The Lex story was interesting.

This issue was very political and I loved it.

Best issue of the series asides from the 1st one.

The series starts picking up steam again with issue 10.

Loved this collection. Vol 1's issues are certainly excellent in quality.

I'm honestly surprised that some people consider this as a great series when it has a wafer-thin plot and nothing going on for it except heroes killing bad guys is wrong.

Can you imagine a more boring, derivative origin story than this? The only thing that comes close is probably Punchline's origin.

Oh, and Harley was apparently there just so that Clownhunter could try to kill her and then she could make her nonsensical speech about 'trying to be a good person' in the end.

I really enjoyed this issue. I think clownhunter is a good character so this just adds another layer to him. The art is going to be mixed based off preference. I personally enjoyed it.

Very well done, providing great insight into Bao.

The art was some of the worst drawing I've ever seen !!! I think a toddler could've drawn it better while wearing a blindfold. Good lord it was bad. As for the story it was nothing new or fresh but I guess it was just barely passingly okay-ish. Totally forgettable and not worth the added price or of being an annual but it is what it is. If it was possible to return this comic for a refund I so would though. more

A great story and really made me sympathetic towards the Clownhunter, especially as to how Batman and the world failed to help him. I know Tom King fanboys will be upset and downvoting, but that just shows how petty they are.

A great issue that hits all the emotional notes. It's not your usual Batman story about beating up villains, but it doesn't have to be, nor it's about endless BatCat romance which Tom King solely made his run about. It is in its core a Batman story of today, people fall through cracks while Bruce mostly focuses on being Batman. Deals with crime and corruption, official neglect of destitutes and how Batman has overtaken Bruce so much he barely makes efforts to reconcile with his son.

The issue of both Bruce and Damian being distressed over being unable to save the dying orphan, but trying to be there both emotionally and physically really tugs at heart. That and Batman trying to cheer him up by saying that Superman is his favorite hero.

Lucas Fox may not have the same dynamic as Alfred but he does try to fill the shoes admirably, by reminding Bruce that it's his orphanage and he should be more than just Batman. more

The only worthwhile reading parts are the interaction showing the love between Lois and Clark plus the talk with Trish Q. All of them however are woefully short. Plus, Mongul looks badass but he's being wasted in fighting United Planets.

Prelude:
Rucka's Lois Lane has been on solid ground so far. Let's see if he and Perkins can continue that trend in this issue.

The Good:
I still like the reporter aspect here.

Some teasing around the Superman identity was nice.

Perkins' art is good like usual.

The Bad:
I'm unsure on that cliffhanger.

Very little progression.

Conclusion:
While I am unsure with the future of this series, it was a good issue. Keeps with it's themes but I wish it wasn't so slow. more

Nice issue, but Samuel didn't met Jon until he was at leas 10 years old.

No, Tom King, throwing incoherent shit, glueing it up with no context and pretending it has a message is not writing. 85 issues, and everything you've set up at the beginning, every promising thing, went to complete disrepair, and in some cases was just abandoned. Example? Gotham Girl killing Batman - remember when she, herself, teased that in the first arc of the series? If you do, well, you're one step ahead of King, since he, clearly, forgot about it long time ago. No wonder CIA can't overthrow democratically elected governments anymore, if they hire such incompetent hacks.

Writing in this issue is awful, but it's nothing new in the series. Dialogues were atrocious for over two years now, mentioning them feels like beating a dead horse. Script... is there even any to begin with? Scenes are disjointed and don't create a unified conclusion to anything. As I said, it's just ducttaped shit. And you know what's the worst thing about it? It won't go away next month. No, it's going to leave a mark, because James Tynion will have to acknowledge its existence. That's what I loathe about long running comic continuities - atrocities made by one writer can't be instantly retconned when needed. Nobody remembers Batman Damned, and rightfully so, because it was an abomination. It was also an elseworld comic, so its awfullness did not impact anything outside. King's Batman, and Heroes in Crisis before it, though...

It's a pathetic, absolutely miserable joke of an ending to one of the most insulting series I've ever had displeasure to read, despite its solid start. It's a laughable display of lack of talent and any story to tell. I'm glad it's finally over, and more readers won't have to suffer from exposure to this toxic trash.
What a waste of everyone's time, and slap in the face of Batman's brand. more

Well. That was bad.

Like actually bad.

Terrible even.

Alfred is dead for no reason. And it just didn't feel like it. No one seems to mourn him. What exactly happened to the batfamily? Are they okay?

So, Selina and Bruce got married. Yay.

