Detective Comics #1058

If you never read these stories, get on it. If you can't spare the time to track down all twelve issues, make a mental note to get the inevitable trade when it releases. This is expert Gotham storytelling with a massive cast that never makes either tale feel jumbled or lose focus. Read Full Review

A powerhouse team of creators came together to make Shadows of the Bat, an ambitious effort to tell one mega weekly story in one Batman-related title, an emotional, gorgeous, powerful, character development-filled, roller coaster of a ride. One of the most powerful aspects of this story has been its ability to feature characters and ideas that are familiar while also making strides to move the characters and Gotham City as a whole forward into a bold new era. Read Full Review

Nahuelpan delivers some great art in the issue. The characters look great and the dialogue focused story allows for their designs to be utilized beautifully. Read Full Review

Highly recommended to anyone who loves a mystery thriller! Read Full Review

As disappointing as The Tower's finale was The House of Gotham shined. This was a case where I'd prefer to rate the stories separately, but the higher mark here comes solely from House of Gotham. Read Full Review

Twelve issues is a long time to carry a single story through, and the final issue of Shadows of the Bat shows that it's possible to succeed with thatand it's also possible to trip at the last lap. Read Full Review

In the end, this was a good final issue, to a fun story, but boy, am I glad that it's over. It was fun, but it's definitely time to move on to something new, and that Riddler tease at the end really got me excited for a change of pace. But as it stands, "Shadows of the Bat" was a fun romp that showed you don't need Batman around to tell a fun Batman story, but he's certainly never unwelcome to show back up and help with the cleanup. It had some good intrigue, good art, fun character writing... just overall, pretty darn good I'd say. Read Full Review

In the end, this was a good final issue, to a fun story, but boy, am I glad that it's over. It was fun, but it's definitely time to move on to something new, and that Riddler tease at the end really got me excited for a change of pace. But as it stands, "Shadows of the Bat" was a fun romp that showed you don't need Batman around to tell a fun Batman story, but he's certainly never unwelcome to show back up and help with the cleanup. It had some good intrigue, good art, fun character writing... just overall, pretty darn good I'd say. Read Full Review

The preview for Detective Comics #1058 promised that The Tower would "[crash] to a close!" In reality, it whimpered, and quietly at that. This 12-parter could have been something over six installments but concludes as an overlong missed opportunity. Hopefully Mariko Tamaki, who had excelled prior to The Tower, can get back on the horse in her upcoming Riddler arc. Read Full Review

Next month begins a new arc, and Mariko Tamaki will have a co-writer as we get the return of the Riddler in the main story and the return of Gotham Girl in the backup. We also have Ivan Reis returning to the pencils duties. I'm excited for the next phase of the greatness that has been Detective Comics. Just keep Matthew Rosenberg away from it. Read Full Review

The logical question is why Matthew Rosenberg and Fernando Blanco are not given the main story spot here. They are an excellent creative team with perfect use of shadow and light and a true understanding of Batman and Gotham itself. As it stands a truly great creative team is being hidden behind an extraordinarily poor one. Read Full Review

Detective Comics #1058 ends the twelve-week Shadows of the Bat event disappointing and unsatisfying.  Mariko Tamaki ties some things up, leaves a ton behind, and has me questioning if there was anything to this story.  Even if there was, I don't think it needed twelve issues to fall flat at the end. Read Full Review

It's over. It's truly over! Can you believe it? We made it through 12 weeks of 12 overpriced, bad issues. The "Arkham Tower story isn't worth reading, let alone buying. If you really feel like you have to read it, then I recommend waiting until you can find the trade with a massive discount. "House of Gotham was cool, but I wish that the creative team had more space to develop the ending. But man, I'm so glad that it's over12 weeks12 long weeks! I'm honestly surprised I came out of this with my sanity intact. Read Full Review

I'm not sure what happened with "The Tower," but this was one of the least coherent superhero comics I've read in quite a while. Read Full Review

cincyfan

Mar 26, 2022

I really wish these two stories weren't coming to an end here. I have loved having a new issue of detective on my pull list every Wednesday when I head to my comic shop for my new books. this story has been consistently great i loved every issue. The ending of detective was good but did feel like it could have been summarized a bit more detailed if we had a few more issues the artwork really stood out to me as I felt it fit the story perfectly. I'd score it 8.5/10. House of Gotham was a phenomenal story that closed with a epic chapter filled with emotion, personal growth, and a devastating ending I'd score it a 10/10. I'm really looking forward to the next storyline but williss this one as it was fantastic

