Comic Review: Batman #20 (DC Comics)

I Am Bane conclusion!!!

Batman makes his final stand against Bane in order to save Gotham Girl, his loved ones and all of Gotham City. If Gotham is to survive, only one can come out of top in this final bout. Will Bane finally get the revenge he has rampaged through Gotham for, or will Batman defeat Bane, losing his own life in the process?

Tom King wraps up the I Am Bane arc in a satisfying conclusion that signifies a mature, growth and motivation of Batman as a character who is motivated beyond his parent’s death, and thinking more of the bigger picture, thinking more grander than his own personal vendettas. Obviously Batman is a protector of Gotham etc, but usually, Batman tends to use his parents as his main source for every action and then thinks of the city secondary. King manages to give Bruce a more mature approach as to why he really fights beyond just his parents. While it doesn’t provide anything entirely new to the Batman mythos, it does provide some growth in terms of the characters personal lenses that’s much more human.

 David Finch’s art has helped make this entire arc look as brutal as the clash between the characters (Batman and Bane) needed to be. Every punch, every slam, every blood splatter that is created from every single crosshatch, layout, and frame made the fight between Batman and Bane enjoyable to see after the build up from the last few issues. Danny Miki and Trevor Scott’s inks engraved Finch’s pencil with extra grit while also making his pencils look a smooth. Jordie Bellaire’s colors also did a good job at making this issue look gloomy as a Batman book can be. This fifth chapter of the I Am Bane arc satisfying. Hugely more satisfying than the I Am Suicide arc (which was also great) but the ending felt a bit more neat. At the same time, it would have been a bit better if there was a few pages, like an epilog so it can read better in trade. With that said, this was a really good book. Tom King looks like he’s found some solid ground whenever Bane is involved. Hopefully, there will be more good stuff without the inclusion of Bane that King has planned. With the upcoming “Button” arc that King is co-writing with The Flash writer Joshua Williamson for the Batman / Flash crossover, there may be some promise. Either way, This is a good conclusion to a good arc, definitely, pick it up, or wait to get the whole I Am Bane arc in trade.