Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. 2: Gotham Nocturne: Act I

Batman: Detective Comics by Ram V.

by Ram V, Dave Stewart (colorist), Nick Filardi (colorist)

Ram V and a team of all-star artists devise the next chapter of Detective Comics, where the dark opera of Gotham continues to become ever more perilous for Batman! Two-Face and Mr. Freeze are rallied by sinister forces to defeat the Dark Detective. Meanwhile, the young Orgham heir, Arzen, meets Bruce Wayne for the first time, and Bruce sees potential in the boy. Dualism takes center stage in this collection, and not only is nothing as it seems, but it’s always, always worse. Contains Detective Comics #1066-1070 and the Detective Comics 2022 Annual.

Genres: Comics, Batman, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Mystery, Crime

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 13, 2024

About the author

Ram V (Ramnarayan Venkatesan) is an author and comic book writer from Mumbai, India. His comics career began in 2012 with the award-nominated Indian comic series, Aghori. A graduate of the City University of London’s Creative Writing MA, he has since created the critically acclaimed Black Mumba and the fantasy adventure series, Brigands.

Reviews

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. Great artwork that fits the story, good story as well. If I had one complaint, it is Batman needing to be saved all the time. However, why this is the case for other characters' development.

Change is coming to Gotham. Nobody is safe. Not the Batman, the criminals, or people. Also, the girst meeting between Bruce Wayne and Arzen Orgham. Is change inevitable? What is Batman's role in all this? Can he fight what he does not understand?

A good book, I am enjoying the whole story arc. Even the little backup stories. I like how all the small elements come together. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery, sketchbook, and scripts.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I enjoyed the first volume of this ambitious multi-arc story, with this book it’s in danger of disappearing up its own backside. The hotchpotch of different artists isn’t helping, either.

I’m hoping it gets its act together again with the next volume but I’m starting to have my doubts…

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

There might have been some OK bits but for the most part this tome fulfills the dreaded three Ps I hate in any Batman story:

PONDEROUS

PORTENTOUS

PRETENTIOUS

I won’t be continuing the series.

[Naim Luqman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second volume of Ram V's Detective Comics and everything is kicked into second gear. While still slow, pacing wise, it does turned up the stakes/tense up the circumstances. Gothic horror mystery, this is and with Batman unrevealing. Rafael Albuqueque's arts is also an A+.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much like the last Volume, there's something that is just not sitting with me right in the "Gotham Nocturne" storyline. We are basically bouncing between 4 plots:
1) Bruce Wayne is getting older and feeling like he is starting to lose his edge. As a very long time comic reader, I wonder if DC is rearing up to have a new Batman or a retired one; or, inevitably what will happen to the character to reinvigorate him back to amazing. (DC... you are showing Jon being ready to take over for Clark. Maybe it's time for Damien to start learning...)
2) Two-Face is having an identity crisis, his two halves been further divided than ever.
3) Mr Freeze has something crazy going on that requires a lot of experimentation, but I can't figure out what it is.
4) Arzen and the Orgham family are slowly taking over Gotham with their financial influences.

(Looking ahead, I really hope this whole "Gotham Nocturne" storyline starts clicking for me, because I'm not loving it, and I see it's going to go for at least 3 or 4 more Volumes.)

Give the previous Volume a try. If you like that, read this one. Otherwise, in my opinion, stick with the other Bat-Family titles.

[a ☕︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

it’s gearing up a veryyy little. not by much, and the highlight is...still talia (lol), who appears every so often like a phantom. i wish she would join the story proper already. her ten seconds in this are well-spent though, v is trying very very hard to deliver lore through her, à la scheherazade (no wonder her pages are a toppi pastiche). my girl is stuck in a warehouse drinking lavender tea and talking nonsense, idc how extravagant it is 💔 it’s boring me! and this never-ending night of spooky oriental mystique is just starting to make me laugh. anddd my last comment about enjoying spurrier’s back-ups jinxed it, i don’t know what he’s doing anymore. on to the next...

