My only issue is the overuse of Editorial notes. There seems to be constant reminders of previous plot points and which issues readers should go back and check out. For a book that's pretty much half way through a cross-over event it's hardly a jumping on point for new readers and you're almost guaranteed those reading this issue are already invested in Fear State. Read Full Review

I had some complaints about the character of Vile and the gross-out elements of this plot, but Tamaki and Mora nicely homage the classic Alien series here and end with a tense cliffhanger that indicates things in Gotham might have just gotten much worse. Read Full Review

A solid entry that keeps the story Tamaki wants to tell going, with some great art and a solid backup story to make it even more worth your while. Read Full Review

Dan Mora continues to be one of my favorite artists because of the beautiful details throughout the issue as well as the way the panels are composed. Mora captures the tension of the story as well as the intense action of the moment. Read Full Review

This eerie, almost hauntingly exciting story will draw fans in providing new life into DETECTIVE COMICS and possibly the Fear State Event if you were on the fence prior. Nonetheless, the star of the show is once again Mora and his outstanding visual display in which fans can look forward to each and every issue of DETECTIVE COMICS. Give this issue a look! Surprisingly enough, there isnt a ton of background knowledge needed to fight through this weeks tale. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless! Read Full Review

A creepy crawly story comes just in time for Halloween and I'm diggin' it. This issue is mostly atmosphere and build up to an intense climax and cliffhanger, but Batwoman walks in calmly at halftime just to swiftly dish out a few panels of action. Overall I thought it was well executed and shows Tamaki can be effective when it comes to sending out horror vibes. I hope she continues that feeling, because she's got Dan Mora's incredible art to really bring it home. Use it.8.5/10 Read Full Review

Detective Comics #1044 is good and I recommend this one! Sometimes Tamaki's narration or dialogue is a bit stale or overwritten, but Mora and Bellaire's amazing visuals, along with Tamaki's excellent story about Batman and Nakano, more than makes up for all of that. The backup is all right, too. And yes, this can entirely be enjoyed without having read the main Batman series. And honestly? Just stick with Detective Comics, anyway. Trust me. Read Full Review

This issue is a masterclass in comic art from my latest artist fave Dan Mora. Mariko Tamaki is delivering week in week out and keeping Batman fresh, without trying too hard. Not to mention a tantalizing second story. This issue's worth its weight in Batarangs! Read Full Review

Detective Comics #1044 maintains its intimate focus as we see how the ongoing story fits within Fear State. If you've been following this series and enjoying it, this issue is no different. In addition to the lead story delivering, the second feature is a unique tale that moves into the horror genre in an engaging and creepy fashion. Read Full Review

Detective's Fear State issues have felt detached from its sister title, but at least it feels more personal and less messy. Read Full Review

I'm enjoying the lead story (written by Mariko Tamaki and Dan Mora) but I do feel that it often suffers from not having enough room to properly show the continue decline and crumbling of Gotham. The backup story (featuring an in-construction Arkham Tower) feels pretty generic and doesn't add much to the overall story. Read Full Review

I'm one of those who have enjoyed Tamaki's take on Fear State in the aftermath of Batman's encounter with Hue Vile. As Fear State comes to an end, it will be interesting to see how she brings the saga to an end and how the relationship between Batman and the anti-mask mayor evolves (or devolves). Read Full Review

Both a fantastic main story and backup. Really digging the direction we’re going in with Shadows of the Bat with Arkham being rebuilt, Nakano being at a crossroads in his beliefs toward Batman, all of it. One of the strongest DC titles, as it should, and it truly shows that good writing is what makes a strong story, not good art (looking right at you, Tynion and Jiminez).

A solid tie-in to Fear State. Also interested to see the new upcoming event called Shadow of the Bat.

I liked it, even though I can't understand why not do a linear story since this whole issue is about Batman and Nakano.

Could we move off of the parasites, please? The second story was just meh.

Detective Comics - 8/10

Arkham Rising - 6.5/10

This is pretty good, but... honestly, Fear State is dragging every bat book down with it, it feels like.

For being Tamaki it was not so bad, I suspect that someone is helping her with this.

