Writer – Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Kyle Higgins, Ray Fawkes, Tim Seeley
Artist – Álvaro Martínez Bueno
Inker – Raúl Fernández
Colours – June Chung
Letters – Tom Napolitano

Enough is enough and Batman is kicking ass and taking names as only he can. Blackgate is in the midst of a riot through which luckily Jim Gordon has remained okay, though the Penguin has managed to make his escape. Batman meanwhile is taking out the rogues or at least those his team are unable to deal with and soon, despite everything that they are doing, the city starts to burn out of control. It is with this issue that we also find out who the mastermind behind everything was and to say that it is a shock is probably a little bit underwhelming. The reveal is what readers have been waiting for all of this time and it moves this villain to the top of the heap with the rest of Batman’s rogues. In fact, he could be the deadliest one yet with the sheer amount of planning and resolve which went into the destruction of Batman and everything that he loves. The man even goes on to say that the clues were there right from the beginning and damned if he was not right as Snyder and company basically tell the reader who it is right off the hop in one of the first issues. That is what makes this book so good is that though things might seem obvious at first, nothing is ever as it seems. Aside from that big moment, the book is filled with some great scenes involving Batman and his methodical takedowns and the prison scene with Gordon and Bard is pretty interesting as well. How Bard gets away with everything he has done until this point remains to be seen, but simply getting Gordon out of jail does not wipe the slate clean. Last but not least, Álvaro Martínez Bueno gives the book the last push it needs to be one of the best books of the time with his beautiful pencils. This was a really great issue that leaves one hanging on that last page with a little disbelief, but in a good way to bring the reader back for more.

4.5 out of 5