[Matthew Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. There is a lot being setup here that almost aligns with what is going on in the main Batman title, but also feels very different in tone. I’m not sure if both are supposed to coincide really, as I’ve not read much Detective before as it comes out. But I did like seeing where this one was going with the Orgham family and I look forward to seeing a lot of Bruce Wayne dealing with this family in this title more so than Batman. I did really enjoy the Two-Face and Freeze backup stories in this one, as well.

[Lucas Savio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestamente quanta enrolação no primeiro até achei legal o conceito mas fica no conceito e não entretem Ram v ta criando algo mas que de tão longo o interesse se perde e de fato o batman do chip fica mais interessante

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Після довгої перерви — чи то рік, чи й більше — я нарешті повернувся до онґоїнґу «Детективні комікси». Колись припинив читати, хоч перша арка Рама Ві мені сподобалася — атмосферна, незвична, така собі готична опера у світі Темного Лицаря. Цікаво було подивитися, як справи розвинулися, і чи тримає новий том той самий настрій.

«Ґотемський ноктюрн – Акт перший» — це продовження готичної симфонії жаху, яку Рам Ві розігрує у межах Ґотема. Азмер, демон із тіней, починає плести свою павутину впливу, залучаючи знайомих персонажів на кшталт Дволикого та Містера Фріза. Паралельно Орґами — нові мафіозі з тонким натяком на магію — поглиблюють контроль над містом. Брюс Вейн зустрічає Арзена Орґама — спадкоємця роду — і, здається, бачить у ньому щось більше. Все це відбувається на тлі одвічного дуалізму: світло й тінь, герой і злочинець, молодість і втома. Бетмен дедалі частіше не справляється, не встигає, падає… і його рятують інші.

Комікс тішить саме тим, чим має в руках Рама Ві — атмосферою. Також сценарист вправно працює з темами виснаження та старіння героя, з психологією персонажів — особливо Дволикого, який у цій арці має гарне сюжетне розкриття. Навіть додаткові історії — про Фріза й інших не здаються зайвими, бо вони логічно доповнюють основний сюжет.

Рафаель Альбукерке — художник, стиль якого мені до вподоби і який ідеальний для такої історії. Він створив дійсно хорошу атмосферу для цієї історії.

Мені сподобалося. Це не типовий Бетмен. Це втомлений, зламаний, похмурий герой у місті, яке давно його пережило. Рам Ві справляється значно краще, ніж його напарник по команді Здарскі у своїй «Бетмен» серії, де достатньо хаосу в сюжеті. Тут же — стиль, ідея, атмосфера. Читайте цю серію.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
These stories can be beautiful. The art and prose. Some great moments, too. So it's hard to grade these lower...even though I can not always enjoy the read. There is a sort of indulgement in writing flowery prose that comes at the expense of the story, causing a loss of the story thread that should lead the reader through the story. Also, not a fan of adding an additional 8 to 10 page story to each issue. They are fine in themselves. Interesting even. But similarly indulgent. I feel manipulated. I am not reading Detective Comics for those additional stories. But I have to read them to complete the issue. Focus, DC, focus.

[Edan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 / 3.5

[Michael J.]

As I continue to read further into Ram V’s lengthy DETECTIVE COMICS epic, it becomes even more apparent that he is a remarkable story-teller. There is a complexity and depth to the current storyline as well as excellent character development. Surprisingly, Ram V packs enough into this saga that it could easily be a long print novel.

While the artists seem to change issue by issue there is still a uniformity in the quality and visual appeal of the art. Also, the story is so good that you have to be consciously paying more attention to the art to catch the change in styles/presentation as they occur.

I have the individual issues that make up Ram V’s long epic storyline and I’m reading this in sets to correspond to the four trade paperback volumes. Curiously, Volume 1 ended with Issue #1066 and Volume 2 begins with Issue #1066.

