Review: Batman Vol. 3- I am Bane

Quick Summary

Pros: There is plenty of suspense and fantastic Batman moments in Bane’s attack on Gotham. The question over Batman’s happiness is insightful and ends in a twist that will, undoubtedly, get readers excited to read more. The human moments here are touching, yet are also some of the funnies moments in Batman comics.

Cons: Bane’s story ends in a sudden way that feels a bit disappointing.

Overall: The progress of the past three volumes culminates here and leads to an epic and thrilling conclusion to the themes in this chapter of the Batman series. Plot lines are resolved, old enemies come back for intense battles, and Batman’s pursuit of happiness is examined more thoroughly than ever before. The only place this volume stumbles is at the end of Bane’s story; however Batman’s story is just as good as ever. Fans who have been reading along thus far should not miss this volume.

Story

Batman Vol. 3: I am Bane is an entertaining story and a worthy conclusion to Tom King’s “I am…” trilogy of Batman volumes. This is the collection where all of the themes King has been building toward come to a head, providing a touching resolution for some and sparking new interest in others. It isn’t all emotion and poetry though; it also packs a punch when it comes to action as well. The only moment where the collection really suffers is in the conclusion of the Bane storyline. Overall though, this is another successful installment in the Batman series that left me more excited to read Batman than I think I have ever been before.

(spoilers start here)

The bulk of this volume deals with Bane’s retaliation against Batman’s actions in the previous volume. He comes to Gotham, immediately dismantles Batman’s Robins, and starts coming after Batman himself. King writes Bane like a force of nature, slowly but surely moving into the area and destroying any opposition he meets. It gives the constant impression that Batman is on the verge of losing and, thus, adds a lot of suspense to the book. It also allows for more than a few cool fight sequences, in particular I loved his final showdown with Batman and thought Batman’s “I’m still here” speech was amazing.

This portion of the book isn’t just fighting and suspense though. Along the way, readers get the chance to learn about the tragedy behind Bane’s life. His horrifying upbringing, combined with the fact that Bane only captured the Psycho Pirate to free himself from this life, force readers to see how sad Bane’s life truly is. This is a criminal who no longer wants to be a criminal, he is simply raging against the cruel circumstances of his life.

This is why, to me, the ending of Bane’s story is a bit of a disappointment. His power and tragedy are on full display the entire volume, yet Batman beats him with a simple head-butt. Not only does this seem a bit far fetched, especially since Bane just tore through a horde of enemies with little problem, but it also seems too sudden. Batman’s story gets plenty of resolution, yet Bane is left out in the cold. I didn’t necessarily expect him to receive a happy ending but would have preferred him to receive at least some kind of ending.

After Bane is dealt with, King addresses the question as to whether Batman is allowed to be happy. Batman admits that he isn’t happy but clearly desires to make a change. Though the issue of Batman’s happiness has been broached before, it is not often viewed from this angle or tackled in such a radical way, which is what makes his proposal to Catwoman so unbelievable, yet also so fantastic. It is an almost completely new concept that is ripe for all sorts of exploration. Whether or not it works out (I’m rooting for the happy couple), one cannot deny that it is a memorable moment and is something that will have an undoubtedly memorable impact on this era of Batman comics.

Alongside the action of the Bane storyline and the emotions of the Catwoman storyline, King continues to inject wonderful little human moments into this series. One scene involves a humorous meeting of the Bat-family at a fast food joint, where the former Robins trade brotherly insults and Bruce has to act as “dad”. Another scene, the “Good Boy” story, has Batman slowly fall in love with a dog that Alfred got him. Even “The Brave and the Mold” has moments that vary from silly commentary to grief over the loss of a parent. These moments remind readers that this costumed millionaire, who routinely hangs out with actual superheroes, is still a human being. Reminders like this keep the series, as a whole, relatable and the fact that they are typically funny just makes reading them more enjoyable.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The vast majority of this arc is penciled by David Finch, with inks from Danny Miki and colors from Jordie Bellaire. As we discussed in our review of I am Gotham (which can be found here), Finch’s work looks great in the Batman series and really captures the dark and serious tone that Gotham should always have. In this volume, he excels at depicting the physical forms of both Batman and Bane. Both characters are drawn in a way that highlights their muscular stature and makes them seem like the perfect human fighting machines. This makes watching them throw down even more satisfying and increases the enjoyment of the already entertaining action sequences.

The only other penciler in this volume is Mitch Gerads, who does “The Brave and the Mold”. For this somber and less action focused story, Gerads is the perfect fit. He draws Swamp Thing with a splendid level of creativity, making every branch on the creature seem unique and full of life. This can range from small details, like the flowers on Swamp Thing’s back growing toward the light, or large ones, like the flower cup he creates in order to have a drink. It is a wonderful looking issue that does well in enhancing the story.

Continuity

Batman Vol. 3: I am Bane continues the story from Batman Vol. 2: I am Suicide (Review). Technically, the events of Batman/The Flash: The Button happen in the middle of this volume, after Batman’s fight with Bane but before his big talk with Catwoman.

The story here continues in Batman Vol. 4: The War of Jokes and Riddles (Review).

This volume also references and continues the stories from other comic books, detailed below:

• Jason mentions a crowbar incident. This is a reference to his death in Batman: A Death in the Family.
• Jason threatens to make Damian “dead again”. This is a reference to Damian’s death in Batman Incorporated Vol. 2: Gotham’s Most Wanted.
• Dick also mentions being “dead” at one point. He “died” in Forever Evil (Review) and his “death” was explained at the very end of Nightwing Vol. 5: Setting Son (Review).
• Bruce mentions something that just happened to Tim. This happened in Detective Comics Vol. 1: Rise of the Batmen (Review).
• At one point, a television is heard talking about Zero Year and the Monster Men. Zero Year took place starting in Batman Vol. 4: Zero Year-Secret City (Review) and the Monster Men incident took place in Batman: Night of the Monster Men (Review).
• Batman and Catwoman’s argument over where they first met returns here. This disagreement is a nod to the two separate “first appearances” of Catwoman.
  • The first ever appearance of Catwoman was in Issue #1 of Batman. In this issue she dressed as an old woman and attempted to steal diamonds on a boat. This issue is collected in either Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 1 or Batman: The Golden Age Vol. 1.
  • The first “modern” appearance of Catwoman, set after the universe altering event Crisis on Infinite Earths, happened in Batman: Year One. In this story, Batman is in disguise, on the streets, saving one of Catwoman’s friends. This story is collected in Batman: Year One.