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Batman The Dark Knight (The New 52) # 7

By Mark Rodriguez

The Arkham crazies have been affected by a new Toxin that makes them super muscular and even more insane. Batman's quest to find the culprit had him chase a new villain named The White Rabbit, and following her eventually led to Bane. Bane is behind this, and while Batman managed to get away, he says the new Toxin has not only made him stronger, but smarter.


Issue 7 concludes this tale with ‘The Final Curtain’ as we return to Harmon Island where Batman just eluded Bane. And it also shows off DC’s new logo.

As Bats enters his hideout, he finds the captured Poison Ivy. Ivy tells him Bane made an antidote with a sample from the virgin star cactus. Bats has the vial, but the problem is, Bane is going to have to eat it. Bats asks about the White Rabbit, but she’s merely hired help. Ivy asks what she means to him, and Bats doesn’t quite know the answer.


Bane finds Batman and leaps right into the laboratory mountain stronghold. The fight continues as Bane boasts that Gotham is being ripped about by the juiced-up Arkham inmates and that Batman won’t be able to save the city. Bane punches Batman all over the place, and it’s not looking good for our hero.

Elsewhere, The Flash finally breaks his limits and outruns the toxin’s effects. Supes wants him to go to a hospital, but no one ever listens to him, so Flash heads off to help Batman instead.

Back to the fight, Bane is dragging Batman down the stairs, boasting his victory and that the Bat fears him. He reaches the edge of the island and is ready to toss Batman over the side. Batman mentally admits to himself that he does fear Bane… but he fears failure even more.. as he accidentally drops the vial with the antidote. Luckily Flash shows up and catches it before it hits the ground.


Flash tosses it to Batman and he jams the vial down Bane’s throat. Bane freaks out under the effects and Batman shoves him over the cliff. Batman states that Bane will be back. The White Rabbit is also gone.

Later that night, we see Jaina Hudson, chillin in her bubble bath, seeing that Bruce cancelled their date that night. Suddenly… The White Rabbit showed up, and they talk about how neither Bruce nor Batman suspects them, revealing that they are two separate people. Jaina and the Rabbit interlock their fingers and fuse into one person.


My Opinions

So we end the story with way more questions that answers, especially with the White Rabbit. What the hell is she? Is she some sort of sentient manifestation that Jaina can conjure up at will? They both seem to be independent of each other, having to discuss what they were up to instead of already knowing. What happens if one of them dies? Does the other die? Just... just what the hell was her deal? 

This issue was a wild ride, and I guess it kinda/sorta served as a way to establish the New 52 Batman in the overall New 52 DC Universe. The Bat Family made some cameos, some of the Justice League made some cameos, Deathstroke had a cameo, and thanks to Poison Ivy, the Birds of Prey got some shout outs.

The Flash did end up helping out in the end in the fight against Bane, and combined with his short appearance earlier on, he's probably been in the story the most out of all the guest stars. Superman was basically there to just give people their big Batman V Superman fight everyone likes to see so much. Toxin or not, I still call BS on Batman being able to make Superman bleed with just his fists. I still have a problem with Batman needing help from the Justice League when the Bat Family should have been enough to deal with the usual Arkham rogues, powered up or not. 

This was just a wild and crazy story full of boss fights, big splash pages and epic fights left and right with most of Batman's enemies. The art was good at least. The next issue promises more of the White Rabbit, but fails to deliver... mostly because it was meant to be a 2-part story... but it was cut down to a one shot to make way for issue 9 and the big Night of the Owls crossover. 

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