DETECTIVE COMICS #1066 by Ram V and Ivan Reis (DC Comics, January 2023) Gotham Nocturne: Act 1; Something In The Way, Part 1

What becomes apparent by this point is that Ram V is putting his personal stamp upon these long-established characters and developing them further. This is most noticeable in his treatment of Two-Face (with the bad side speaking to the good side of Harvey through red caption boxes), which is fascinating.

The mysterious and subtlety sinister Orgham family is establishing their foothold in Gotham. In public they espouse their support and interest in reestablishing the greatness of Gotham City, but behind the scenes their actions are suspect. The League of Assassins failed to stop them upon their arrival. Batman saved them, but nearly died and is under the care of old friend Jim Gordon (now a private investigator working with Harvey Bullock). Two Face is playing a bigger role, trying to control the various criminal gangs while helping the Orghams with their efforts to control the various power plants and substations throughout the city.

The young head of the family, Arzen Orgham, is trying to cozy up to Bruce Wayne and stating his interest in Gotham, while advisor Shavod is counseling Arzen that he should not associate with Wayne.

The Orgham henchman, who is the werewolf-like Wolf of Bezadjehanne, investigates the one abandoned substation where their henchmen have not returned from. Acting on a tip through Jim Gordon, Batman arrives at the same time and the two battle until Mr. Freeze intervenes. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.

DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL 2022 BY Ram V with art by Christopher Mitten, Rafael Albuquerque, and Hayden Sherman (DC Comics, January 2023) Gotham Nocturne:Motif The main story, a flashback to the early settlement days of Gotham, is bookended by a trip by the Orgham henchman Gael and advisor Shavhod to the ruins of Arkham Asylum to retrieve something that Gael planted there back in 1776. He’s a wolf-man, which apparently makes him ageless.

Gael was there when then-named Gathome was a shepherding village. Gael buried something in a crypt underneath the church that is an essential item in the Orgham efforts at obtaining power and transforming the city, The former Arkham Asylum was later build over the bones of the old church.

The story is a direct tie-in to the current storyline and provides Ram V an opportunity to both show how the Orghams planted seeds centuries ago but also a chance to have fun with creating some characters that will remind long-time Batman readers of familiar faces. I thought it was very clever and entertaining.

An attempt to rob Gathome of its growing wealth (it’s a hub for the transport of goods) by Darcy Hunt (Two-Face) and his raiders is foiled by a drifter (Aldridge Pearce) with combat skills who later wears a Batman-like costume. He was escorting the young Wainwright boy, orphaned when his parents were slain by the wolf-man Gael, to another city when the carriage driver (Phantom Stranger) advised him and the boy of their importance and turned them around.

Back in town the wicked pastor Ichabod Kraine (a nod to both Sleepy Hollow and The Scarecrow) has the town worked up at burning the local witch/herbal healer Aiyanna (Poison Ivy) - which is meant to leave the town empty so that Darcy Hunt can take it easily as well as fulfill the contract Gael gave him to kill the local constabulary Jardin (Jim Gordon). Also, watch for the local businessman Pebblecroft (Penguin). FOUR STARS.

DETECTIVE COMICS #1067 by Ram V and Ivan Reis (DC Comics, February 2023) “Gotham Nocturne, Act I: Something In The Way, Part II”

There’s a nice public speech by Arzen Orgham to the public, but I’m still wondering what their actual intentions are. I suspect that to be revealed later as the story continues to move forward. Meanwhile Gael (Orgham’s werewolf protector) in his human form and Shavhod have retrieved a “Thalamus Engine” from the church underneath which it was buried centuries ago.

Mr. Freeze allows Batman to thaw from the last encounter, and offers him a bottled Azmer demon so he can study it. The Orghams want to acquire more Gotham property and burn large sections of The Narrows to the ground, while selectively transporting many residents to their new underground compounds for mandatory recruitment into their Azmer army. Shavhod visits the Wayne Realty board of directors and offers to buy their low-income housing projects. When the offer is rejected, she dons the mask of many eyes and hypnotizes the board into granting her wishes.

