A review by the_rox13
Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. 1: Mythology by Peter J. Tomasi
4.0
Synopsis: A couple that perfectly resembles the Waynes is found floating in a Dolphin tank. While Batman investigates, Lesile Thompkins is attacked by this giant lava, symbiote looking monster. Batman rescues her, but the monster infects her with Joker gas and she dies. Then, Alfred is attacked at the manor, the attacker being described as "Zorro." So, Batman heads to Arkham to get some answers about what's going on. He finds that the villains are too scared to say anything, so he goes after someone that knows he's Batman.
He starts with Henri Ducard, but it isn't him and they are attacked by the monster, which has now morphed into a blob of Batman's villains. Ducard kills himself in an attempt to destroy the creature, but it doesn't work. Batman figures out that the monster is going after his teachers and eventually finds himself with Thaddeus Brown in a ridiculous situation with sharks. After he breaks them out, Batman takes on the monster and destroys it. He then believes that it is Dr. Hugo Strange behind the attacks.
When it's not Strange, Batman is called away to help Jason Blood and he uses his Hellbat suit (so awesome). Once Jason Blood is safe, he goes to see Silas Stone, another mentor. However, this time, Stone shoots him with this laser, andit is revealed that the entire thing is a simulation and it's something that Bruce puts himself through every year to be a better Batman. Bruce learns that he had to sacrifice the child part of himself to be Batman, but he thinks that the price was worth it because of the other children in Gotham that will be able to have relatively normal childhoods. It ends with him taking Lesile Thompkins out to dinner.
Review: I rather enjoyed this volume - I've been away from Detective Comics and Batman in general for too long. I'm not counting reading Tom King's Batman since I don't typically enjoy it. I think a lot of people are going to be put off by the fact that it is a simulation at the end of it all because not to bring it back around to Tom King, but I asked myself what the difference was between this and Knightmares? And when you boil it down to basics, it's the writing.
Immediately, Tomasi hits you with something that if true, is canon-changing with the death of Lesile Thomkins, which of course didn't happen. But it is treated like it is happening so you believe it when you read it. Whereas Knightmares, you know something is off the entire time. With Mythology, you're a good couple issues in before you're like "something is off here." Not only that, but I felt like there was a point to it. Bruce learned something about himself and I think that's a good point to end on for any Batman story.
I thought the mystery of it all was enjoyable as well. It definitely kept my interest for the entirety of reading it. Even if the mystery is kind of bunk at the end, I still liked it. I think it's a little fucked up that this is what Bruce does on his birthday, but it doesn't surprise me. Overall, I think this was a strong start for Tomasi's run on Detective and I'm excited for more. This is also one that I think anyone could pick up and understand it, if you're looking to jump on.
One last thing, though, I will say that shit with the sharks was beyond ridiculous and stretched the imagination a bit.
He starts with Henri Ducard, but it isn't him and they are attacked by the monster, which has now morphed into a blob of Batman's villains. Ducard kills himself in an attempt to destroy the creature, but it doesn't work. Batman figures out that the monster is going after his teachers and eventually finds himself with Thaddeus Brown in a ridiculous situation with sharks. After he breaks them out, Batman takes on the monster and destroys it. He then believes that it is Dr. Hugo Strange behind the attacks.
When it's not Strange, Batman is called away to help Jason Blood and he uses his Hellbat suit (so awesome). Once Jason Blood is safe, he goes to see Silas Stone, another mentor. However, this time, Stone shoots him with this laser, andit is revealed that the entire thing is a simulation and it's something that Bruce puts himself through every year to be a better Batman. Bruce learns that he had to sacrifice the child part of himself to be Batman, but he thinks that the price was worth it because of the other children in Gotham that will be able to have relatively normal childhoods. It ends with him taking Lesile Thompkins out to dinner.
Review: I rather enjoyed this volume - I've been away from Detective Comics and Batman in general for too long. I'm not counting reading Tom King's Batman since I don't typically enjoy it. I think a lot of people are going to be put off by the fact that it is a simulation at the end of it all because not to bring it back around to Tom King, but I asked myself what the difference was between this and Knightmares? And when you boil it down to basics, it's the writing.
Immediately, Tomasi hits you with something that if true, is canon-changing with the death of Lesile Thomkins, which of course didn't happen. But it is treated like it is happening so you believe it when you read it. Whereas Knightmares, you know something is off the entire time. With Mythology, you're a good couple issues in before you're like "something is off here." Not only that, but I felt like there was a point to it. Bruce learned something about himself and I think that's a good point to end on for any Batman story.
I thought the mystery of it all was enjoyable as well. It definitely kept my interest for the entirety of reading it. Even if the mystery is kind of bunk at the end, I still liked it. I think it's a little fucked up that this is what Bruce does on his birthday, but it doesn't surprise me. Overall, I think this was a strong start for Tomasi's run on Detective and I'm excited for more. This is also one that I think anyone could pick up and understand it, if you're looking to jump on.
One last thing, though, I will say that shit with the sharks was beyond ridiculous and stretched the imagination a bit.