Bane is one of Batman's greatest foes. Smart, incredibly strong and just a little crazy, Bane is the whole supervillain package and has proven himself more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the Dark Knight on numerous occasions.
This new issue of the Batman: Arkham Knight prequel comic is just another example of Bane's Batman-breaking tendencies.
So far in this series, we haven't seen Batman meet his match physically. He always comes out on top through his use of gadgets and brawn. Not so with Bane. For starters, Bane isn't alone. He has dozens of henchmen with guns ready to bring Batman down. But while the Dark Knight survives that encounter using his bulletproof cape and a combination of gadgets, taking Bane out is another matter entirely.
Long story short: the Caped Crusader gets his butt handed to him. Bane is just too strong, too fast. Before long, Batman is literally under the heels of Bane's boots, his head slowly being crushed into the dirt. It's rare that an innocent bystander comes to Batman's rescue, but that is exactly what happens here.
This just goes to show how powerful Bane is. He is a force to be reckoned with. Batman's usual assortment of gadgets don't seem to work against the venom-infused strongman, as the villain is well aware of Batman's various tools of the trade. Bane makes for a fearsome opponent — even if his sometimes strangely drawn face detracts from his normally intimidating appearance.
The battle will continue on next issue, but what we are left with here doesn't feel as substantial as previous issues. This week's installment is near nonstop action. As a result, no other plot threads are touched or moved forward. Bane's escape is entertaining enough — but it feels too disconnected from the larger stories writer Peter Tomasi has been telling over the course of this series.
If this arc is to go on for three more issues as the book seems to imply, it needs to somehow fit into the grander scheme. Otherwise, it will feel like nothing more than an inconsequential – if fun – detour.
Story
★★★☆☆
Art
★★★☆☆
Overall
★★★☆☆
More Comic Book Reviews:
Mortal Kombat #21
Batman: Arkham Knight #14
Batman #40
Convergence #8
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