Comic Review: Detective Comics #1006

Detective Comics #1006

DC Comics

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Artist: Kyle Hotz

A brand new story line begins in Detective Comics #1006 and from what transpires in this issue, I think it’ll be a fairly decent one. Gotham City detectives Jim Corrigan and Tony Martinez get a call from dispatch about shots being fired not too far from their location. They arrive at the seen of the crime to find a John Doe with a nasty head wound. As they’re investigating the area for more clues, they’re ambushed by a group of men dressed as The Spectre. I guess they know that Corrigan and The Spectre are one and the same and attack him. The real Spectre is released and he unleashes God’s wrath upon some of the criminals. Unknown to him, the rest of the gang kidnap Corrigan.

Of course, eventually, Batman gets involved when Alfred informs him that shots were fired near his area. There are 2 pages of Batman running across rooftops juxtaposed with The Spectre making his way towards him. I really enjoyed this scene because it just felt like something right out of the 90s. The whole issue gives me that vibe, honestly. Kyle Hotz artwork is reminiscent of Kelly Jones, but not nearly as exaggerated. Throughout the story, I felt like I was reading a lost comic from the 90s. Take that as you will. I know the 90s could be either a wonderful time or a nightmare for some people.

Petr Tomasi’s writing is good, as usual. It does feel a little different compared to the last big arc in ‘Tec. It feels a little slower paced and that’s completely fine, as this story is definitely a mystery. It’s great to see a more steady Detective Comics where the emphasis is on detective work. That’s not to say there wasn’t any action. There were a few pages and they were pretty basic. Batman is just beating up guys on a rooftop in one scene. It’s something we’ve seen over a thousand times already. Sure, it looks cool – but it’s nothing new.

One of the only complaints I have on this issue is that it seems the relationship between Bruce and The Spectre is rocky, at best. Now, I could be entirely wrong here, but weren’t they on good terms when Batman Eternal was happening? Maybe something happened since then? All I know is it seems Bruce just flat out doesn’t like nor respect The Spectre. Maybe it’s Jim Corrigan he likes and he couldn’t be bothered to care about The Spectre? I’m not sure. That’s not really a negative on this issues part, I’m just a little confused. Besides that, everything else is pretty solid and I’m curious to see what happens next!