Double-Sized Issue Reviews!

This article contains spoilers for Detective Comics #1090 (2024) by Tom Taylor and Mikel Janín.

In Detective Comics #1090 (2024), Batman comes crashing through a business’ window, where a shop owner has been shot. Batman finds a kid holding a gun and calling 9-1-1. He punches the kid across the face. The kid is found dead minutes later. 

To be fair, in Gotham City, anyone could be a violent criminal inspiring pain for pleasure—stealing, looting, killing simply because criminals think they can. But this was not the case for Sam Kristof. This was a kid doing the right thing after making a dumb decision. Did he fire a gun? Yes. Was he trying to help his victim? Yes. If not for Batman’s interruption, the kid likely would have turned himself in after calling for an ambulance. Instead, Batman assaulted the kid, and the kid died.

I think this brings into question Batman’s ability to be judge, jury, and executioner—especially with kids. This is not a peace officer or deputized member of the law. Not every kid needs a slap in the face—actually in this case, the kid was a child of domestic abuse; here is Batman, another adult taking a swing at this boy. Batman needs to reevaluate how he handles minors and children. Where is the Batman who took in Robins? Where is the Batman that extended an olive branch to a boy stealing tires off the Batmobile? We need that Batman back in comics.

In other news, a major twist was given to Wayne family lore! It was revealed Thomas Wayne once saved the life of a wife-abusing vagrant, and that person turned out to be Joe Chill. This presents an opposing argument: Is everyone worth saving? Because it led to the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne. If Thomas let the man die, Thomas would still be alive. Does that mean Batman should give grace to just anyone? The argument has been set forth!

This issue gave us a lot to think about. Because of these themes, I would say it is a strong start for Tom Taylor on this comic run. I’ll give this issue 3 stars with room for improvement (also because I can’t give half stars, otherwise 3 1/2)!