Comics Code Authorities

Apr 15, 2022

This was pretty much a flash forward to the aftermath than a conclusion. As I'm not much of a Psycho pirate fan and hope his next appearance will be in a book I don't get, that means I'm also not too interested in what became of the mask. Keeping Arkham tower going is another of Nakano's bad decisions that will likely come back to bite him in the bum eventually. But at least we can trust Dr. Meridian better than we could Dr. Wear. I only hope she continue to be a mature sensible Doctor and not resort to the shameless flirtation her character is so well known for in a certain movie. A romance between her and Batman is not really something I'm hoping to see. As for "House of Gotham" I have to say I was reminded a little too much of the concl usion of the Red Hood saga. A beaten Joker and a vengeful captor demanding to know the same old thing we have to hear 9/10 Joker appearances, "Why do you let him live?" The sad part is otherwise it turned out okay. Not as good as it could, but good enough. Then came a disappointing (Though not unexpected) ending. Despite that "House of Gotham" turned out to, for the most part, be a pretty exciting epic. Altogether I'd Give the Tower/Shadows epic 7/10. And House would get 9/10. more

UxasIs

Mar 23, 2022

Detective Comics - 8/10 House of Gotham - 8.5/10

PParker

Mar 28, 2022

Arkham Tower - 6.5 It was a good build up; I liked the detective nature leading up to issue 7 or 8, then it became a little to much and the ending fell very flat. House of Gotham - 7.5 I actually really liked the back up story. It took a few issues to hook me but it told a good story about some of these people who live in the background of the supers’ stories. It had a hard task of telling a story set over many years but I think it was done well.

Skywolf

Mar 25, 2022

Not a fan of either ending.

The Brave and the Bald

Mar 22, 2022

All in all, this was an event with an interesting premise, but shaky execution. It did not need to be weekly. It started too slow, and ended up feeling rushed. I'm more interested in where this goes next.

retcon_D

Mar 29, 2022

Ends with the most whimper way a whimper ending could get.

Reaper74

Oct 03, 2022

This one really conflicted me in giving a score. Both stories are told well but you also have to add in the whole arc as they also both end everything. So the first story is fast moving and wraps everything up but after where we have been this was literally a wrap up with lots of a middle part missing for me or last issue sucked so bad I forgot it. The second story ends with a gut punch. I literally lost the air in my lungs. I just don’t feel it was the proper ending after all of it. It’s a hammer over the back of your head but really when push comes to shove that’s it.

Assassin's Creed

Mar 23, 2022

The first story is disappointing. I liked the second one a lot.

+ Like • Comments (2)

• Likes (1)

• RKS

RKS - Mar 23, 2022

The B story was far better than the main story.

Assassin's Creed - Mar 24, 2022

It was @RedKryptoSuperman, at least for me. Rosenberg made a complex character, he managed to keep my interest throughout his narrative.

Hydro-Man

Mar 23, 2022

All the criticisms from other users are spot-on… just like the first 500 parts of this storyline. Good riddance. And what the hell happened to Psycho-Pirate? Am I dense? Batman confronted Hayden but their convo was mostly off-panel. Does he even still have the mask or does Tamaki’s wife???

+ Like • Comments (1)

• Likes (1)

• Mingthemerciless

Mingthemerciless - Mar 24, 2022

Tamaki can't write Batman irs that easy. She has trouble voicing male characters anyway but she has no handle on batman at all. And she runs out 8f steam very early in every run. I blame DC editorial to a degree but how manes should Tamaki get?

Psycamorean

Mar 28, 2022

I don't get the thought process in writing this finale the way it was written, but poor execution is nothing new for this event. I can't pretend to be disappointed. This was expected. I just want this series to move on from an increasingly common problem called a failed Batman event. The backup, while I get what it was trying to do, was also poorly executed. It kind of soured the entire story for me. God, I hope 1059 is a fresh start for this series.

bestlucas

Jul 18, 2022

I really thought I missed an issue between the previous and this one. It felt so disjointed. I wish this entire arch had been told in a straightforward manner. It had great bones but the execution wasn't there. This issue was a disappointing wrap up to these stories, in my opinion.

