Batman #680

It seems amazing that just when Batman stars in the movie of the year (the second-highest grossing movie ever), that's when DC unleashes Grant Morrison and lets him write the most impenetrable Batman story ever.

I'm not saying it's bad, although it is a bit difficult to follow from month-to-month (and will probably read better as a collection). A better label would be to say it's unsettling, as we follow Batman through a mind-bending, insane battle with a strange group of opponents who have, seemingly, destroyed his life.

As I understand the story so far, Batman has suffered an attack on his mind from a group led by The Black Glove. The bad guys have taken over the Batcave and Wayne Manor, kidnapped all the immediate members of the Batman family, and have prepared a final trap.

Throwing a wicked monkey wrench into the works is the Joker, who has been reimagined by Grant Morrison into the spitting image of the movie version played so chillingly by the late Heath Ledger.

I really don't want to like this story - I was never a fan of the "hero goes crazy" stories (see the Genis version of Captain Mar-Vell). But Morrison won me over by tying this story back to the classic comic, "Robin Dies at Dawn," which I first read in a '60s Batman Annual. By coincidence, I picked up at Beat-To-Heck copy of the original comic at a convention a little over a year ago - and it held up well. I also have to smile at Morrison's inclusion of the Bat-Mite, as the reader wonders if the character is real, or a product of Batman's insanity.

The story is well-served by the solid artwork of Tony Daniel and Sandu Florea, who provide a moody and somewhat surreal look to the action.

It's tough to give this one a grade, since so much depends on the final issue next month. And some events are very fragmented - for example, what happens to Nightwing after the events on page 5? I have no idea, since I don't read that comic.

So far it has been a tough read, but we'll see if Morrison can sort it all out. But I definitely wouldn't recommend this book to a new reader - heck, I've been reading Batman for years and I'm confused.

Grade: B-