The Penguin's downfall has truly begun, and it's still as entertaining as ever.  Layman and Fabok continue to craft these nice one issue stories, while laying crumb trails between issues both in the past and coming soon. It's unfortunate that the Requiem thing was tacked on, because when you really start to think about it, it feels pretty cheap. Regardless, if you've been enjoying the rise of Emperor Penguin, then there's still a lot to enjoy here. Who knows how crazy it's going to get in issue not #900 next month? Read Full Review

As much as we all like to discuss continuity, Detective Comics‘ focus on connecting to the timeline of other titles is bogging down an otherwise great story. I can't help but think that the collected TPB of this is going to be kind of confusing with all the references to other books… Anyway, it's a fun read and the artwork in both the main story and the backup is great. Don't pick it up because you want some Damian Wayne cross-over like the cover would have you believe. Pick it up because it's a good story about Penguin's demise and the rise of Zsasz and Ogilvy. Read Full Review

Batman: Detective Comics #18 does away with a lot of the noise created by Death of the Family and refocuses Batman on the murderous gangster elements of Gotham City. Read Full Review

Even though "Detective Comics" #18 isn't quite up to par with the past five months, Layman and Fabok have still done a nice job. I like what they're doing on the title, and I'm definitely sticking around for the months to come. While this is a good issue, I hope next month returns to what I've come to expect: a great issue. Read Full Review

An interesting start to a story that Layman's obviously wanted to tell for a while, but bogged down by an awkward tie-in scene and an unremarkable back-up. Read Full Review

They say any landing you can walk away from is a good landing, and when you consider the kinds of directions John Layman was being pulled, it's amazing this book reads as well as it does. Detective Comics remains one of the best-written books DC Comics publishes today, in spite of it being in the shadow of its more-publicized sister titles. While this book doesn't quite deliver on its promise, there's a lot to like about this solidly constructed comic. Read Full Review

Detective comics is building with each issue towards something special. This issue is another good read as it pushes along more of the plot and introduces an interesting threat for the next issue. This comic book is quickly becoming one of the more solid reads each month and it is becoming one of DC's strongest titles in their publishing list. I recommend checking this out. Read Full Review

Unfortunately, the issue's main storyline is far less successful as its exceedingly hard to care about the struggle between the Cobblepot and Emperor Penguin. Victor Zsasz is the issue's only villainous saving grace and I certainly hope that Layman chooses to focus more on him in the next issue. Read Full Review

Although the comic touches on Damian's death I expected far more. Batman kicks some ass and finally takes down Cobblepot. Zsasz's new origin story aside (which is ridiculously simple even for a comic book) the Emperor Penguin storyline works well enough here and by the end delivers a new weapon to Ogilvy to help cement his power base – the Man-Bat formula. Worth a look. Read Full Review

This issue falls into that pit of not being sure if it wants to be part of the bigger story, and for that, it falls short. Read Full Review

Ignatius's play for power as The Penguin's former page is very well-written in this issue. The scenes with Ogilvy are interspersed in just the right amount to give the impression that he knows as long as there's enough chaos, Batman (and even The Penguin) can't quite catch up with him. Scenes with Ogilvy even introduce some potential new villains. Most important of all is his retrieval of the “Bat Serum”. Hopefully the serum will be used on Zsasz in the next issue of “Detective Comics” and give him the same kind of strengths in martial-arts and wits that make Batman a lethal force to be reckoned with. Read Full Review

Other than Penguin serving as a pot-bellied punching bag and the reveal of Zsasz, not much transpires. I know we're probably being set up for some interesting turn of events but given the lack of action throughout this issue is ostensibly just the stepping stone on the path to something (hopefully) more interesting. Read Full Review

I can't say this was really worth reading, it's not nearly as good as some of the other Bat-Books out there that you should probably wait for. Read Full Review

While not being terrible, it wasn't a "wow" either. Any positive remarks towards the issue are mostly for it's great art. Hopefully next month's shows readers a more serious and less "Scooby Doo" Batman. Read Full Review

The issue introduces too many plot threads without spending enough time on them. You have Penguin, Emperor Penguin, Zsasz, and the death of Damien Wayne (aka Robin). That's way too much to juggle in one issue. Read Full Review