Batman #678 - DC

This was an incredible issue. The only problem I had with it . . it left me with more questions than answers. But . . we're only in part 3 of Batman RIP, so . . it may be another issue or 2 before this all starts to come together . . . or all starts to come apart . . depending on how you look at it. We start out with Bruce wandering the streets of Gotham. Apparently he's coming down from some Crystal Meth that, from what I can gather, the guy who's leading the Black Hand gave him. But we still don't know who this Black Hand is. And, speaking of that, remember when Batman & Robin went to that island for that crime mystery? They met with the International Club of Heroes . . . well, I guess, there's also a Club of Villains. Is that who the Black Hand is, or is it someone entirely different? I'm a little confused about that part. Anyways, whichever club they belong to, they have some of them chasing down Robin and Nightwing. Robin has apparently given them the slip, but Nightwing? Nightwing . . . ends up in Arkham? "We believe his name is Pierrot Lunaire, a one-time enemy of the French crimefighter Musketeer . . . he seems to have settle in nicely after a beating and a few Thorazine shots. Or was it the other way around?" Also it appears that the Black Hand has taken up residency in the Bat-cave. Remember at the end of last issue . . they beat the snot out of Alfred. However, by the end of the issue, since Bruce has somehow ended up in crime-alley . . he makes himself a makeshift Batman costume and he's calling himself, " . . the Batman of Zur-en-arrh." Whatever the hell that means. I'm continually amazed at just how much 'stuff' Grant Morrison can put into one of these issues. Or any of his books for that matter. The guys a story-telling demon . . or something. Maybe he's related to Etrigan. Would that make him a Prose-Demon? Anyways, this is a fantastic story-arc and I'm left in breathless anticipation for each issue. Of course the incredible renderings to Tony Daniel doesn't hurt the overall quality of the book either. If you aren't getting this book . . you're really missing out. Get it!