Writer: Scott Snyder (Backup: Snyder & James Tynion IV)
Artist: Greg Capullo (Backup: Andy Clarke)
Published by DC Comics
A dark city doesn’t mean the crime stops! As Bruce continues to attempt to set up the Batman persona, he investigates the deaths of two Wayne Enterprises scientists whose deaths are a little less than pleasant.
Snyder sure knows how to tell a story. Passion flows from every bit of this title, from the words, to the art, to the coloring, and to everything else. It all just works. This may be a story that takes place in the past, but there are still points that I’m surprised when they happen. For example, that scene with Lucius…say whaaat?! The intricacy of what Snyder’s laying down…it’s really leaving me speechless here, guys, and in an amazing way.
Not to mention, those hints of Gordon being involved in the Waynes’ deaths? Scott Snyder, you’re killing me here!!
And if Snyder leaves me at a loss for words, then Capullo leaves me at a loss of breath. Literally everything is beautiful. It’s hard not to romanticize this dark and terrible situation in Gotham when the art that we’re being given is the brainchild of it all. I mean that car at the beginning? Are you even joking with that? It blew my freaking mind! Even the simple moments do. My favorite page, hands down, is when Bruce and Alfred respectively come out of the Batcave and find Gordon standing outside the entrance. It’s brilliant! Everything about it is pure gold, and all the credit and praise and everything to Fco Plascencia. I don’t even think the real world is as vivid as he makes Gotham.
After all the action and fast pacing of the main story, the backup was such a wonderfully slower paced thing that you really need. I’m not Harper Row’s biggest fan (NOT to say I don’t like her, but that’s an argument for another day) but this story was awesomely cute. And that double spread of all the heroes at that point in their lives was ridiculously sweet. Kudos to everyone involved in those few pages.
It seems like all the baddies might hit Bruce at once soon and he is not in a good way right now. What’s a man to do? Especially when it seems like dressing up as a bat is not an option?
5 out of 5 nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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