We’re one issue away from #1000! One issue!! It’s like the day before Christmas. Or the night before your senior prom. Or the week before the release of a new DC movie. We’re so close…but not there yet!

However, unlike those other painful preceding moments, we’re not left entirely empty-handed with this one. After all, while we may be an issue away from the big one, we DO have a new issue of Detective Comics to enjoy—and trust us, it’s a good one. Since taking over the title, Peter J. Tomasi and Doug Mahnke have been taking us on a brutal, somewhat surreal trip through Bruce Wayne’s past, as a viciously efficient creature has taken down everyone who had an influence on Bruce in his life—Leslie Thompkins, Henri Ducard, Alfred…even a picture-perfect copy of Bruce’s parents. But while the creature may have done the dirty work, he really didn’t seem like the brains behind the endeavor. After all, whoever is behind this knows intimate details about Bruce’s life. He knows exactly how to hurt Gotham’s greatest protector.

Maybe because he is Gotham’s greatest protector. DETECTIVE COMICS #998 ended with the reveal that the man…or should we say, kid behind all the destruction is none other than a young version of Bruce Wayne. But what gives? Who is this? It can’t really be Bruce, can it? Get your first hint as to what’s happening in this exclusive first look at DETECTIVE COMICS #999. Then make sure you grab the full issue on Wednesday as you’re definitely not going to want to miss this surprising—and surprisingly touching—chapter in Batman’s 80-years-and-counting saga.

DETECTIVE COMICS #999 by Peter J. Tomasi, Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin and Jaime Mendoza is in stores Wednesday.