The Batman excitement continues with the Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman series. If you thought issue one was great, wait until you see the craziness contained here.
The Good
There is just something to this Batman series that sets it above the others. I am enjoying most of the other Batman titles but this one clearly soars above them. From the first page, reading the narration about Gotham City and its history lets you know how important this issue is. It's not just a fun story you'll read to pass the time. This is a Batman story that matters. Things are going to happen here that will have an affect on the character. And when you get to page 2, hold onto your hat.
Snyder and Capullo are really pouring themselves into this book. You can feel the emotion they've added to the pages and clearly they should be proud of the finished product. From the last issue, we saw the mention of the Court of Owls, based on an old nursery rhyme. There's a deadly killer on the loose and Bruce Wayne has been targeted. We all know how awesome Batman is and the way he carries himself on each pages shows why that is. He can plan for everything but...that's about to change. That element is part of what is elevating this story above others. Snyder puts so much tension and excitement into the story that you can almost feel the comic vibrating in your hands.
What about the art? How many thousands of interpretations have we seen of Batman over the years? Capullo does something that makes him stand out from the others. He draws a sturdy and solid Batman. This is a Batman you believe could kick your teeth out with a slight movement of his leg. I also love the way his Batman looks when his face is partly covered in shadows at times. It's simple yet says so much. Then there's the scene on the motorcycle. Dang if that wasn't a fun read. And I love his Nightwing.
The Bad
What was bad about this issue...hmmm. My only problem, which isn't much of one, is the way Lincoln March is drawn. It's almost hard to distinguish Lincoln from Bruce. I have to remind myself that Lincoln is a tiny bit taller and Bruce's hair is a little...messier.
The Verdict
Have I made it clear how much I love this series and issue? I feel like this is a love letter to Scott and Greg. In some ways, it is. There so much I enjoyed about this book that I could go on and on. We find out more about what's going on in Gotham and are seeing clues that Batman might not know everything about the city like he thinks he does. The detail given combined with Greg's art depicting each scene just makes the comic so much fun to read. Often new villains can't rate with the classics but in this case, it's another story. We don't know a lot about the threat Batman is going to deal with and you will be on the edge of your seat taking in every tiny detail you can scrape off each page. I will go on record and say this is my favorite Batman title. The others are good but this one simply gets me excited. I feel like so much is happening and I'm not even fully aware of it. Snyder often crams in hidden details and plotlines in the story that you don't realize until you go back months later. Batman is a great character but somehow Scott and Greg are making him even greater. Without even coming close to reading the rest of the comics this week, I can easily say this is my pick of the week. It's just that good. The story is building up and it's going to explode like an atomic bomb.