Written by: Jeph Loeb
Art by: Jim Lee
Colors by: Alex Sinclair
Letters by: Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith
Cover art by: Jim Lee, Alex Sinclair (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: November 12, 2025
First Impressions
Batman #162 throws you right into the emotional meat-grinder without flinching. Hush is making his move and the Bat-family can’t help but splinter under the pressure. There’s a punch in the gut from the get-go, and it’s clear: this is not going to be a gentle ride. Still, it's unclear which punch hits harder, the melodrama or the clunky execution.
Recap
Last issue, in the aftermath of Hush's latest plot, Robin was captured and Batman tried to exchange himself, only for Hush to mock him and hint at deeper secrets about Jason and Nightwing. With help from some quick thinking and outside allies, Batman and Robin managed to escape, but Damian confessed to freeing Bane, setting fresh chaos loose in Gotham. Meanwhile, the Joker thoroughly outmatched Jason Todd and Nightwing at Gotham Lighthouse, forcing their retreat, while Barbara Gordon visited her injured father. Her emotional fallout led to a rooftop fight with Batman, only to be interrupted by the rest of the Bat-family, all blaming Batman for recent events.
Plot Analysis
Hush’s manipulations hit their stride with the Bat-family unraveling, each hero driven as much by emotion as by any sense of strategy. Batman, reeling from being ostracized, is forced into a solitary position: no partners, no allies, just his own instincts as Hush bends the team dynamic to his will. Selina Kyle (Catwoman) reemerges, reigniting the simmering tension of past trust and betrayal, while emotional wounds between Bruce and Selina are prodded raw. Their exchange teeters between reconciliation and confrontation, each line sharpening the stakes.
Meanwhile, the Riddler claws his way into the fray, his hubris and need for validation manifesting in a one-on-one brawl with the Dark Knight. Using a special exoskeleton designed to mimic Batman’s fighting style, the Riddler nearly ropes Batman into catastrophe, ratcheting up the sense that no player in Gotham is ever as simple, or as stable, as they seem.
Jason Todd’s return is a red herring: the Bat-family’s hopes of his redemption become a distraction for Batman, just as Hush intended. The plot juggles real risk: Jason’s peril, Huntress’s intervention, and the Bat-family scrambling to keep up.
As Hush puts his final play on the table, everything comes down to trust and deception, ending with Batman isolated in every sense of the word; the Bat surrounded, physically and emotionally, with none of his moves going according to plan.
Writing
The script hurtles forward at a breakneck pace, rarely pausing for introspection, and at times, the dialogue leans a little too hard on overwrought Bat-angst. Still, each exchange carries weight, and character voices are distinct, albeit melodramatic. The structure ably juggles multiple viewpoint characters and subplots, giving all players a little spotlight (sometimes to the story’s detriment when emotional fallout is skimmed for speed).
Art
Jim Lee and Scott Williams deliver their signature dynamic panels and clean linework; the action is easy to follow, each character is instantly recognizable, and big moments get the splash page treatment. Alex Sinclair’s coloring leans on a moody palette that suits Gotham’s perpetual twilight, but occasionally the composition gets cluttered in crowded fight scenes, making it tougher to focus on the main action than ideal.
Character Development
Bruce is grumpy perfection, pressed to the edge by trust issues and guilt, but some emotional pivots (especially in Catwoman and Robin’s arcs) feel a touch too neat and superfluous for the stakes. Damian’s relentless drive to prove himself and Dick Grayson’s overprotective tendencies ring true, but the rest of the supporting cast can fall into archetype mode. Hush’s menace remains intact, but subtlety is sacrificed for story velocity here.
Originality & Concept Execution
At its best, Batman #162 knows how to riff on familiar Bat-family dysfunctions with a hint of novelty, such as Riddler’s tech gambit and Catwoman’s emotional honesty, but the broader concept plays it safe, rerunning the “trust no one” theme that’s defined Batman’s world for decades. There’s confidence in execution, but true risks - narrative or formal - are in short supply.
Positives
The comic’s high points lie in its expert set-piece construction: Lee’s splash pages are built for maximum drama, and the interplay between Batman and Catwoman manages to feel raw and real even at high velocity. The pacing never lets up, keeping tension high and stakes front and center. If you crave a comic where every page counts and every character’s got skin in the game, #162 brings the goods.
Negatives
But speed comes at a price: some emotional moments land with a thud, rushed right through without giving them room to breathe. Panel density can make action sequences busy instead of thrilling, and secondary characters, once rich with potential, sometimes devolve into plot devices. By staking everything on spectacle and bruised egos, the book leaves the more nuanced emotional cleanup for another day.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TwitterThe Scorecard
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]
Final Verdict
Batman #162 is a pulpy, propulsive chapter in the arc with just enough sharp edges to keep you reading, even if genuine surprises are in short supply. If you’re after dynamic art and Bat-family mayhem, it’s worth your time, even if your heart (and wallet) would appreciate a little more innovation and depth next month.
5.5/10
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I agree that #162 delivers plenty of great action and Bat-family drama, but some of the emotional Steal Brainrot Game moments feel a bit rushed and the supporting characters are sometimes treated in a stereotypical way.
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