Dan Mora's art is just fantastic and my only reason to keep reading this book. I liked what tamaki is doing with Nakano and Batman in this fear state arc, but why keep pushing Vile, this villain is terrible and is destroying this book

Tamaki's story is decent but the second one is stupid beyond reason. Why would Batman want to prevent another Arkham Asylum from rising? He has NEVER been against the idea of Arkham Asylum and common sense tells you if those lunatics won't be killed because of his code and they won't be locked up in Blackgate becaue they're insane they have to be caught in a MENTAL HOSPITAL. Why would he be against it? I have the sense that this is another one of those woke concepts that the villains are not insane, tHeY'rE jUsT mIsUnDeRsToOd. And yes, I know Arkham Asylum has not been doing a great job since they always escape but the alternative to not having a mental asylum, not locking them in prison and not killing them is just... leaving them on the streets to kill people. Oh wait, that's better, right? more

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• Mingthemerciless

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Mingthemerciless - Oct 27, 2021

Tamakis writing is very hot and miss (more miss) and can be very clunky. Comics are a visual medium but Mora is carrying this book.

Mingthemerciless - Oct 27, 2021

Typo hit and miss.

Merlyn - Oct 27, 2021

Tamaki was ok here, I'm not a fan of her but she let Mora do his thing and that was ok. The second story is stupid because it doesn't make sense for Batman to not want an Arkham Asylum. And I can feel this another one of those ideologically-driven decision.

Mingthemerciless - Oct 27, 2021

From solicitations I've seen they're looking to make Arkham Asylum more akin to Marvels Ravencroft. Arkham Asylum is far more recognizable and active in the batman mythos but DC wants to ape Marvel this time around. I think the Arkham name needs to stay and a good writer can deliver the concept but DC and good writing arent synonymous of late.

Merlyn - Oct 27, 2021

I have a feeling it's something far more nefarious than that. Writers have criticized the locking up of insane people, terms like "criminally insane" and Batman overall for supposedly not caring about the methods used at Arkham. It's part of the whole woke idea that we need to blur the lines between sane and insane as much as possible. Tynion did something similar with his "unsane" cringey idea but he doesn't know how to develop it.

Merlyn - Oct 27, 2021

What I'm trying to say is that for woke ideologues terms like "insanity" are not PC, as in no one is insane, they're just "mentally challenged" and they're throwing this shit into comics, too. Speaking as someone who knows so many people suffering from mental illnesses I can say that's a subject I'm familiar with and indeed society suffers from a misunderstanding regarding these types of illnesses. We should learn more about this stuff before applying certain labels.

Merlyn - Oct 27, 2021

At the same time, a lot of crazy notions are embraced by woke ideologues and presented as normal (see, the whole "pronoun" thing which is certifiably insane yet they pretend it's completely normal to call someone "they" when we're talking about ONE person). But the main point is all of these theories have no basis HERE. We're talking about genocidal maniacs who have killed people for years. No one should put a pillow under their heads, if anything Bats has been way too chill about them.

Merlyn - Oct 27, 2021

This same mentality can be seen in Arkham City: The Order of the World by Dan Watters. There's this idea that the language used for Arkham should be changed, that treatments were bad, that the villains are victims of Gotham and there's this loony psychiatrist that actually harbors the Ten-Eyed Man. I think these are not coincidences.

Mingthemerciless - Oct 27, 2021

Oh I fully understand the activist incursion in comics right now. Look no further than the retcon of Tim Drake with mo written history of bisexuality. The disarming of Jsson Todd. The existence of Tim Fox as a Batman. Agendas are driving the writing.

Mingthemerciless - Oct 27, 2021

Writers are actually bragging about pushing their activist agenda through editorial. So I'm certain that the woke sanitization of Arkgam as part of the blame society not the criminal agenda is part of this.

Mingthemerciless - Oct 27, 2021

If they actually cared about mental illness the streets if cities line LA or Seattle wouldn't be overrun with the homeless.

Mingthemerciless - Oct 27, 2021

Demanding that society refer to an individual in the plural against all reality is mental illness in itself. Again the blame society and "the oppressive system" rather than the criminal is behind the idea of this change of status I'm sure. But I don't doubt that DC feels its its turn to copy Marvel now either.

Merlyn - Oct 27, 2021

Unhoused, please, not homeless, that's the newspeak these days. What annoys me is that, like I said, I actually have a lot of people close to me who have gone through stuff. And let me tell you, pretending they're okay when they weren't doesn't help. First step in solving a problem is realizing that you have one. Mental illness is indeed misunderstood in our society. But these people take that very serious issue and twist it to serve their ideological beliefs, they don't care about people.

Mingthemerciless - Oct 27, 2021

Of course..unhoused. If they genuinely cared about mental illness they'd be asking serious questions about what's making adolescent boys snap and go to their schools to try to kill as many as possible. But they know deep down that the reality would slap them too hard in the face.

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