Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: bane, Batman, Comics, dc, dc comics, entertainment, Tom King

The First 50 Issues of Tom King's Batman Run, Reinterpreted as One Classic Homage in Batman #72 (Spoilers)

Today's Batman #72 is, to some degree, a clip show. As Batman engages in hand-to-hand combat with Bane, an unseen narrator speaks (even if you are bound to get who it is before the eventual reveal) taking the opportunity to run through Tom King's first fifty issues, summarising all the plots and machinations that occurs as part if Bane's big plan. Every nuance – The Button aside and from the narrator I'm sure we will get to that – every fight, every victory that Batman thought he had gained, all reinterpreted as the great plan. And then coalesced into one scene.

In the Batman comics, there is one Bane scene that will always stick out, from the nineties Knightfall event, in which Bane did this. After setting Batman up for a fall, releasing villains from Arkham Asylum and using them to wear Batman down over months, until…

…he gets to do this…

While running through the first fifty issues of Tom King's run, all planned by Bane from the crashing plane and emergence of Gotham and Gotham Girl, working together with Catwoman against Bane, using the Ventriloquist to puppet them together, supposedly defeating and incarcerating Bane, understanding the Batman through the War Of Jokes and Riddlers and arranging for both his happiest moment, lifting him up, marrying Catwoman… and then doing what Bane always does..

…also setting up Catwoman's rejection of him, using Booster Gold, the Joker, Holly and more, to bringing him crashing down and breaking the man. Two pages in the origibal. Fifty issues in the new version…

When I pointed out how much I enjoyed Tom King's run on the series the other week, I got it in the neck for those who couldn't see why. Well this, with Mikel Janin, Jorge Fornes and Jordie Bellaire, is why.

Batman #72 is published today.

BATMAN #72
(W) Tom King (A) Mikel Janin (CA) David Finch
"The Fall and the Fallen" part three! Is this the end of Gotham City? Bane's army of villains is taking over the city, and Batman's back is against the wall. With all the things Bane has done to him over the last year-from breaking up his wedding to trying to assassinate Nightwing, and then invading Batman's mind to expose his most terrible fears-could this be the worst hate the Caped Crusader has ever encountered?
RATED T In Shops: Jun 05, 2019 SRP: $3.99

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