Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. 2: Elixir

Batman: Detective Comics by Tom Taylor

by Tom Taylor, Lee Garbett (Artist), Mikel Janín (Artist)

A mystery takes Batman out of Gotham as he tracks down an immortality-focused cult called Elixir with the help of some unexpected allies!

In the pursuit of a mysterious, bloodthirsty cult, Batman finds himself stranded away from his home with only the help of some very unexpected allies! But what can someone like the Penguin really hope to add in the chase against the dangerous group known only as Elixir? And can Batman trust him long enough to accept his help? This plus the landmark issue #1100 of Detective Comics, featuring the work of some of Batman’s most iconic creative teams!

Collects Detective Comics #1097-1100 and Detective Comics Annual 2025.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes, Sequential Art

184 pages, Paperback

First published February 10, 2026

About the author

Once a professional juggler and fire eater, Tom Taylor is a #1 New York Times Bestselling, multi-award-winning comic book writer, playwright and screenwriter.

Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.

He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.

He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 3 part Elixir story is alright. I feel like this story is just a pale imitation of Ra's al Ghul though. The real star here was #1100 with 4 stories by past creative teams about why Batman is who he is. Al Ewing does the annual with a locked room mystery that's pretty good.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun adventure especially with the addition of Oswald and Harvey. I’d love to seem those two team up again.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

TT continues to be (for my money) the best there is doing it today and it's not even close.

I didn't much care for the gimmicky Issue #1100, but damn you gotta respect the longevity of this title.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read via single issues. Tom Taylor has taken his exceptional work on Nightwing, and just continued on with his excellent storytelling. Along with Taylor's beautiful standalone story in #1100, there are 3 other stories which are also fantastic. especially Greg Rucka's The Knife and Gun Club!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Iain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A satisfying end to the Elixir storyline that began in vol.1 of this collection, but that only takes up half of this volume. For the rest, it's a patchy affair with a variety of writers and artists, and mixed, uneven results.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mix of sophisticated Batman stories. It included one so deep and shows a side of Batman that I want to be true so much that I teared up.

[Frédéric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this "Elixir" run turns out to be a big dud. I already didn't like the idea of a secret society with powerful ramifications blah, but the way it ends is really disappointing. Cardboard villains, a transparent pseudo-mastermind of mediocrity... And what a great idea to add Cobblepot because... well, yes, that's right, why?
Garbett's artwork isn't up to scratch, Loughridge's colours are dull... Nothing to save except the Annual - and I don't often say that about annuals - by Al Ewing and issue 1100, which are perfectly decent.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elixir mostly plays like an epilogue to the previous volume as it kicks off with Batman, Harvey Bullock, and Penguin chasing down whoever is behind Elixir, the generic evil drug organization. It's a fun jaunt, though the big reveal is...weird (Elixir is run by a wrinkled old man in a Bacta tank whose goal is to live forever - and Batman basically says "geez, man, you're living your punishment already" and lets him hang out in the tank).

After that, we get a bunch of one-shots that are really great encapsulations of Batman as a force for good. Quality stuff, especially the issue that's almost entirely in sign language.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tom Taylor's second Detective Comics arc is basically just an epilogue for the previous arc, and a prelude for what comes next, rather than a story in and of itself. Teaming Batman with Harvey Bullock and the Penguin, the trio face off against Elixir, the shadowy organization (because the DC Universe doesn't have enough of those) behind the drug from the last arc. It's fine, but it doesn't feel like it has much to say overall.

The supplementary material in issues 1100 and the 2025 annual are better than the main event. Al Ewing's Detective Comics annual is superb, as Batman tries to solve a murder without actually solving it, while the back-up stuff from Tec 1100 feels worth reading rather than just the usual back-up nonsense that goes into these anniversary issues.

Decent, but not for the reasons you'd think. At least the next arc's shaping up better.

