Batman #690 - DC

I don't know that anyone necessarily knows that the Batman isn't the Batman, but . . I think a lot of people around Gotham have a sneaking suspicion that something is different. They just can't put their finger on it. And because of that, it seems like everyone is trying to play with his head. This issue starts out with Dick fighting Clay-face and Lyle Blanco. Two very different creatures that escaped from Arkham recently. However, they seem to be in concert against him. It isn't until the fights almost over that Dick realizes that they're being watched. So that means that somebody set up this little confrontation for some reason. Whether it was to test him, or judge him, or just to study him . . he doesn't really know. But at least now his guards up. The way it should've been right from the beginning. We find out that it was actually the Penguin, with the help of Black Mask. Although it seems that their only benefit is in messing with the Batman's head . . creating confusion and maybe paranoia. Unless there's some alterior motive that the Black Mask has yet to reveal. Plus, we still don't know who the Black Mask really is. The original is dead. This is someone taking his place. But I have a feeling that mystery is going to be dragged out for quite a while. Anyways, in the meantime . . Two-face is interviewing teleporters. He wants one who can teleport to a place an object has been. Not necessarily the last place it's been, but where it was created. He finds one and then teleports into the Bat-cave to mess with Batman. Of course they know that someones been there, but the only thing they find different is . . the covers been taken off of the giant penny. Well that and the back been marked like Two-face's coin. The issue ends when Two-face takes him down from behind with some tranq's, and he's dressing in a black & red Batman suit. Kind of fitting the Batman motif, and Two-faces usual wardrobe. "Just two questions for you . . who are you? And where's the real Batman?" So Harvey doesn't know who's filled the Batman's shoes yet, just that it's not the original. I'm assuming it wouldn't take a very big leap in logic to tie Nightwing and Batman together. And since that role is blatantly vacant right now . . I'm surprised nobody else has put the pieces together. Anyways, this is a fantastic story-arc by Judd Winick and Mark Bagley. Mark's art feels great on this book. Yes it's different from what we've had here before, but . . it really fits the book well. And I'm a big fan of Judd's stories. I think these 2 are the perfect fit for this book right now.