Batman: Detective Comics 1090 connects to Bruce Wayne’s past

Tom Taylor’s Nightwing will be remembered as a classic story about Dick Grayson and his attempt to make Bludhaven better for everyone. With no break in between, Taylor went from writing Nightwing to the Dark Knight of Gotham City in Detective Comics with artist Mikel Janin (Batman: City of Bane). If the first issue is any indication of this series, we could be looking at another excellent comic book run.

Detective Comics No. 1090 begins with Batman standing over an unknown injured person talking to a mysterious villain. Whoever Bruce is talking to appears to have caused the injury to the person sitting in front of them. As Batman calls Oracle to get an ambulance, the villain cuts off one of Batman’s ears and kills his communication. They say, “Fighting for this monster isn’t noble, it’s madness. He's not worthy of your mercy. Don’t make the same mistake as your father, Bruce.” That tells readers that, whoever this is, knows that Batman is billionaire, Bruce Wayne.”

We flashback when Thomas Wayne has to decide on performing surgery on an abusive soon-to-be father or letting him die. Since Thomas took the Hippocratic Oath, he performed the surgery. Later, the abused woman (Evelyn) asks that her child’s father doesn’t know their child is alive. Thomas gets his wife Martha to tell Evelyn she can live a new life away from her boyfriend with her daughter. Evelyn agrees and escapes the Hell she was put through.

Fast forward to the present (but before the story’s beginning) and Bruce is with the daughter Martha saved, Scarlett Martha Scott. She pitches a medical advancement that would reverse the aging process to which Bruce declines. However, Scarlett gives Bruce a vial of her miracle and tells him to think about it.

"But if I could find an improvement, from a purely medical source...if my body wasn't held back by aging...who could I be?" -Bruce Wayne

This issue does a fantastic job of many things. Among them is showing how Bruce must play the idiot. For example, when Scarlett asks Bruce if she knows what Sangraal means, he says he doesn’t. Meanwhile, he defined it in his head before saying he didn't. Bruce must do things like this to protect his secret identity. However, Scarlett likely knows Bruce is the Dark Knight by how she hints at what he’d do if he could be faster, fitter, and stronger.

We should pay close attention to this. Bruce mentions that he’s declined all sorts of improvements from magic wielders and Green Lanter rings. Hearing about something that works medically could sway him. It’s doubtful he’d use it for good, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he tried it once or twice. He was once addicted to Venom (Batman: Venom). This could trigger his former addiction.

"They say youth is wasted on the young. With your experience, who could you be?" -Scarlett Martha Scott to Bruce Wayne

Lastly, it won’t shock many readers to think that Scarlett is the villain from the beginning of the issue. The criminal killing people is probably a result of her abusive father who probably caught up to her and her mother. It's a classic origin story. If true, it won’t make the reveal any better or worse. The journey leading to discovery is what makes it worth it.

This is only part one of Detective Comics: Mercy of the Father. Tom Taylor could be throwing the readers a curveball. He’s a brilliant writer who’s written amazing comic books with terrific stories. I have faith this will be as good, if not better, than everything we’ve seen from him. Stay tuned to Caped Crusades to see how things develop.

Have you read Detective Comics No. 1090? Are you a fan of Tom Taylor? We want to hear from you. You can email us at entertainment@fansided.com