Shadows Of The Cat: Reviewing ‘Detective Comics’ #1079

Catwoman’s greatest heist has ended in tragedy, her coveted prize expired. Wait, is that an ace up her bodysuit sleeve? Well dang, guess things aren’t as dire as they might have seemed.

It’s time for the penultimate chapter of the biweekly Batman: Outlaw event, as Detective Comics #1079 peels back the curtain to reveal the heist behind the heist. A story of twists and turns, both expected and unexpected, from Ram V, Jason Shawn Alexander, Liam Sharp, Dave Stewart, and Ariana Maher. Alongside the tale is a backup from the returning Dan Watters and Steve Wands who are joined by Juan Ferreyra.

One of the best parts of any mystery, be it heist or murder, is when the protagonist regales the audience or other characters with how they pulled something off. How they stole the coveted prize right under someone’s nose, or how they came to discover that the unknown half-brother was the killer all along. When done correctly, these reveals are truly thrilling and engaging like few other hooks.

A heist story isn’t a heist really without that, and Ram V knows how to write a damn good heist story.

Be aware, there will be spoilers ahead. Flip open the issue if you haven’t already, then come back. I’ll be waiting.

Okay, clearly we’re all caught up now. Let’s do this.

All the pieces for how and why Catwoman and company did what they did were generally right there in front of us. We just didn’t know to look for them. You don’t see the pieces of the puzzle if you aren’t aware you are looking at a puzzle. For a moment, I wondered how they would get out of this hole of the Batman being hung. One of the best writers in comics (hands down) was, per usual, fifteen steps ahead of my brain. When is a kiss not just a kiss? Well that would be when it delivers exactly the right thing needed to save someone from their fate by inducing a death like state.

I cover the Catwoman book and never once thought about the fact that there are two Catwomen right now. The simplest tricks are often pulled off right in front of your face because you see what you want to see. Show them a Catwoman, and, well, clearly that must be Selina Kyle trying to rescue her love. Not the entirely different Catwoman throwing you off the trail.

It’s not all misdirection and engaging revelations though. Between it all are so many solid character beats. From Oracle being a solid voice to keep Selina focused, to the heartwarming moment between Cheshire and Lian/Shoes, to the great usage of Solomon Grundy. We even get some great Mister Freeze stuff, with him being himself and pulling off a completely predictable but still surprising and stylish betrayal. It also goes full circle as Talia al Gul has a part to play in this story once again, after being there to help kick things off.

We’re coming up to a point where the endgame is almost in sight, and I for one am super excited for what seems to be on the way.

Crafting the mystery is just one aspect of playing things out for the audience. With a visual medium the style and presentation must click and work in a particular way. I’ve already noted in prior reviews how suited Alexander’s artwork is for this style of story, and this time around he’s joined by Sharpe who fits like a glove as well. While each artist’s work is distinct and easy to discern, they share much of the same visual DNA, like siblings or perhaps cousins.

A rough sharpness that helps the artwork cut through things faster, allowing the motion to take on a whole different dimension. Emotions are crystal clear, not only upon the face and bodies of the characters, but in an overall sense where we can feel them beyond the pages. Lots of shadows dip and dodge through the world to really hone in on the overall darkness present both in this story and in Gotham as a whole. Batman stories generally come with a particular sort of feeling or aesthetic to them, and these artists have nailed that.

Compared to my younger less open-minded self, these days I find myself drawn so much more to this style of art for a Batman story. Hitting all the right notes for some grounded real feelings and depth, but not afraid to really play into the absurdity, exaggeration, and darkness. Batman and others are these huge terrifying beyond words sort of figures, and that is clear on these pages.

Stewart makes a lot of that work even more with the heavier, darker, and grounded color palette choices. In most respects, they are toned down, pulled back in a sense, creating that deep urban feeling needed for Gotham. Yet, each space is unique, allowing pops of colors or removals of colors as needed. It creates its own personality and energy both for the characters but the various settings they are bouncing through. Pages with Cheshire/Shoes in the sewer feel quite different than Freeze/Batgirl in a different underground, also different from Azrael on the streets and so on.

We feel the same within the lettering, as Maher returns after an issue off, finding the best ways to really make voices heard. Big bold colorful bubbles and fonts, scaled back ones, carefully orchestrated placement and more achieve this. Just like the feeling about the various settings, no character’s words are truly alike. They have their own overall feeling or tone, even if they share the same font or bubble style. Enough is done with them by Maher that they stand apart while dancing together for the whole.

For this month’s backup, we take a trip backward. Not to some distant flashback, but instead one that weaves it’s way within the space of pages we’ve already seen from when this story arc began. Watters casts an eye to a moment with Dariah Orgham, the matriarch of the Orgham family.

We’re quite well aware of her ferocity and cruelty, but we see it play out different here. All of the Orghams are crafty and ten steps ahead of Batman. With Dariah though we get something more, someone who completely understands the power of life and death and also the power of a word. Leaving someone alive, knowing they’ll speak of her family yet none of it will be believed. It’s cruel in its own way because this young man will live, but it will be a mentally and emotionally taxing existence as he sees the Orghams for who they are and can do nothing.

Just like the main story we’re given a style that exudes a roughness and sharpness, fitting for a tale about the cutting Orghams. This time Ferreyra takes on this backup, creating a confined yet expansive space within this small ship they travel upon. All of the horror, terror, and cruelty but also the openness is felt through every panel. Dariah is open and honest with this young man, as she stands upon the deck of the ship with beautiful open skies and seas beyond her. Ferreyra leans into this picturesque locale to really help drive home how out of place she is there and how it doesn’t soften what she’s saying.

Very little action is in this story, it’s a conversation of sorts between Orgham and the various parts of the crew (not that most have a lot to say for long). This means plenty of dialogue, and it’s worked into the story smoothly by Wands. Each bit of dialogue is placed perfectly, playing off one another in the best ways. The volume and tone beyond clear, allowing a hitting punctuation of sorts to each utterance that drives Dariah’s words hard.

Detective Comics #1079 is now available from DC Comics.