Batman #72

The threat to Batman honestly doesn't feel that substantial. But, of course, that may be the ultimate beauty of the entire issue. Read Full Review

Batman#72 is a culmination of King's run so far. Fortunately, he sticks to landing so far and pulls old plot threads together with masterful ease. This issue has not only intrigued me for future storylines, but also retroactively elevates past issues. Read Full Review

Tom King's callback to earlier within his run is incredibly effective, and the entire art team is operating at a sublime level. Read Full Review

This issue succeeds at making the heavy lift of making everything make sense. As a matter of fact, it makes me want to go back with a new perspective and re-read the story from the start. For that, this issue is a breath of fresh air a lot of Batman readers have been craving ever since King made the bold choice to take the story off of the beaten path. This is the beginning of the landing we've been waiting to see if King would stick. And things are looking good as we prepare to wrap-up the series. Read Full Review

Both Mikel Janin and Jorge Fornes bring daring and beautifully detailed visuals to this issue. There are moments of brutal beauty as well as great detailed character moments that draw the reader in. Read Full Review

While there were some uneven elements, but this was a strong read and one of the best King has done in months. I'm excited about reading Batman again just as King closes in on his final major arc. Read Full Review

Ultimately I think this issue is a must read title that I hope will instill a sense of trust return to writer Tom King because he truly shows us here in this issue how much work and long term creative talent he has put into his run. I for one have found this plot to be very interesting, and I've spent more hours than I'd like to admit reading and rereading and studying this run of Batman to learn all of its secrets and clues so I'm very happy that most of that plot has been spelled out and now we can move into the final 13 issues of this incredible run. Read Full Review

It has to be said that I'm really hoping King didn't weave an incredible story these last 72 issues just to get us to a watered down version of Knightfall. There are a lot of nods to it and quite honestly, that's when the series is at its weakest. King can tell an original story well. I hope he continues to do that rather than redo an already used up story. Sure, it was great at the time. But his run has turned into its own thing and I hope it stays there. Read Full Review

It defies belief slightly occasionally, as Bane's long game seems more fitting for someone like Ozymandias, it's so intricate. But it's a good use of Bane as a smarter mastermind villain, which is in line with his original characterization (if a bit exaggerated here). Read Full Review

Batman #72 delivers plenty of critical answers while still telling a gripping story of revenge and betrayal. Read Full Review

Batman #72 can potentially be the issue that wins some former readers back as it adds clarity to past events. And if they're still not entirely happy with Tom King's writing, then the fantastic art of Jorge Fornes and Mikel Janin should be able to gain their attention. Read Full Review

Overall I thought that Batman #72 was a good read. If you're wanting strictly just a fight between Batman and Bane then this issue is for you. The ending gave me a surprise and I'm eager to see how Batman recovers from his situation. As the book ends Flashpoint Batman summarizes his eagerness to join Bane's cause in bringing Batman and ultimately Gotham City to its knees. I can't wait to read the next issue and see what other plans Bane has ready to be revealed! Read Full Review

This exceedingly brief issue is composed primarily of beautifully illustrated filler. You'll miss nothing by skipping it. Read Full Review

BATMAN #72 is primarily a recap issue. However, it recontextualizes the series thus far and builds hype and momentum leading into the climax of Tom King's run, making for more prescient reading than your standard recap. Read Full Review

I dont think there was any way around doing some version of an issue where Banes plan is spelled out in crayon. While I think there were better ways to execute it, Im looking forward to the story moving forward from here, in particular, to finally dive into what exactly Thomas Waynes involvement is in the story. Read Full Review

Visually exciting, but far from a must-read. Read Full Review

The now classic Tom King trope of just explaining everything via narration, clip show and silent fight scene saps some of the energy out of the big reveal of the villain's master plan. Read Full Review

Overall, Batman #72is another disappointing issue at the tail end of this run that just leaves the reader feeling exhausted as the story continues on with no satisfying conclusion in sight. Read Full Review

