Ever since his first appearance in Tom King's acclaimed run on Batman, the masked villain has been plotting behind-the-scenes to break the Caped Crusader's body and spirit once for all and it appears his master plan will escalate this summer.

This morning, DC Comics announced a villain-centric 25-cent special issue on sale this May with an all-star creative team. In addition to teasing several upcoming series and storylines, the special will also tease a summer event for the Dark Knight titled Batman: City of Bane.

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King's run had seen Bane secretly orchestrating a relentless assault on Bruce Wayne from the shadows, enlisting key figures in Batman's life including his father, Thomas Wayne, from the Flashpoint Earth, and manipulating Selina Kyle to leave Bruce at the altar in his bid to break the Bat.

With Batman currently facing his worst nightmares in Bane's latest move, Bruce Wayne's greatest fears may come to life this summer.

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DC's Year of the Villain is written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV and Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Alex Maleev, Jim Cheung and Francis Manapul. It is scheduled to go on sale on May 1 from DC Comics for 25 cents.