In the back-up story boy Simon Spurrier and Hayden Sherman Harvey Dent/Two-Face continues to battle internally with his more demonic side. He was instructed by the Orghams to eliminate the psychiatrist Dr. Mead, but actually spared her with advice to leave town. FOUR STARS.

DETECTIVE COMICS #1068 by Ram V with art by Ivan Reis and Rafael Albuquerque (DC Comics, March 2023) “Gotham Nocturne, Act I, Part III: Half A Chance In Hell”

This issue deliberately employs two artists, as in addition to Batman’s struggles this is a special Two-Face issue - - so the art is split in half. However, the two styles are similar enough that readers may not notice the transitions.

Supposedly, Ram V also devised each page of the story to be a dark reflection of the page facing it, and from front to back. I have to admit that I don’t really pick up on this because the events are very dark throughout. Although the effect is more obvious on the pages where Harvey Dent presents his view of events and then the bad side of him presents the counter-argument. They come to an agreement and work together to suppress the Azmer demon inside.

Meanwhile Batman has a second fight with the wolf man that doesn’t go his way again. He’s rescued by an unlikely ally that had a change of heart. FOUR STARS.

DETECTIVE COMICS #1070 by Ram V and Stefano Raffaele (DC Comics, May 2023) “Gotham Nocturne, Act I: Grand Design, Part II”

Underneath Gotham City, Solomon Grundy wakes up and is very unhappy with what’s happened to his stomping grounds. He takes it out on the Orgham forces.

Arzen Orgham is still trying to cozy up to Bruce Wayne, and we finally learn why the Orgham family has returned to “resurrect” Gotham. As Arzen reveals “it is Orgham tradition - - before rising to the throne, a would-be King or Queen must go out into the world . . . to live among the people of the Earth and find something, someone, some place truly worth saving - - and save it.” But the methods employed by the Orghams so far do not seem to be in the best interests of the common people. In fact, they are blunt and brutal.

Batman has a meeting with Talia and learns that one of the ancient King Orgham’s four most trusted servants was none other than her father, Ras Al Ghul. A mysterious team called The Vigil arrive in town to investigate the Azmer sightings - - but whose side are they on? FOUR STARS.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The intrigue definitely wears off fast with the first act of Gotham Nocturne. The Overture caught my attention, but after this first (second) volume, I find my cursor hovering over the two star option. Let's be generous...

The issue is really the sheer number of storylines Ram V and Si Spurrier are juggling. Batman/Bruce Wayne are trying to figure out what the Orgham's are up to. Meanwhile, Two-Face is having a mental workout with his evil half while simultaneously operating a crime ring for the Orghams. Also going on: Gordon is still trying to figure out the raven-backed boy, the raven-backed boy is roaming through people's minds, and there's a sentient piece of music on the loose (what?). Oh and there's more! Mr. Freeze plays a big role here with his subterranean ice room. And Talia pops up too.

Whew. Between the main story and the bits and pieces of all these other stories, it quickly becomes very difficult to figure out what's going on. Mostly, it seems like the Orghams are doing that classic old-money-villain thing: forming an army of mutants in the sewers. Which doesn't exactly feel like what I was promised in the Overture? I thought we were going somewhere classier than monster fights in Ram V's series.

I'll still keep reading, of course, because there are some promising elements that could grow back into intrigue. And the art continues to be quite good, if sometimes variable. Just...maybe a little more straightforward next time, please?

(Oh, also: the annual featuring Gotham's founding was dumb. Why would there be so many current-day Gotham dopplegangers 300 years ago? It felt like a silly Elseworlds story - What If Batman Were Around in the 1600s?)

