Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Batman: One Bad Day

Batman: One Bad Day - Bane

Rate this book
A PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE DESTROYED BY VENOM!

Bane broke the Bat—he’s one of the only villains to ever truly vanquish the Dark Knight—but is that all he’s ever accomplished?

Decades from now, Bane is a washed-up wrestler reliving his glory days in the ring, defeating someone dressed like Batman every day. But when he discovers that there’s a new source of Venom in the world, he’ll do everything he can to shut down the facility it’s coming from for good and make sure that no one takes the poison that ruined his life.

An epic saga set throughout Bane’s life, expanding on the hopes, dreams, regrets, and failures of one of DC’s most legendary villains, brought to you by the iconic creative team of Joshua Williamson (Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, The Flash) and Howard Porter (The Flash, Justice League).

88 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2023

126 people are currently reading
324 people want to read

About the author

Joshua Williamson

1,480 books451 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
227 (18%)
4 stars
430 (34%)
3 stars
450 (36%)
2 stars
125 (10%)
1 star
17 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
Profile Image for Anne.
4,747 reviews71.3k followers
April 8, 2023
A PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE DESTROYED BY VENOM!
-blurb

description

Not that Venom.
Remember the drug that used to be hooked to Bane's head?

description

The stuff he was taking when he you know...?

description

Ok, this was fine.
It basically showcased what a huge comeback Bane had made personally in beating his drug of choice, Venom.
It also explores his One Bad Day as the time he broke Batman's back. To me, that's where the story got a bit confusing. Bane has a whole story with Batman and it's not what the reader has been led to believe all of these years. What's real and what's not as far as the past goes is also called into question because you've got a bit of an unreliable narrator in Bane is seemingly having hallucinations of his mother. I'm not really sure I understood everything that was going on with all of that. Whatever.
It was a nice redemption arc.

description

The art was (to me) neither good nor bad. It was serviceable.
I don't really care about this one way or another but longtime fans of Bane may feel differently.
Profile Image for Lyn.
2,009 reviews17.6k followers
November 30, 2024
There’s cool, and then there’s Joshua Williamson cool.

I am digging these Batman One Bad Day series of one shots, spending some time with Batman baddies. They remind me of The Shadow of the Bat books back in the 90s and also, obliquely, of a series of Shakespeare novelizations of his greatest plays, because they get into some resetting if not outright rebooting, and maybe even of some artistic license taking the fast car down the road to see what we can do.

This one was the best one so far, really very well written and put together. The art was impressionistic rather than realistic and this works perfectly with this story full of flashbacks and depression fueled perspectives.

First of all, was that an unreliable narrator? In a graphic novel? Shades of Faulkner’s Absalom! Absalom! With competing versions of the same story and addiction and recovery and exorcising demons and Bane doing what he does.

Williamson brings us in to an aging Bane who is now an actual professional wrestler down in Old Mexico (I mean, seriously, that is some Leaning Tower of Cheeeza!) and he’s dreaming about when he BROKE THE BAT! But cannot recreate that moment in a life of otherwise Lawful Evil accomplishments that would make Anakin Skywalker reach for the burn cream. When a vial of VENOM shows up, he is off to a compelling and exceptionally well put together adventure of redemption.

Wow, no kidding, Williamson delivers a solid GN.

description
Profile Image for Urbon Adamsson.
1,966 reviews102 followers
February 25, 2025
PT O Bane é provavelmente o meu vilão favorito do Batman—talvez até mais do que o Joker. Não sei bem porquê; talvez porque surgiu numa altura em que os comics eram uma parte importante da minha vida. Quebrar a coluna de um dos heróis mais fortes da época—algo que nem o Joker tinha feito até então—deixou uma marca duradoura.

Nesta história, Bane está reformado, a viver como lutador de wrestling, à procura da centelha de vida que outrora teve. Mas algo vai puxá-lo de volta para Gotham, onde voltará a cruzar-se com o Cavaleiro das Trevas—desta vez numa dinâmica que provavelmente nunca viste antes.

A arte é fantástica. É a primeira vez que leio algo deste artista, mas já sou fã.

--

EN Bane is probably my favorite Batman villain—perhaps even more than the Joker. I’m not sure why; maybe it’s because he appeared at a time when comic books were a significant part of my life. Breaking the back of one of the strongest heroes of that era—something even the Joker hadn’t done until then—made a lasting impression.

In this story, Bane is retired, living as a wrestler, searching for the spark he once had. But something will pull him back to Gotham, where he’ll cross paths with the Dark Crusader once again—this time in a dynamic you probably haven’t seen before.

