Review: Detective Comics #42

The chronicles of Jim Gordon as RoBatCop continue in Manapul and Buccellato’s Detective Comics #42!

Now that the flash and surprise of the GCPD-sponsored Batman has begun to wear off, the cracks in have started to show. Gordon was ambushed and manhandled by a group of hired thugs called La Morte, who seemed to already know the weaknesses of the marmored suit. Though he manages to incapacitate one of the crooks Batman has to be bailed out by the cops and his backup tech crew.

The police department seems divided between those who believe in Batman and trust Gordon and those who regard him as a joke. This concerns the recently returned Renee Montoya, who recognizes the gulf to line up with with good cops and those on the take. While she and Bullock both recognize this, Montoya is concerned with the danger of a corrupt faction swelling against Batman, while Bullock is worried she might be secretly working for Internal Affairs.

The latest issue is an important one for the new direction of the Bat-universe. Not because the action was particularly interesting or that a whole lot happened, (in fact, it seemed remarkably short), but they’re beginning to expand on the weaknesses and downsides of the new Batman program. Instead of just being a 2-dimensional gimmick, the new Batman arc is being fleshed out into a more layered piece of storytelling.