December concludes the year with comic book stories ending in cliffhangers. Among them is Nightwing learning that Olivia Pearce is a villain from his days as Robin. There’s also one more new comic book day coming up while this article is being written. One of the new releases is Detective Comics No. 1092. This is where readers should learn what effects of the revitalization serum Bruce Wayne took in the previous issue. But the events of that issue will come in a future article. Until then, here are the most important Dark Knight and Bat Family comic book moments of December 2024.
Deathstroke’s team name
- Comic book: Titans No. 18
- Writer: John Layman
- Artist: Pete Woods
At the end of Jahn Layman’s Titan’s No. 17, Deathstroke recruits Clock King for his team. In the next issue, Slade Wilson (Deathstroke) reveals their name. They’ll be called the Crime Syndicate after the name from the (as Slade called it) “Fake Justice League.” He also says that taking down the Titans is the first step to destroying the Justice League.
- Comic book: Detective Comics No. 1092
- Writer: Tom Taylor
- Artist: Mikel Janin
Harvey Dent’s Secret
- Comic book: Two-Face No. 1
- Writer: Christian Ward
- Artist: Fábio Veras
Harvey Dent has everyone fooled. He's been faking Two-Face's voice and personality to keep up appearances. Harvey has him locked up in his mind hoping that he (Harvey) can return to real law instead of the courtroom keeping Gotham criminals in check, The White Church.
Two-Face knows he can’t be held back for long and readers know he’s right. It’s only a matter of time before Harvey and his other half switch places. How soon that happens remains to be seen, but this writer guesses Two-Face's prison will start to crack during the third or fourth issue.
BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS #4 is out on 3/12/25!
— Hayden Sherman (@Cleanlined) December 20, 2024
And with it begins our second 3 part mystery: “THE VOICE OF THE TOWER”
From @DanPGWatters, @GoFrankGo, @Treestumped, and myself pic.twitter.com/AwICuSAKZ8
The Wound Man
- Comic book: Batman: Dark Patterns No. 1
- Writer: Dan Watters
- Artist: Hayden Sherman
Writer Dan Watters (Nightwing) and artist Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman) created a terrifying villain in Batman: Dark Patterns No. 1. He’s a villain based on the medieval picture called the Wound Man (more on that below). While it’s a horrific image, the villain pays homage to the idea that it’s supposed to “elicit sympathy from the viewer.” As he’s trying to kill his next victim, he says that he's giving them something taken from him.
"“ 'Wound Man' is a medieval icon representative of early medical images that were often infused with a sense of humanity. Depicting a variety of wounds and trauma, the image was not meant as a surgical diagram, but as a character—he elicits sympathy from the viewer." (The University of Chicago Library)."lib.uchicago.edu
Jervis Tetch is back!
- Comic book: Batman No. 155
- Writer: Chip Zdarsky
- Artist: Jorge Fornes
It’s been a while since the Mad Hatter (Jervis Tetch) was a major player in a Batman comic book, and that’s a good thing. It helped keep the question of who’s helping Riddler a mystery. The question now is how The Dark Knight proceeds will be interesting.
NygmaTe(T)ch (combine Edward Nygma and Jervis Tetch’s last names) and the Court of Owls defeat effects more than Jim Gordon’s Freedom. They have influences in the Gotham City Police Department, Wayne Tech, and the new vigilante, Commander Star. They could also be the reason Gotham citizens are more aggressive than normal.
Arkham by any name is still a prison
- Comic book: Absolute Batman No. 3
- Writer: Scott Snyder
- Artist: Nick Dragotta
Ark M will replace Arkham Asylum in the Absolute universe except there’s no confusion about what it is. The Ark M Fund will become a private prison funded by J.K. Holdings. While I believe Joker is behind this, there has to be more to it than that.
This is only plan M (Ark A happening on Santa Prisca). Is Metropolis on the list of planned private prisons and will this lead to Absolute Batman and Superman teaming up?
Not so Small Bat
- Comic book: Birds of Prey No. 16
- Writer: Kelly Thompson
- Artists: Vicente Cifuentes and Sami Basri
Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) was kidnapped while investigating the Ninth Day Corporation (Birds of Prey No. 14). Unbeknownst to Cassie, she is experimented on like the Amazons she was sent to rescue. Whatever she was given made her bigger, stronger, and angrier and she was looking right at Big Barda. We’ll have to wait for Birds of Prey No. 17 to see if Barda holds back when she fights the woman she calls “Small Bat”.
Batgirl leaves Gotham City
- Comic book: Batgirl No. 2
- Writer: Tate Brombal
- Artist: Takeshi Miyazawa
Despite Cassandra Cain not trusting her mother (Lady Shiva), she has no choice but to. Cassie was beaten and severely injured by Kalden the Unseen forcing Cassie and Lady Shiva to leave. It's the only way to protect themselves, the people of Gotham City, and the Bat Family from Kalden the Unseen and the Unburied. There’s no doubt Cassie and her mother will be followed, but this gives them time to heal and prepare. Stay tuned to Caped Crusades to see what's next.
What other Batman or Bat Family news should be on this list? Let us know on the Bam Smack Pow Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter.