DC Comics

Gotham is destroyed by an earthquake, the federal government abandons it and declares an emergency zone. Whoever stays inside remains outside the law. The city becomes ungoverned territory where gangs, escaped Arkham villains and Batman fight it out street by street. Best political story of the Dark Knight. Introduces Cassandra Cain as the new Batgirl.

Batman: No Man's Land Omnibus Vol. 2 closes the ruined-Gotham saga after months of gang borders, collapsed institutions and Bat-family survival. Lex Luthor enters with reconstruction money, the Joker delivers one of the era's cruelest final blows and Batman has to decide what saving Gotham means after the city has already been abandoned.