Comic Vine Review

30 Comments

Batman #26 - Zero Year: Dark City, Part Three

5

Bruce Wayne may have finally become Batman during Zero Year but it's Bruce Wayne that has to fight Doctor Death.

The Good

How many times can I say how much I'm digging the idea of Zero Year? The idea of seeing a younger Batman, early in his career, face his enemies for the first time since the DCU has change as a result of the New 52 is something I wanted from the beginning.

There's basically three different plot lines going on here. The main focus is on Bruce Wayne, recovering from Lucius Fox's apparent attack last issue and trying to deal with Doctor Death, while in his civilian guise. This shows us more what Bruce is about. Being drugged and trying to fight this deadly villain without his Bat-tools is pretty cool to see.

We also get more insight into why Bruce has such a hatred for Jim Gordon. It's a pretty heated discussion with a powerful image. And, of course, there's also another mysterious plot unfolding as well.

Greg Capullo, Danny Miki and FCO Plascencia do a remarkable job with the art and colors. It's great (and still a little weird) to see such vibrant colors in a Batman comic but it all fits in nicely with the story. Capullo gives us that hard-hitting art that's just so crisp and clean. This is a comic that you can appreciate in both printed and digital form. If you do read it digitally, you'll find yourself zooming in on certain parts to get a closer look at it all.

The Bad

I'm having a blast with this series. Dare I say, I'd love it if Zero Year lasted even longer? We have plenty of other Bat-titles to carry on the present day stories.

The Verdict

Zero Year continues to be a thrilling ride. With each chapter, we're discovering that we don't know everything about Batman's early years like we thought we did. Scott Snyder is carving out a new piece of history and the art team of Capullo, Miki and Plascencia is spoiling us. It's an exciting time for Batman and we're getting to see him like we don't often get to. This is the type of story you can dive into and just turn everything around you off. Zero Year is a time period I don't want to leave.

30 Comments

Avatar image for themanintheshoe
TheManInTheShoe

3998

Forum Posts

2979

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 17

How long will Zero Year keep going?

Avatar image for hawkguy
Hawkguy

625

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Fantastic issue. I actually very much enjoyed that Riddler was no where to be seen. But there's still so many questions and I'm so damned curious! Can't wait for the next issue. I'm really intrigued by the bits happening with Bruce in the hanging jail and what happened with Jim Gordon.

Avatar image for allstarsuperman
AllStarSuperman

51220

Forum Posts

148

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

Edited By AllStarSuperman

cant wait to read this, Zero year is so good

Avatar image for _marc_74
_Marc_74

213

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

i hate how i read one issue after receiving then a few days later the next is released. damn forbidden planet wait till end of month system

cant wait to read though

Avatar image for Elbarto17
PunyParker

15726

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 45

User Lists: 15

Now THIS is a true 5-star.

Snyder you're a genious.....for the 185241895 time.

Avatar image for spinningbirdcake
spinningbirdcake

1432

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I like the origin for Jim's trench, and I want to hear more about their relationship directly post tragedy.

Avatar image for asjmooney
asjmooney

384

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I thought the pace of this issue slowed down a tad but still loved it nonetheless. The prison/desert flash backs remind me of the parallel story that runs throughout The Wake. Here's hoping there's a surprise coming up in zero year worthy of the one in the most recent issue of The Wake. If so my head will explode for all the right reasons.

Avatar image for asjmooney
asjmooney

384

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Also do you think Aquaman can control Gordon's trench when he has the sceptre of the dead king?

Avatar image for blackpookie
BlackPookie

680

Forum Posts

573

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 8

cant enjoy zero year and flashpoint and everything that changed in the last year with this...

i kinda stop reading most of the stuff

cant like it

Avatar image for manwithoutshame
manwithoutshame

659

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Loved it! Zero Year is an instant classic!

Avatar image for madeinbangladesh
MadeinBangladesh

12494

Forum Posts

53

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 59

User Lists: 172

holy crap I might be the only one who isn't liking Zero Year at all. It has been soooo boring to read. I want a new arc already.

Avatar image for mars8254
Mars8254

95

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@madeinbangladesh: It's weird because Im actually enjoying zero year more than court of the owls and death of the family. I actually though those were a little boring.

Avatar image for madeinbangladesh
MadeinBangladesh

12494

Forum Posts

53

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 59

User Lists: 172

@mars8254 said:

@madeinbangladesh: It's weird because Im actually enjoying zero year more than court of the owls and death of the family. I actually though those were a little boring.

surprising.

