Summary

• Gotham's villains have become more dangerous after plundering Batman's treasures and acquiring new weapons and armor, becoming a wildcard in Batman and Catwoman's dispute.
• Vandal Savage has taken advantage of the chaos in Gotham, buying Wayne Manor and assuming control of Catwoman's operation, with the goal of regaining his power and immortality.
• Batman's villains, armed with weapons and armor from his own armory, launch a coordinated attack on Gotham, pushing Batman to the edge and potentially causing him to seriously harm or even kill one of his foes.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Catwoman #58!The villains of Gotham have become more dangerous than ever all thanks to an unintentional upgrade from Batman. As "Gotham War" builds to an epic ending, an unexpected antagonist is throwing a huge wrench into the works after plundering the Dark Knight's greatest treasures. With new weapons and armor, Gotham's baddies are the latest wildcard in Batman and Catwoman's dispute.

Catwoman tried improving Gotham by training low-level criminals to become cat burglars like her and only steal from the rich. But Batman refused to let her do this and went wild dismantling her operation. Meanwhile, the villains of Gotham started to forge new alliances.

To make the situation worse, Vandal Savage came to Gotham to take advantage of the chaos. He bought Wayne Manor and assumed control of Catwoman's operation thanks to his daughter Scandal, who had infiltrated Selina's crew. Gotham is home to treasures that can fix Savage's flailing immortality, and he's willing to partner with whomever he has to in order to regain his power.

Batman's Villains Have Raided His Armory For Dramatic Power-Ups

In Catwoman #58 by Tini Howard and Nico Leon, a coterie of Gotham's villains assemble to discuss the current situation, only for Vandal Savage to crash their meeting. He chews them out for seeking revenge against their former henchmen, arguing their efforts are better used against Batman and Catwoman while they're fractured. Villains like Two-Face and Scarecrow agree, but wonder how they can best strike out. But Vandal has them covered as his recent purchase of Wayne Manor has given him access to Batman's old armory. As an inferno rages in Gotham, Batman's villains launch a coordinated attack, using weapons and armor that once belonged to the Dark Knight.

Batman knew that there would be consequences for losing Wayne Manor to Vandal Savage. While the villains of Gotham have been floundering due to the lack of henchmen, under Savage's guidance they've banded together and gotten several goodies pilfered from the Batcave, such as utility belts and sets of armor. That said, an aside from Savage implies he's simply using the team as a distraction while he completes his main mission. But giving psychopaths like Mad Hatter and Professor Pyg tools and weaponry designed by Batman is a bold move. With Batman steadily losing it, seeing his equipment in the hands of his villains could push him over the edge.

Batman's Enemies Are Pushing Him at the Worst Possible Moment

Batman's violent and unhinged behavior during "Gotham War" has been the result of manipulation from his dark alternate persona, the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. Bruce has already attempted to expose his family's identities and re-conditioned Red Hood to stop fighting. The more pressure he experiences, the more Zur-En-Arrh makes him overreact. So what is going to happen when Batman sees his greatest villains destroying Gotham with weapons he allowed Vandal Savage to take? Zur-En-Arrh might push Batman past the point of no return and cause him to seriously harm one of his foes, possibly fatally. Fans can see Batman's villains gain their new weaponry in Catwoman #58, on sale now.