Written by Tom King
Penciled by David Finch
Cover by David Finch
Published Mar 1, 2017
Cover by David Finch
Published Mar 1, 2017
Batman stands on the roof of Arkham and hears Bane's offer. The Psycho Pirate for Duke, Gordon, Catwoman, and Bronze Tiger. Not wasting a second's thought, Batman tells him no. Interlaced with panels showing similarities between their upbringing: Bruce holding his mortally wounded mother next to one of Bane next to his in a jail cell. Commissioner Gordon walking the boy away and an inmate walking Bane away. Young Bruce being introduced to Alfred and young Bane being introduced to the random prisoners... Back to the present, an enraged Bane grabs Batman and starts beating him. Bloodying him and screaming how dare he tell him no, we see young versions of them begging for their mothers back. Bruce studying various textbooks and doing pushups, and Bane sitting in an empty cell and doing his own calisthenics.
At Arkham, Bane continues the fight. Does Batman think he's some kind joke. Some kind of riddle. He's not a madman howling at the moon, and he's not a rich boy playing dress up. Back in the past we see the two of them training. Walking tightropes, handstands in their cell, mountain climbing, swimming, punching walls and kicking over trees. At the fight, he yells "I AM BANE". Enraged, he demands he give him the pirate and again Batman tells him no. One last look at their upbringings reveals their fights against the Joker, formation of the Bat family, the doctor's experiments, Gordon telling him about Bane and Bane learning of the Bat.
Bane readies for another punch and tells Batman that this is it - this is how he dies...but this time Batman tells him to shut up. He tells Bird to kill the hostages and to join him at the entrance to Arkham. The only problem is that Bird doesn't answer the phone. Catwoman does. She tells him that all of the hostages are now free and his men are waiting for him at the safe house. Bane instead goes to Arkham on his own. He kicks the door in and with that, we're left to be continued.
Tom King is an expert on pitting Bane against their Bat as he's obviously done so before. This time he sheds some light on their similar background, showing that the two of them have more in common than they may know. Focusing mostly on that in this book, the story really didn't advance more than the hostages getting free while Batman distracted him. Not that it's a bad thing. Art is stellar and though we're not too much further along than before we read it, it's still a great read. I give it a 9/10.
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