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this whole book. Maybe it was because I have read so many team up with Batman as the side character, it was great to have him and his detective skills take centre stage.

The first story arc is a mystery resurfaced from Old Gotham. I like the interaction between Batman and Bullock, and a surprise guest.

Then Batman responds to some "music", to discover a murder that he is begged not to solve. An international mystery with big repercussions. Then a short story of Batman and the president of the 96 school Batman fan club. However is the president looking for things that are not there.

Batman 1100 contains a collection of short stories the first without words. The second on being a hero. Third a hospital in the aftermath of a super battle. A doctor is wondering if she is making any difference. Finally a tense story that Batman has done a million times but the description is excellent.

I enjoyed every story in this book. The artwork fits the stories perfectly. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one. Overall A 4 out of 5.

Basically, the first three parter is a wild team up featuring Batman, The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot), and former detective Harvey Bullock. I know, I know, sounds crazy weird but it works.

The story centers on Bullock's private investigation into the dangerous Elixir cult, a group obsessed with immortality. When Bullock is abducted, Batman tracks the transport, only to find the hooded captive is actually The Penguin! Stranded together, Batman and The Penguin are forced to form a highly tenuous and uneasy alliance to find Bullock and take down the cult leader, Ambrose.

It's fun, Batman's a badass throughout, and Harvey has finally had some decent development. It feels like forever since we got this. I even like his subplot with his older cop partner.

But the best of this collection is issue #1100. Each story is written by different writers (four different one shots) that all encapsulate Bruce so well. It’s to showcase who Batman can be and why he is the hero people look up to, and how hard it is to be that said hero. Great stuff.

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Другий том Тома Тейлора працює саме так, як ця серія має працювати найкраще: не на рівні якоїсь гучної події, а на рівні уважно хорошого детективного коміксу про Бетмена. Мабуть, для мене найголовніше є те, як історія знає свій масштаб, не роздуває пафос понад потребу й тримається на простій, але міцній інтризі.

Арка «Еліксир» будується навколо розслідування, яке виводить Бетмена за межі звичного простору Ґотема. Сліди ведуть до загадкового культу, одержимого ідеєю безсмертя — організації, що поєднує фанатичну віру з холодною науковою прагматикою. Розслідування ускладнюється несподіваним союзом. До справи долучається Гарві Буллок, який має власні рахунки з «Еліксиром», а трохи згодом у цій історії з’являється й Пінгвін, персонаж, чия допомога завжди має свою ціну. Така компанія надає сюжету потрібної напруги: між довірою і підозрою, між прагматизмом і принципами.

Сам сюжет іноді дозволяє собі надто швидкі рішення і відчувається певна поспішність у завершенні. Утім, навіть ця нерівність не руйнує загального враження, бо історія тримається на атмосфері, взаємодії персонажів і доволі цікавій темі.

А випуск #1100 виглядає як невелика пауза між більшими арками: різні автори пропонують короткі історії про те, як Бетмен взаємодіє з мешканцями міста. Я не люблю такі номери, але розумію сенс таких антологій. Суть цієї, показати героя не лише як символ страху, а і як підтримку для ґотемців. З усіх історій мені сподобалася перша тиха без тексту, де Бетмен допомагає хлопчику.

Щорічник, написаний Алом Юінґом більш класична детективна історія. Сюжет починається з убивства у «закритій кімнаті», яке приводить Бетмена до розслідування, що несподівано веде до Англії. Щорічник вийшов хорошим доповненням до основної арки.

У підсумку маємо том, який не робить революції, зате добре пам’ятає, навіщо існує ця серія. Іще скажу, що мені подобається те, як працює Том Тейлор на цьому рані.

[André Habet · Rating 3 out of 5]

That Elixir storyline didn't really go anywhere, did it? Felt like a rethread of many secret society-like things we'd seen before. I was most into the anniversary specials.