Tom King and Jorge Fornes delivered a brutal fight between Batman and Bane that emphasized the intensity of their war. Unfortunately their brutal fight was drowned out by the inner monologue of Flashpoint Thomas Wayne that was nothing more than a recap of King's entire Batman run. This decision made the entire issue move at a crawl, causing Batman #72 to fall more in the skip rather than must read category. Read Full Review

There are only 13 issues of Tom King's Batman left, and given the two big moments toward the end of this book, it's impossible to know where he's going to from here. On some level, it feels like he's got to have more to say than what he has so far. But it also feels like without his trademark nine-panel grids, King is still struggling to properly pace his work. Read Full Review

What a complete waste of my time. This book manages to impress with some of its monologue writing and beautiful art. However, it also fails spectacularly when it comes to story progression. If you've been reading this book, then you are completely able to skip this issue and when you pick up issue #73 in 2 weeks, you will not have missed a single thing. We continue to have our questions unanswered, there is no story progression, no character development. This issue and its monologue are literally a long recap of the past 70 issues of Batman and add absolutely nothing to this story at all. If it wasn't for some amazing art and a slight appreciation for the wordsmanship in this book, my score would be MUCH lower. Read Full Review

Thomas Wayne recaps Tom King's Batman run in an issue that is completely skippable. *Sigh* I just need to make it through Batman #85... Read Full Review

Pallaki

Jun 05, 2019

This issue is awesome. Everything that I love, maybe it is verbally showing what he was doing during all the run but he has to speed up to go Hollywood (because dc send only the worst, like... ? Geoff Johns, only save DC twice). Tom King is very good, extremely good, a titan, a new god and Fornés is as Mazzuchelli as Mazzuchelli.

Andrea D’Alò

Jun 05, 2019

How many times have you solved a problem using your fists? Never, I’ve tried but I didn’t succeeded in it, because the world just doesn’t work in this way. Well, same is for King and of course his Batman. Batman has ever won in Tom King’s run? No, never. Every event in this run is part of Bane’s big plan, Bane wants to break Bruce Wayne not physically but, first, mentally. He gave him love, friends and enemy and then he puts all these things away from him. Does this thing remember you something? Oh yes, Job in the Bible, when God stole everything from him.

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Darkseid24 - Jun 5, 2019

That’s why it makes no sense: Batman had love, friends& family way before Bane& he dealt with loss/ break ups many times before. If he was a 15 year old teenager ok, but it makes no sense for a man in his 30ies. Not to mention, that he’s acting like an obsessive psycho.

Andrea D’Alò - Jun 5, 2019

Bruce had never dealt with love before. Surely he had sex, I mean of course, but he’d never had a stable relationship with someone.

Andrea D’Alò - Jun 5, 2019

He’s acting like a psycho because: 1) he’ve been trapped in some painful nightmares 2)Bane is making fun of him, and he knows that 3)Nobody thinks that he’s right 4) -the most important/ he’s unsure about his vow, he thinks that is the thing that stops him from becoming happy

Darkseid24 - Jun 5, 2019

Thats not true. He truelly loved Natalya& Talia. And Pre52 it was also real love with Talia, Silver, Vickie& he even put Bekka above Selina. Not to mention, that it was always on& off with Catwoman for good reasons. 1) he’s been trapped in those many times before& always overcame them. 2) he would be reasonable & solve the case 3) he doesn’t care what everyone thinks. The batfamily always trusts him 4) worst things happened to him& he did worse things, that could make him question his vow.

Darkseid24 - Jun 5, 2019

That’s why this entire story feels so forced & cheap to me.

Talon1load - Jun 5, 2019

Yeah the only way you can think Batman never had live before is if you’ve never ready Batman. That is some bullshit right there.

Andrea D’Alò - Jun 5, 2019

Darkseid24 Yes, he loved those girls but I think that the relationship between him and Cat is different from the others that he had. King gave to this relationship a lot of “space”, and that makes it REAL. Yes, he faced all those things but not at the same time. And the Batfamily don’t trust him anymore

Darkseid24 - Jun 5, 2019

Agreed.

Batman Jones

Jun 04, 2019

I'm going to be so sad when King's time on Batman (and Batman/Catwoman) is done. 50 years as a Batman fanatic and I've never loved a run better.

