Bruce, having to recover from Azrael’s attack, is forced to reveal his identity to more people in order to get help in getting to the bottom of what the Joker is plotting. We get a break from flashbacks with the Edmond Wayne, a slowdown in the pace of the story, and the unexpected death of a core character. All that said, not a lot happens in this issue that is new. There is a bit of retreading of the first two books, which is done through Batman getting others up to speed on what has happened.

Sean Murphy’s switching up the pace in this book is smart. The second book was fast-paced and explosive. Taking the time to build the plot through character interactions gives us the time to catch up and learn more about how the Joker’s plan intersects with the history of the Waynes.

Interestingly, Murphy subtly gives Batman pupils in a few panels. If you are not looking for it, then you’ll not see it. Once seen, though, you cannot unsee it. I can understand the art decision. In a couple of panels, with the way Batman’s face is angled, it would be difficult to make out the reaction that he would be having. The reactions are completely contingent on how someone’s eyes would move, like a side eye or a skeptical look. Admittedly, this would be quite impossible with the emotionless white-eyed lens of the cowl. Now that I have picked up on this technique in this book, I will be on the lookout in subsequent ones.