[Mike Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun read! The team up between Harvey, Batman and Penguin was so entertaining and, surprisingly, worked really well. The art and coloring throughout the volume was just as fantastic as the first volume, which was good to see. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending to the whole Elixir arc, but I know there's another volume that's supposed to be coming out in a few months so maybe there will be some follow up to what happened? Like, it wasn't necessarily a "bad" ending, but it was very abrupt and I was a bit surprised that a story like that would come to such a simple end.

Now, there are several one-shots after the conclusion of the Elixir story and I feel like those stories are really what make this volume so special. They're not super long stories filled to the brim with action, but they show just how Batman is connected to Gotham and the citizens who live in it and how in the end, he's just a human too. These are honestly some of my favorite short comics I've ever reading featuring Batman, and I had come across at least two of them in the wilds of the internet and they made me want to read the volume that contained them sooo badly. And all and all, I gotta say, I was NOT disappointed :) i'm now eagerly awaiting the third volume of this run.

[Kurt Lorenz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annual 2025, ☆☆☆
1097-1099, Elixir, ☆☆☆
1100, Various, ☆☆☆

[Keegan Schueler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues to slap and is exactly what I want from detective comics. The first story and the deaf story are literally peak Batman to me.

[ReadinRaccoon · Rating 2 out of 5]

So you're telling me the plotline just follows a random thread of the first volume, makes it bigger than it has to be, and then rushes it all in 3 issues? At least the chemistry between the main characters is fun in issue 2 and 3. Also the collection of one shots are hit or miss but the one by Ewing was fire. The art by Janín is top notch as well and so unique to the point where its recognizable from one frame.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

The actual “conclusion” to the Elixir story ended a bit abruptly where we find out the man behind it is hooked up to machines prolonging his life and he puts himself into this kind stasis bubble thing that can’t let anyone in or out for 5 years. I liked that Harvey & Penguin were part of this story, they added to it a lot. 3.5/5

The second story about Batman trying to solve the murder of a tech magnate who specifically leaves a message in his own blood asking Batman NOT to solve his murder. I liked this one because it had a lot of Batman playing detective like I always want to see! It put the detective in detective comics.

I didn’t quite understand the ending not being at all good with physics, but I thought pairing this story up with Elixir for this trade paperback was an interesting choice because they both end with the antagonists stuck in a stasis bubble of their own doing (except where the Elixir villain could still move about, this guy was just trapped). 3.5/5

Finally, the last few short stories were all one-shots of Batman (or in one case, Bruce) interacting with and helping the little people of Gotham. I loved these - even though he seen the one where he helps the little deaf boy find his dog (and the boy gives him his $6 reward 🥺), it still got to me again. 4.5/5

The other stories were similarly heartwarming:

Batman working with a middle schooler who’s made his own junior Batman detective club at school. The young man pieces together that his classmates are being affected by Scarecrow toxin because of the school being built over a former Scarecrow lab and turns out to be a ventilation issue which Bats quickly rectifies and helps him see parts of Gotham that need more help. 4/5

Bruce attends a dinner honouring heroes and is drilled by a reporter on if he’s doing enough to help by *just* donating money all the time. 3.5/5

Medical staff (can’t recall if they were doctors or nurses) discussing the injuries people sustained in Gotham. One advocates that things have gotten way better since Batman came along - where they used to have multiple stabbing and other deaths of some very young, now they are getting concussions, bruises and scrapes - and not deaths. After her colleague leaves, we see Batman was hiding in the shadows and she was fixing him up and tells him he really does make a difference. 4/5

I can’t remember if there was a story I’m missing now (I already returned it), but I think the final story was Batman trying to save a man who is falling from a bridge. It was written very poetically but wasn’t my favourite of the bunch. 3/5

Many of these (as well as the tech bros one) are good stories or ideas but I didn’t like the art as much as I do the main storyline, so even though I liked the story the rating was a little lower for that.

