Detective Comics 978: Trapped

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Batmen Eternal, Part 3

James Tynion IV - Writer, Javier Fernandez - Artist, John Kalisz - Colors, Sal Cipriano - Letters, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira & Adriano Lucas - Cover, Dave Wielgosz - Asst. Editor, Chris Conroy - Editor, Jamie S. Rich - Group Editor

Initial Reactions

Detective 978 is another strong issue in this series.  In it we see the full evolution of Ulysses as a formidable villain.  I'll be honest, I have not been the biggest fan of his character, but this issue serves as the turning point.  He has officially gone off the deep end, and we will have to wait and see what this truly leaves for our heroes.  While I definitely recommend this issue, you may be confused if this is your jumping on point.  If you need a catch-up, check out the first two issues in this arc (976 & 977)

The Story

The issue picks up with the aftermath of the attack in the previous issue.  Batman and Red Robin have brought the two Colony soldiers who took out 18 mobsters to the Batcave.  Tim has braces from his injuries suffered in the incident.  When we turn the page, we see a flashback double splash page that lets us know what happened at the mobster bar.  

Tim immediately blames Kate for this attack, but Batman is quick to accuse him of rushing to judgement based off of personal biases.  As he examines the bodies, Batman observes that the men in the suit were fighting against the actions of their suit.  He tasks Tim with running diagnostic tests on the soldiers while he meets up with the Kanes, seeking answers.

Ulysses is seeing it all from his Brother Eye lair.  He not only has all the players under surveillance, he is seemingly in control of all them.  What we see is Batman meeting Kate and Jacob in his childhood home (which is also Martha's).  Ulysses eagerly watches on, noting the Colony ship directly above Kane Manor.  

Jacob greets Bruce with the Kane family motto,

"We stand together."

He relates his father to Batman, saying that both are just trying to make sure their ideals live on to the next generation.  Jacob goes on to tell him that Martha hated the saying.  She says that together had to be earned.  After the ice is broken, Kate begins to make the case that the Colony is innocent in the attack.

Back at the Cave, Tim is running the diagnostics.  Cass joins him, asking questions about if they are doing good.  Tim tries to explain that they try to do their best, but that mistakes can be made.  Cass brings up Clayface.  Tim offers to read scenes with her like Clayface used to, which spurs an epiphany.  His new theory is that the soldiers were not networked to the Colony, but to something else.  Tim scans their bodies for nano-tech, and he concludes that Ulysses is going to kill all of them.

Ulysses, holding hair clippers, he begins to monologue about what he is planning.  He said he only wanted to play a supporting role, but they are on the verge of bringing the future to the present.  On  the Colony Airship, Batwing is telling Azrael how impressive it is that everything is networked together, noting its efficiency.  Ulysses activates his program, and Brother Eye takes over the airship.  He begins shaving his head while Tim sees the soldiers transforming from the inside.

At Kane Manor, Batman concludes that the Colony network has been compromised.  Both sides are willing to agree that they have been framed, but Batwoman points the finger at Tim.  Batman says he will worry about him.  Just then, the manor's alarms go off, and they realize they are under attack.

Tim concludes that it is indeed Ulysses, and that somehow he got their nanobots inside of the soldiers, using Brother Eye.  Ulysses comes on the Batcave screens, insisting that he now be called The General.  He tells them that he intends to use these OMACs (One Man Army Corps) to bring peace to Gotham.  He will start eliminating those who stand in his way.  On the very last page, we see that somehow, Tim has the nanobots in his bloodstream, and he is beginning to transform like the soldiers on the table.

Final Thoughts

The kind of future The General wants to set up is a dystopian nightmare.  Not only is he wanting to set up an authoritarian dictatorship, he has completely taken away the soldiers' physical ability to resist.  They are literally trapped in their own bodies.  This is an interesting twist on a traditional motif in fiction.  These soldiers are not brainwashed, they have the will to resist, but their bodies fail them.

In our lives, we often have the will to resist temptations to sin, but our very nature doesn't allow us to.  We know what is right, yet we still act contrary to our own best interests.  This is a very unfortunate part of our earthly existence.  But know that we have a Savior, one who chose to rescue us.  We will always struggle with sin, but we will not be defined by it because of Jesus.  We are born again into His life, death, and resurrection.  I am not sure how this story will end up, but I suspect that they will need an outside hero to rescue them from themselves.  Praise be to God that for us, that hero is Christ!

What did you think of this issue?  I would love to talk about it with you.  You can comment below, or find me @behindthecapes on Twitter, or by liking the Behind the Capes Facebook page.  Also, something new, Behind the Capes has a group called Behind the Capes' Nerd Out Round Table, where we talk about a bunch of geeky stuff.  It is technically a closed group, but anyone can join if they agree to the simple rules laid out in the group.  I would love for this group to grow!