Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1

That image of a snarling, chained Batman straining with every muscle to break free — his gauntleted fists raised and heavy chains still bolted to the dungeon walls around him — sets an urgent, desperate tone right from the opening chapter of "The Last Arkham." Written by Alan Grant with art by the creative team inside, this 2016 DC collection kicks off one of the Dark Knight's most claustrophobic challenges, rendered on the cover by Brian Stelfreeze with a visceral energy that makes you feel the weight of those chains. If you've been looking for a Batman story that puts the World's Greatest Detective in genuinely dire straits from page one, this is a compelling place to start.