Batman #454

Written by: Peter Milligan
Art by: Kieron Dwyer and Dennis Janke

So, we last saw Batman holding a choking child and a silver dagger.  No other option but to perform a tracheotomy.  In true Batman style, the baby lives and Batman tracks the Riddler to a fun house, where our hero fights a guy with a flame thrower in front of the last baby and a goat.  Batman saves the last baby, and takes off after the Riddler.  He ends up in a warehouse, that has a basement with a skeleton in it - the same basement where a demon was summoned.

Turns out, the demon was using the Riddler to prep Batman as a new sacrifice.  Cool plot twist.  Riddler locks Bats in the basement and lights the place on fire.  After a long dialog between Batman and the skeleton of the girl, Alfred shows up and saves the day.  Batman buries the girl in the Wayne plot and wonders how much of his destiny the Demon controlled.

This is a perfect ending - this demon created its own savior.  The demon runs through Gotham - is in every street, brick and stop light - and has been shaping the city since the 1700's.

I can't sum up how good this story is - go out and read it.  It hasn't been collected in a trade, but the single issues shouldn't run you more than $3 an issue.

Well, happy Thanksgiving and happy reading.