A Dark Knight Rises And Another Falls In Batman #72
by Tony Thornley
One of the biggest question marks in the larger Batman saga has been the presence of one particular character. Does Batman #72 give use more answers about their presence and motivations, or do they remain a massive question mark?
Tom King, Jorge Fornes, Mikel Janin, Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles lay the cards out on the table in this issue.
In the wake of last issue Bruce confronts Bane inside Wayne Manor as Thomas Wayne looks on. Meanwhile, we learn exactly how Bane orchestrated the fall of Batman. Can Batman overcome his greatest foe or will this be the fall of Dark Knight?
Though King doesn’t address everything perfectly, he puts together enough of the puzzle that we can see the picture. Telling the story from the perspective of Thomas Wayne adds a layer that adds some clarity to his presence, without completely solving the mystery of his presence. He quickly becomes as interesting of an antagonist as Bane is.
It’s a strange story though, as it completely lacks dialogue, but completely told through narration, which will be jarring to some readers. It also stretches believability a little bit that absolutely everything since Batman #1 was orchestrated by Bane. It’s a strong story but far from perfect and will be jarring for many readers.
Fornes, Janin and Bellaire do incredible work on the art. Fornes focuses on Bruce and Bane’s duel, which is full of fantastic choreography, layouts and detail. Janin meanwhile does a series of gorgeous two-page spreads revisiting key moments from the last three and a half years of King’s stories. Adding Bellaire’s always fantastic colors, it’s a fantastic looking comic.
The pieces are in place for the end of King’s run, and it’s getting exciting. The Dark Knight may not make it out unscathed.
Batman #72 is available now from DC Comics.