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Batman Jones - Jun 4, 2019

Continuity isn't important enough to me to throw anything "in the garbage." If you mean the reference to The Gift I consider that a pretty minor error.

Br'er Lapin AKA 20-Ish Ceiln - Jun 5, 2019

I agree, I will be sad when this is over. One of my favourite modern comic book runs period.

Tony - Jun 5, 2019

Maybe the whole situation with skeets is not continuity error maybe is there for something.We have to wait and see what happens

Darkseid24 - Jun 5, 2019

Glad you enjoy it, but for me characters are way too much out of character to really enjoy it.

Talon1load - Jun 5, 2019

Just imagine how much happier Batman will be though. Lol

Darkseid24 - Jun 5, 2019

Who knows, I wouldn’t be surprised if Batman gets his forced happy ending lol

Talon1load - Jun 5, 2019

That sounds like a creepy porno

Darkseid24 - Jun 5, 2019

😂

Br'er Lapin AKA 20-Ish Ceiln

Jun 05, 2019

We learned so little to anyone who was actually paying attention. I actually have more questions... but the writing was on point and this issue is so quotable.

axdn

Jun 05, 2019

What a great issue !

Tony

Jun 05, 2019

I say this every issue but it is the true, the art never fails in this book, for me it is 10/10 in this issue, then you have 5/5 points for this book. King brings some answers, maybe you will like them or maybe you will hate them, but he starts to explain how every story arc has a conection with the main story. It is clear that Thomas Wayne is telling to the readers the whole story, so now we have a new perspective from all these events, it is not perfect but it has some logic, yeah, the Catwoman role it is weird and it is difficult to think Batman fell in love precisely with her. The situation is that one way or another and with a certain degree of quality, king intertwines all the stories he has developed since his first issue and tha t is appreciated, in this case I give a 4/5 to what he raises and how poses in this book. We continue to have a slow advance in story but at this point I do not think it is King's problem I think it is more related to the plans of Snyder and company. Obviously King has an ace up his sleeve in the whole situation with skeets, since Booster Gold did not take Bruce / Batman to a world where there was no Batman but what happened in "The Gift" was totally different so open that see what happens. Finally I must point out that there are many parallels between this issue and others of King's run. more

cincyfan

Dec 15, 2020

First off the writing is beautiful in this I tip my cap. I really loved how it sums everything up it explains the whole plan and it really makes me look at certain things in a different light. This book makes me want to reread the run and reconsider some perspectives. Honestly it’s nice to have a recap on what in my opinion has been a rather inconsistent run that has left me with quite a few questions at times and to write it so beautifully yeah this was a very good issue

Linkush

Jun 05, 2019

"Every day. Every DAMN day. They try to end him. And every day. Every damn day. He tells them. I'm still here." I enjoyed it but it needs to pick up the pace. I didn't think this was bad, I actually enjoyed it and I liked how it all connects but once again we don't learn anything that is truly new, just another perspective. This issue was mostly a recap of the story so far and even though I like where this is going I think it's too slow. Come on, get going already. The art was amazing as usual.

ComicNerd96

Jun 05, 2019

It was a solid issue, but I am ready to wrap up this storyline.

Another Nerd

Jun 06, 2019

Good issue but the events of #71 are still a puzzle. I'm giving King the benefit of the doubt to see if he can land this. I've really enjoyed his run until the Knightmares arc. Everything since feels like a disjointed mess. It's royally cheesing me off!

mrDovydas

Jun 11, 2019

I've read this issue. Then I've read it again. And you know what? I really enjoyed it. While it's more of a recap of what has happened in the series so far, it gives a lot of details on how did Bane influence every event. Not the best issue of the series, but definitely the best issue in a few months.

bucswin611

Jun 05, 2019

All head and no heart. While poetically written, it felt mechanical to explain every detail about 6-12 months later than would have been ideal/coherent. The dual artist approach is deployed very wisely here, so credit to Janin and Fornes.

