[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: Tom King
Pencils: David Finch
Summary
Bane and Batman finally have their encounter in a rain soaked Gotham City! As Bane demands the Psycho Pirate for the lives of his allies, Batman stands firm in his refusal to return the Pirate to Bane. As the two battle on the rooftops of Gotham, Batman has enacted a dangerous plan.
Positives
Tom King really impressed me with this story. Here in this issue we not only get an all out brawl between two Batman and Bane, but a brief retelling of their backstories side by side. King does a great job of comparing the hardships and losses of the two foes, which finally end when one discovers the other exists. King drew a lot of similarities, but yet a lot of differences between Batman and Bane here, and although its a backstory that’s been seen before, he does a wonderful job of showing how crucial it is to the overall story itself.
Negatives
I don’t really have any complaints about this issue. King tells a solid, good story and shows exactly how and why our two foes are so driven. Finch complements the story further with great artwork that I can’t find any fault with. Finch gives the overall story a “detective noir’ type look that’s always great for a Batman story.
Verdict
Batman #18 is a great read! I enjoyed the encounter between Batman and Bane and it’s great knowing that in the next book the fight continues even further! I’ve always enjoyed the tactician Bane over the mindless Venom monster that we sometimes get, and King gives us the tactician I’ve always wanted from Bane in this book! I can’t wait to see how the story ends!
