If the last issue didn't make it clear enough, this one makes sure to hammer home what the arc's themes are. In fact, the main plot of finding out who the serial killer is has largely taken a backseat. Instead, the story is far more interested in what the killings mean for Batman's mental health and how he sees himself. Honestly, this is probably for the best. There will be plenty of time as the arc continues to follow the actual detective work, but an exploration of Bruce's psyche has the potential for something interesting.

We jump right into it with a dream sequence where the boy from last issue who was killed after trying to rob a store is now Robin. He shoots the Joker dead and in response Bruce punches the boy, accidentally killing him.  It raises the question of who deserves to live or die, and whether Batman should be the arbiter of that decision. He still feels guilty over arguably indirectly leading to the boy's death, becoming a much more direct relationship in the dream. It crystalizes his fears about whether his actions are for the better. As Batman, he is constantly intervening in the lives of Gotham's criminals, and this incident acts as a manifestation of the worst of what can happen under those circumstances. Even intentional inaction can lead to deaths, whether it's Batman leaving the Joker alive or his father saving Joe Chill's life all those years ago.

The dream sequence is also where Mikel Janín's art really shines. There aren't too many visually impressive scenes where an artist could flex their muscles aside from a couple brief fights, but the warped imagery and garish colors are an impressive and attention grabbing way to start off the issue. There's still the usual problem of Janín's often looking rigid when they shouldn't, but overall it's definitely some of his better work. His realistic approach gives the pictures a cinematic feel.

The other message the story spends a lot of time on is that who lives is not just about negative consequences, but also privilege. The point is repeatedly made that Batman's age is slowing him down, as it does to all of us. There's even an extended sequence where Batman spells it out via narration that Robin moves faster because he's younger. Except, what if it wasn't all of us? What if there was an exclusive miracle drug that let some people reverse the effects of aging?

The inequality this would create is placed front and center while various characters give their own justifications. Scarlett Scott, the inventor of the miracle drug, says her plan is to make the ultra wealthy care about the planet more by making them live long enough to experience the consequences of their actions. I don't think this makes a ton of sense, as the wealthy are very good at isolating themselves from those consequences. When climate change brings on droughts and famines, the 1% aren't going to be the ones suffering. However, I'm willing to look past this questionable logic as either the character being misguided or lying.

Superman on the other hand tackles Bruce's more personal problems with the drug. Namely whether it's morally justified for Bruce to extend his life in a way only he has access to while others suffer. He makes a lot of entirely valid points such as pointing out that Bruce has always had access to resources no one else does and he ultimately uses them to help people. However, just as the scene with Damian explicitly explained Bruce's struggles with aging, this perhaps too completely summarizes all the aspects of his internal conflict. It borders on telling instead of showing when characters simply explain to the reader why a character is upset and what the sides of their conflict are.

Recommended If

• Batman's aging is a topic that you find interesting
• You like stories that focus on internal struggles
• You're willing to let the murder mystery take a back seat for a while

Overall

Detective Comics #1091 takes the time to explore all of the ramifications of the actions taken by the characters thus far. Such a breather works this early in the story with the expectation that the threads will be picked up later. In the meantime, it's interesting to see just how Batman reacts to the question of "who decides who lives and who dies", even if the responses are a little on the nose.

Score: 7.5/10