Afre

Jun 05, 2019

Is it good? Is a question that is hard to answer these days considering King's Batman issues. Some are bad, some good, some meh, and some are hard to explain. This is one of those issues. First, yes art good, you know the drill. Style and presentation? Well, it is just Bruce and Bane fighting with Thomas narrating Bane's plan and how King's whole Batman run has been just all big plan. All connected. And it kinda makes sense and kinda doesn't. And that is the reason if you hate or love this. I am a big Bane-fan and I like him being in the front of King's plan, as Snyder has done Joker enough and never really focused on the other villains that much (yes he did some, but you get my point). No, I'm not comparing his run to King's. So the question. Does all being connected make sense? Well. Kinda. But, does it feel like it? Eh. Personally, I would've liked this to be Bane's revenge for Batman for taking his happiness away. But now that King is "I am Suicide/Bane" were all just misdirection, f it feels forced. Some of you might say that it doesn't and I can see your point. And I also understand if you think this is just garbage. I don't, but that isn't far-fetched. Overall, yes 7/10. It is not bad, kinda makes sense and I'm interested to see what happens next. If you have hated King's run since issue 50, this won't change your mind. more

Federico Liguori

Apr 26, 2023

I'll give it a 7, but if what Thomas is implying is true... It's a 3, maybe less. I just hope it's babbling from the character.

egonnn244

Jun 07, 2019

"How might I help?" Now that's a conundrum. I was expecting to dislike this issue, to not enjoy it. But it provided what this series has been lacking for so long. Answers. We finally know what the hell has been happening and what the heck is going on. I am surprised that I don't really have any problems with this issue. Art is good, there is no annoying, repetitive dialogue. Actually, there is no dialogue, it's just a long monologue made by Thomas Wayne. I could get hung up on Bane's plan, it's many intricacies and moving parts, and the fact that the whole thing could have easily crumbled if any one villain decided to not follow it, but I'm sure someone has already done it or will do. And truth be told, I don't have that big of a prob lem with it. So yeah, I enjoyed this issue. Still, it doesn't change the fact that the road up to this point, putting it mildly, was bumpy, but it gives some promise that this book, maybe, will start to be enjoyable yet again. Fingers crossed. more

Darkseid24

Jun 05, 2019

Every 2 weeks I’m trying to give King's Batman run another chance & to find some good things in it, but I think it’s just not worth it. This issue only sums up, what Bane‘s plan was the entire time& it’s a good issue for those, who just started reading Kings Batman run& for those, who forgot about some parts. However Bane‘s entire plan is just utterly nonsense. This entire run feels like pure fanfiction. Bruce had many loves& apart from, that he didn’t even open up to Catwoman, he already did towards other women. Even in New52/ Rebirth timeline. He opened way more up to Natalya than he ever did to Selina. That never made him question Batman though. And Catwoman being his savior is just big nonsense. A criminal like her would n eed saving herself. It just feels like King read some tweets from some Batcat shippers& declared her to Bruce’s ultimate love& didn’t care at all about, whether it makes sense or not. Bruce isn’t the kind of character, who can be saved by a woman. Thinking another person can save you, might not be the best start for a relationship anyway. I think his character is by far more complex than that& that’s why Batman is an interesting character, but King is turning him to the average guy next door. While I also think Bruce is seeing& treating the Robins like soldiers, I don’t think you can reduce his relationship to them on just this. King is acting like only romantic love between a man& a woman is the only love, that matters& the only love, that can make people better. Maybe that’s the reason, why Bruce wasn’t really devastated by Dick getting shot, because King doesn’t think, that can hurt a man. I think this is really disrespectful towards the batfamily& I am saying that as someone, who isn’t a fan of them We also still get zero explanation, why Thomas is here or why he suddenly teams up with a criminal to hurt his own son. Even so I hate his character, but it just doesn’t make any sense for him. Why is it so hard for Tom King to read at least the bios of the characters? However it’s too late for that anyway by now. more

waltgator93

Jun 05, 2019

Well guess Tom King can’t remember some of his own material, and the ending did nothing! If anything this issue should have had us knowing why Thomas is betraying his son.

