Detective Comics' "Outlaw" arc has been a slow burn up until this point, setting up the pieces and establishing its tone. For those of you who have been looking forward to the payoff, look no further. With all of her allies gathered, Catwoman finally launches her plan to rescue Batman. Fans of Ram V's Catwoman run should feel right at home with a heist format that still maintains the same atmosphere that this series has been building.

Once again Jason Shawn Alexander's art does an incredible job immediately engulfing the reader in ambiance. From the first page the distorted proportions alongside Dave Stewart's hazy coloring presents an almost misshapen nightmare. Batman's march to the gallows has a fugue state quality as the perspective narrows and widens. You're disoriented, making everything that much more unsettling.

Alongside this death march is Shavhod's monologue on the relationship between the people and society's institutions, and the statement a masked vigilante makes. It touches on some heady themes involving the role Batman plays in Gotham, and its implicit violation of the social contract. I almost get defensive when I see this sort of writing in comics because so many writers overreach their ability to be poetic and it devolves into pretentious purple prose. Luckily Ram V is a step above most other writers in the industry, and what would otherwise come off as eye-rolling instead delivers a meaningful commentary that enhances the story's themes.

I only hope that this analysis of Batman's role is followed up on, and not simply relegated to the grandiose villain monologue. There's a lot to examine in these opening pages, and it would be a shame to drop it. Concerning in this regard is how quickly Batman is able to turn it around. A few brief sentences to the crowd waxing poetic about how he exists in the shadows but looks towards the light, and that's all that it takes to get them on his side again.

This dramatic prose is not just confined to the opening sequence. The majority of the issue is devoted to Catwoman's rescue operation to save Batman, and Throughout the issue her narration compares it to an extended metaphor about bluffing in a game of poker. Constantly playing to the opponent's overconfidence and ambition as opposed to any of the facts about your respective positions. It adds another layer of framing to the sequence, making the reader that much more invested.

The plan's execution itself is a sight to behold as well. The whole thing goes off like a well oiled machine as they strategically hit their planned targets in order to move the Orgham's forces where they need to be. The hero/villain team up pairings they've put themselves into are also lots of fun. It allows the villains to unleash their terrifying power in a way that the audience can root for while still being restrained by their hero chaperone. The fight scenes once again gives Alexander's art a chance to shine. Cass especially moves like a force of unstoppable wind that flows through her enemies with grace. All of it builds up to a final page that hits like a ton of bricks.

Score: 8.5/10

Backup: Camouflaged

Watters' backup continues the trend of fleshing out the tertiary characters in Selina's crew who otherwise largely stick to the background. This month is Eiko's turn. What starts out as a seemingly straight forward date with a girl named Bette, accompanied by Caspar Wijngaard's bright and fun colors, quickly changes when Bette gets a phone call from a "coworker". It turns out that Bette works for a drug dealing gang who are selling to children.

What follows is a brief overview of Eiko's relationship with crime, and the guilt she feels benefitting from the Yakuza, even if passively. To her, the Catwoman identity is a way to atone for those sins, and it's an atonement she revels in. Mirroring V's style from the main story, this too contains an extended metaphor on the story's theme. The leopard shown in the story's opening represents Eiko herself. Just as the leopard uses its spots to camouflage itself from prey, so too does Eiko walk among Gotham's criminals, waiting for a chance to strike.

It's a nice, brief overview of who Eiko is as a character, and what it is that motivates her using "show, don't tell" storytelling. It's good to have these backup vignettes for those who may not be totally familiar with all the story's cast.

Score: 7/10

Recommended If

• You've been anticipating the heist to rescue Batman from the Orghams to kick off
• Hero/Villain team up action is your thing
• You like your writing a bit on the baroque side with metaphor and commentary on society

Overall

Detective Comics #1078 is a beautifully written, and even at times poetic, chapter in this "Outlaw" intermission. The plot gets kicked into high gear as Catwoman launches her plan to rescue Batman from the clutches of the Orghams, and seeing its realization is a delight. The art and action blend into a gripping sequence that keeps the reader eager to know what will happen next. The action gives each of the characters a chance to shine, and Watters' backup continues to shed light on the supporting cast.

Overall score: 8/10

DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.