Batman: Crimson Mist, written by Doug Moench with pencils by Kelley Jones, inks by John Beatty, colors by Gregory Wright, and letters by Todd Klein, concludes the vampiric Batman trilogy that began in Batman & Dracula: Red Rain. Elements of the story and style resemble Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Batman: The Long Halloween and Dark Victory, though filtered through the gritty horror aesthetic of Moench and Jones. The vampiric Batman, released from his undeath, stalks Gotham, dispatching every criminal and murderer, though he makes sure to take their heads in order to prevent them from rising as vampires. Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner James Gordon realize that they’ve unleashed a monster in their hope to restore the Batman and must decide whether or not to forge an alliance with Two-Face to end the Batman. Each of the previous volumes felt like they were meant to conclude the story, so this one feels a bit tacked-on, but it does work to resolve the remaining plot threads. As part of a three-part story, Crimson Mist works well, but it is not the strongest when read alone. ( )