokers achieved? No, not at all, but that does not mean this is a lousy tale; it just feels like the ending is rushed. Taylor excels at a master-class level in how the Bat-family operates. The tactical aspect of Batman sounding the alarm and getting a crew of sidekicks together will not be exciting for me, but I will say that daytime adventures are not my jam. Most of this issue seems to occur during the daytime, especially when it comes to corrupt government officials trying to pull a fast one. To me, that type of story always screams after hours and rain. The daytime stuff took me out of the book more than the clunky ending. Taylor also enjoys writing Bruce Wayne more than most modern-day writers. Most seem to forget about the alter ego entirely, but there has not been an issue where Taylor has not given Bruce Wayne at least two full pages.
Once again, Mikel Janin is a gift from the comic gods. For the first time since taking over artist duties, Janin is not inking the whole book; Norm Rapmud inks pages #1-11. The combo of Janin and Rapmud keeps up with prior issues; there is not one thing to nitpick, not one panel to complain about. Janin’s Batman is damn near perfect.
I can’t even complain about the lack of an oval. Whether this is an exterior panel of an exploding building or a wide shot of sidekicks on motorcycles, detail is everywhere. I do not know how long it takes an artist to draw a whole comic, but Janin must take forever with the amount of detail he provides readers; all this reviewer can say is thank you for your hard work. The book’s highlight is Batman interrogating a criminal as they fall from the top of a burning building. While only two pages, Janin delivers one of the most definitive Batman moments I’ve read in recent comics: perfectly drawn, wonderfully stylized, and pure Batman.
Overall, Detective #1096 is a fun, action-packed issue. The landing isn’t smooth, and it’s just the beginning. While Taylor’s grand entrance entranced me, Fake Blade made me more than curious about the future. Chalk this one up to style over substance and what could have been. – Peter Verra
