DC; $3.99

The latest installment in the “Countdown to #1000” sees Batman with old enemies, old friends, and a scary, vicious demon. Based on his latest exploits, Batman is convinced that Hugo Strange is behind the newest monsters who can take on the guise of people he knows. From there, he gets a distress call and continues on the investigative hunt for clues and answers to the mystery and who could be behind this fiendish plot.

Peter J. Tomasi is doing a great job writing this story that leads into the milestone issue 1000. Focused on the heart of Batman and Detective Comics, it’s a complicated and interesting detective story. Not only that, readers are being treated to guest spots by Batman’s supporting characters, with likely more to come. Plus, there’s a pretty cool fight in mid-book.

The art – handled by Doug Mahnke on pencils, Jaime Mendoza and Mark Irwin on inks, and David Baron on colors – is detailed and articulate, clearly defining each portion of the story. The vivid colors and clean lines make for an exciting visual read and the panel variety keeps things fresh page after page.

-Amanda Sheriff