King's character work is always one of the highlights of his writing, and it is still on strong form here--especially in his development of the parallels between Batman and Bane.

"The girl needed help, so I helped her. That's all it is. That's all it's ever been."

I think I expected a little more from part 2 of the Bane vs. Batman storyline, but what King did deliver is excellent. There's a complexity to it that is fascinating to experience, and Bane continues to present himself as a foe that will test Batman to the limits.

I didn't have all the backstory that might have been helpful to understanding some of the side characters, but overall, this is a strong continuation of the series. And the Batmam/Catwoman issue at the end is beautiful.