Overall, I Am Suicide was an inconsistent story arc. There were some great moments and a number of unnecessary story decisions, but when it clicked like this issue, it was a very enjoyable storyline. And best of all it sets up a number of future stories I'm looking forward to seeing where King takes Batman. Read Full Review

From the personal look into what motivated Bruce as a child, to Selina Kyle's analysis into their relationship… the arc had more in store for us than just rescuing Gotham Girl's state of mind, it brought up renewed examinations inside characters we thought we knew and left just enough for us to wonder what's next for several characters in the Bat mythos. Read Full Review

The entire arc has felt like a Rube Goldberg machine. We've watched Batman put all the pieces in place for the past few months of releases. Issue #13 is as satisfying as sending a ball in motion through such a contraption. You see everything perform its specific task, timed precisely, and it's a joy to see all facets of the machine cooperate and work as one unit by the time the panels have come to an end. We haven't seen the last of these villains, and that's an exciting cliffhanger too, but for now, Batman #13 reminds all readers that he can't be outmaneuvered by either brawn or brains. Read Full Review

This is still a solid book and a must read for Batman fans. The creative team is obviously laying groundwork for a long, slow burn story yet still dropping in enough attention to details and characters to make it rich and filled with substance. Its not boring by any means, but there is a meatiness and seriousness to this title that I havent found in any of the other Rebirth titles. I will continue to read Batman as long as King, Janin, Petrus and Chung are all involved. Lets see where the next arc takes us. Read Full Review

The end of Batman #13, involving bubblegum, was a little comical. It felt slightly mismatched given the weighty style of the series. But, for the rest of the fantastic issue – we'll let it go. Especially since Bane seems to have regressed back to his original mind set before the Pirate had his powers on him. There's no doubt in our minds that he'll be back. This series occasionally misses a beat, but when it does – it really delivers. Luckily, this issue redeems the previous one's mistakes. Each team member made up a piece of the puzzle, and once they're brought together, it works wonders. Whilst it's not quite as good as the current All-Star Batman series, if you're a fan of the Caped Crusader – don't neglect this story. Read Full Review

I do see that this run so far has been a little polarizing, but I really have enjoyed it so far. Tom King has done a great job on giving us something different for Batman, and that is what I want. Sure, I want familiar things and tone to this book, but I also want a new take on the character, and that is exactly what we are getting. A lot of this issue, and this story overall had some over the top moments, but that is what makes it fun for me. We see him take on hundreds of guards and survive, we see him seemingly have his back broken and snap it back into place, and we see Punch and Jewlee blow bubbles into a raft they all escape on. I think that is what Tom King is doing best on this series, marrying the ridiculousness of a being a superhero, with the flaws of being a human being. Read Full Review

Tom King delivers another solid issue, bringing us Part 5 of the "I am Suicide" story arc. It contains some delicious twists and turns and offers a lovely throwback to the Knightfall storyline of the 90s. That can't be so easily avoided when you've got Batman and Bane going head to head. But it's more brains than brawn driving the conflict, with sharp dialogue and tidy plotting. Read Full Review

With some amusement early on with a Waller/Pennyworth moment, this arc comes to a close and sets up things for the Justice League vs Suicide Squad event that's rolling out. I'm not getting into that and, in fact, this marks my last issue with this series. While I can see the larger threads that Tom King is pulling with it the whole thing just lacks something to really make it resonate and connect, leaving me feeling pretty adrift even as I enjoy the visuals and spectacle of it. This arc had its moments, and a lot of it comes down to Janin's work, but as a whole it simply felt too padded out and without enough context or meat to it for me to want to continue on top of the problematic opening arc with Gotham and Gotham Girl. I'll likely circle back in trade form at some point but even that has me feeling a bit wary, which reinforces this as a good time to jump ship. Read Full Review

The conclusion of "I am Suicide" is saved by the art since the script leaves you with mixed emotions. The issue delivers a memorable back-shattering scene that will echo in the Bat mythos for some time. You might question the use of some characters for Batsy's suicide mission, but BATMAN #13 proudly boasts why Batman can do the impossible. Read Full Review

The bottom line here is, if you're enjoying this arc, this is a good closer and marks a step-up from the already good, if somewhat scattered, "I Am Gotham" storyline. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this Catwoman two-parter with Mitch Gerads and "I Am Bane" pull everything together in the coming months. I'll call this one a buy, as hope springs eternal as clearly the final moments here will prove important for what's to come. Read Full Review

