Review: Future State- Batman: Dark Detective
Quick Summary
Pros: The majority of the stories in this collection are well-written and fantastic to read. Many have either a great message or some emotional character moments. The artwork is beautiful in every chapter and makes the reading experience even better.
Cons: Some of the stories here are just average.
Overall: This is a seriously enjoyable entry in the Future State event. The stories here are full of tense confrontations, interesting storytelling, and absolutely fantastic artwork. Plus, many of the stories contain deeper moments or messages that really suit the dystopian theme of the Future State event. Any readers interested in dystopian Gotham stories or in one of the best Future State collections out there should consider picking up this book.
Story
Future State: Batman: Dark Detective is a solid comic and easily one of the best Future State collections out there. The stories here have almost everyone one could ask for from the Future State event. These stories have exciting action, tense drama, compelling narratives, and a dash of commentary that reflect on the real-world. In this way, the majority of this collection’s stories are great and, when paired with equally great art, produce a fantastic reading experience. There are a few tales that are average rather than great but even these tales have their positives. All in all, this is a wonderful collection of Future State stories.
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The majority of the stories in Batman: Dark Detective are great. The opening chapters, by Mariko Tamaki, have Batman facing off against Peacekeeper-01, the fascist authority in Gotham. The resulting conflict is a tense tale that has Batman working as a detective undercover and as a force of violent justice. The next chapters, written by Joshua Williamson, have Red Hood an anti-hero role that fits him perfectly. The next, by Ram V, have Catwoman working with rebels in a story that has a heartwarming conclusion, one that serves as a nice change of pace for the Future State books. Finally, Stephanie Phillips tells one of the best short Harley Quinn stories I’ve ever seen, one where her skills as a psychiatrist and her humor are allowed to shine.
Not every story in Batman: Dark Detective is fantastic though, some are just average. Specifically, the Batman/Superman and Robin Eternal stories aren’t quite as memorable as the others. However, they still have interesting narratives, fun action, and a few good character moments. This makes these still worth reading, especially for fans of these characters.
What’s good about all of the stories in this collection is that nearly all of them have a bit of depth and meaning to them. The Batman story is about fighting against a repressive system, the Red Hood chapters have a romance blossoming despite harsh circumstances, the Catwoman story has Bruce and Selina reunite before being forced to part again, and the Robin chapters have Robin possibly sacrifice himself for his friends. Whether its social commentary or just well-written emotions, these stories have something to offer.
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Art
The artwork in Batman: Dark Detective comes from a variety of talented artists and ends up being fantastic. The Red Hood chapters, drawn by Giannis Milonogiannis, have a flat approach that really lets the characters and action pop, especially when paired with Jordie Bellaire’s colors. The Batman/Superman story, by Ben Oliver, has a gritty and realistic style that highlights some creepy aspects of the storytelling. Otto Schmidt’s work on the Catwoman chapters is simply gorgeous in general, but it also does a great job in emphasizing the emotions on display for this story. The Harley Quinn chapters, by Simone Di Meo, are well structured and have a style that suits Harley well. Finally, Eddy Barrows produces some great work on the Robin Eternal story, with layouts that enhance the comic’s unique approach to both action and drama.
Despite all of this great work, Dan Mora’s work on the opening chapters is probably the collection’s highlight. These chapters are structured well, in a way that complements the storytelling and delivers a lot of information. They are also packed with detail, with each page containing tons of worldbuilding conveyed through small images in the background. Plus, they are just downright good-looking. Mora’s work is impressive and serves as the artistic highlight of an already enjoyable collection.
Continuity
Future State: Batman: Dark Detective, like all Future State comics, flows from the Multiverse altering events taking place in Dark Nights: Death Metal (Review) (Reading Order). However, understanding Death Metal is not necessary to understand this volume.
The larger narrative surrounding the stories contained here is told through the rest of the Future State event.
This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:
- The main story in Future State: Dark Detective #1-4 references The Joker War (Reading Order) event a few times.
- Future State: Batman/Superman #1-2 references when Superman revealed his secret identity. This took place in Superman Vol. 3: The Truth Revealed.
- Tim Drake’s death is mentioned in one of the Robin Eternal issues. This took place in Detective Comics Vol. 1: Rise of the Batmen (Review).