Detective Comics #1004

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi Artist: Brad Walker, Andrew Hennessy Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: May 22, 2019 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 25 User Reviews: 46
8.0Critic Rating
7.9User Rating

+ Pull List

The face behind the mask is revealed! Who's taken up the mantle of the Arkham Knight? What's their endgame? And what's the shocking secret that Batman never knew about a part of his life he'd taken for granted?

  • 10
    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles May 22, 2019

    Detective Comics has been reestablished as one of DC's top tier titles. If you haven't been reading this arc, it's well worth tracking down the back issues and reading one of the best Batman arcs in years. Read Full Review

  • 10
    ComicBook.com - Matthew Aguilar May 22, 2019

    This has been a bit of a slow burn, but if this story can stick the landing we might have something special on our hands. Read Full Review

  • 10
    On Comics Ground - Travis Tucker Jun 7, 2019

    This is setting up to be a very exciting showdown. Astrid feels like the villain that not only Bruce but we the readers need. If done right, this could have some clout in the future. I can't wait to see what happens next. Read Full Review

  • 9.6
    You Don't Read Comics - Rick Lopez May 23, 2019

    As the series progresses, Tomasis ability to build towards something more lavish and grand while still delivering exciting new chapters between each new revelation altogether leave fans clamoring for the next. Brad Walker proceeds to be the artist for the job with his clean pencil works and his ability to visually stand apart from his own contemporaries. Once again, Detective Comics proves to be the peak Batman title currently with no end in sight for this uncontested victory. Read Full Review

  • 9.6
    Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz May 24, 2019

    This is another fantastic issue. While you are able to catch a breath or two, the story doesn't lag at all. The art by Walker is tops, too. This is another spectacular chapter of this title. It hit me on every level and I want the next issue in my hands as soon as humanly possible. Read Full Review

  • 9.1
    Black Nerd Problems - Mikkel Snyder May 22, 2019

    Detective Comics #1004 is my favorite issue of “Medieval” to date. Walker's artwork sells Tomasi's narrative of the tragic origins of Astrid, and the end result builds up to a wonderful crescendo. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Dark Knight News - Steve J Ray May 22, 2019

    Detective Comics #1004 was another stellar issue, and I'm loving this series right now. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Comic Book Corps - Tom Zimm May 22, 2019

    Batman appears to be over-matched given Astrid's strong connections to Dr. Arkham and the combat training she received after leaving The Arkham Asylum. However, will she be able to follow through on her threats or is this just another Batman villain who will bite the dust? Time will tell. I highly recommend this story to fans of the classic Batman character. Read Full Review

  • 8.7
    IGN - Jesse Schedeen May 22, 2019

    Detective Comics #1004 provides a satisfying look at the origin of a major new Batman villain. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    GWW - Deron Generally May 22, 2019

    There isn't a lot of action in the issue because it is mainly focused on Astrid's origins, but there are some great moments that parallel Batman's journey and those moments look great. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    AIPT - David Brooke May 22, 2019

    I'm all in with Arkham Knight as we finally get the full story on the character. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    Batman-News - Jay Yaws May 22, 2019

    Gorgeously illustrated and compellingly written, the story of the Arkham Knight is as tragic as it is gripping. Read Full Review

  • 8.4
    Monkeys Fighting Robots - David DeCorte May 24, 2019

    DETECTIVE COMICS #1004 is a masterclass in how to do exposition well. The storytelling is strong, adding pathos to the story. Of course, it's all backed up by excellent artwork, colors, and lettering. Highly recommended. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Impulse Gamer - Jeremy Carr May 24, 2019

    This issue is mostly just character building for the main villain, and honestly it is really good. Peter J Tomasi once again delivers and is backed up by a killer art team. The only bad thing I can say about this issue is that I would have liked to have seen the story progress a little more than it did, but other than that, it was good stuff. If you are really into this current run of Detective Comics then obliviously this is a must have. Ive giving this issue a 4 out of 5. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    The Batman Universe - Tony Hammack May 22, 2019

    I really liked Tomasi's origin for Astrid. For me, it was something new I have not read before. She is a villain who we can sympathize with. I am curious what Batman is going to do. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Kabooooom - Matt Morrison May 22, 2019

