I admit it, I hated the last issue so much….I completely cursed at Neil Gaiman. I know a lot of people have joked that ‘Well if you understood Morrison’s stories so much, what’s not to get with Gaiman’s story?’ Let’s get one thing clear. I understood what Gaiman was trying to show in the last issue; I just thought he did it in a fist handed way where he sorted proved his point at the half way mark. Basically; he bored me by the time the Alfred story kicked in.

This issue though, I completely forgive my curses and hatred for the last issue. Cause now, I see why Gaiman is the best at what he does, and what he does best at….Is tell deep, metaphysical stories.

I loved every panel of this issue. From the beginning with Batman villains and friends telling how great of a person he is. I understood that this was to be a metaphor on just how much of an influence Bruce Wayne has made to the entire DC universe. But then we get into the stuff with Bruce’s mom….and that’s when this issue made me scream ‘Goddamn you Neil Gaiman!’….in a good way. It’s….it’s …..well it’s tough to describe my full thoughts on this in written form. If I could tell you verbally it makes more sense but…The stuff with Bruce talking about why Batman will forever be important is fantastic. Bruce talking about the afterlife is like a two way mirror. I believe Gaiman is talking about how he feels what the afterlife is; but it’s perfect for a man like Bruce Wayne on what he believes in. Then we get to the ending….and….god that just made me think for awhile. Seriously, there is so much debate on what the ending means:

Is this the suffering Bruce has to face from Darkseid? He will forever live his life in an endless circle? Is this Gaiman’s interpretation on the legacy of Batman? Is this a methaphor on what our lives will be like in Gaiman’s life? An endless circle?

I just cant even go further with this review. Mainly because I have to read this again, I have to. It’s exactely what Morrison provided with his RIP/Last Rite’s issues. Gaiman brought a lot to the table to think about here. All of this wasnt a Batman story if you really think about it. This was basically a discussion to what happens to us when we die and how we go on….I loved every second of this issue and I am gald that Gaiman, in the end, was able to provide such a perfect conclusion to ‘The Dark Knight’. This does feel like the Superman ‘Whatever Happen to the Man of Tomorrow?’ This is an end to this era of Batman…..What will come out of this new era; is all up the the writers, and reader’s imagination.