Synopsis: Batman has fallen into the hands of the monstrous Bane. His body may be broken, but his mind and spirit remain unyielding. The question is—how long can they endure Bane’s relentless onslaught?
The Story
Having been rescued by Killer Croc from Bane a few issues ago, Batman faces another moral dilemma. Bane asks Croc to kill him, claiming he cannot live with the hunger he feels. When Bruce Wayne—aka Batman—refuses and insists they will try to find a cure, Croc roars and departs, leaving Bruce to grapple with the situation.
The story then moves forward to Bruce awakening at home, recovering from the brutal beating he endured at Bane’s hands in the previous issue. Alfred explains to Bruce that he is truly committed to taking Bane down now. He then shows Bruce the horrifying extent of what Bane has done to his friends.
Unaware of the full scope of Bane’s cruelty toward Oswald, Eddie, and Harvey, Bruce heads to the hospital to see them. Before he can, he is warned by Leslie Thompkins about the brutality he is about to witness.
Bane has left Oswald with every bone in his body broken with such surgical precision that he may never fully recover. Harvey has suffered burns covering half his body and face, and Bane has even split his skull. In his anguish, Harvey blames Bruce, accusing him of gambling everything—including the lives of his friends. Edward Nigma, once a brilliant scientist, is now a mere shadow of his former self.
By the end of the issue, Bruce contemplates going after Bane again, this time with Alfred’s support. The tension escalates further when someone trips the security system at Bruce’s home, leading to a surprise visitor.
Artwork
Nick Dragotta delivers some truly outstanding art in this issue. The opening panels, showing Bruce’s encounter with Killer Croc, are brilliantly executed. I particularly love how Croc has become far more crocodilian than human, moving and swimming with a terrifying, predatory grace. The grotesque transformations of Bruce’s other friends—into The Penguin, Two-Face, and Riddler—are equally striking. Seeing Nigma with his brain exposed at the back of his head is incredibly disturbing. The issue saves one of its best moments for last: a full-page splash of Catwoman paying Bruce a friendly visit, which provides a welcome, stylish contrast to the horror of the earlier scenes.
Overall
This is a truly strong issue, one that redefines the origins of Bruce Wayne and his rogues gallery. It positions Bruce as partly responsible for why his friends have been transformed into some of his most infamous foes. I’m eager to see how these events will unfold in future issues.
- Covers9.6
- Story9.8
- Artwork9.6
- Lettering9.4
- Colours9.6
