Two reviews in one month!? That can mean only one thing: the 2025 Detective Comics Annual has dropped! Tom Taylor does not have a byline on Detective for the first time since taking over the reins. This annual gives readers two stories; the great Al Ewing writes the primary with a trifecta of artists, Stefano Raffaele, John McCrea, and Fico Ossio. The backup tale is brought to you by writer Joshua Hale Fialkov and artist Mike Norton. One oversized issue, two tales, an assortment of artists, the only thing left to do is break it down!
Ewing keeps up with the murder mystery story vibe that Taylor has provided since taking over duties. Ewing’s characterization of Batman is spot on; the detective work, the due diligence, and the monologues are damn near perfect. The first eleven pages of the book are what Batman fans dream of, but as the book goes on and Batman leaves Gotham, the story suffers. Where Ewing was spot on early on, he makes some choices that do not jive with this reviewer’s “Batman sensibilities.” Older readers might consider this more in line with the ’70s Batman of that era, out and about in the public, interacting with cops on the street in almost a friendly manner and having “tea dates.” At one point, I questioned whether this was a tech crime-based story or a ghost tale. The opening crime scene investigation did not prepare me for the off-the-wall villains. I give Ewing credit for not following the standard tropes of corporate greed, but he tried too hard to create something unique that he just couldn’t pull off: solid idea, bad execution.
The story is three acts; each artist does a fantastic job independently. The mixed match of artwork did take me out of the story. The artists’ styles are so different that I read three other comics. If I had to rank the acts, it would go One, Three, Two. Act one is the best overall, with art and story combined. Act Two takes a hard left in terms of style and sometimes feels almost Kelly Jones-inspired. Act three will give readers vibes about Ariel Olivetti. Acts One and Three are sleek and smooth, while Act Two is rough and cartoonlike. That is not bad, except it is jarring when you jump from one story to the next, but each act can stand on its own artistically.
The backup tale by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Mike Norton steals the show. The anti-sidekick crowd probably won’t enjoy this, but I must tell you, this was the most heart-warming Batman tale I have read in a while. It’s wholesome and lighthearted while keeping up with that detective theme. This sometimes made me think of War Games with Batman operating in a school setting; this is not that deep. The tale provides readers with a side of Batman that they hardly see while inspiring younger readers to follow their dreams. This is just comic book fun at its finest.
Annuals are pricy, so combining two stories must work for readers. Annuals also rarely tie into the monthly story. If you told me, Peter, for this steep price after reading your review, I don’t think I can spend the $6.00 plus tax. I can’t blame you; the primary tale loses steam a third of the way in, and while I loved the backup story, I can’t tell you this is a must-have for your pull list. Detective Annual 2025 is destined for the completest in your life; honestly, that is what I expected. – Peter Verra
