Detective Comics #1105 Review

 

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist & Colorist: Mikel Janín

Inkers: Mikel Janín, Wayne Faucher & Norm Rapmund

Letterer: Wes Abbott

Cover Artists: Mikel Janín, Greg Smallwood & Björn Barends

Editors: Jessica Berbey, Ben Meares & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99

Release Date: January 28, 2026

 

Fear warned Batman of danger. But it also restrained him from going too far while apprehending criminals. As the Lion's virus takes over, Bruce feels his fear fading away. So, he phones a friend, hugs his son, and gives Superman the means to incapacitate him. Will the Lion's virus, and a protective suit that robs Bruce of any Human contact, turn him into a monster? And can Mr Terrific cure the Lion's virus before Superman has to incapacitate Batman? Let's grab our gasmasks, leap into Detective Comics #1105, and see!

 

Story

After watching his parents die, Bruce Wayne vowed to prevent other people from suffering the same nightmare. He embarked on his vigilante career to cure a culture corrupted by crime. But as the saying goes, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Like Olive Silverlock, Leo Kingsford lost his single parent to Batman. And like Olive, Leo suffered nightmares from how Batman apprehended his father.

 

While Bruce Wayne sent Olive to the prestigious Gotham Academy, Leo entered the foster system. When he feared going outside like agoraphobic researcher Daniel Toomey, Bruce Wayne earned Leo's gratitude for providing in-home schooling. But Leo's nightmare about the Batman who invaded his home and dragged his criminal father away never faded.

 

Tom Taylor weaves glimpses of Leo’s youth into Batman’s journey in Detective Comics #1105. But the focus remains on Batman as he follows up on what he has learned, confers with others protecting the city, and learns more about the boy who became the Lion. Even though he helped Leo, Bruce recognizes he altered the course of the young man’s life. But while Mr Terrific’s team furiously investigates Leo's virus and his sidekicks combat crime in Gotham, Batman learns more about his adversary.

 

As Batman shares his thoughts with the reader, he acknowledges that he has made mistakes. Yet Lois Lane’s warning returns to him. While Bruce asks others for input on his plans, his mind is working overtime, attempting to compensate for the loss of his fear. His suit may prevent him from infecting others. But Bruce Wayne remembers the bodies he found on the ship approaching Gotham, and how Leo's virus drove the people to kill each other in Detective Comics #1105.

 

Art

When Jim Gordon arrives, a uniformed officer points to an open window on the top story of an apartment complex. Gordon hangs his head as he enters. Young Leo sits cross-legged beside the couch, hugging his teddy bear. When the distraught boy attacks Gordon, a police badge nestles near Leo’s fraught features as the uniform officer places the child in a chokehold.

 

Mikel Janín lavishes a palette of blue, brown, yellow, red, and a virulent green on his, Wayne Faucher, and Norm Rapmund’s art. A softer palette shows Bruce trying to mitigate Leo’s fears as the young man tries to turn his life around. Green and beige frame scenes from Leo’s youth, while Batman evokes Bane as he strides through the present in a bulky silver and blue suit. Red gains the upper hand when another person shares their own memories of Leo, and the color joins the angry chorus of yellow and orange threatening to devour Gotham in Detective Comics #1105.

 

Wes Abbott fills white balloons with black uppercase dialogue and shares Batman’s thoughts as white uppercase letters in gray narrative boxes. Black dialogue in green balloons accompanies scenes set in the past, while Oracle's transmissions appear as dark green letters in green balloons. Sound effects highlight the dangers threatening Gotham and how Leo fought to overcome the fear the Batman instilled in his psyche. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Gotham is a scary place to live. And despite all of Batman's efforts to eradicate the criminal element from his city, Gotham still terrorizes its citizens. Bruce Wayne may work outside the law. He may have access to tools the police can only dream of using. Still, Bruce's youthful zeal to protect his city may have doomed its future in Detective Comics #1105.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Detective Comics #1105.