[Billy Jepma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pacing of this series is still a little odd, as each volume seems to end without the usual period I’ve come to expect from a mainline hero book. But that’s part of why it’s working for me so well, and I like how Ram V is using the Detective Comics title to tell a broader story about Gotham and its protector. Even the deeper lore at play and its slants toward a “destiny” angle—which usually isn’t my favorite approach, admittedly—has my interest. I appreciate how Ram V is developing a symbolic, fated tie between Gotham and Batman. I’m not sold on the villains yet, but I’m willing to wait and see where they go from here. Two-Face’s and, to a lesser extent, Mr. Freeze's involvement is great, though. I love how the backup stories from Si Spurrier—who is always reliable—add to their roles with additional context and insight. Solid stuff!

My only major gripe is the art, which is often great but, like most books these days, has so many guest artists that it never settles on a satisfyingly cohesive look. I like the elements at play—a gritty, almost noir-like style with fantastical flourishes—yet lack the linchpin I usually prefer. I can’t fault the book too hard, though, since it’s increasingly become the standard, and the pages are usually in the “good” category, if not above that. 

[Florian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two volumes into this story arc and it still feels like a slow burn.
I like the setting and the artwork, but Ram V's writing leaves a lot to be desired. The story is extremely fragmented and plagued by obscurity (instead of mystery) and whatever is the technobabble equivalent for fantasy.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure of what all happened here. A splinter group of the League of Assassins (or something like that) led by Arzen Ogham is pretending to be invested in rebuilding a lot of Gotham. Meanwhile, they have shapeshifters/mystics/assassins/whatever secretly herding street denizens into the sewers where they're infecting them with some kind of toxin called Azmer, bent on turning them into an army. And they're manipulating Harvey Dent with some sort of demon inside him...I think...and butting into Victor Fries's business hidden in the sewers. Then some new vigilante group headed by a computer whiz kid calling himself Castle shows up. This was a very complicated story that really accomplished very little outside of Harvey, and was vastly confusing. And worse, about 40% of the way through the, to that point decent, artwork took a huge nosedive. This was the most painful Batman story line I've read in ages.

[Berslon Pank · Rating 2 out of 5]

The part in the past was dumb.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess its alright and yeah the covers and aesthetics are good but idk it just seems like a generic storyline hiding behind there are even more secrets to Gotham and its not new tbh, same old stuff repackaged coming from a different pov and it has multiple storylines which are good but then there are back ups which aren't that good and kinda spoils the pace of reading this.

So there is the plot of Bruce being rescued and then him trying to find out whats going and he fights multiple people like there is the fight with the werewolf Gael and yeah we still dont know much about his origins except that he maybe immortal and connected to Mongols then there is the stuff with later on being rescued by Two face and how he deals with that and Gordon convos and how he learns whats going on in Gotham with his friendship with Arzen Orgham and who this guy is plus later in the end he meets Talia who tells him of her fathers connection with the Orghams and thats the part I am interested in.

Dr Freeze is also there and he has a battle with Batman and you see he is tryna get Nora back after the events of Tomasi's run and he is doing experiments and the backup story is bad lmao, it has that Therapist that Two-face let go and yeah bad luck for her, the writing is kinda bad there and you see this mysterious boy with the bird tattoo now named "SORROW" rescuing her and that strange voice.. idk what it is.. maybe its part of the larger narrative?

The two face story is good, I love how we see the conflict between Harvey and TF and a focus on trauma and what if TW was the one who saved Harvey, kinda like Hulk and Banner but something different and you see how he becomes the head of the organized crime in Gotham and also learns Bruce's identity so there is that and I am guessing it will be a major thing down the line but if anything this was the best part of this volume, this thing with Harvey and the duality he faces. I love it and wanna see his story expanded on.

There is also a backup about how these Orghams were there in 1776 Gatham ala another ancient name for Gotham and the history there and parallels to the modern day myth of bat and his villains with other names like Aiyanna which is basically Ivy and the villain Darcey Hunt aka Two-face and that felt a bit too on the nose but still cool story how he rescued the wainwright kid.. told you it was too on the nose and how these events relate to modern day.. the design and the writing was cool and if you know the modern day parallels you can see the themes but I guess the main idea is that Orghams have seen their plans for Gotham foiled and they will have to take care of Batman to attain absolute control like they were planning since the founding of America.

