Following an excellent run on Detective Comics a couple of years ago, writer James Tynion IV pivoted to the other premier Dark Knight title, “Batman.”

And, man, what a pivot.

In his “Detective Comics” run, Tynion turned the title into a team book, with Batman leading a group of Gotham City vigilantes – a strength in numbers effort to protect the young members as much as having them act as a unified force.

With “Batman,” Tynion followed the smart run of writer Tom King.

Tynion arrived with some smart ideas of his own.

King avoided penning a Batman/Joker story until nearly two years into his “Batman” run. In “Detective,” Tynion focused on non-Joker storylines.

But for his “Batman,” starting with the story arc/collection, “Their Dark Designs,” Tynion reached for the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler and Catwoman. He tells a story that touches on the Batman and those bad guys from decades past and how they became the more villainous characters they are today.

Not to give too much away but a criminal mastermind asked each of the bad guys what their deepest desire might be – “their dark designs” for their careers and how they wanted to be perceived in Gotham City.

The moment changed each of them and Batman must learn the secrets of each one’s dark designs.

Great storytelling and strong art by a strong team of illustrators.

While the story arc is self contained, “Their Dark Designs” sets up Tynion’s next bold story arc which turned into a multiple Bat-title event – “The Joker War Saga.” 

Given the outcome of “Their Dark Designs,” Tynion played the cards he was dealt, which was a handful of Jokers all along.