This is the 11th part of the 19 part Knightfall storyline, which saw Batman crippled by the villain Bane and replaced by the anti-hero, Azrael. This issue is the climax of the story where a tired run, down Bruce Wayne fights Bane in the Batcave and has his spine shattered beyond repair. The Knightfall story was a major reference point for the third Batman film, Dark Knight Rises (2012).