So yah not really that new ideas but still interesting take on familiar ideas and its a set up like an act with multiple characters and all and pieces that don't fit atm and maybe down the line they ultimately well and the art.. the ones by Ivan reis were super good, the others not so much. But yeah do read it if you're alreading reading the whole run anyways.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se asienta esta propuesta por parte de Ram V también con el dibujo titular de Iván Reis y Rafael Albuquerque. La llegada de la Familia Orgham acelera todos estos cambios y avistamientos monstruosos en Gotham City que ya han dejado en la estacada a Batman. La lucha se recrudece mientras demonios (literales) personales amenazan con resurgir. No solo siendo el caso del ya atribulado Harvey Dent, aparente pieza central de los planes de los Orgham en suelo Gothamita. El propio Bruce vuelve a ser asediado por esa maligna presencia conocida como Barbatos. Una entidad que en varias historias hemos sabido que se liga al nacimiento de Gotham como ciudad.

Ram V sigue insuflando un gran componente místico y sobrenatural que resulta un desafío constante para Batman. Haciendo vital que el retornado Jim Gordon vuelve actuar codo con codo con el Cruzado de la Capa. Llegando a tener sus propias miniseries tratando con ese misterioso joven que parece ligado a un extraño experimento en el Akrham Asylum... de hace más de un siglo. Al igual que Harvey Dent, cuyo "lado malo" es esencial que vuelva a imponerse al insertar otra influencia realmente demoníaca por su trato con los Orgham del que Harvey no quiere tomar parte. Esto le hace acercarse a Batman quizás en su momento más vulnerable.

Este nuevo volumen de Detective Comics, conecta con una estupenda miniserie ligada a Fear States que ya imponía el lado más tenebrista de la ciudad de Gotham. En cierto momento, la Dra. Jocasta Joy (y su inquietante protegido de varias miradas) de Arkham City: The Order of the World, serán reclamados por el argumento central. Amenazando con adelantar unas capas aún más monumentales a la ancestral amenaza de los Orgham en Gotham City.

[laika · Rating 4 out of 5]

there's definitely a lot going on in this story but it's not TOO hard to keep track of and it's entertaining enough to read. i'm enjoying gotham nocturne a lot so far. the art is gorgeous too, of course. act 1 was especially good to me because of the scene with harvey talking to the two-face alter in his own head:

"i ain't your sickness, harvey! i. am. your. teeth! and if i can't make you use me, then by hell i will bite y--"
"you have his face."
"... what?"
"that's what i saw reflected in the puddle in that alley, out back of the theater...not some monster. not some...furious inner me. i saw poppa. cut up from brawling and mad with liquor. i hate you. i hate you for being stronger than me. i hate you because...y-you don't fit. not in the world i want to build. not in the man i want to be. but...i'm not that man. and we don't live in that world. not yet. so? fine. if you need to hear it-- hear it."
"g-get offa me, you--you--"
"sometimes? in my life--i need you. ...and i'm sorry for leaving you in the dark."

i also really enjoyed the scene between jim and bruce where jim is showing concern for The Man Behind The Mask and he assumes bruce has just disappeared again mid-conversation as he often does but he's still there listening silently behind the door. ough. my heart

[Norman Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ambitious series is perhaps a bit too ambitious. Being so far behind in my reading, I see that the series runs to at least five volumes, this being only the second. It’s billed as an operatic saga, and I can certainly see the creators trying valiantly to produce something epic. The problem is that it’s too complicated and the multitude of artists give it an inconsistency that works against coherence. There are at least four subplots: Batman is feeling his age and missing a step or two, Two-Face is having a weird identity crisis, Mr. Freeze is conducting mysterious experiments in the Gotham underground, and the evil Orgham family is trying to take over Gotham (and then there are the bemusing cameos by Talia and Solomon Grundy, as well as other appearances that may or may not eventually pay off). The Orgham subplot is particularly baffling in that it reaches back to the earliest history of Gotham, revealing that the family name eventually morphed into Arkham, of Arkham Asylum fame. Why is Batman unaware of this history? The “Greatest Detective” and protector of Gotham ought to have at least an inkling of this history, especially since the Wayne family is clearly intertwined with it. I have the feeling this series will become more complicated as it continues, but I’m willing to give it some leeway since it was nominated for a Best Continuing Series Eisner Award (not a guarantee of quality, but a reasonable indicator).

