Detective Comics Annual #2
DC Comics
Written by: Peter J Tomasi
Art by: Travis Moore and Max Raynor
Colors by: Tamra Bonvillain and Nick Filardi
Letters by: Rob Leigh
The return of a villain from his first days as Batman will send Bruce on an international trip that will reveal a twisted legacy.
The Reaper has returned to exert his brand of twisted justice across Europe. When Bruce discovers that his old foe has returned, he immediately knows that this Reaper is a copycat. Using an invitation for Bruce Wayne as a cover, he and Alfred make their way to Europe to begin their investigation.
It doesn’t take long to get the killer’s attention and the two begin a chase through the city that ends abruptly, but not before Batman gets the clues he needs to track down the Reaper’s location. When he goes back on the hunt, Batman will discover that there is more to this Reaper than meets the eye and the legacy of his fallen foe will fuel a desire for vengeance from an unexpected person.
This was a really entertaining standalone story from Peter J Tomasi. Its tone and pacing are a perfect match to the singular Batman stories that make up Detective Comics. Batman’s legacy and his investigative skills are showcased well and the story itself is dark, but fun to read.
Travis Moore and Max Raynor do an excellent job with the art in this issue and they capture both the gritty darkness of the plot with great looking characters and details.