RKS

Mar 23, 2022

The main story is thankfully over as it wasn't that good to begin with. As with previous issues the back up story was much better. Hopefully Tamaki will be moved off this book soon and Rosenberg is given the reins sooner rather than later.

daspidaboy

Mar 23, 2022

This issue was pretty lackluster. We didnt even get to see Scarecrow get arrested, and the final issue was really rushed for some reason. All the cliff-hangers happened off-screen. If I were to grade this entire event, it would be a 6 out of 10.

Bats44121

Mar 23, 2022

No more sewers. 24 issues of Detective Comics later, Mariko Tamaki gets The Batman back out of the sewers, where she has had him for so long. What a "great" achievement (slow handclap), and there is the return of some form of "Batcave"... with waterfalls? But Mariko is "historic." And so are some of the past 24 Tec pratfall story lines. Bringing us to this epilogue as "epic finale" of "Shadow of the Bat" in Detective Comics #158. A "finale" where very little is actually resolved except burying Dr. Wear, and rounding up some of Penguin's drug sales criminals and thugs. Don't blink. There are a few pages of "action," though. And what happened to the Medusa mask? WHO KNOWS? Maybe Koyuki kept it. Maybe Batman has it. Maybe Psycho-Pirate still has it. Maybe it was a figment of our imagination as readers. Regardless, the "plot" (massive eyeroll) by Mariko Tamaki for "Shadow of the Bat" moves on, that is, it changes to another story, not actually "completing" one. And do we not **ALL** know of horrific criminal Psycho-Pirate's crimes? Should we make a list of them? (Now THAT would be a good comic.) But the Psycho-Pirate, an aide to darkest villain Darkseid seeking to ***DESTROY THE UNIVERSE*** is now just "misunderstood" poor Psycho-Pirate. (I could hear the "Officer Krupke" song from West Side Story every time that psycho whined about "poor me." Poor, poor Psycho, the mass murderer. Just like poor misunderstood Harley Quinn. So what should be done with criminal Psycho-Pirate? Put him in prison? Oh no, not to Mariko Tamaki. Batman should help the poor misunderstood Psycho-Pirate. (Which is why I am not consistently reading and funding this version of Detective Comics.) With respect to the great Jeffrey Lyles, I had to literally laugh out loud when he gave this an "8," and wrote: "As disappointing as The Tower's finale was The House of Gotham shined. This was a case where I'd prefer to rate the stories separately, but the higher mark here comes solely from House of Gotham." Because that is why people bought the issue. OK, Jeffrey. Because Matthew Rosenberg's “House of Gotham” was a "great finale" (heavy sarcasm). OK. Both stories ultimately bomb in their "finales." 24 largely disastrous issues later, next month Mariko Tamaki will have a co-writer, Nadia Shammas, for a new Riddler story. Nadia Shammas is known for "Squire," "Care Bears: Unlock the Magic," "Summer in Brooklyn," etc. YA, real YA, graphic novels and horror. Hero comics? Detective comics? (Could Detective Comics get worse?) Let us hope not. (I for one, would like to see DC Comics readers, who are willing to shell out $5 for Batman and Care Bears.) I would have rated this a "2," but indeed The Batman does get out of the sewers. So there is that. Postscript: I just want to thank writers like this for making me grateful to be old. There is really very little to be grateful for in aging beyond survival. But knowing the Detective Comic stories that I grew up with reminds me of how lucky I was to live during a time when heroes could still be heroes. And I didn't have to wonder from week to week if the Batman will get out of the sewers in Detective Comics. And I grew up with a Batman who knew how to shave. more

+ Like • Comments (1)

• Likes (4)

• Assassin's Creed
• Mingthemerciless
• myconius
• RKS

Mingthemerciless - Mar 24, 2022

Tamaki has struggled writing Tec very eary on. Her ideas fall flat and she has a lot of trouble voicing make characters but particularly Batman. I think it's time to let Rosenberg go solo on this book.

The Rumble

May 16, 2022

Well, at least it’s over.