MKW69

Jun 05, 2019

Revelation that makes Batman into a idiot, and Bane into hyper badasss, that is also fucking stupid. Also why Riddler did this?

nec

Jun 06, 2019

Exposition dump of an issue where King recaps everything that has happened from issue 1-50 of his run and explicitly tells us what he's doing because he thinks we are all stupid to not understand the greatness of his run so he needs to spoon feed us what he's doing. In the end this is another filler issue proving that he doesn't need 100 issues to tell his story.

ohhaimark

Jun 09, 2019

THE GOOD: -I've always liked Jorge Fornes' art. -I mean, conceptually, having Bane's plan be interwoven into every issue thus far is good, but the execution is so weak. -I thought the splash page with the villains was rather cool. THE BAD: -I wish they would get rid of Mikel Janin at this point, because all he's doing is drawing one or two splash pages per issue, which aren't even that good. -Glad to see I paid 3.99 for a recap of every issue before this one. -I appreciate King trying to make Bane powerful, but what he's making him here is just ridiculous. -Now the juxtaposition between artists is just forced and weak and repetitive. -Why is Thomas Wayne bad? This issue didn't exactly make that clear, probab ly because it's so unbelievable in the first place. more

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Darkseid24 - Jun 10, 2019

Im wondering, if we ever find out about Thomas motive& if it also makes sense.

REYNARD - Jun 11, 2019

Jorge Fornes art always reminds me of David Mazzucchelli from Batman Year One

myconius - Jun 12, 2019

Jorge Fornes is just creating the discount store-brand version of David Mazzucchelli's art. probably at the behest of Tom King. so much of King's run has felt like a bad Year One fan-fic. @ohhaimark - i totally agree about Mikel Janin. i tire at looking at his tracings of 3D poser figures.

Nihilist

Jun 05, 2019

There are two plot twisting gimmicks I'm truly sick and tired of - "it was all just a dream" and "it all is connected". Now, to be fair, the latter, if done correctly, with proper foreshadowing, details hidden in between the lines and actually logical story progression leading to all the reveals, can be great. One issue stating "it was all a part of the plan since the very beginning" is not a valid explanation, however. You know why Game of Thrones failed so badly and its last season is widely despised even by normies who couldn't understand critical flaws of seasons 5, 6 and 7? Because all of a sudden all the theories, all the foreshadowing laid down by George Martin, went nowhere or were streamlined so much, they became exactly these qui ck "it all is connected" twists with no depth, context and purpose. King can tell us as much as he wants that all these 72 issues were Bane's master plan, but were they really? Even if indeed he intended them to tell one, big story, it came out as pretty nonsensical, convoluted so much it would be a miracle if it worked without failing in few critical points, and most importantly, he reveals us the truth in a way so poor, forced and rushed, it's hard to take it even half seriously. Think about it - he's got over 70 issues to connect everything together, yet he did it all now, at once, desperately because DC's management is (finally) kicking him out of the series due to dropping sales and negative fan reception damaging the brand. But hey, it all is connected, am I right? It was always one, big plan, except I just told you about it now because other than that, there's absolutely no valid connection made before. Even if the core idea itself - Bane having a master plan, sounds cool on paper, it's not enough when its execution is terrible. Don't believe me? Read some Junji Ito - they guy is a horror genius, coming up with ideas so random and unexpected, they are genuinely terrifying. At the same time, he seemingly can't tell a coherent story. His works always end up with some forced connections and unnatural plot conveniences. It's cheap narration, so bad it reminds me of Lost's last few seasons and the awful ending. Or wait, I have even better analogy - imagine Vito Corleone showing up at the very end of Godfather, miraculously alive, telling Michael he wanted him to become the new boss all along, but he wasn't ready, so he orchestrated everything, from his exile to Sicily, through love affair there, to finally his return and rise to power. Boom - "it was the plan all along" just ruined one of the best crime stories ever written. Pretty terrible comic, with the worst and most forced plot reveals I've seen in years. Can't wait to see King off this book. Batman really needs some fresh blood, because this run has been an utter disaster. Or... maybe it was King's plan all along as well?! more

