1 Gotham Villain Has the Power to Save Gotham City & They’re Basically a Z-Lister

Summary Batman enlists an obscure villain and an A-Lister to take on the Orgham Family in Detective Comics #1085.

The fate of Gotham rests on a symphony composed by [Spoiler] to put Azmer demons to sleep, [Spoiler]'s machine to freeze them.

This unconventional team-up with villains may give Batman the edge he needs to finally defeat the Orghams in this unconventional battle plan.

WARNING: Potential Spoilers for Detective Comics #1085!Batman has an astounding number of rogues, yet the Dark Knight is calling upon one of his most forgettable villains to help save Gotham. If their team-up is successful, this rogue might even be elevated to a D-Lister if fans are feeling generous. However, this current Z-Lister isn’t the only Gotham villain Batman is enlisting; he’s also calling in a favor with a major A-Lister.

With Batman's entire plan relying on the help of villains, so much could go wrong, yet this might be the edge he needs to defeat the Orghams.

Ram V., Stefano Raffaele, and Lee Loughridge's Detective Comics #1085 sees Batman gearing up to take on the Orgham Family after they previously ran him out of Gotham and nearly killed him. However, Batman’s war to save Gotham won’t be fought alone.

Instead of enlisting his usual family or allies, though, Bruce Wayne is taking a more unconventional route by tapping into the ranks of his rogues. In his bid to defeat the Orgham Family once and for all, the Dark Knight has enlisted a villain so obscure that even some die-hard fans may not recognize the name—The Maestro.

Batman’s War Against the Orghams Hinges on Z-Lister Villain Payne “Maestro” Cardine

Payne Cardine, also known as The Maestro, made his first appearance in Batman #149 (1962) by Jerry Coleman and Sheldon Moldoff. Originally a musician, he turned to crime after receiving scathing reviews of his performances, leaving musical clues for his next heists. His villainous career was short-lived, as Batman and Robin quickly apprehended and sent him to jail. However, this musically-inclined villain has now made a significant return to comics, with the fate of Gotham resting on his ability to compose a city-saving symphony.

Previously in the Detective Comics storyline, Batman, along with other Gothamites, had been possessed by Azmer demons controlled by the Orgham family using a music box. This possession was a key factor in Bruce's earlier defeat at their hands. Ready to face off against the Orghams again, Batman explains to Payne that he needs the musician to compose a piece that will put the Azmer back to sleep by reverse engineering the scales and notes the Orghams used to control the demon. In exchange for Batman breaking him out of prison, Maestro agrees, essentially placing the fate of Gotham in his hands.

Mr. Freeze Will Also Play a Key Role in Batman’s Plan to Liberate Gotham From the Orghams

While it will be interesting to see if Maestro can pull off putting the Azmer demons to sleep, Batman’s plan doesn’t rely on him alone. Bruce has also enlisted the help of Mr. Freeze, who previously stole a key component that allows the Orgham reality engine to tap into Gotham’s natural pathways. This device has enabled Freeze to build a machine capable of plunging Gotham into an eternal winter, which Bruce plans to use to freeze the Azmer demons. With Batman's entire plan hinging on villains, so much could go wrong, yet this might be the edge he needs to defeat the Orghams.

Detective Comics #1085 is available now from DC Comics!

DETECTIVE COMICS #1085 (2024) Writer: Ram V.

Artist: Stefano Raffaele

Colorist: Lee Loughridge

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artist: Evan Cagle