The following contains major spoilers for Batman #162, on sale November 12 from DC Comics.
Batman’s latest fight against Hush is driving a wedge between him and the rest of the Bat Family that there might be no recovering from any time soon.
A preview of Batman #162 (by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair, Richard Starkings, and Tyler Smith) from DC Comics picks up right where the previous issue left off, with the titular hero staring down Nightwing, Robin, Huntress, Catwoman, and the Riddler, all of whom have come to put an end to his ongoing battle with Batgirl. While Barbara’s anger towards Bruce is more than understandable, considering the lengths he went to save the life of the Joker, the Dark Knight doesn’t have any time to deal with the situation at hand, not while Hush is still running free. As such, Batman takes it upon himself to dose Batgirl with a fast-acting tranquilizer before making his getaway, crossing a line that no one else involved will ever forget, or maybe even forgive.
Batman #162
Written by JEPH LOEB
Art by JIM LEE
Inks by SCOTT WILLIAMS
Colors by ALEX SINCLAIR
Letters by RICHARD STARKINGS and TYLER SMITH
Main cover art by JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS, & ALEX SINCLAIR
Variant covers by DAVID FINCH & ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ; GABRIELE DELL’OTTO; JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS, & ALEX SINCLAIR; DERRICK CHEW; GERALD PAREL; HAYDEN SHERMAN; CHRIS BACHALO & JAIME MENDOZA; NATHAN SZERDY; and BILL SIENKIEWICZ
The currently ongoing “H2SH” storyline from Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee serves as the long-awaited sequel to the original Batman: Hush story that the pair crafted over two decades ago. Batman: Hush revolved around the villainous endeavors of Thomas Elliot, a former childhood friend of Bruce Wayne’s who enjoyed a similarly affluent upbringing in the care of parents who were apathetic at best and abusive at worst. When the young Thomas attempted to murder his parents, only for his mother’s life to be saved by none other than Thomas Wayne, the future supervillain developed a deep-seated hatred and obsession with the Wayne family.
While Batman: Hush was one of the most critically acclaimed comics of its era, and still stands as one of the most beloved stories in modern DC Comics history, H2SH has not been nearly as well-received by critics or readers. Apart from bearing far less weight than its predecessor simply by way of fans knowing roughly what they are in for from the outset of the story, H2SH has been plagued with a myriad of delays that have only made the story’s pacing issues more prominent. Back in June, it was reported that Batman #162 and #163 had been delayed by two months each, only for each to be pushed back another two months shortly after.
In mid-September, it was reported that H2SH had suffered yet another delay, this time pushing the final issue of the storyline all the way back to a 2026 release date. As of the time of writing, Batman #163 is expected to arrive in comic book stores on Jan. 28, 2026. The official solicit synopsis for Batman #163 from DC Comics reads, “The shocking conclusion to H2SH Part One with Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee! Will Batman survive Hush’s revenge when his only allies are his greatest enemies?”
Batman #162 goes on sale November 12 from DC Comics.
The cover to Batman issue #1 depicts Bruce Wayne as Batman and Dick Grayson as Robin swinging through Gotham City.
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