The artwork is fantastic. It’s my first time reading something by this artist, but I’m already a fan.

Score: 82% (A-)
Profile Image for Alexander Peterhans.
Author 2 books300 followers
December 12, 2023
Feels quite overwritten - everyone is constantly saying exactly what they're thinking and feeling, overexplaining the story's themes. Basically on the level of a soap opera.
Profile Image for Robert.
2,191 reviews148 followers
January 12, 2024
Nacho Libre meets BANE!



OK not really but we do get a pretty wild story of an ageing Bane trying to relive his glory days in the squared circle, apparently in Mexico although none of the dialogue or signage in those sequences were en espanol so kind of weak on details there, although the distorted proportions and lurid colours of the art actually really did serve the story quite well.

I've enjoyed these One Bad Day stories a lot so far, I've yet to encounter a total dud.
Profile Image for Chantaal.
1,299 reviews255 followers
November 20, 2023
Well, this was kind of ass.

I'm not sure what the point here was, since the story felt muddled as it attempted to give Bane some depth and growth toward a legacy that goes beyond being the man that broke the bat.

The art is pretty awful, with weird character designs that make it look like nobody in this comic knows what good posture is.
Profile Image for Marius.
327 reviews1 follower
February 9, 2023
A Life Story

I didn't expect this to be SO well done. This one shot illustrates Bane's fight against the drug that shaped and destroyed his life - Venom. He also comes close with Batman here, which gives the reader a better understanding of their relationship. Of course a bit of back breaking never hurts nobody...at least none of the readers. The art style is well made and feels fresh as well as special. 4/5

Profile Image for Stacy (Gotham City Librarian).
567 reviews250 followers
March 17, 2023
This one was so good! Bane has never been high on my list of favorite Bat villains. (I have nothing against him; I just like so many other characters more.) But this story is wonderful. It really made me care about Bane. It made me LOVE him. His relationship with Batman in this was great, and the art was gorgeous. I liked everything about it.
Profile Image for Gordon.
758 reviews14 followers
August 21, 2024
I really enjoyed that, tbh.

Minor gripe is, if they're going to keep kayfabe, then Bane wouldn't be meeting fans after the show without his Luchadore mask on. But that's a really minor mark critique.
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,373 reviews282 followers
July 31, 2024
Bane chases down a new source of venom intending to put a stop to its use because he's all regret and penance now? And touring as a professional wrestler?

I only read this book to complete the One Bad Day series. I have never found Bane to be at all interesting outside the Harley Quinn animated show that streams on Max, and this book continues that streak.
Profile Image for Ehsan'Shokraie'.
765 reviews223 followers
April 14, 2023
I still remember the day i first read "Batman:KnightsFall",the day Bane done sth that was never done before,he became the only one to Break the bat..

"That day it was i who broke,since then nothing i ever done could surprass that moment"

Bane s redemption s a rather beautiful story,to give up the addiction that haunted you nd to live to fight against it..
Profile Image for Tony Laplume.
Author 53 books38 followers
January 22, 2023
Bane became the villain who broke the Bat, and then his legacy was obscured for a while, but it’s gotten better. Such is the story of the character, too, which Joshua Williamson details in this special. I’m glad I’ve gotten to see this.

Bane’s arc went from Vengeance of Bane to “Knightfall” to Vengeance of Bane II (and, like that third act, an overlooked run as the new successor of Ra’s Al Ghul), and then a comedy act (perhaps inspired by his appearance in Batman and Robin), and then the revivals in The Dark Knight Rises and Tom King’s run in Batman. But it wasn’t until Williamson that the potential of a redemption arc as presented in Vengeance II once again looked beyond the muscle and notoriety and saw the greater potential.

The impact of all this is certainly increased by Howard Porter’s art. Porter made his name drawing Grant Morrison’s JLA, and while considered an all star then he settled into relative obscurity thereafter, but eventually started popping back up, his style still recognizable but taking new leaps, which have culminated in what is surely career-best work here.

Ideally this positions Bane for greater things still. Back in the ‘90s, the other addition to Batman lore from that period not only gained his own series but it lasted a hundred issues, but today Azrael, although he still pops up here and there, has never regained a semblance of his prominence then. I think it’s time to give Bane that kind of shot. He could do a hundred issues. He could do more. Easily. Over at Marvel, they’ve been doing Venom (heh) solo stories for decades. He even got two movies of his own. And it’s still a stretch (regardless of what those movies do) to call him a hero. Black Adam, at DC, meanwhile, is still trying to prove he can be called one. It wouldn’t be so hard with Bane. The redemption arc has been a deliberate process. And this is the final statement. Run with it.
Profile Image for leynes.
1,321 reviews3,690 followers
June 5, 2025
Bane, my beloved, they could never make me hate you. Ever since reading Tom King's Batman: I am Bane, Bane is one of my favorite villains from the rogue's gallery. Probably best known for breaking Batman's back (FUCKING ICONIC), Bane is a villain known for his search for identity.