Average for all the stories (I remember): 3.65
Actual rating of whole collection: 3.5

[Roman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Сьогодні повертаємося до рану Тома Тейлора на Детективних Коміксах. З 1097 по 1098 номер відбувається сюжет Еліксир, у якому Бетмен проводить розслідування щодо організації з минулої арки з якою працювала Аксема. Крім самого Бетса за цю справу також береться Гарві Булок у якого свої рахунки з Еліксиром, і вони вирішують працювати разом. Також по ходу сюжету до цього тандему додається Пінгвін. Я от в минулому відгуку висловив припущення, що Еліксир будуть головними поганцями в рані, тож уявіть моє здивування коли виявилося що це не так і Бетс розібрався з ними за ці декілька номерів, нехай і залишивши невеличку кому на можливе продовження.

Я сюжетом більш ніж задоволений, він динамічний та досить цікавий, Тейлор доволі непогано попрацював з персонажем Булока, а взаємодія між трійцею геро... двійкою героїв та суперлиходієм так взагалі повеселити примудрилася. Крім того, мені сподобалося досить іронічне завершення сюжету та, розкриття того, що собою являє керівник Еліксиру.

От 1110 номер мені не сильно зайшов. Він є типу ювілейним, а тому має чотири різні історії, з яких мені сподобалися тільки дві. Перша це німа історія від Тейлора та Ханіна у якій Бетс та Ейс бет-собака допомагають німому (?) хлопцю знайти собачку, а також історія від Ґреґа Раки та Альваро Мартінеза у якому дві лікарки обговорюють те, що через Бетса у лікарню тепер потрапляють покалічені бандюки, а не гора трупів. З двох інших що мені не сподобалося це історії від Тамакі та Аманкея Нахюлпан і Дена Вотерса і Біла Сінкевича.

Щодо щорічника то його писав Ал Юінґ з малюнком від Стефано Рафаелла, Джона МакКреа та Фіко Оссіо. Сюжет розпочинається як убивство в закритій кімнаті, яке приводить Бетмена до Йорку, що в Англії де Бетсу доводиться зіштовхнутися як з містичними так і з науково фантастичними елементами. В результаті вийшла досить непогана і цікава історія.

Другий том Детективів вийшов хорошими, мені продовжує подобатися те як Тейлор працює з персонажами та сюжетами. Щорічник також вийшов досить непоганою історією на один випуск. Ювілейний номер звісно сподобався найменше, але навіть так у нього було дві хороші історії.

[Randy Lander · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second volume of Tom Taylor's Detective Comics is only about 3/4 Tom Taylor. It has the Elixir storyline, a tale about a cult dedicated to immortality that pairs Batman up with the private detective Harvey Bullock (a great change for the character) and the Penguin, and the three of them are a ton of fun to watch together. Mikel Janin offers stunning artwork as usual. Then there's a short silent tale by Taylor and Janin in Detective #1100, collected at the end, that is a really touching and effective story that uses sign language as the reason for silence, and reaffirms Taylor's bonafides as a dog lover.

The other stories, to be honest, I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much, but they're all good. The annual, by Al Ewing, Stefano Raffael, John McCrea, and Fico Ossio, is a note perfect done-in-one detective story, the kind of thing the animated series would have done really well, taking Batman from a mysterious tech billionaire's locked door murder to England, with a side jaunt to a mystical themed villain. The other stories include a terrific middle school kid who is head of his Batman Detective club, from writer Joshua Williamson, and a look at a Gotham City ER that puts a new spin on Batman from a different POV, courtesy of Greg Rucka.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 2 Elixir collects Detective Comics issues 1097-1100 and Detective Comics 2025 Annual 1. It is written by Tom Taylor, Al Ewing, Joshua Hale Fiakov, Greg Rucka, Mariko Tamaki, and Dan Watters with art by Mikel Janín, Lee Garbett, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, John McCrea, Amancay Nahuelpan, Mike Norton, Fico Ossio, Stefano Raffaele, and Bill Sienkiewicz.

