The DC December solicitations have arrived, and the upcoming issue of Batman: Detective Comics is going to be wild. Hush is coming back to Gotham City and the entire Bat Family is going to be in danger. Not only that, but the return of Hush will apparently force a reunion between Batman and his recently estranged son Damian.
Detective Comics #1032 will be coming from the mind of writer Peter J. Tomasi with art by Brad Walker and Andrew Hennessy. Just prior to Hush’s return in this issue, the Dark Knight will not only be dealing with the city’s frustration with vigilante activity after the horrific and chaotic events of Joker War, but also a new villain by the name of the Mirror will quite literally force Batman to reflect on how he is being perceived by the people he’s supposedly trying to protect. It seems as though in the aftermath of Joker’s attack, Gotham may no longer want the Dark Knight’s protection. With a new mayoral candidate pushing for a tighter leash on vigilantism in the city, it will be interesting to see how Batman and his allies react. But first, they’ll have to deal with Hush and his war on the Bat Family.
In the cover artwork, Batman and his son Damian are fighting with Hush amidst a flurry of the bandages that cover Tommy Elliot’s face and body. The team-up itself is significant, considering that Damian recently quit as Robin. The synopsis reads:
Father vs. son round two! Batman and Damian Wayne are once again butting heads after Bruce uncovers the missing Black Casebook pages in the clutches of his estranged son. But when the notorious Hush captures the entire Bat-Family, the Dark Knight and the former Boy Wonder must put aside their differences to help Nightwing, Batgirl, Signal, Orphan, Red Hood, and Batwoman survive!
According to the synopsis, this will be the second time Damian and Bruce will cross paths after Damian quit and left his role as Robin behind, angered with his father’s disregard of him along with Damian’s new desire to implement a more lethal brand of justice on criminals. In this new interaction, it’s revealed that Damian has taken pages of the Black Casebook from his father. The casebook itself contains the various supernatural encounters Batman has had over the years, so it will be interesting to see what Damian wants with them.
Regardless, Hush capturing so many Bat Family members is a big deal, and it’s certainly worth Damian and Bruce working together again to save them all, if only temporarily. It seems more than likely that Damian’s time apart from the Batman will continue for a while longer past this upcoming issue of Detective Comics, despite Batman’s desire for reconciliation. In any case, Detective Comics looks like it will be a must-read for any and all Batman, Bat Family, and Hush fans.
