Detective Comics #51 is a solid, satisfying and entertaining read throughout, mixing things up by setting the story in the desert wastelands of Afghanistan instead of the Gotham's concrete jungle.
Jim Gordon, hunting down a mystical power he encountered once before and which is now killing all men from his former Marine Corps, works particularly well in this new environment. Peter J. Tomasi's portrayal of Gordon is full of grit and determination here, and Fernando Pasarin particularly excels in giving his facial expression a remarkable range and depth, as the former Commish tries to uncover the circumstances surrounding the death's of his former combatants.
However, there is one glaring issue with Detective Comics #51, and that's Batman himself. Seeing Jim Gordon being the Caped Crusader again after he gave up the "job" in Batman #50 is not necessarily faulty, as the two comics' timelines have never been completely synchronized. But it feels that the inclusion of Batman at all is more of an afterthought here, as the few times Gordon does put on the costume are unnecessary, not forwarding the plot or adding anything of interest.
Nevertheless, it's still a splendid and varied story that I cannot wait to be concluded.
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