For the last four months, Grant Morrison has turned the world of Batman upside down with his Batman R.I.P. storyline. The storyline has brought together so many status quo changing elements and jaw dropping revelations that people have taken to calling it Batman W.T.F. But now, at last, the end is nearing. The fifth part of Morrison’s epic has hit shelves this week, and the jaw dropping continues. In this issue, at last, the Joker takes center stage as the Dance of Death begins in Arkham Asylum. But, most inmportantly, this issue at last reveals the identity of the mysterious Black Glove. ****SPOILER WARNING!!!! THE IDENTITY OF THE BLACK GLOVE WILL BE REVEALED AT THE END OF THE REVIEW****** So, is it worth your money? Read on and find out.

Part 5 of Batman R.I.P. begins at Arkham, as the invitees to the Dance of Death arrive. Doctor Hurt welcomes them all from the room that has been set aside as he watches the security monitors. It is revealed that the Dance of Death is a yearly occurrence. Each year, wealthy people are invited to play a game with human life.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Asylum, Le Bossu is changing from Doctor Dax back into his Hunchback costume, while giving a speech of admiration to an unseen individual, but if you’ve read the other parts, you now who it is. As Le Bossu finishes changing, the view switches to a cell with a plexiglass door. In the cell is the Joker. Meanwhile, in the Operating Room, the female Black Glove operative is screaming for Bossu to return before the blue scorpion venom wears off and Nighwing wakes up.

Batman has arrived at Arkahm, still clad in the “Zur-en-Arrh” suit and with Bat Mite in tow. Bat Mite tells Batman that the Batman of Zur-en-Arrh is only a short term solution. Bat Mite mentions the colors of the suit and Batman says Robin has survived in them for years. Senor Sombrero has been keeping watch on the balcony. As he spots Batman, the Joker surprises him on the balcony.

As Batman continues to take advice from Bat Mite, he enters the Asylum grounds and begins to work through the Black Glove’s thugs. Batman makes it to the entrance of the Asylum, and Bat Mite must leave him. Bat Mite reveals that he is the last fading echo of the voice of reason and that reason cannot fit through the door of Arkahm. Batman must face what ia to come alone. Batman asks Bat Mite if he is a Fifth Dimensional imp or a figment of his imagination? To which Bat Mite replies that Imagination IS the Fifth Dimension.

The wealthy men and women invited to the Danse Macabre get their first look at Batman in his new costume and immediately express their disbelief to Doctor Hurt. Hurt assures him that what they are seeing is what is left of Batman. As Hurt asks if anyone wants to bet on Batman’s survival, Senor Sombrero comes crashing through the window. He has a noose around his neck. Suddenly, the Joker climbs through the window. Hurt takes Joker aside to tell him about their plans for “Batman.”

Inside Wayne Manor, Commissioner Gordon is able to make it fifteen feet into the main hall without setting off any traps. Reaching the stairs, Gordon is confronted with a new challenge. At the top of the stairs is a phone, eerily reminiscent of the hotline from the 60’s Batman T.V.show. Gordon is told that the phone is linked to Police Headqaurters and they have just been advised to call. It will ring five times in fifteen seconds. If Gordon does not answer, BOOM! The phone begins ringing and Gordon starts moving as the countdown starts. At three rings, Gordon hits a trip wire and a suit of armor with a gun in it’s hand turns towards him. Suddenly, a sword smashes into the suit or armor. The sword belongs to a young man in a grey hooded cloak and mask. Gordon thinks it is Robin. Of course, everyone who has read Batman up to this point knows that it is, in fact, Damian, Batman’s son. This fact is explained by Talia, who has accompanied Damian. Talia suggests that she, Damian and Gordon search for Batman together.

In Arkham, as Batman dispatches the last of the Black Glove’s thugs, the Joker’s mouth appears on all of the monitors. The taunting spurs Batman on. Batman launches into a stream of conciousness rant that ends when Jezebel is shown on the screen pleading for Bruce to help her. Joker tells Batman that the real joke is that is his conviction that it all makes sense. he tells Batman to xome down and find him. Batman drops to the bottom floor and what may be the final psychological confrontation between Batman and the Joker begins.

Joker chides Batman for shooting him. Batman says the Black Glove is resposible for shooting him. He tells Batman that he probably thinks they’re going to join forces. But, Joker says he found out who Doctor Hurt is and why he hates Batman. Joker is incredulous at the fact that Batman thought one simple experiment would allow him to figure the Joker out. After pushing Batman to the limit with his verbal taunts, Batman assaults the Joker. Meanwhile, we see Le Bossu staggering through the halls screaming about his face and what the Joker has done to it. Joker claims he only wants to help Batman understand. He says it’s all one big choke, a dead man’s hand where he holds the winning card.

Jezebel is revealed inside the Joker’s cell. She is tied to a chair. She is screaming for Bruce to help her as black and red flower petals begin falling from the ceiling. Batman removes his mask and begins to chip at the glass. If the flower petals come together, they will activate a deadly neurotoxin. As jezebel begins to suffer the effects of the neurotoxin, Joker begins taunting Batman, who breaks through the glass. As Joker asks Batman if he at last “gets it”, Doctor Hurt steps in to stop him. Hurt tells Joker he is in the grip of the Black Glove. Batman apologizes to Jezebel as the neurotoxin begins to take hold. As his vision blurs, Jezebel remarkanly gets up from her chain and walks towards Batman. She has removed her straitjacket and is pulling on a pair of BLACK, ELBOW LENGTH GLOVES! That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, JEZEBEL JET IS THE BLACK GLOVE! Jezebel is revelling in the fact that Batman comrehends her betrayal. As the issue ends, the Joker asks Batman if he finally gets it. The ominious next time line is all in white block print and reads: Batman R.I.P.: Next?

This was the payoff issue for everyone who has read R.I.P. from the beginning. Morrison has begun the task of pulling together all of the jaw dropping plot twists that have existed since the beginning fo the storyline and has tied together threads from throughout his run on Batman. The art in this issue is top notch, with the Joker looking scarier than ever before. Speaking of the Joker, Morrison has writen the creepiest, most psychologically scary Joker since Alan Moore’s Killing Joke. It is clear that all of Batman’s remaining allies will be converging on Arkham to attempt to even the odds and save both Nightwing and Batman. It’s all building towards the final showdown between Batman and the Black Glove, who, in another jaw dropping revelation by Morrison, has at last been revealed as Jezebel jet. Is the personal nature of this betrayal the final straw that mentally breaks the Batman. Also, it seems that after this issue, both the Joker and Commissioner Gordon may know the true identity of Batman. How will this impact the relationship between all of these characters? Make sure you have read the first five parts of thsi story and get ready to strap yourselves in for the sicth and final part. The finale of Batman R.I.P. promises to be one of those can’t miss comics. The most unfortunate part of the whole situation is that we have to wait 30 days for it.

Batman #680 gets 4 black and red flower petals out of 5