A lot has happened since my Gratuitous Batman Update from a while back, so I thought I’d try to get you caught up a little on the source material – the comic books.

Let’s start with something I didn’t cover last time around, the new series from David Finch and Scott Williams…

– Batman: The Dark Knight #1-2

This new book looks at Bruce Wayne while Dick, Tim, and Damian are off on their own. These first 2 issues have Bruce looking for a kidnapped girl, and his search leads him to Killer Croc. Croc is strung out on a low-street grade of ‘venom’, the drug that Bane uses to bulk up. Bats learns that Croc is working as muscle for The Penguin, but not until after Batman tortures Cobblepot, breaking several of his limbs. The 2nd issue ends with Batman captured by Croc and ready to be tortured.

I like the art, I love the story, both issues were enjoyable and I look forward to the 3rd.

– Batman #710

Issues 708 and 709 (Which were reviewed Here) closed up the ‘Judgement on Gotham’ arc, so we now look to #710, we do so at the start of a new story; Two-Face Returns!

Harvey Dent is back in town and missing his lucky coin, so he’s killing his way through Gotham looking for it. Well, Dent seems now forever tied to the Falcone Crime Family, and when Mario Falcone hears about his return he sets a trap. Mario is accompanied by a mysterious woman, and it’s not till the last page we find out who she is – Gilda Dent. The book ends with Gilda putting several bullets into Harvey’s chest…

– Detective Comics #875-876

Most of 875 focuses on flashbacks of Jim Gordon’s, and what lead him to believe his own son is a killer. Batman doesn’t actually show up till the end of the book, but we’re lead to believe that Jim Jr. killed one of Barbara’s friends as a child and the Commissioner is convinced his son hasn’t changed. This seems to be building to something bigger to come. In 876 we get back to Bats and his investigation into the appearance of a giant killer whale in the lobby of a bank. This leads Dick to a custom car lot in which is about to be crushed to death when the story stops.

A relatively short issue, though we are given a preview to Arkham City #1 in the back…

– Batman: Arkham City #1 – CLICK HERE

– Batman & Robin #22-23

In issue 22 we wrap up the ‘White Knight’ arc and are given another respectable addition to the Rouges Gallery. This one isn’t as strong as the last chapter, but we do see him head to Arkham in an attempt to wipe out the scum that reside there once and for all. In the end we learn that the White Knight’s father was a guard at Arkham before being killed in a riot by Dr. Phosphorous. Before the Knight (aka Lewis Bayard) can return the favor his is put down by out new Dynamic Duo. It’s nice to see Dick and Damian starting to build their own Rouge’s Gallery to add to Bruce’s. In addition to the White Knight, you could also credit them with Prof. Pyg, The Flamingo, and The Dealer. Not too shabby a crew.

Issue 23 brings us not only a new arc, but a new creative team as well. Tomasi, Gleason, and Gray are replaced by Winick, March, and Bresson. And the new team kicked things off with a bang, going back to where the book began, dealing with Jason Todd. Todd is demanding to be transferred out of Arkham and into a regular prison as he is crazy, only psychotic. Once transferred he starts killing other inmates at a prodigious rate and is ultimately sent back to Arkham, only this time the transport doesn’t make it. A new team of apparent ThunderCat rejects attack the convoy and free Jason. Their motives are not made clear, but the appear to be headed on the road to being jobbers more so than respectable villains.

– Batman: Gates of Gotham #1 of 5

This is the start of a 5 Issue Mini-Series examining the some of the most prominent families in Gotham. The book starts out in the 1881 as we see the start of planing for the great City to be. Present at the meeting are men belonging to the families of Wayne, Cobblepot, and Elliot.

Present day we see Bruce and Tim tracking down a shipment of explosives that have entered Gotham, and we see the 3 oldest bridges in Gotham blown up. It’s only then that they begin to see the look into the connection between the Penguin, Hush, and the Waynes. The end of the issue teases the reveal of the fourth ‘Family of Gotham’, but we’ll have to wait to find out who that is…

For some more cover art on upcoming issues, you can CLICK HERE….