Batman #588

In "Close Before Striking: Act One," Batman, operating under the alias Matches Malone, dismantles a gun-running ring tied to the Ventriloquist—only to find himself targeted after a hit is placed on the persona. When Oracle reaches the Batcave, her surprise at finding Batman there—just hours after Matches was shot in a Gotham bar—hints at a deeper, unsettling twist in the identity game. Written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Scott McDaniel, with inks by Karl Story and colors by Roberta Tewes and Wildstorm FX, the issue's cover by McDaniel captures the tension with a stark, shadowed portrait of the masked vigilante.