Batman, Volume 9: Bloom (The New 52!)

   

There's a terrifying new villain in Gotham City. Calling himself Mister Bloom, this new enemy is supplying the gangs of Gotham with bio-engineered 'seeds.' In reality, these seeds are a sort of nanobot steroid that are turning the criminal element into superhuman powerhouses. Claiming to be the Joker to Jim Gordon's Batman, Mister Bloom just might have what it takes to destroy the Bat and his city forever.
    Meanwhile, the fate of Bruce Wayne is revealed. But what about the Joker? Did he too survive Endgame?
    Bloom is a brutal character and I quite like him. Despite being Gordon's Joker, he's the direct opposite, if anything. Mister Bloom seeks order in the face of chaos where as the Clown Prince of Crime is quite the opposite. Refreshing- though I wish Bloom's identity would have been revealed- or was it I missed all the clues?
    As for the return of Bruce Wayne- I like how he's basically got a new lease on life. Of course, you know he's eventually going to return to the mantle of the Bat, but for right now having a completely reborn Bruce Wayne without the scars and wounds of years as a vigilante hero, is pretty awesome. Plus, the theory of how a Bruce Wayne Batman can continue on for decades to come is perhaps the most unique twist on the future of the Dark Knight mythos since the introduction of Terry McGinnis in Batman Beyond.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.