Written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Andy Kubert, the story was published in four parts in the comic book Batman starting in #655 and ending in #658.

The arc introduced Batman's son, Damian Wayne, bringing him into the mainstream continuity of the DC Universe.

The boy had been trained from birth by the League of Assassins and was sent by Talia to live with Batman in a plot to disrupt his crime-fighting and distract him.

At the end of the series, Batman decides that he needs to focus on keeping his family safe and close,[7] so leaves Gotham City with Nightwing, Robin, and his butler Alfred Pennyworth for a year.

Tomasi spoke with DC's executive editor, Dan Didio and convinced him to hire Morrison for the main Batman book.

It was decided that they would be paired with Andy Kubert, who had started his career at DC Comics and had just signed a three-year exclusive contract with the company.

[17] The story begins in medias res as the Joker has managed to poison Commissioner Gordon and is crouched over what appears to be a bloody and beaten Batman.

When he later visits a recovering Gordon in the hospital, he learns that in his short time back in Gotham, he has managed to rid the city of supercrime.

In the Batcave, Alfred tells Batman that he has been so focused on his war on crime that he has started to lose touch with his Bruce Wayne identity.

Robin states that he believes a vacation away from Gotham could be beneficial, so Batman decides to attend a charity event at the London Pop Art museum where he can spend time rejuvenating the playboy Bruce Wayne identity.

One woman that intrigues him is millionaire Jezebel Jet, former supermodel and newly named leader of a small African country.

Meanwhile, Langstrom is confronted by Talia al Ghul, who threatens that if he does not give his Man-Bat serum to the League of Assassins she will poison his wife Francine, rendering her blind and crippled.

Bruce changes to his Batman costume and faces down the army in an effort to save the attendants of the gala until he is rendered unconscious.

Suspicious, Tim tries to befriend Damian when the younger child reveals that he went out and beheaded a criminal known as the Spook, and placed a grenade in his mouth.

The ghosts referred to in the title were three individuals who wear variants of Batman's costume and take his crime fighting to the extreme.

The second ghost showed up in #664 when a pimp that had been supplying an ex-policeman who lived on an abandoned facility with prostitutes told Batman that the women turned up dead.

Batman suspected the imposter had used Hugo Strange's monster serum and daily Venom shots to gain his size and strength.

Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon blames him for the death of Dick Grayson and wants him arrested while Damian is pursuing the third ghost, who claims to be the Antichrist.

[24] In Morrison's next story arc, Batman takes Robin with him to the Island of Mister Mayhew where he learns that the organization the Black Glove is out to kill him.

After a two-issue interlude in the Batman title crossover The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul, the true history of the three ghosts is revealed.

Batman, who had started a love affair with Jezebel Jet as Bruce Wayne, was attacked by the ghost on the roof of the headquarters.

The first, Josef Muller, was an ace marksman as a cop, but had both hands broken by Batman in their fight causing him to have to retire.

Doctor Hurt put hypnotic suggestions into Batman's head to help him forget the whole experience and dismiss it as a bad dream.

As Azrael, his mission is to spread "God's justice" through Gotham City in the chaos resulting from the absence of Bruce Wayne as Batman.