Writer – Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Tim Seeley, Kyle Higgins, Ray Fawkes
Artist – Fernando Pasarin
Inker – Matt Ryan
Colours – Blond
Letters – Steve Wands

The conjuring at Arkham Asylum continues as this book opens, though only for a short while as the Spectre is finally unleashed. When the spell is interrupted though, tragedy befalls Arkham as it collapses in upon itself killing dozens, possibly hundreds of people. Readers finally reach what is the culmination of the Arkham storyline that was seeded many issues ago and with a bang in more ways than one. Seeing the actual destruction of the Asylum is quite a sight and it was probably something that was a long time in the coming and yet, being Gotham one has to know that at some point, it will be rebuilt though that is a story for another day. Also in this book, the Spectre gets a costume redesign which is strange and unneeded as there was nothing wrong with the original but such as it is, it is not all that bad. If it was simply change for change’s sake, the writers and DC have been doing enough of that as it is. On another front, Julia Pennyworth is coming into her own as a valued member of Team Batman and while she is doing fine, Batwing is not as he is stuck underneath the rubble of the former Asylum. The reason for Joker’s Daughter hanging around the place is still a little unclear, as she has not really done a lot of note except to act as crazy as she is, though she does mention her father in this issue and is sure to be made apparent in some future issue. As the book ends on a cliff-hanger, it finds Joker’s Daughter in a predicament and Batman still under the sights of the GCPD. As for Deacon Blackfire, he definitely will not be bothering anyone for quite a while as his spirit is effectively taken care of. Will he be back at some point, who can say but the Bat-family can take a breather when it comes to Blackfire. A good story and some solid artwork make this yet another compelling chapter in Batman Eternal’s ongoing saga.

3.5 out of 5