But my grodd was this a slow and terrible run. And I'm glad it is over. If 35 issues of this were this slow and bad, I cannot imagine what 20 more issues whit this garbage would've been.

So is Bane an idiot again? Thomas is broken but still alive in the main universe? Or dead. Who knows. Who cares.

And this showcases events in a different order. Again. I don't get it why Tom loves to have flashbacks to the events while having a boring story happening in the present day.

Bruce just lost his father figure and a father from alternate dimension. And seems to be fine. Like nothing happened. Which is why it doesn't feel like Alfred died. BECAUSE NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE.

City of Bane was the worst Batman arc I've read after Knightmares. Absolutely terrible. And boy am I glad it is finally over. more

Probably the most disappointing & pointless issue of King's run, King never understood Batman. What was supposed to end with a bang ends with a fizzle, Thomas Wayne gets beat up by Catwoman before holding Bruce at gunpoint and ranting to stop being the Bat. You'd think Thomas who has suffered like Bruce will understand he won't stop no matter what but not for Tom King. King's Batman is the worst - a psychotic, accepting he has been a child since ten and claiming he now chooses happiness with Cat (but won't marry) as well as staying Batman. The whole point of why Bruce doesn't get into long-term relationships is that Gotham comes before him, his relationships will get strained due to his life and there will always be a risk to his partners. He could easily have happiness if he wanted but he isn't selfish, a point King misses.

Not to mention how Bruce first says no one understands him, then hilariously accepts the claim of Gotham Girl that Selina does, a claim which will require some or good understanding of Bruce on Gotham Girl's part. How can someone who still sometimes does criminal acts understand him? Regardless, how does Gotham Girl know Selina does when she (ie Gotham Girl) hasn't been with him for nearly that long? Even his closest friend Superman had difficulty understanding what he saw in Selina. And we also get a glimpse of Joker deciding it's time for a final battle (hinting at 5G?). Most pointless thing - the message of hope that is delivered is lost. It is shown through a football player down on his luck but scores a touchdown despite the crowd being against him. Football as analogy for war on crime. What? The end defeat of Thomas is as pointless, he lets Bruce go out of love and tries to make him undestand to stop being Batman, but gets knocked out in return by Bruce who claims he's not his father. Did him never killing you while trying to make you understand didn't make it clear he is but just one inflicted with tragedy?

Rebirth Batman is an overgrown man-child and this is the first time I say it but Superman has been far better than Bat. Batman #85 is a prime example of overall bad writing. more

What a joke, I mean they already did this same thing before in a story also called 'Truth', so to treat this as new ground is ridiculous.

Dialogue is more bearable than past issues but 'bendis-speak' continues to be as irksome as it has always been. Some moments played out well enough, others were borderline nonsensical; the entirety of the panels that occur in Thanagar are asinine. The humor is also, as always, off the mark.

Lois is incredibly out of character, but she's already broken Superman's confidence by sharing his identity without his knowledge in Event Leviathan. In the previous 'Truth' storyline she was the one to share this news and it led to Superman becoming a fugitive; Lois is acting more like this when it was an entirely different one at the time.


While it could be interesting to see what happens from here, keeping hopes and expectations low would go a LONG way. more

A pretty solid issue. I loved the little snippets of Perry getting emotional and Jimmy laughing at Clark. Lois did try to tell Clark that she was going to inform Jimmy, but he was busy with Perry, and knowing that Jimmy's been her close and much longer friend, it is fitting that Lois informs him as she knew he would react very emotionally, and especially not to keep lies with the bad fate of Jor-El due to his secrets and Jon growing up but Clark not having enough time with him. I don't know why some people are complaining that Lois told him first, especially as she did try to discuss it with Clark. And no Lois didn't reveal Clark's secret identity during Event Leviathan or betray his trust. She told her dad during "Leviathan Rises" arc, and she only did it so they could reconcile and he could stop his hate for Superman who didn't feel betrayed in any way. Why would she betray Superman when she was angry at Amanda Waller for betraying Superman's trust.

It's fitting that Jimmy be playful with Clark instead of crying. Knowing that she's been supportive of her husband despite her loss also warmed the heart. Although I do feel she hasn't been represented how she should be, Bendis rarely gives them private time and they rarely have time to focus on each other with their hectic lives and so many villains out for them, and Lois has been mostly been reduced to occasional appearances. Some would be questioning the logic, but given how some villains especially Leviathan and government agencies already know who he is, it's not a bad decision. We already know though Metropolis will be attacked anyway by Legion of Doom, so his identity reveal likely won't matter for now. more