Batman #682

Hot on the heels of the final issue of the R.I.P. story, we get a new issue of Batman - and at first glance, it seems the crazy stories continue.

The first clue is right there on the cover, as artist Alex Ross (who apparently is trying to paint all of DC's covers these days) turns in an amazing red, yellow and green action scene that is a tip of the hat to the '60s Batman TV show.

The story inside is just as madcap, as we see a nightmarish sequence of events, capturing moments from virtually the entire run of Batman's comic book career, beginning with the large bat that smashed through the window of Bruce Wayne's mansion, and continuing on through a series of scenes - some real, some imaginary, some just plain silly.

Not until the end of the issue will you really understand what's going on (but only if you also read Final Crisis). The big question is how the events in this issue fit together with the events from R.I.P., or if the two tie together at all.

Once again, writer Grant Morrison has taken us for a ride, and once again we'll have to wait and see if it all makes sense eventually.

The art by Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott is solid though not exceptional, but much of the blame for that goes on the disjointed nature of the script.

This comic, like most of Morrison's run, has some moments that will strike home for long-time fans - but I suspect new readers will find themselves lost.

Grade: B