Warning: Spoilers for Detective Comics #1088
Summary
Batman’s epic face-off with the Orgham Family in theDetective ComicsepicGotham Nocturneis in the crescendo of its third act, andGotham’smost forgotten villain is finally revealing his true power in a way that rivals the Joker. TheTen-Eyed Manhasn’t found much time in the limelight, but now the Gotham D-lister gets a power reveal so eldritch in nature that he says a line that could be straight from the Joker himself.
The Ten-Eyed Man, real name Philip Reardon, started as a nonthreatening D-list villain who can see through his fingers. In recent years, his character has beenredesigned and given new powers that have elevated the Ten-Eyed Man into an eldritch horror.Detective Comics#1088by Ram V and Guillem March puts this character’s refurbishment on full display in a preview that features a confrontation with Shavhod Erhad, a priestess servant to the Orghams.
Shavhod’s powers of mental manipulation against Reardon are ineffective, and the eldritch horror visuals paired with the Ten-Eyed Man’s monologue gives the Joker a run for his money in terms of creepiness.
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The Ten-Eyed Man Unleashes His Full Power
Panel fromArkham City: The Order of the Worldby Dan Watters, Dani, Dave Stewart, and Aditya Bidikar
The pairing of wit, an uncontrollable mind, and some horror detailing goes a long way, and it calls the Joker to mind.
Reardon’s ability to manipulate the minds of others is terrifying.When Shavhod Erhad finds herself in the Ten-Eyed Man’s magic, it’s a trippy show of puppetry, chest-bursting, and body horror as he answers her questions and proclaims that he is uncontrollable due to the nature of his mind and thoughts. The pairing of wit, an uncontrollable mind, and some horror detailing goes a long way, andit calls the Jokerto mind. There’s this unconcerned and apathetic way of messing with Erhad that may remind readers of the fiendish clown.
The Ten-Eyed Man even makes sure to mention the power of his uncanny finger eyeballs. He goes so far as to insinuate that they may have their own form of consciousness and can see and think separately from him. The art depicting these finger viewers is quite unsettling, and the optic sinews used to map out the paneling of the comic page is disturbing.Reardon even pops out of Erhad’s body in a small spray of blood, limbs twisting as he crawls from the shocked woman’s chest.
The Ten-Eyed Man Is Above Control
His Joker-Level Mind Is Too Powerful For the Orghams
As edgy as it sounds,the Ten-Eyed Man pulls off a Joker-level featin the form of having a complex mind incapable of being controlled. His statements about not having a single mind and being too complex to control hit close to previous characterizations of the Joker. The Joker has made numerous appearances throughoutGotham Nocturneinconnection to Duela Dent. Gotham can only handle so many ultra-powerful villains, and the latest show of power from the Ten-Eyed Man means that evenGotham D-list villainshave the ability for incredible shows of force.
All will soon be revealed inDetective Comics#1088,another stop in the wrapping up ofGotham Nocturne. With Gotham’s top characters all on the playing field to take down the Orgham family, it’s an excellent choice to showcase an underutilized yet powerful villain. The Orgham family has left Gotham burning, and even the villains are stepping in to take them down. TheTen-Eyed Man’stime inGotham’sspotlight will hopefully continue beyondNocturne, as this issue may have just solidified him as one ofBatman’s more mind-bending foes.
DETECTIVE COMICS #1088 (2024)
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