    This is an interesting one-shot that establishes one of the more intriguing Batman villains in years. Read Full Review

  • 7.7
    Major Spoilers - Matthew Peterson May 26, 2019

    I don't know anything about Gotham Knight and I'm not really a big Batman fan, but this issue got my attention in a very impressive way. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Weird Science - Joey Casco CSW/CSS May 22, 2019

    On the first read, I was like "really? that's stupid!" with the delivery scene, but on the second read I liked it, and now on the third read I thought it was pretty cool. The Joker reading to her was touching and how she thought of the inmates as her family makes complete sense. Overall the issue is good, I enjoyed it, and can't wait to see where it goes next. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Comic Book Bin - Philip Schweier May 22, 2019

    I'm not a fan of over-extending the story, anything more than four or five issues fails to hold my interest. But the creative team of Tomasi/Walker/Hennessy/Fairbairn have kept matters apace and come together to tell and engaging story. I had my doubts at first, but am pleased to have been proven wrong. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Sequential Planet - Matt Herman May 27, 2019

    Tomasi creates and interesting and natural backstory for the Arkham Knight in this issue. Read Full Review

  • 6.8
    Outright Geekery - Brian A. Madrid Jun 25, 2019

    Seeing all of Gotham's worse of the worse being the one to bring a newborn child is depicted amazingly in this issue. The artwork showing the face of Joker, though having a grin of contempt, has compassion of a caring soul through his eyes as Harley Quinn can barely contain herself as she witnesses a child being born. The action lacks any words to mention in this review. It offers a great background to Astrid's story which will come to blows in the next issue of Detective Comics # 1005. Read Full Review

  • 6.4
    Comic Watch - Nicholas Osborn May 25, 2019

    'Detective Comics #1004' is an unfortunate misstep for the otherwise really entertaining arc featuring the new Arkham Knight. Though this issue delves into the villain's origins, it ultimately feels too disjointed to pull everything together in a successful way. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield May 22, 2019

    Detective Comics #1004 is best described as a very well-executed comic that doesn't work at all. Tomasi is a veteran writer who knows his pacing, and Brad Walker does some really interesting art shifts this issue. The problem is, the central plot and its villain don't click. Read Full Review

  • 5.5
    Comic Book Revolution - Kevin Lainez May 24, 2019

    Detective Comics #1004 had elements of a good story. Unfortunately there were some major problems with Arkham Knight's origin. Not the least of is the fact that a major character in Arkham Knight's origin was treated as nothing more than a plot device. It is not to late for Peter Tomasi to turn things around but there will be a lot of work to be done to give a compelling end to Arkham Knight's introductory story arc. Read Full Review

  • 4.0
    DC Comics News - Matthew Lloyd May 24, 2019

    VerdictIf this issue is the actual facts, Detective Comics #1004, has just derailed what was shaping up to be a nice arc. The incidentals of Astrid's origin are so unreal that it calls into question the veracity of the story itself. It feels like there should be something more underneath the surface. While that's always possible, taken for what it is, Detective Comics #1004 comes across like a bad movie script for a comic adaptation from the '90's…bitten by a radioactive insane asylum or some such… what did you think was going to happen when the girl's playmate is the Joker? Read Full Review

  • 10
    cincyfan Nov 16, 2020

    I loved everything about this issue

  • 9.0

    "There are no heroes or villains."

  • 8.5
    Tony May 22, 2019

    The artwork worth the issue. Is the classic villain origins tale but I like what Tomasi did with this Arkham Knight character, clearly the timeline and ages of the Batman characters has some issues but I don´t have a big problem with that. On the other hand, the Arham Knight's motives for attacking Batman were developed in an acceptable way, so a good issue.

  • 8.5
    Linkush May 22, 2019

    Another very enjoyable issue.

    Just as I expected, this issue was an origin story for Arkham Knight and it was pretty cool. I find it interesting to see someone raised by villains, It makes sense that she hates Batman. I also really enjoyed seeing the more human side of Joker and the others. I think it was a good origin story that made me like Arkham Knight a bit more as a villain.

    Oh, and her father is pretty terrible at being a father and a dick by not letting her know the real reason for her mother's death.

    Art as usual for this arc was pretty good.