Joshua Williamson's take on the "One Bad Day" theme as well as the character of Bane takes us decades into the future: Bane's glory days of having "broken the Bat" are long in the past and he's now a washed-up wrestler reliving his glory days in the ring, defeating someone dressed like Batman every day. But when Bane discovers that there's a new source of Venom in the world, he'll do everything he can to shut down the facility it's coming from for good and make sure that no one takes the poison that ruined his life.

This is what separates Bane from other Batman villains. He's a righteous softie at heart. This man has good morals. And the way Williamson presents us with this arc and Bane's character development is just chef's kiss. This instalment is definitely my second favorite, after the perfect Batman: One Bad Day - The Riddler. It's just fun to root for Bane. It's fun to see him work with/against the Bat.

Batman: One Bad Day - Bane truly is an epic saga set throughout Bane's life, expanding on the hopes, dreams, regrets, and failures of one of DC's most legendary villains. Howard Porter's illustrations can be fantastic (e.g. the cover poster for "The Last Vengeance of Bane" with Bane and the fake Bat in the ring) but it also has its weaknesses, especially when it comes to its lack of details in too many a panel. All in all, it's still a worthwhile read – especially for Bane fans and those who want to become one.
Profile Image for The Sapphic Nerd.
1,142 reviews48 followers
December 26, 2025
I've never read a Bane-centric comic before and this was interesting. The art, like Bane's mind, is a little chaotic, but cool, and I was surprised I actually liked the story. It's nice to see a villain get rehabilitated and become a hero.
Profile Image for Guilherme Smee.
Author 27 books190 followers
October 19, 2023
Dentro dos quadrinhos envolvidos em Batman: Um Dia Ruim, este de Bane é o mais diferente. Mas isso não quer dizer que seja o melhor. Ele é o mais diferente por ter uma narrativa que se passa no futuro e algumas invencionices no layout de página. Também é o que possui a arte mais suja. Por outro lado, é uma história que demora a engrenar. O leitor passa por páginas e páginas sem saber qual é o teor desta trama que está lendo, até que descobre que Bane está numa cruzada para destruir todas as amostras da droga veneno que existem na Terra. Uma cruzada que começou ao lado de Batman, até que o Homem-Morcego pereceu. Aí a história começa a engrenar e fica mais divertida. Mas também nem tanto, porque inclui a manjada luta entre brucutus e não só uma, mas duas vezes. A justificativa para o Dia Ruim que dá título a esta coleção é bastante interessante, mas não segura uma história em quadrinhos de 64 páginas inteira.
Profile Image for Danny.
295 reviews3 followers
April 3, 2023
This was solid. Though it relied on Tom King's Batman run and that felt a bit forced. I suppose the author found avoiding what Bane had done to be out of the question and let that establish his relationship with Batman. My problem was that the story wasn't quite engaging. I do like how they look at the theme of One Bad Day in an unexpected way. Not the worst, but I wanted more from Bane. He's had a true resurgence in the past ten years both through Nolan and through Tom King. Ah well.
Profile Image for David Cordero.
474 reviews2 followers
September 22, 2023
One of my favorite of Batman’s villains. A cool story with really awesome art.
Profile Image for Mia.
2,875 reviews1,047 followers
April 26, 2024
Lighter and fun one bad day story.
Profile Image for Mariano.
739 reviews12 followers
August 24, 2025
Está bien, linda historia, nada del otro mundo. Un Howard Porter raro, eso si.
Profile Image for Jess.
1,229 reviews15 followers
January 19, 2023
these oneshots are AMAZING
Profile Image for Adam Fisher.
3,601 reviews23 followers
October 28, 2023
One of the best of the One Bad Day series! Really love the future of this Bane and hope this is the one that becomes canon. Living as a luchador, Bane, entertains the crowds with depictions of breaking "Batman", but his life is mostly very lonely. When a drug dealer finds him and offers him a now-extremely rare vial of venom, Bane forces the dealer to lead him back to its origin, wanting to destroy it. He tells the tale of how he and Batman worked together to destroy the world's venom supply, and the story continues to show how Bane again works to save others and be the hero he needs to be.
Strong recommend.
This whole "One Bad Day" series has been good, but this stands among the top.
Profile Image for David Muñoz.
228 reviews4 followers
March 28, 2023
Another mediocre addition to the ‘One Bad Day’ series, this time around it’s Bane getting his “greatest story yet!” Spoiler alert, it’s not even close to being a great story. Bane is now an older man spending his days in Mexico as a famous luchador. He goes against opponents who dress as Batman, and each time he breaks them just like he did the real one back in the day. He doesn’t use venom any more and spends his nights alone in his mansion. One night after a fight, someone breaks into his house, or lets themselves in because the door was open? Not sure, but they get in and instantly offer Bane venom. Bane is shocked at the sight of his old addiction as he thought all of it was destroyed by him and Batman. That’s right, before his escape to Mexico he and Batman made a partnership to destroy all the venom in the world, and afterwards they would have a final battle. Well now that Bane has seen this vial of venom he asks the young man to take him where he smuggled it from, and together they must destroy any of the remaining drugs.