Talon1load

Jun 05, 2019

An entire issue wasted by telling you everything that’s happened in the previous 71 issues but telling you how it was all Banes plan. Doesn’t really go into how he accomplished any of his plan but it tells you he was responsible for even the most inexplicable events. King doesn’t even give a shut about his own continuity because he states that Booster took Batman into an alternative reality in “The Gift” when that never happened. If the writer doesn’t care about his own story, why should anyone else? His issue really helps readers understand why King is being removed from this book. For those who say you can’t judge the story because it’s not complete, o want you to start eating a shit sandwich but don’t tell us how disg usting it is until the last bite because that’s what this entire run has been. One big shit sandwich. Don’t waste your time or money on this filler issue. more

REYNARD

Jun 05, 2019

More filler, with Flashpoint Bats explaining Bane's plan for all the meatheads who read this garbage run (including me).

Ken b

Jun 05, 2019

I'm going to sum this book up so you won't have to waste 3.99 on buying this trash. Batman gets beat up by Bane and Tom "can't write a good plot" King gives you a recap saying that everything that has happened in the last 72 issues has been BANE! wow, what a twist.

Spacey Medicine

Jul 08, 2019

“What I think I like best about your plan, Bane, is how I can easily explain it in tedious narration over two-page static shots so that the people reading can understand what happened, since it’s so obviously unbelievable that not a single one of them would think you were this in control of the situation if I didn’t explicitly say that you were.”

Psycamorean

Jun 05, 2019

This issue is supposed to explain Bane's plan, right? It doesn't. It just tells the reader what he did up to the wedding. Which is new information, technically, but all it does is tie events together by just saying "Bane Dun Did It". This plan makes sense if Bane is omniscient. There's understanding your enemy and there's... this. It's too absurd. This is the same trap Heroes in Crisis fell into. Where the grand plan is so absurd and convoluted that it's ridiculous. At least there Wally didn't rely, multiple times, on people acting exactly as he thought they would. Once? That's okay, but this happens so many times. Thanks for a recap that barely explains the how besides a loose string tying stories together. Oh, and we still don't know how Batdad is alive or why he's being such a dick. He just is. EDIT: Forgot to mention The Gift plot hole. That story was seared into my brain by its awfulness. So the fact that Tom King can't even keep it straight is maddening. That story was so trash. #Parents'AnniversaryOrBruce'sBirthday? EDIT 2: I'd also like to point out that the CIA has a history of plotting absurd schemes that fail spectacularly. Just look at the many botched assassination attempts on Fidel Castro during his Cuban presidency. Tom King is ex-CIA indeed. more

Quinn

Jun 05, 2019

This is basically an issue-long "previously on Batman". Nothing happens and it ends with Thomas Wayne Batman saying he wants to help Bane's plan to Detroit Bruce Batman. It's so decompressed that if it were a basketball, the only sound it would make is splat when it hits the floor. It would be so flat it couldn't even roll away. Or I could be wrong.

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Quinn - Jun 5, 2019

I don't know how destroy became Detroit, but when you think about it, it makes a kind of sense. Yes, that's the ticket, I meant that.

myconius - Jun 19, 2019

"Take him to Detroit!" ...."NO! NO! NOT DETROIT! NO, PLEASE! ANYTHING BUT THAT! NO!"

Superheroes for Hire

Sep 22, 2019

Recap with gratuitous back breaking. Time frame is uncertain.

Robin

Jun 05, 2019

Tom king go out /:

KFuqua

Jun 05, 2019

The absolute worst run on Batman ever continues. Again....please get Tom King out of the DC Universe.

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Darkseid24 - Jun 5, 2019

Hes unfortunately going to ruin the New Gods movie now.

myconius

Jun 05, 2019

oh god is this ever awful! so many plot holes. so many contrivances. so much ridiculousness. the whole story is just so stupid. just stop it already.

Comicstime

Jun 23, 2019

So everything is Bane’s plan. Bane predicted Bat would fall for Cat enough to propose to her? This issue was so dumb. Tom King can’t plot to save his life.