Batman by Tom King #2

In "The Button, Part 1," Saturn Girl’s eerie prediction at Arkham Asylum sets an unsettling tone as Batman grapples with the mysterious smiley face button left behind by Wally West’s sudden appearance from the Speed Force. As he investigates its connection to the Flashpoint timeline, a vision of his father in the role of Batman unsettles him—only for Professor Zoom to strike first, overwhelming Batman before snatching the button and vanishing, only to collapse dead moments later.

In "The Button, Part Two," Barry Allen digs into the mysterious death of Professor Zoom, uncovering a chilling link to the same radiation found in the smiley face button that appeared in the Batcave after Wally West’s return from beyond time. With Batman injured and the timeline unraveling, the two use the Cosmic Treadmill to chase the source of the signal through the past—uncovering echoes of a truth buried deep in time.

In "The Button, Part 3," Batman and the Flash journey through the Flashpoint universe via the Cosmic Treadmill, where Bruce Wayne encounters Thomas Wayne—this reality’s Batman—only to be thrust into a sudden assault by Amazons and Atlanteans. As the two Batmen fight to survive, Barry works to repair the treadmill, but Thomas makes a heartbreaking choice to stay behind, sacrificing himself so Bruce and Barry can escape into the timestream—where they soon face the dying Professor Zoom, still clutching the mysterious Button.

In "The Button, Part Four," Barry Allen and Bruce Wayne emerge from the Flashpoint universe into a fractured time stream, only to witness the sudden, mysterious death of Professor Zoom at the hands of a god-like entity. A voice from the past—Jay Garrick, long thought lost—calls out to Barry, but before he can reach him, a force pulls Barry away, leaving both heroes to grapple with the implications of what they’ve seen. Meanwhile, a strange blue hand silently retrieves the button that fell from Zoom’s corpse, deepening the mystery of what it truly is and who might be watching.

In "Every Epilogue Is a Prelude," Gotham Girl weighs her future as a hero while Batman confronts a pivotal choice about his bond with Catwoman—two paths unfolding in the shadow of Gotham’s ever-changing night.

In a quiet moment between missions, Alfred rescues a stray dog from a shelter and trains it as a heartfelt Christmas gift for Bruce. Naming the pup Ace, Bruce playfully fashions a mask for him, dubbing the loyal companion Bat-Hound—just in time for a holiday surprise that’s as tender as it is unexpected.

In "The Rules of Engagement, Part 1," Batman and Catwoman traverse a relentless desert in search of Holly Robinson, hidden under Talia’s protection. Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Batman’s protégés grow uneasy with his absence—until Alfred delivers a surprise that upends everything: Bruce is engaged to Selina.

In "The Rules of Engagement, Part 2," Batman and Catwoman push deeper into the forbidden city of Khadym, facing Talia’s relentless soldiers. As Talia strikes Batman from behind, she forces Catwoman to stand against her in a fight that could decide more than just survival.