Joshua Williamson is the writer on this one and it’s only my 2nd time reading one of his projects. I was expecting a lot when I saw his name attached to this title as I loved his ‘Rogues’ mini-series, but this one-shot felt passionless. That might seem really harsh, but the story did feel like a random mash-up that was kinda rushed. I also wasn’t sure how this was supposed to be his ‘One Bad Day’ moment as the story was making Bane more of a hero than a villain. And it might be that I have a misunderstanding of what the point of these one-shots are, but the previous two titles made sense to the ‘One Bad Day’ theory (albeit the Two-Face story not being that great). This story however was more of a redeem type of story and I’d be fine with that if it was written a bit better. I could see this serving better as a mini-series, but even then the other characters in the story feel lame, and the twist villain towards the 3rd act was super swiss cheesy.

Howard Porter is the artist on the book and you’d think that would be the saving grace of this one-shot however, I wasn’t a fan of this newer (newer as in since I’ve last seen him draw) style of his. It’s in no way bad and normally I love Porter’s work, but the more cartoon-like sketch style just didn’t mesh for me. Still had some great splash pages and designs, but personally for me it wasn’t my cup of tea. Porter is still a legend though.

Overall; Another great character who was supposed to get his greatest story yet, and he got a not good story. So far this one is probably my least favorite one-shot of the series and I really hope it gets better. It started off with a bang with the Riddler story, but sadly this one, and the Two-Face, story were big facepalm moments. Decent art in this one though, however not necessarily my kind of flavor.
Profile Image for Kieran McAndrew.
3,079 reviews20 followers
August 18, 2024
Batman - One Bad Day: Bane

In the future, Bane is a washed up wrestler, fighting a different Batman every day, but he has a story to share, of how he and the Dark Knight joined forces to obliterate the threat of the addictive drug, Venom.

A well written story, with a good arc and some good character design. The pages look good and the colouring is strong and punchy.
Profile Image for akiiKOMORI reading.
428 reviews
October 10, 2024
Honestly wasn't expecting to like this one - but that was totally a biased opinion because I wasn't a fan of the art or the paneling style.

However, the art did grow on me and I loved the story.

I absolutely think Villains are more interesting than Heroes because there is so much more room for growth and change and redemption.
(Except Batman... He has enough flaws to make him interesting).

This story is definitely tied with Penguin.

Riddler / Penguin / Bane / Catwoman / Freeze / Two-Face (I think that was the order?)
Profile Image for Ben.
44 reviews
January 29, 2025
Misinterpreted what this anthology is but I’m kinda glad I did. This one gave us a look at Bane some years in the future trying to escape his demons and live a better life, it’s not a bad lil redemption story.
Profile Image for Annalise.
537 reviews9 followers
February 5, 2025
I actually really enjoyed this one! I’m so glad that Bane was shown as a much more complex character than the stereotypical muscle head🙂‍↕️ I also really liked the art in this one bc both the lines and details were so good!!
Profile Image for Thomas Woodruff.
24 reviews
August 7, 2025
i like seeing bane and batman work together to wipe out the venom supply. however, this doesn't add anything new or different to the character of bane, who remains an underrated part of the rogue's since he reached his comic peak in his debut in 1993.
Profile Image for Jiro Dreams of Suchy.
1,372 reviews9 followers
January 23, 2024
Bane becoming a luchador who puts on a show breaking a stand-in Batman’s back is a great story in itself. The two page spread with Bane in the ring is amazing.
The story itself is fine. Bane and Batman should respect each other, show them teaming up to defeat A venom cartel is a cool side quest story.

I think bane of all rogues is most likely to be able to actually redeem himself even if the ending is a little cheesy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.