Batman #679 - DC

Wow! As with last issue, that's the best thing I can say about this book . . . Wow! Grant Morrison has really weaved a tangled web here. To think that this goes all the way back to the beginning of his run on this book . . the story-arc about Kurt Langstrom . . is phenomenal. When you spend enough time reading comics, you begin to understand what makes a good story . . the little nuances that some writers put in, and some don't. But this story-arc? This story-arc, I feel, takes the craft of story-telling to an all new level. The details and intricacies that Grant has weaved throughout this little drama . . right from day one . . are simply brilliant. I don't know that anyone else is even capable of putting the story together, in this book, that he has over the last 3 or 4 years. Add to that the fantastic interpretations of Tony Daniel . . and we have a classic in the making. There seems to be a lot of that going on around the DC Universe right now. This book, the JLA, the JSA and Action Comics come to the top of my mind right now. I don't want to give away to much of the story here, but suffice it to say that Batman has a contingency plan in place for every eventuality . . even him losing his mind. Basically, he's created a Batman from another world that he can slip into should someone attempt to shatter his Bruce Wayne / Batman psyche. Right now, he sees himself as the Batman from Zur-En-Arrh! He's still out there doing his job . . but he definitely seems more psychotic while doing it. After all . . he is talking to Bat-Mite and the Gargoyles around the city. Does that seem normal? Some of the interesting points are . . supposedly this leader of the Black Glove claims that he is Thomas Wayne . . Jezzebel Jet is wrapped up in this somehow, but it's not clear what that participation is yet . . . and the Black Glove, supposedly a gang unto themselves or a new presentation of the League of Villains, seems to be answering to, and accommodating, the Joker. Did he set this whole thing up and master-mind it, or is he just taking advantage of an occurring situation? I'm not sure what the RIP stands for in the title. I don't think it's as obvious as it looks. This seems to be more of a ". the king is dead! Long live the king!" type thing. I can't wait to see how it all plays out.