1. Here we get Batman’s capture and final battle with Darkseid from his own perspective.
2. Batman is here operating on a different paradigm than usual- he isn’t facing the Riddler, Two Face, or even Dr. Hurt- he’s dealing with a Dark God and fully accepts the symbolism inherent in that.
3. As Darkseid is the god of evil, he is the hole in things, what goes wrong with people’s lives, and he bends time to make Batman suffer, even while Batman, not knowing his name, knows he must survive to fight it.
4. The bullet being the ideal of “bullet” is great. It’s the bullet that killed everyone in history from legends to the unknown, and, most important to Bruce, it’s what killed his parents and set him on this path, the hole that is Darkseid.
5. I’m really usually not a Tony Daniel fan, but I am happy he drew this. He’s earned it.
6. Batman’s dealing with Bodika is great, as he tries to handle her like he would a human lantern and suffers for it. There is little outside his planning, but here we see what occurs when he has to wing it.
7. His final recorded message is for Superman, the closest thing he has to an equal who he trusts will hear this and find him. There’s lots of great images with Superman being natural at this while Batman has to work at it, down to earth.
8. The line of the book features Jim Gordon asking Batman why he had to choose an enemy that’s as old as time and bigger than any of them (Darkseid, but also crime, injustice, and the hole in things), to which Batman answers “I figured I could take him.” You’re damn right, Batman!
9. The symbolism of the man vs. the monster is commented on by Bruce, as he decides in this instance the myth will show that the man wins, that humans will outshine their monsters without blinking.
10. Rating: 9/10 – This book doesn’t need to exist, but I’m glad it does as it gives a great look into how Batman works on the grander scale, the logical proccess of facing down a god. That’s just too goddamn cool.
