Batman is hot on the trail of Mister Freeze, but there are more things in his way than he knows. Spoilers for Detective Comics #1013 follow.
The last issue of Detective Comics finally brought the series out the slump that it had been in for four issues or so. By fully bringing Mister Freeze into the fold, the quality was immediately elevated back to where it had been. Peter J. Tomasi and Doug Mahnke are some of the best creatives for Batman comics, and their first arc was phenomenal, so it’s exciting to see them back, especially handling such a great villain. Thankfully, this issue continues on the path that the previous issue set out on, leading to another great issue.
This issue really takes a “less is more” approach. There are a lot of underlying problems presented here, but there’s a singular focus to the issue, stopping Mister Freeze. This issue could have easily been bogged down by distractions, and sometimes feels like it might, but it never does. Its focus is completely on Batman’s pursuit of Mister Freeze. What makes that interesting though are the struggles and fights that Batman goes through to get to Mister Freeze. The thing is though, Mister Freeze gets away. Batman fails. It’s not dwelled on for quite as long as it should have been, but there’s a weight that can be felt on Batman’s shoulders because of his failure.
What this issue does a good job of as well is its use of genre. This issue balances an action/horror genre styling that Batman comics often don’t dabble in. The issue is exciting and creepy throughout, with some body horror thrown in for good measure. In fact, there’s a splash page in this issue that feels very reminiscent to the Resident Evil series of games. It’s something interesting that really isn’t done as much as it probably could be, which is probably why it feels so fresh. Plus, the final page where Mister Freeze finally wakes Nora up from her slumber, is chilling, which is pretty fitting to be honest.
Because of what this issue does with its style, there are very few artists that could’ve pulled it off effectively. Luckily though, Doug Mahnke is absolutely one of those few. His art makes you feel cold throughout this issue, both emotionally and physically. It pulls you into the story, forcing you to feel like you are a part of it. His action is fantastic and his horror is creepy and unsettling. It creates for a unique vibe for this issue that feels different from so many Batman stories before. Plus, his new designs for Batman and Mister Freeze are great. They manage to be fitting for the tone and style of the story, while also feeling incredibly comic-booky. It’s wonderful.