Batman The Dark Knight #7

It’s Batman vs Bane in an all out slug fest that runs from the start of the book to not quite the end but close enough. Bane is high on a new form of venom that has not only increased his strength but also his intelligence, now given that Bane was already ridiculously strong and was known to be Batman’s most intelligent villain old Bats has his work cut out. Although if he has increased his intelligence you would have expected him to know that throwing rocks at Batman, is probably not the best strategy he could have picked but maybe that's just me.

Once Ivy is safely out of the way Batman confronts the rock throwing Bane and surprisingly doesn’t fair too well, and just when you think we will get a repeat of Banes greatest moment (see Batman 493 old universe). Bane is distracted by a member of the Justice League, which gives Batman the gap he needs to put Bane down. By first administering the venom antidote, then knock him off a cliff top on to the rocks below.

Now I won’t give away who the JL member is who helped Batman, but he is quick and wears red, oh go on then it’s the Flash.

Bane aparantly lives to fight another day as we see him washed out to sea, and Batman does his best Arnie impression to Flash saying ‘’He’ll be back’’.

The final panel where the true identity of the White Rabbit is revelled was a big surprise to me; if I’m honest I had originally thought it was the person it turned out to be. Then decided against it for what I thought were obvious reason, so the twist when it was revelled was a surprising one (I think I've said before I'm easly fooled).

The only gripe I have regarding White Rabbit, is how she manages to always get away with out any problems. Even with the Flash in attendance she still manages to get away, and given the type of costume she wears you would think that someone would notice her bounce past (sexist pun sorry)

Finch’s artwork is good although I’m not too keen on his style of Bane, but that is a minor complaint on my part and I have enjoyed the story. Paul Jenkins writting is never going to win awards, but as Batman storys go it keeps you entertained, and in the end thats all you can ask. Another plus is the lateness that dogged the previous incarnation of the book, seems to have been resolved now that the comic is been co-plotted which has to be a bonus.

Now I have read and heard quite a lot of venom (deliberate pun) aimed at this book from issue 1 onwards, and while I will admit that it is not the best of the Bat books it is still an enjoyable read. This is not the same type of Batman comic that Scott Snyder is putting together, but it doesn’t pretend to be either. This comic is like your summer blockbuster film, all you have to do is pay your money and sit down and enjoy the ride.

I for one will be paying my money to see what happens next issue.