Review of "Batman No Man’s Land: Volume Four," by Greg Rucka et. al.

Review of

Batman No Man’s Land: Volume Four, by Greg Rucka et. al. ISBN 1563896982

Five out of five stars

 When a massive earthquake hits Gotham City, the damage is so severe that the federal government decides that there will be no rebuilding. Furthermore, all residents are ordered to leave and a military and police cordon is placed around the city and all government services ceased. However, many either won’t or cannot leave the city, leaving a mass of people desperate to find and exploit the few remaining resources. This leads to the rise of gangs and other groups carving out their territory, battling for influence as they attempt to expand their holdings.

 Many of the villains that Batman has fought over the years have carved out their niches in the city. Police Commissioner Gordon and a core of his force have stayed and are attempting to control as much as they possibly can. In the aftermath of the disaster, Batman and Gordon are not friends, there is some open hostility between them.

 Bane manages to enter the city and begins a mission for an unknown controller. The uncontrolled killer Zsasz and Superman as Clark Kent are also involved in the machinations within the lawless urban land. One of the best sections is a mock trial where Twoface puts Commissioner Gordon on trial for making deals with the criminals.

 With so many subplots and undercurrents between all the sides in the battle for slices of Gotham City, this installment moves the story along as there are shifting alliances, unknown forces at work and grudges to be established and dealt with. When survival is at stake, any possible advantage must be exploited, even when the hero must deal with unstable genius psychopaths. It is a great story.