As Mary Knox held her snowballed colored cat, Doug, while at gunpoint, she exclaimed, "I can't afford a new one!" Perhaps this may have read like a knee jerk reaction, but there was so much back story in retorting, "I can't afford a new one." Some may have seen this as Mary being quirky, but I read the line as not only can I not afford a new phone, but I don't have the time to take off work, or sacrifice something I do after work to make a visit to a phone store to retrieve a new mobile.
Before the robbery, new Detective Comics writer, Mariko Tamaki, writes Helena as a lone Gotham Girl vigilante who's having trouble making friends. Allies, teammates, and anti-hero stuff she's quite adequate at, but a true blue friendship is really hard to come by for Helena Bertinelli. This is when we are introduced to Mary Knox. Detective Comics 1035 reads like a typical urban crime comic set up - woman walks alone in a back alley, assailant assails, hero swoops in and prevents the crime. This back up story is anything but... One, Helena is mistaken as "Arrow &*@#", and when The Huntress takes out the mugger with a swifter than swift kick to the back of the head, instead of Mary Knox thanking Helena, she immediately runs after Doug the indoor cat.
Doug climbs up a fire escape, which Helena helps coax down to safety, which now elicits a thank you from Mary. Helena walks off saying, "Next time just give him your phone.", which I believe many people would say. If Mary returned home and explained the horrific experience of facing a gunpoint exchange with a mugger to her family and friends, many would probably say just give the thief the phone, but not our Mary. Mary's' response to Helena is, "Phones are expensive." Again, I don't know writer Mariko Tamaki's intent with Mary, but personally, I am she, she is me, and we are all here together. In the 1990's this would have been a pride thing or this watch has a generational sentimental value to it. This situation reads more like these are rough times mentally and financially. Quite surprised by the back talk, The Huntress suggests that perhaps Mary should not walk down a back alley alone because doing so is quite dangerous. Mary informs The Huntress it's dangerous all over sort of speak.
Just in a few panels, Tamaki displays the mechanics of a friendship, an even exchange by both parties - not conventional wisdom or one sidedness. Listening to the other person and internalizing the information are attributes which will contribute to Helena's journey as a character, but unfortunately a journey she will not go on with Mary Knox, for she, Mary, is found dead while walking her usual route with Doug the house cat. Helena leans down and pries the cell phone out of Mary's cold, dead hands. Working cases for the Oracle, Helena kept busy, not able to do her routine check ins with Mary. White colored Doug the house cat with drips of Mary's blood on him remained. Helena vows to bring Mary's killer(s) to justice, which she's good at, for she is The Huntress.
The Huntress is my favorite character in comics. When I saw the solicitations for Detective Comics 1036, I knew I would buy the book for the cover alone. After reading the issue, I immediately hunted down Detective Comics 1034 and 1035 just to get a feel for the story, and I have to say, I haven't been this delighted with a Batman book since Court of Owls issues 1-12. I've enjoyed some Bat Books after Court of Owls, but that was the last time I felt like an edge of my seat reader. Thus far I'm amazed by Tamaki's use of what a real neighborhood in a metropolitan city feels, moves, looks today. Many times when you read about a tale that takes place in Gotham City, at time it reads like the 1930's or 1940's even if the setting takes place in the 80's, 2000's or the future. Fort Grave, the neighborhood Bruce Wayne resides in now, feels like how a new, 25 years in the making gentrified neighborhood feel like today. Also, Tamaki is giving us a true Bruce Wayne of today. For readers who love Batman, but want more use of Bruce Wayne, I highly suggest Detective Comics right now. A string of murders are happening in Gotham, but I believe the murders are happening in a specific neighborhood, Fort Graves. Batman is trying to figure out who killed Sarah Worth and The Huntress is on the trail for Mary Knox's killer, which leads to a team up!
