Batman #12
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/12.webp "Batman #12")
| Writer | Matt Fraction |
| Artist | Jorge Jimenez |
| Cover Price | $4.99 |
Six of the world’s deadliest killers have descended on Gotham City at once—but who hired them, and who’s the target? Surely, it can’t be the Batman… As the Caped Crusader races to uncover who set this deadly plan in motion, the late Alfred Pennyworth provides a gift from beyond the grave with the arrival of a brilliant new ally to the Bat-Family at a time when it needs one most.
CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top
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10
Get Your Comic On - Neil Vagg
Aug 05, 2026Batman #12 proves the quiet moments before a storm can be just a gripping as the storm itself. Fraction and Jiménez balance new threats and old grief with real confidence, leaving “Bad Seeds’” shadow looming without ever feeling like mere setup. Read Full Review
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10
But Why Tho? - William Tucker
Aug 05, 2026Batman Issue 12 features multiple waves of new and fresh ideas. This is rare in Batman or other major ongoing series. Fraction has a genuine desire to fuse existing lore with some brand new elements. Read Full Review
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9.5
Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield
Aug 13, 2026The issue jumps back and forth all over Gotham as one figure after another dies, and Batman winds up getting in between two different assassins as they battle over a target. Great action in a really fast-paced issue, and Verity proves herself to be more than capable – if a little more morally flexible than her great-uncle might have been. With Bad Seeds looming, it’s hard to say how the new dynamic of the Bat-family will play out, but this is a very promising start to a new chapter. Read Full Review
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9.0
Fanlight Zone - Ken M.
Aug 05, 2026A new addition to the family proves vital as six assassins strike Gotham City looking for Bruce Wayne. Fraction stages a crafty conflict with sharp writing. Jiménez and Morey go for broke with high volume action. This run of the Dark Knight never ceases to amaze. Read Full Review
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8.7
Comic Watch - Jamison Nilsson
Aug 05, 2026Fraction’s run on Batman has been episodic, focusing on monthly stories with some story threads that connect different issues. Batman #12 works as a part of this run because it focuses on establishing a few characters we’ll see again in the future rather than a long, winding story arc that requires several issues to properly follow. Read Full Review
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8.5
Comic Book Revolution - Kevin Lainez
Aug 08, 2026Batman #12 is yet another entry point issue for Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez. Along Verity Pennyworth’s integration as a supporting character for Bruce and Damian Wayne we get several villains established and progression for several major long-term plotlines. Read Full Review
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8.0
You Don't Read Comics - Russ Bickerstaff
Aug 06, 2026Verity shows-up in town at precisely the same time as a bunch of assorted killers. Fraction better not be setting-up another femme fatale for Bruce. He’s had more than enough of those over the years and one more would just be...annoying. Alfred always came across as a bit of a cheesy ripoff of Wodehouse’s Jeeves...only without the charm. Verity seems like a very cool progression from the Jeeves ripoff. It would be particularly poor taste to turn her into another villain. She does actually seem a lot more interesting than Bruce in her big full-issue debut. It would be nice to see her progress. Read Full Review
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8.0
Dark Knight News - Max Byrne
Aug 12, 2026Batman #12 is an issue that offers a big change to Batman’s existence with the introduction of Verity. The overall story arc doesn’t take a great leap forward but her introduction warrants a slight pause in the narrative. The family dynamic has changed and it will provide ample material from here. Now, that she is in suit, I would like to see events portrayed at a brisker pace moving forward, with a touch more action and urgency. I have faith that all the pieces are on the board now, so let’s move up a gear please. Read Full Review
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7.0
AIPT - Michael Guerrero
Aug 05, 2026Batman #12 attempts to carry two important stories, but ends up feeling a bit jumbled. Read Full Review
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7.0
ComicBook.com - Marcus Helminiak
Aug 05, 2026Verity seems like a fantastic addition to the Bat-Family, but what do you think of someone taking Alfred’s place? Personally, I love that DC is committing to keeping Alfred gone, even if I do miss the world’s greatest butler. Read Full Review
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7.0
Comical Opinions - Gabriel Hernandez
Aug 05, 2026Batman #12 introduces the world to Alfred’s replacement – Verity Pennyworth. Matt Fraction’s script gives the latest addition to the Bat-family a strong start, and Jorge Jimenez’s art is some of the best at DC. That said, everything about the comic, outside of Verity’s introduction, is tired and flat. Read Full Review
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7.0
Henchman-4-Hire - Sean Ian Mills
Aug 08, 2026The new issue is a bit all over the place, and not just because of the big new character introduction. Read Full Review
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6.0
The Batman Universe - Ian Miller
Aug 05, 2026Though it offers several intriguing pieces in the ongoing puzzle of Fraction’s Batman story, this issue doesn't quite illuminate enough of its central advertised figure to satisfy yet. Read Full Review
USER REVIEWS Back to Top
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9.0
Loved it but would have liked a bit more info on Verity.
I'm intrigued by the Joker development.
Fractions run has been solid if unremarkable.
That's more than can be said for the Zdarsky and Tynion runs at least
+ Like • Comment• Likes (1) -
8.5
Loving this.
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8.0
This was a bit slower and less bombastic compared to the other issues. I dont really havve strong feelings for the new butler, and it's confusing on whether Bruce Wayne is hallucinating Alfred. But Jorge Jiminez manga style comic book art really carries the issue, and I like how it's just a simple entertaining one-off Batman issue that doesn't take itself too seriously
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7.5
Good issue, but the pacing seems off. I’m also not sure if I like this Verity character. Like all of Jimenez’s women, she has a stupid manga face.
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7.0
There were parts I enjoyed. Kind of like the Fraction run so far. Some parts are fantastic and others make me think I've missed an issue or two. Also, I think I'm over the manga style.
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6.0
Batman is one of the best characters around. just like Spiderman. it's the Pinnacle of comics. so why on both books are these writers awful? Fraction cannot tell a story! We in fact get fragments of multiple stories. all started. not finished. many abandoned. and Matt has the balls to throw in one more with a groups of assassins coming to Gotham to kill Bruce. Finish just one plot point Matt Fraction! Jesus Christ and the idea Bruce didn't read Alfred will, and was a member of a secret society of butlers who were with heroes ? WTF sense does that make given Batman's origin and Alfred was already the butler to the parents?? stuff just happens. all over the map in this book. Im losing my patience with this book.Fraction needs to dial more
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5.0
I don't know what to do with this issue. We are introduced to Verity Pennyworth. Apparently, Alfred, instead of having a unique relationship with, first, Thomas Wayne, and now Bruce is a secret member of a society that creates servants for heroes. Forget the fact that Alfred worked for the family before there ever was a Batman. But he now has a heretofore unknown niece.
And Bruce didn't know about her because he didn't read Alfred's will even though it was on his desk for nine years. Is Alfred an AI or ghost or a figment of Bruce's psyche? I still don't know.
And Fraction has visited a couple of the 27,000 plot threads he has going. This one is the Joker. After a couple of issues, he reminds us that the Joker is still in t more -
4.0
Forced and contrived.
Verity simply wins over Damian off-screen? Balderdash!
Stop with this nonsense and just bring Alfred back already.
Why does Joker look like he’s been eating too many hamburgers? I don’t recall him being that chubby?
The art looks great in some panels but looks like discount manga in others. -
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