Warning: Spoilers for Titans: Beast World #3!
Batman has long been dubbed DC’s “World’s Greatest Detective,” but it’s too bad that his best protégé, Nightwing, doesn’t view him as such. Batman has gained a rightful reputation as the best detective in the DC Universe, as he can literally solve crimes in his sleep. Few characters rival his skills, but his first ward thinks at least one obscure hero is better — and Nightwing might be right.
Nightwing deems Detective Chimp the one true “World’s Greatest Detective” in Titans: Beast World #3 by Tom Taylor, Lucas Meyer, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Wes Abbott. Bobo T. Chimpanzee, a.k.a. Detective Chimp, is a hyper-intelligent chimp who uses his training at the carnival and a visit to the Fountain of Youth to become a talking detective.
In fairness, his flaws (including alcoholism) are arguably easier to point out than Batman’s, but, unlike Batman’s detective skills, Bobo’s skills cannot be so easily disputed. As such, Bobo may have rightfully earned the title of World’s Greatest Detective over the Dark Knight.
“The Greatest Mind in the World”: DC Officially Names Its Smartest Hero (& It’s Not Batman)
Batman may be thought of as DC’s smartest man alive, but there’s one hero who is more intelligent – possessing ‘the greatest mind in the world.’
Nightwing Dubs Detective Chimp the World’s Greatest Detective
DC’s “Beast World” event is brought on by the death of Beast Boy, which itself brings about the birth of Garro. As Garro, he plants spores around the globe, turning DC’s resident heroes and villains into feral animal versions of themselves. Among the heroes turned is Batman, who gives into his most primal desires as Wolf-Batman. After apprehending and isolating Wolf-Batman at Titans Tower, Nightwing has Bruce examined by his former building superintendent and former love interest, Dr. Clancy. As they discuss Dick’s possible injuries, in walks the chimp of the hour.
Granted, Dr. Clancy mistakes Detective Chimp as “one of the Beast people,” but she’s quickly corrected by both Bobo and Dick. Far more modest, Bobo makes it clear that while several animals are running the world now, they don’t share his powers of deduction, ability to talk, or his little hat. Nightwing, meanwhile, is quick to celebrate the chimp where it counts. On top of pointing out how he’s surprisingly able to infiltrate the Tower’s force field on his own, Nightwing claims that Detective Chimp is the World’s Greatest Detective. Quick to show off his skills, Chimp deduces that the seemingly mindless animals all have their own agenda, and, as the story unfolds, he appears to be proven right.
Nightwing Has a Point About Detective Chimp
Despite holding the mantle of the World’s Greatest Detective for so long, other characters have more impressive deduction skills than Batman — including Dick Grayson, who deduced Batman’s secret identity before even becoming a superhero, and even Cassandra Cain, who does the same with little evidence. Yet, no one ever seems to question the validity of Detective Chimp being a better detective than Batman. Even better, he’s shown time and time again how he might even be DC’s smartest hero. Nightwing has spent more than half his life witnessing Batman’s detective skills firsthand, but even he can’t deny the greatness of Detective Chimp.
TITANS: BEAST WORLD #3 (2023) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
Titans: Beast World #3 is available now from DC Comics.
