In order to save Jim Corrigan, Batman must align with The Spectre to track down the cult who kidnapped Corrigan.
Ever since taking over Detective Comics, Peter J. Tomasi has been putting much more emphasis on the detective aspect of the name. This continues with this latest storyline, as well with this issue, but with more of a supernatural spin. Bringing in The Spectre is honestly an inspired partner choice for Batman given his penchant for killing and it makes for an interesting partnership. However, it really feels like this storyline was rushed and didn’t live up to its full potential.
Anytime that supernatural elements get brought into play in a Batman it’s an exciting prospect. Gotham is such an extravagant place with insane clowns and monsters everywhere, so why not the supernatural. Bringing The Spectre into play is also perfect given the propensity for killing compared to Batman, which is utilized really well in this issue. Tomasi does a great job creating a compromise position for it to make sense as to why Batman and The Spectre work together, making for an interesting partnership.
Admittedly, this partnership doesn’t feel as fleshed out as it could have been, probably because this is a two-issue arc. If this arc had been extended out more, this may have been a partnership for the ages. Hopefully, Tomasi comes back around and uses The Spectre again in this run.
Even though the partnership between Batman and The Spectre in this issue of Detective Comics doesn’t live up to its full potential, it does add something rare within Batman comics, humor. There are several points where Batman makes some sly remark about his partnership with The Spectre and each time, it comes off as humorous. It’s dry humor mind you and that’s what makes it even funnier. It’s really hard to do humor within a Batman comic, but Tomasi is able to pull it off incredibly well in this issue.
Kyle Hotz does an amazing job in the art department as well with this issue. His style matches well to the supernatural elements of this issue, but still feels right at home for Batman. Honestly, the style is much more akin to issues that would’ve been released in the 1980s and 1990s and that works to his advantage. His art doesn’t simply look another book on the shelves, but rather something entirely its own. By doing so, Hotz manages to capture the best of both worlds for the supernatural and Batman.
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