This is really a collection of very short Batman stories with a few narrative connections running throughout. We get a retelling of the Man-Bat origin story through the lense of the Batman Incorporated dreck that Grant Morrison was writing. There's a Batmanesque Batman villain from the 80s who is used for the first time in ages. And there are some other C-level stories that are weaved in and out of these, including the resolution to the Emperor Penguin, which, frankly, deserved better.

I've loved some of [a:John Layman|93094|John Layman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1316046488p2/93094.jpg]'s creator owned material, particularly [b:Chew, Vol. 1: Taster's Choice|6839093|Chew, Vol. 1 Taster's Choice|John Layman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1409985990l/6839093._SY75_.jpg|7050578], but his superhero work mostly bores me. It's not terrible. But he tends to reimagine stories rather than create his own, and his dialogue is stiff.

You certainly don't have to read this to follow any of the other New 52 books.