Batman #13 is an entertaining read but I definitely suggest reading the previous issues to get the entire story. Anytime there's an encounter between Batman and Bane I expect awesomeness! This issue gave me just that. Read Full Review

Another arc, another uneven presentation. All of the elements were there in "I Am Suicide," but the execution faltered. Mikel Janin really saved this arc for me. His art has been phenomenal and I cannot wait for his next run on the book. "I Am Bane" features the return of the competent David Finch, but Janin's art and presentation bring a wholly different much more dynamic feel to the pages. His panel layouts alone bring this score of this book up. I can't say enough about the guy. That's it for "I Am Suicide." You were fun in parts, but I'm glad you served your purpose and are in the past. Read Full Review

It's not easy following up one of the best Batman comics in recent memory, so it's not surprising that Batman #13 isn't on the same level as issue #12. This "I Am Suicide" finale features a great take on the Batman/Bane rivalry, but also some predictable plot twists and relatively underwhelming visuals. Read Full Review

Batman #13 is a good but flawed ending for Tom King and Mikel Janin's "I Am Suicide" arc. How Batman defeated Bane at the end couldn't off been more telegraphed. Luckily King's strong characterization of everyone involved in Batman's plan helped overcome this problem to not be as noticeable. The ending also opens the door for an even greater story involving Bane to be told in the future. Seeing as Bane comes to visit Batman Gotham City in February we won't have to wait that long for his revenge, which I cannot wait to see how it turns out. Read Full Review

The finale to “I am Suicide” was a mostly well-done conclusion that gave each character at least one good scene and ends with acliffhanger that makes one anticipate the next issue. Read Full Review

With Batman #13, the "I Am Suicide" arc comes to its ambitious, inconsistent and ultimately unsatisfying conclusion. The creative team tries to bring a lot to the table, but having so much going on means the plot loses focus. Do I think that this issue, and the arc as a whole, would have been more effective if it had been more focused on simply delivering a compelling and twisty adventure? Sure. Do I love a lot of what they put into this arc, though? You betcha. Read Full Review

Even still, there's hope moving forward. Despite the enigmatic air surrounding Catwoman's alleged murder-spree (a narrative choice that has had Selina Kyle fans the world over clamoring the phrase "character assassination"), King has handled her quite well; he's treating her like a big-time character, giving her some shine and this is the most capricious and dangerous I can remember her ever being. I look forward to some great synergy between she and Batman in upcoming issues. Read Full Review

It's a shame that the finale to the "I am Suicide" story is my least favorite issue of Batman since Rebirth started.  After such a well paced and intriguing setup, it all just fizzles out leaving me feeling a bit ripped off.  I expect more from Tom King and maybe that's not fair, but a writer with his talent is going to have to deal with that.  Mikel Janin's art was great, but this ending just left a bad taste in my mouth. Read Full Review

The entire plot is deliberately over-engineered to perform the simplest of tasks in the most overly complicated and outlandishly convoluted ways possible. Are you one of the people who was expecting King to pull out some mind-blowing twist that will have us all rereading the previous issues with awe? Did you want answers to all those earth-shattering questions that have been rumbling around in your head since issue #9? Well, don't get your hopes up on either front. You'll get no such conclusion here. Read Full Review

I had high hopes for the I Am Suicide arc. I loved the idea of Batman's own Suicide Squad with a possible rematch with Bane and a cool yet weird team dynamic. But my hopes were sadly crushed. I didn't care for how the team was used. They weren't even in an entire issue. The only thing I liked about this issue was the art. Simple yet gritty. With really great textures in the colours. Mikel Janin's art is definitely the highlight of I Am Suicide. Read Full Review

This issue isn't a simple battle-to-death as it could have been. Tom King shows all the madness of Batman and Bane and their complex relation. Also, the story-telling in this issue is unique and excellent as always. I'm eager to know where all this leads to in the next arc, "I am Bane".

[ART: 9.5 | STORY: 7.6 | WRITING: 8.1 | TOTAL: 8.4 (~8.5)] I liked this arc on Batman. I particularly enjoy how King is taking the title in a bold new direction instead of simply rehashing the past. I also like how connected each issue feels and how they are all building to a big conclusion in the upcoming story arc. Sometimes I feel that King's Batman dialogue is a bit contrived, but overall I think he writes well. This was one of my favourite issues of his Batman writing, however. I loved how Batman was just taking the beating and then when he finally got his comeuppance, he was smug and cocky about it. The issue has some nice twists that end the story well and I like how the issue was paced. The art by Janin is as gorgeous as ever. I am looking forward to the big finale to the trilogy in I Am Bane. more