  • 8.0
    Grifter May 25, 2019

    Well, I kinda enjoyed this issue, but it might be the lamest villain’s origin story that I’ve ever seen lol

  • 8.0
    bucswin611 May 23, 2019

    If you're going to do exposition, this is how you do it. The full background that we don't often get in new characters. Also, Walker's rendering of Batman is really unique and I respect it - it looks almost like a different series from some of the other characters in a Neal Adam-ish way.

  • 7.5
    ohhaimark May 27, 2019

    SPOILERS FOR LAST ISSUE AHEAD

    THE GOOD:

    -I'll be honest, I didn't really hate this issue as much as some other people.

    -The art was quite good this issue.

    -I thought the story Jeremiah Arkham told was, well… well told. I was never bored, even though I knew exactly how it was going to end.

    -I thought that Astrid was a really interesting character here.

    -That page with Astrid looking at Arkham and visualizing it as her castle was a really good panel.

    -The end was good, and I'm looking forward to next issue.

    THE BAD:

    -I'm still just very much against the choice to have Astrid Arkham be Arkham Knight. She seemed like a very random character, more

    + LikeComments (7)
  • 7.5
    Amazing Psycamorean May 25, 2019

    I thought this was pretty good. I really don't think the villains would've ever done what they did here, though.

  • 7.5
    egonnn244 May 25, 2019

    "Haven't we all at some point?"

    What did you expect Jeremiah, raising your daughter in an asylum for mentally ill super criminals? When your kid refers to the Joker as Uncle Joker, know that there will be trouble.

    I really don't have much to say about this one. Astrid's backstory seems a bit silly and reminds me of the animation Megamind, but by the end, I grew to like it.

    I wasn't surprised by the fact that Ivy, Harley, Grundy and Clayface were helping, they're not Evil. But I was half expecting for the Joker to throw the kid at the wall or something. The other four must have bullied him into playing nice.

    One question though. Who was the guy with the metal jaw we saw when the riot broke out? Th more

  • 7.0
    Spacey Medicine Jul 2, 2019

    Wow, Batman is looking great for 50+.

  • 7.0
    Simon DelMonte May 23, 2019

    Points off for the cockamamie timeline.

  • 7.0
    Nihilist May 22, 2019

    Now that's what I call a hell of a good origin story. For the most part, because there's few elements of it I don't necesarily enjoy.

    It was a great idea to humanize Arkham prisoners. I'm really tired of the "good versus evil" war, with one side not having and flaws and the other not having any redeeming qualities. Let the DCU be more grey where it can be, because the constant pursuit of darkness by writers such as Tom King or even Scott Snyder, makes it less appealing, less diverse, and less realistic. It's little things like what we see in this issue that make us emphatize with these characters, otherwise serving as antagonists. Even Joker, albeit whether or not Tomasi made him too sane and compassionate, I'll leave to you to d more

    + LikeComments (1)
  • 7.0
    waltgator93 May 22, 2019

    Well the art was good and most of the dialogue except for Damian, that felt odd. Her backstory was eh ok. He's truly a terrible father if he just home schooled her and let her at times go around in Arkham. Joker felt out of placed though with the other villains.

  • 6.0
    myconius May 22, 2019

    there were things i did enjoy about this issue, mostly the art. the art was excellent.
    but the big shocking reveal for the motivation behind the Arkham Knight was extremely forced and very poorly handled.

    like i said there were good things about the issue, but i'm honestly very disappointed.
    will go into more detail later after i've had a chance to re-read this.

    + LikeComments (13)
  • 5.5
    Darkseid24 May 22, 2019

    This story continues to be a big disappointment.
    Talking about timeline errors, what are the biggest problem in this issue. If Astrid currently is like 15-20 years old& villains like Harley& Joker were all already in Arkham before she was even born, it would consequently mean, that Harley is like 40-45 years& Joker 55-60 years old. Same would go for Batman. This might have worked at the end of Pre52, but not in New52/ Rebirth, especially because it was stated back then, that Batman is in action for 5 years, when New52 started& nothing was changed ever since. So do writers& editors even care about logic& timeline?
    What also made zero sense was the portrayal of the villains. I really can’t see Joker as someone, who is honestly h more

    + LikeComments (11)
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