Written by Tom King
Art by Tony S. Daniel and Mitch Gerads
Published by DC Comics
Well, here we are! This is the first chapter of Tom King’s last story arc on this title. Everything has been leading up to this. It’s been one hell of a time getting up to this point.
I have to say that this issue does not disappoint in the least. It may actually have ended up exceeded my wildest expectations.
And that’s really saying something.
The opening scene is the coolest and most unexpected moment in Kings’s run yet. The Joker and the Riddler are in a police car working together. They are working for the Commissioner and are patrolling the streets of Gotham.
I couldn’t believe how cool that was, and my face lit up immediately. It really is quite inventive.
The Joker and the Riddler then investigate a murder scene. They do their due diligence and they report back to the Commissioner. Except the Commissioner isn’t Gordon, but it’s Hugo Strange!
Leave it to King to subvert expectations like this and make the story so damn interesting and intriguing.
Strange lights up the Bat-Signal.
A Batman answers the call. But who is it? And who is his manservant who has taken Alfred’s place? Why, it’s Thomas Wayne as Batman!
What is going on here? He takes the Batmobile out and decides to try and track down the person responsible for the murders: Two-Face!
Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is walking around in an unknown land, trying to regain his strength. It really is wonderful how King ties the two stories together. It’s even more wonderful where he take us for the rest of the issue. Thomas Wayne is keeping Gotham City under control under Bane’s watchful eye. All the while, Bruce is just trying to get himself together.
We do find out what happened to Alfred. It’s actually Alfred who has the best line in the book about what Bruce is going do to Thomas when he gets back. Then, at the very end, Lex Luthor makes an appearance.
And that is when the whole thing just kicks into high gear.
The story is top notch. King takes elements from his entire run and puts them in everywhere. We get Gotham Girl, Pyg, you name it. We also get Catwoman. And it’s completely awesome. The art by Daniel and Gerads is top notch. This is more than I could ever have hoped for. And it’s just started.
I’m dying to see what happens next. This is tops.
RATING: A+
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