[Nate]

Ram V's sweeping gothic opera of Gotham City continues. The Orgham's grand design for the city takes shape, as Batman struggles to quell their forward momentum. The central question of this run seems to be, is Batman still the best protector of Gotham? Despite their dastardly methods in climbing to the top, the Orghams are on their way to convincing people that they are indeed the city's saviors, that Batman is, in their words, a mistake.

Meanwhile, Batman's alliances (of sorts) with Two-Face and Mr. Freeze add an interesting layer to the story. I really like what Ram and Spurrier do with Two-Face here. He's rarely given this much psychological depth; most writers do surface level split-personality stuff with him, but you can feel his internal torment in Ram and especially Spurrier's hands.

There's actually a lot going on here. Gordon's new "helper," Cheshire, Solomon Grundy, and the Vigil (my first time encountering this team). Ram is able to balance everything pretty well. I'm not sure about the stuff with the music. I guess it's part of the story because of the whole nocturne/opera theme? Seems silly and forced. The annual, flashing back to the 1700s, is also a bit overwritten. I like how Ram digs into the Milligan/Morrison/Snyder occult history of Gotham, but it all feels convoluted. Here’s hoping he can streamline this aspect of the story in future volumes.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Get to your seats because the opera continues with Act I...

The Orgham's sink their teeth deeper into Gotham with a plan to control the Narrows. There's a new set of masks that provide them abilities to make this aquisition easier (what is it with Gotham and MASKS?). They've also got a ...reality(?) engine to install in the depths of the city. Batman takes on one of the Lieutenant's in the Orgham army (the toothy werewolf one) and gets his ass handed too him (twice now)

Mr. Freeze is around, moping about Nora and wishing to be left alone (looks like Azmers need to 'chill out'). Prince Arzen pesters Bruce a LOT, trying to get a lay of the land and learn more about Bruce. Two Face learns that he has more control than he thought, and Harvey might have to give up some secrets to keep Gotham safe.

...and still...Barbatos
------
The layers and pace on this story is great. I also really enjoy having a Batman that isn't infallible. In this, he's lucky he has Gordon around to bail him out. Just how many years is this story going to run, though?

Bonus: Azmers for everyone! (Except Grundy...)
Bonus Bonus: The music has a voice... (and a body???)

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up to 3⭐️

Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 2 Gotham Nocturne: Act I collects issues 1066-1070 and Detective Comics Annual 2022 #1 of the DC Comics series written by Ram V, Simon Spurrier, and Dan Watters with art by Rafael Albuquerque, Hayden Sherman, Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Dani, Dexter Soy, Stefano Raffaele, Miguel Mendonça, Caspar Wijngaard, and Christopher Mitten.

The Orgham family continue to make a play in bettering Gotham while Batman tackles some of his usual rogues and new villains in play.

A lot of words are said in this volume but somehow the story doesn’t seem to have gone anywhere. We are now almost 10 issues into this ambitious story and it’s just… boring. I like what is going on with Two Face but other than that I am really struggling to stay invested. I’m also not a fan how DC continues to push this narrative of the Wayne family and a bat motif constantly protecting Gotham over the centuries in this repeating cycle. I believe it actually dilutes Bruce Wayne/Batman’s importance and they have attempted to tell this story multiple times now in different ways and it just simply doesn’t work.

The multiple artists now involved aren’t helping matters either and it’s distracting. This started as a promising story and has already lead me to dreading to start the next volume.

