Product Description

Gotham has been all but destroyed by a massive earthquake, anarchy stalks the streets, chaos rules and the Dark Knight's deadliest villains hold sway. If you thought it couldn't get any worse in No Man's Land, then think again...Bane is backl! The villain who once broke Batman's back has returned to the ruined city, intent on bending the remaining inhabitants to his will. Not that he thinks for a minute that Batman will stand by and watch, a confrontation with Dark Knight is exactly what he wants. Once is Bat is broken again, Gotham will fall! Plus, Killer Croc, the Joker and Harley Quinn, and more action from the all-new Batgirl.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #594548 in Books
• Published on: 2001-01-26
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
After it's comfortable cruising period mixing human dramas with The Dark Knight's moral conflicts, this fourth volume of No Man's Land sees the setup for the final act, although with its strength lying in tense set-pieces rather than a deluge of action. On the basis of this overall more satisfying collection, the shocks are far from over, as various players position themselves for the final game that will determine Gotham's rule. Dominating this is the return of Bane who must not only displace the Batman, but the host of criminals who have staked their own claim in the devastated Gotham. As Batman continues his gradual take-over, Commissioner Gordon undergoes a tense kangaroo court presided over by the twisted Two-Face. There's a memorable return visit from Superman, visiting as Clark Kent, who leaves with a greater understanding of the human suffering of No Man's Land. Yet, all of this is easily overshadowed by the long-awaited meeting between Gordon and Batman, in an effort to repair their shattered relationship. It's in this subdued issue that we see a fabulous assessment of their strange friendship, reaching a marvellous pinnacle as he offers Gordon the only thing that can display his trust: his identity. Culminating with the surprising (and ominous) intervention of a certain Metropolis magnate and the sudden reappearance of a grinning madman, the stage is set for what should be a earth-shattering finale. Danny Graydon

Customer Reviews

BUY IT, BUY IT, BUY IT
Like the previous volume, volume four of No Man's Land is a must-read. Throughout the book ther is sustained intelligent writing that engages you in the complex web that has been woven by the inhabitants (and the mysterious employer of Bane - I won't say who, as a batfan you should be able to guess). The only exception to this is the Superman crossover which just comes off as an unneccessary digression from the events in hand.

There are two stories that are an especially good read - and to my surprise, ones where Batman either makes a brief or no appearance. I'm talking about the trial of James Gordon and the tribulations of Dr. Thompkins. The stories are part of a continuing theme in this volume, of the divurgent and often contradictory philosophies in Gotham.

The artwork, for the most part, is excellent, only let down by Rick Burchett in the penultimate chapter of the volume. Which is a real shame, since it is at a crucial point in the GCPD/Batclan relationship - where Gordon's resentment of Batman is finally resolved. At least for the purposes of No Man's Land.

All in all, No Man's Land manages to write engaging stories for the supporting characters who - in any other hero's series [cough*Superman] - would be barely more than talking bit of scenery. Fantastic writing, excellent art...why are you still sat there? Go buy it!

Great conclusion to an epic series
This is just great. all the various plot threads from the previous books come together and explode in this gripping finale. Buy it and tell yourself it's only a book.....

The stakes are higher than ever in a beleaguered Gotham
This is the next to last volume in the No Mans Land series.After the disastrous events that started in the book Cataclysm, we are nearing the end of the end........
This volume picks off where volume three left off. Batman is still trying to bring Gotham back from the back of total chaos, but is hampered by the efforts of some of the most well known Batman criminals. In this volume we get to see more of the Penguin, Two Face, Zsaz, Killer Croc and the Tally man. And just when you think things can't get any worse - enter Bane. The only man to almost defeat Batman is back, but this time he has an agenda that doesn't become clear until the very end of this book, when it is revealed who has been manipulating events in No Mans Land whilst remaining in the outside world.
There is much to like in this part of the series. All the major bad guys are given plenty of page space and this certainly shows the series off at its very best. The section where Two Face attempts to convict Commissioner Gordon in a bizarre court set up is very well done, and really enjoyable. Superman re-appears and that is a nice sub section too. The stand out moment is the heart to heart between Batman and commissioner Gordon. This is really well done, and i would recommend reading this volume for that, if nothing else. The twist at the end is one of those moments when you go ' Aaaah, i didn't really see THAT coming!'.
But the series still has it's flaws. And my issue in this volume is Bane. Yet again, the writers seem to have no idea what to do with this character. He is not portrayed with any intelligence, malice or real power - and this is the guy who nearly killed Batman in the Knights End series! The writers seem to wheel him out when they are struggling for ideas. Then they don't know what to do with him when he is in the plotline, and finally he is taken away. If the Bane storyline had been taken out it wouldn't really have been missed, and this is why i have marked this volume as a four star instead of a five star. If the writers had stuck with what they had there would have been no problem, but Bane was shoe-horned in to an already crammed story.
Having said that the rest is really enjoyable, and this is a real page turner of a graphic novel. I loved it! Roll on the final volume....................