Wrapping up events from Vol. 1 Mercy of the Father, an unlikely partnership between Batman, Harvey Bullock, and The Penguin emerges and the trio team-up to identify and destroy the mysterious and powerful shadow group that is obsessed with immortality.

In the Annual, Batman investigates the murder of a tech genius who is safeguarding a mathematical formula that could unravel the universe as we know it.

And finally in the landmark 1100th Detective Comics issue we get a collection of stories of why Batman does what he does.

I absolutely loved the Elixir storyline and the dynamics between Bats, Bullock, and Penguin. It was an incredibly fun arc with a lot of humor mixed in which Taylor is fantastic at. I really enjoyed the detective story from the annual and all the stories from 1100 were good, but the “wordless” story about Batman helping a young deaf boy find his missing dog brought tears to my eyes. This was simply another fantastic volume of Detective Comics and proves why this title has reached over 1100 issues to date.

[Clint · Rating 2 out of 5]

The downside of centering your plot around a hidden conspiracy that’s very old and powerful is that the antagonists behind it need to then be very clever and discrete and effective, or else how have they successfully maintained their organization (and kept it hidden) for so long? And that’s a problem if you can’t really write characters that way. Taylor spends an issue or two telling but never showing the reader how scary the new shadowy bad guys are, only for Batman to dismantle their whole deal basically on first contact with a completely typical infiltration and beat em up sequence. Overall, a lot of the plotting in these issues feels like a dumb guy’s idea of a smart guy, and not in a fun way. I almost DNF-ed it when a character named Cody Morse showed up and communicated to Batman with Morse Code, and then Batman derisively remarks “someone thought they were clever.” Yes, they did, and it was the writer(s) of this comic.

Janin’s art still makes it all look really nice, though.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of disjointed. A couple of issues to wrap up the Elixir story from the last volume--that whole thing would have been better collected as one single volume--and then an annual with 4 different stories that reflect on Batman's importance to the people (and pets) of Gotham. I liked the story told with ASL, about how Batman rescues a little boy's dog. Also, a brief vignette in a hospital where one doctor tells another about how they used to be dealing with gun deaths during the graveyard shift, but now it's mainly broken bones and concussions, due to the influence of the Batman (waiting in the wings for treatment). Not bad, not great, just kind of middle-of-the-road, all in all.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wet blanket time...

This volume starts out by wrapping up the Elixir storyline from the previous volume and BOY do I have feelings on this. The LXR organization has got to be the most overhyped, weak, lameduck organization in the history of Detective ComicsThey were pushed as being something even bigger than the Court of Owls and what do we REALLY get? A giant Lazarus pit pyramid scheme.

Their boss? A guy who has himself sealed inside a vault for years if the entrance gets breached. Pyrrhic victory, much?

So much hate. They even got us to empathize with Bullock

[Mik Cope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as individual issues. The solid writing by Tom Taylor continues as we see Batman Far From Gotham tracking down a secret organisation, then encountering a new villain in The Courage That Kills, which has a particularly gruesome beginning. Oddly, the TPB finishes mid-story here, but I'll keep on reading as the comics come out. In between, there's the anniversary edition, which is a bit of a mixed bag, of fair to middling quality.

[Cristian Marrero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Batman, Harvey and the Penguin facing off against Elixir. It was a good read with a touch of laughter. Nothing really serious though. At least the ending gives character development to Chill. This only makes the first half of the volume. The 2nd half are mini stories of who Batman is and what he does for the people of Gotham. Cute little character stories.

[Will Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first arc was pretty simple but executed well and had funny moments in it? And you know I'm a big softie when there's a story in Detective Comics #1100 where Batman has to save a dog and Ace shows up. Almost cried. Coulda read it a hundred times.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taylor went right off the rails for a long period of time but this run is a reminder that when he puts his mind to writing something that isn’t based on social media trends that he can be competent.