[Fahad Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it.
Some of these frames were mind-blowing. Yes the art style varies from chapter to chapter but I think for each individual story it works in it's own way.
In the Two-Face story arc it works so well to show how the character is falling apart inside. His entire arc was so well done. None of the exposition felt ham-fisted solely for the audience's benefit. It was Harvey's duality exploring itself.
The Orgham's plot started out kind of like, what's happening here? But as the story continues motivations are revealed and it begins to make sense.
The Orgham's also mirror Bruce's internal conflict in this story.
I am on the fence about how the comic discusses Bruce being intertwined with the city, but it does make sense and I'm leaning towards liking it. It makes sense to me, and the final chapter of the novel, while not entirely making sense, is entertaining and serves to reiterate the themes.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is certainly interesting, though I'm not sure I like all the disparate, competing stories. Just when Arzen Orgham is starting to tell Bruce a story about his father (one of whose henchmen is Ra's al Ghul), we cut away to Barbara Gordon and some guy called Arclight. The story is still unfinished by volume's end. The annual was good, with some background on Gotham (or Gathome) history, and counterparts for Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Jim Gordon, and Batman (even a budding Robin). But it just feels like too much. Having to follow separate stories involving Dr. Freeze and Two-Face, along with the unnamed kid with the raven tattoo on his back, and now a sentient musical melody? Just too much packed in there. The art is good, though quite variable from one page (one story) to the next. I will keep reading.

[Alex Sarll]

For a moment I thought this was about to go the way of so many other modern Batman runs, dutifully tick off all the overused foes, but no, it's still busy pulling out much more interesting bits of the mythos, all that Morrison and Milligan material about the occult architecture of Gotham and the recurring patterns of its history, fed into a grand scheme by new (except really very old) players who genuinely see themselves as weaning the city - and its supposed protector - from an unhealthy attachment to old trauma. True, the scene by scene execution can sometimes be unclear, or even silly - I'm as happy as anyone to see 'Batman always wins' undermined, but there were times here that he was getting knocked out so frequently I wondered if I was reading Adam Adamant. But for now I can forgive that so long as they maintain the grand, cursed, hallucinatory mood of the thing.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the Overture comes Act I, as Ram V's Detective Comics epic kicks into high gear. The Orghams have returned to Gotham, and they will take it from Batman by any means necessary. And in the background, Two-Face and Jim Gordon deal with the invasion in their own way - but how does all this hark back to the settling of Gotham City?

I love this stuff, I really do. One part supernatural, one part sci-fi, one part detective story, one part war of attrition. Ram V's doing absolutely everything he can at once, and Si Spurrier's character driven back-up stories prop up the main story beautifully. And then there's the Annual, which is just the right kind of crazy to tie everything together.

A very different kind of Bat Book, and that's always the best way to be.

[Robby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite all the dense writing and stylistic flourishes, I feel like all of the mysterious intrigue, side characters, digressions, and philosophical speculation is mostly just covering up a very flimsy plotline. We are supposed to believe that Gotham recovered from a major fire and that there is a measurable change in crime in just three days? People talk about the Orghams like no one had invested in the city before, but what about Bruce Wayne? Doesn't Gotham already have enough "secret origins"? The music theme seems like it is now mostly confined to the side stories. Again, this seems to be building to something greater, but so far the Orghams just seem like kind of a mashup between the League of Assassins and the Court of Owls.

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

The seemingly broad scope of the operatic story feels like it will read better all at once after it’s fully collected, but I’m still really enjoying each part as it’s collected so far. Ram V and Spurrier weave together the backups and main story in interesting ways that add significance to both. The supernatural old money plot continues to slow burn along with promise, and Cagle’s cover art remains stunning.

“Come morning I though he’d be waking up. Unless…”
“Unless what, you fool?!”
“Unless, of course, the other possibility is true.”
“Which is…?”
“That I am entirely mad and have no idea what I am doing. That would be very bad…I think.”