A new Batman’s deadly crusade against the criminals of Gotham City begins!

Bruce Wayne, battle-broken and out of commission after his epic showdown with Gotham’s famous villain Bane, has appointed a new Dark Knight to keep the bad guys at bay. Jean-Paul Valley (a.k.a. Azrael) has assumed the role of the caped crusader, but without Bruce’s integrity as a calming influence, Jean-Paul is swiftly getting out of hand, alienating both Robin and Commissioner Gordon.

Meanwhile, the hulking baddie Bane is still on the loose, while new villainous foes are introduced onto the battlefield that is Gotham, including master marksman Mekros and sinister sniper Gunhawk. Also, watch out for the return of familiar faces such as the serial killer Abattoir and, of course, the eerily jovial Joker. 

Can the new Dark Knight face these nefarious challenges without Bruce Wayne and Robin? Might his violent manner of crime-fighting permanently cripple the already beleaguered Gotham?

Chuck Dixon's résumé includes thousands of scripts for iconic characters like Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Iron Man, the Punisher, The Simpsons, Spongebob Squarepants, GI Joe and many others. He is (along with artist Graham Nolan) the creator of the Batman villain Bane, the first permanent addition to the Dark Knight's rogues gallery in 40 years and for which he won 1993's Wizard Fan Award for best new character. His graphic novel adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is a perennial bestseller worldwide. His unprecedented 100-issue run on DC Comics, Robin is considered to be a classic in the comics medium. Chuck's contributions to Marvel Comics' The Punisher are widely acknowledged as integral to that character's development.