Detective Comics #842

How many times has Batman let a bad guy go because he almost killed them? I realize how important the I-don’t-kill-anyone ethos is to the modern Batman (the one from the late 30s actually killed without too much discomfort), but it’s getting excessive. This calls for a nice, quiet crossover where Frank Castle, the Punisher, and Bruce Wayne grab coffee and Frank calmly explains to Bruce that, every now and then, it’s ok to drop a criminal off a building. Or load his cell phone with explosives. Or force him to watch a “Keeping up with the Kardashians” marathon until he disembowels himself.

In Detective Comics #842, Batman investigates the secret behind the “Suit of Sorrows,” the weird suit of armor Talia gave him when he went to Tibet (back during “The Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul”). He’s worried because the suit of armor is making him angrier, crazier, and more violent than usual. Hence the almost-killing of villains. Apparently he doesn’t know those things sell comics. Just ask Garth Ennis.  

Peter Milligan crafts an interesting story that takes Batman to an abandoned pass in the French Alps where an ancient religious order guards a dark secret. As DaVinci-Codey as that sounds, #842 is still entertaining, and has a decent line or two (“Why do you hide your face?” a monk asks. “Maybe for the same reason you shave your head,” replies Batman).

Penciler Dustin Nguyen and inker Derek Fridolfs show improvement over their performance last issue, and colorist John Kalisz’s blends of red, blue and black lend this story of violent obsession an appropriately diabolic tone.

Worth the money? Fans, yes. Casual readers, probably not.