Batman has been wildly inconsistent in terms of storytelling since Snyder and Capullo left. It's confusing how King can get Dick Grayson as a secret agent so right the entire run or at least before he stepped off and Grayson went to sh!te. And then DC hands him Batman and most of the time he seems like he doesn't know what to do with him. With Snyder, he took Batman and ran with it and developed a solid interpretation of his vision of Batman. Sure some people didn't like it but you could read a few pages and knew Snyder's fingerprints were all over it. He was that distinct, with King he seems hesitant like he wants to put his own spin on it without upsetting the readers and what we get is a hodgepodge of wasted potential storylines. At this point, I say balls out King, I'd rather you go nuts with Batman like you did Vision than have a weird naked wrestling match with Bane and a semi-erotic relationship with Selina Kyle. And Bane now wants venom again?? After all that rehab?? What a shame, it'd be funny if his henchmen mistook what Bane meant and brought Venom to fight him. Marvel/DC crossover anyone?? more

"I Am Suicide" has showcased the best and worst this series has reached for now. The point of the arc itself didn't become clear before #12 and only now do we get the whole picture: Bane and Batman are each other's monster they want to get killed by. We also finally see the point of the Ventriloquist, who probably lives his best scene in recent years. On another note, though, the whole heist was super predictable for the most part, especially Selina's role in it, and her relationship with Batman seems thrown away with how hurried it seems in the end (and yes, I know the next issue focuses on their love story, but we're considering this issue now). The art necessarily suffers from this more traditional approach, with Janin constricted into small panels (after we fell in love with his grand splash pages), but he makes do and conveys the "Suicide Squad" feel of the issue pretty well.
Representing the story arc as a whole, issue #13 wasn't the best, nor the weakest entry in the run.
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The battle between Batman and Bane never really reaches the level it could have. There isn't anything particularly wrong with the issue it just doesn't make the impact it should. I found this arc to take a bit a drop. Hopefully King can get it under control in the next arc.

Comic Book Review (7/10) "Good"
Batman #13 "I am Suicide Part 5"
Writer: Tom King
Penciller: Mikel Janin
Plot: Batman has finally revealed his plans through his actions on how he will be kidnapping Psycho Pirate from Bane's grips. Can Batman and his temporary allies (Bronze Tiger, Punch, Jewlee, and Wesker) execute the plan or is Batman trapped?
Because of the pedigree of the writer, I expected the payoff to be bigger for this book. Probably the most important aspect of this book is the tie in to the current event comic Justice League vs. Suicide Squad book. It is revealed that Amanda Waller was behind Hugo Strange and Psycho Pirate and it was all an elaborate scheme to get Batman to Santa Prisca to allow her to steal some files from the Batman from the bat cave.
Once again Janin's artwork is superb and I would've given this book a 6 if it wasn't for his incredible art.
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This issue felt extremely bland, what I mean is that everything played out in a "eh" kind of way. I expected more and was a bit disappointed. But what can I say, It wasn't all that bad. Just wished for a bit more "wow" factor.

This title continues to be wildly inconsistent. This arc had some strong points but the final chapter here is underwhelming. It seems like it's trying to carry itself with a depth and weight that's not really registering for me. I loved his work on "Omega Men," "Vision," and " Sheriff of Babylon," so I am rather surprised to find Tom King's "Batman" to be merely okay.

Tom King’s writing is confused whether it want’s to be serious/grim-dark or a silly cartoony comic.

i’ve seem some writers successfully blend the two, but this comic just doesn’t jive.



i don’t like Tom King’s dialog. i find it stale and dull.

the plot is silly, and many of the actions leading up to the final end were just pointless.

this would be more acceptable if this series wasn’t trying too hard to take itself seriously with themes like Catwoman on Death Row for mass Murder, or Young Bruce Wayne attempting suicide, or Bruce constantly sulking all the time looking at the portrait of his parents, questioning “if Mother and Father would be proud of him?”


the biggest problem i’ve had with this entire series since the beginning is, if Psycho Pirate is so powerful, how is it that Hugo Strange and Bane able to control him like a possession?

he’s less a character and more of just a plot device.

a plot device that’s being used very poorly.


the re-hash of a rehash with Bane, Venom, and Broken Backs has now just become a bad parody of itself.


Catwoman, Kick that Back so, we can sail away on bubblegum!


sure ‘Knightfall’ had it’s fair share of silliness, but THIS is ridiculous!!!!


as for the Catwoman triple-cross . . . . 9_9
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Apparently spinal injuries aren't all that serious.