This particular issue does a really nice job driving forward the larger ideas of the villainous idea of Anarchy and the citywide riots that go along with it, while still staying very true to the more intimate character moments. Read Full Review

Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are providing a level of candor and clarity that I think other creative teams would do well to take note of. You aren't impatiently waiting around to see what happens next because each chapter is captivating in an of itself. And this is why you always come back for more! Read Full Review

As I stated in my review of issue #38, I find the Anarky character to be particularly relevant reflection of the current global environment. We live in a world in which a large majority of our existence is stored and transmitted electronically. The idea that the loss of personal data would send citizens into a frenzy does not seem too far-fetched. I hope that Manapul and Buccellato continue to explore the lasting effect that an attack like the one perpetrated by Anarky can have on society. This issue stands as a testament of the power that art can have when it represents life. Read Full Review

Now, there is another potentially significant event that took place this issue, but both to avoid spoilers and because the result of the event is left unconfirmed for the time being, Im going to leave it alone and you guys can see it if you pick up the issue yourselves. There is definitely still a whole lot of potential in this story, but Im not sure its lived up to it quite yet. I am very intrigued however, to see how things will play out next issue. Read Full Review

While the clues leading our Dark Knight to the final setting in this issue was a bit of a stretch for me, I enjoyed this issue for what it was and really enjoyed the artwork that got me from beginning to end.  Mad Hatter's become a bit more of a monster here and apparently Anarky has become a thing that stops monsters and I guess that's okay since we're in the New 52 but I'm not sure that long time fans will appreciate the drastic change in the characters that they love. Read Full Review

On the one hand, Detective Comics is a beautifully drawn book, one that's probably within the top five best-looking books in the rest of the DCU. The problem? Most of the rest of those books are also Batman books, which makes the bar that much higher when you're going up against great art and writing like Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman or Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's Batman and Robin. It's difficult to take the time to really tease out a mystery in comics form, and Manapul and Buccellato seem to be trying their damnedest to show Batman as a thinker as well as a brawler. The end result is imperfect, but their overall talent as artists keep this book from being a wash. Read Full Review