Detective Comics #936 Review

Batman Detective Comics #936
Written by: James Tynion IV
Pencils by: Alvaro Martinez
Inks: Raul Fernandez
Colors: Brad Anderson
Letters: Marilyn Patrizio
Publisher: DC Comics
Review by Gregory Brothers

Since reclaiming the mantel at the end of the New 52 run we have seen Batman realize that he can no longer do this crime fighting alone and he needs to build up people around him rather than only call upon him when he needs help. In Detective Comics, that has meant putting together a team in preparation of something bigger that is coming down the line. Batman has realized that his form of training will never allow him to get his group of “students” trained in time. Because of this he has brought in Batwoman to help him.

Detective Comics #936 picks up right where the previous issue left off. The issue starts with Kate Kane meeting up with an old flame looking for answers that she already more than likely knows the answers to. The scene is nice to have built in for readers that may not be as familiar with Kane as others are. It allows you to see into what motivates her to be the crime fighter she has become and how her current position frustrates her because it goes against those motivations and instincts in many ways. The question she has to ask herself relatively quickly is how does she overcome these new found doubts and train her team how she feels best. After bringing the team together in order to make a plan of attack against this new threat, a surprise betrayal forces the team to abandon its base of operations while Batwoman is forced to show what made Batman tap her to lead this team.

Tynion continues to show throughout Detective Comics how different each member of this team is. Red Robin, while the most veteran to working within Batman’s world shows through his reaction to the betrayal why he was not made the leader of this team. The growth of Clayface has been interesting to watch as he provides the most lighthearted side of the team, but also shows the doubt that he has in some of his own abilities. The end of Detective Comics #936 allows us to see one of those new skills that Clayface has been working on. The betrayal is one that is surprising and although some of the motivation of it is explained the end goal is not. It will be interesting to see where Tynion takes the story from here as the team has to adapt on the fly to their new circumstances.

Verdict:
Buy! Detective Comics #936 suffers a little bit as it seems rushed to get to the betrayal at the end of the issue. However that can be expected when you have to set up something to bring this team together. Hopefully we will not just see the team run in to fight back against the bad guy next issue but instead see the team grow together before moving in. If you have not been reading Detective Comics since Rebirth, make sure you go out and pick it up including this issue.