Batman and Catwoman have finally found Bane, confronting him for the fate of Gotham City. Spoilers for Batman #82 follow.
“City of Bane” and Tom King’s run on Batman is coming to an end and it’s very clear that we’re coming to the final climax of the story in this issue. After the disappointment of the last issue, the series is back to form in a fantastic way. Every piece that has been building for the past year very nearly culminates in this issue, ending on a final twist that truly sets the endgame up. Final warning for spoilers.
Man, this issue doesn’t go the way that anyone probably expects it to go. Starting off with the fight with Batman and Bane, this issue sets up surprise after surprise. It really feels that this issue is just going to be a final fight between Batman and Bane, and that’s what it mostly ends up being, except Catwoman quickly joins the fray. On one hand, this is a shocking thing to happen given that Batman and Bane both have a code of honor, yet Batman decides to fight dirty. On the other hand, this makes complete sense as King’s run has been entirely about the two, so to leave Catwoman on the sidelines simply wouldn’t have felt right. Because of that, there’s some great banter that you don’t really expect given the tone of the issue, which works incredibly well and brings humor to an otherwise humorless issue.
This isn’t the only shock that happens in this issue though as toward the end, several more twists occur. First off, Catwoman seems to have either broken her neck or back during the fight with pain. It’s left ambiguous right now as to what has actually happened with her, as the panel is similar to the panel showcasing Gwen Stacy’s neck break, leaving the thread dangling for the next issue.
Then there’s the final twist of the issue, Thomas Wayne betraying, and seemingly killing Bane, just before Batman breaks Bane’s back. It turns out that Flashpoint Batman has seemingly been playing Bane all along. It’s hard to say whether this a good development or not as we don’t know how the story will end, but it makes sense. During “City of Bane,” there has been a much larger focus on Flashpoint Batman than any other villain, so to reveal him as the true villain feels right. It’s the reverse of many stories like this where the final boss is just that, the final boss. Here though, the true enemy was out in the open all along.
This issue is elevated even high by Mikel Janín and Jordi Bellaire’s phenomenal art as well. Janín’s linework and the pacing is incredible, making every panel feel impactful. There’s a raw sense to his art that isn’t common and it’s fantastic. His art still contains his excellent style but feels grittier than normal. It may not be, but it certainly feels like it is, which is great. Every movement feels powerful and everything feels like it has weight behind it. Every punch, every kick, every stab, all of it feels impactful.
As for Bellaire’s colors, they effectively create a mood, that is effectively real, while also metaphorical. The fight between Bane, Batman, and Catwoman is set in a warehouse building at sunset or sunrise, it’s hard to tell, but the feeling is the same. It’s moody, which creates an unsettling vibe throughout the issue. In a metaphorical sense, the light is mixed with the dark and this is seemingly the fight that will determine which one wins. It’s gorgeous coloring that really builds on Janín’s pencils and inks.