Avatar image for mark15
mark15

74

Forum Posts

16

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By mark15

the colours are so cool, looking back from Court to now is crazy how much the art styles have progressed

Avatar image for longbowhunter
longbowhunter

9425

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 1

Edited By longbowhunter

Dr. Death is genuinely terrifying. Also pretty good teacher. Learned a few things about bones today. Infotainment.

Avatar image for batmannflash
batmannflash

6299

Forum Posts

3403

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 30

Amazing!

Avatar image for fenderxx
Fenderxx

441

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 51

User Lists: 0

O man I love this series and the Idea of using Jim Gordon's Coat as a symbol of corruption was genius and I will never look at the character the same, but in a good way, as it adds depth.

Dr. Death is genuinely terrifying. Also pretty good teacher. Learned a few things about bones today. Infotainment.

Lol I was thinking the same thing !

Avatar image for scarletbatman
ScarletBatman

377

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Weakest issue of Zero year thus far released and yet I'd still give it 4.5 stars. Jeez, Snyder and Capullo are killing it!


Avatar image for black_arrow
Black_Arrow

10321

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

BORING

Avatar image for detective38
detective38

215

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

This whole thing has sucked and degrading Gordon to being a bribe taking corrupt cop is a slap in the face to the character's history.

Avatar image for sledgemeyers
sledgemeyers

40

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I loved the issue, but is anyone else getting the sense that Snyder is rewriting the (previously) canonical origin for Batman? It's starting to seem like Bruce's parents didn't die with him there.

He mentions Gordon "picking him up" at the theater before finding out that he got his famous trench coat, but there are no other cops around. I feel like the next issue will reveal that Gordon was picking up his coat with Bruce in the car while his parents were being murdered. Maybe they'll make it there only moments afterward.

It's a change that I can understand and dig since Snyder has been doing well with what he has been given, but it seems weird to re imagine something small to be changed like that. Maybe I just misinterpreted something...

Avatar image for muyjingo
MuyJingo

2862

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

So much fail. Zero year will be forgotten in the next 10 years, when DC realizes how poorly thought out the whole N52 thing was.

Avatar image for tdk_1997
TDK_1997

20479

Forum Posts

60681

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 153

User Lists: 13

TDK_1997  Online

Snyder really detatched and destroyed the story with this and the previous issue.But so far things aren't as bad as I thought they would be but this issue was pretty bad.3 stars maximum from me.

Avatar image for owie
owie

9569

Forum Posts

286670

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 16

User Lists: 0

owie  Moderator

I am loving this. I think the stuff between Bruce and Gordon is great, and the insights into his pre-Batman days are fascinating.

Avatar image for superjedi17
SuperJedi17

314

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By SuperJedi17

Not a fan of this issue,the pacing,while not perfect in the issues preceding this issue,has been messed p quite a bit in this issue,and the new Gordon/Bruce dynamic felt forced to be new just to be new,and Gordon mentioned they've been friends since before the zero year(batman #19 maybe? The clayface issue) so Snyder can't seem to keep within the continuity that's he's written himself,which isn't me down talking his writing skill,just seems like a strange mistake on his behalf. Not a big fan of a few mother things from the issue,but I'd have to re read it to remember what(something was really bugging me after reading the issue,wish I could remember)

Avatar image for rustyroy
RustyRoy

16610

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By RustyRoy

@tdk_1997 said:

Snyder really detatched and destroyed the story with this and the previous issue.But so far things aren't as bad as I thought they would be but this issue was pretty bad.3 stars maximum from me.

Yeah this issue was 3 stars for me also, possibly the weakest issue of the current arc.

Avatar image for tdk_1997
TDK_1997

20479

Forum Posts

60681

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 153

User Lists: 13

TDK_1997  Online

@rustyroy said:

@tdk_1997 said:

Snyder really detatched and destroyed the story with this and the previous issue.But so far things aren't as bad as I thought they would be but this issue was pretty bad.3 stars maximum from me.

Yeah this issue was 3 stars for me also, possibly the weakest issue of the current arc.

I'm glad that someone shares the same thoughts as me.

Avatar image for luciddave
LucidDave

2

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Very curious about this. But Im nowhere near a comic store. Damn...

Avatar image for drmantistoboggan
DrMantisToboggan

601

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@detective38: pretty intelligent insight to think it'll be left at that. Wake up clown there's still more to the story, why would Bruce come to ultimately trust Gordon if he was truly corrupt, you're judging the story well before it's over, as if it'll be left at anger over a trench coat. Seriously think about what you spew from your fingers before actually posting, if you honestly believe they've decided to recreate Gordon as a 'bribe taking corrupt cop' then you either suffer from a mental deficiency, know very little about Scott Snyder's writing style, or you're just trolling.