Just as Batman: The Black Mirror (read my review!) reads differently the second time through as a collected edition, so too does Scott Snyder’s work on the Dark Knight in the New 52. Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls collects issues #1-7 of Snyder and Greg Capullo’s highly acclaimed run, but just as Batman discovers new layers of Gotham City that he never knew existed, so too will the reader discover new depths to the story. What Snyder and Capullo have presented in this first volume of Batman is a meticulously plotted tale that aims to shake the very root of the Batman mythos to its core.
The central theme to The Court of Owls is that Batman doesn’t know Gotham as well as he thinks he does; that the very notion of Gotham being city is misplaced. Snyder crafts the story so that it’s equally surprising for Bruce to discover his shortcomings as it is for the readers, referencing key, highly identifiable moments of Batman’s history to underline his point. My favorite instance comes within issue #7, where Snyder replays the iconic scene from Batman: Year One – the “Yes, father. I shall become a bat.” scene – but follows the intruding bat out of Wayne Manor, where it is maliciously torn apart by an owl, rendered in stunning, haunting detail by Capullo. It’s a moment that is so poignant in the minds of Batman fans, but Snyder uses it to put a stamp on his point that there’s something far older than the Dark Knight waiting for him in the darkness.
Though we’re only introduced to the notion of the Court within this collection, Snyder’s integration with past stories and well-placed dialog references to the legend make it feel like a part of Gotham’s history all along. Even on the very first page of this collection – in fact, the first -- you’ll find owls seamlessly integrated into the architecture of the Gotham City skyline. Later, when Bruce is giving his presentation of his new and improved Gotham, you’ll see them again in the holographic model of the city. It’s these sort of deliberate easter eggs that make this collection a joy to re-read after we’ve seen the true scope of the story. And good luck resisting the desire to scan old images of Gotham City from comics of years past for owls – I’ve already caught myself doing it. It’s just another confirmation of the success that Snyder and Capullo have had in integrating a new element to a well-traversed history and making it seem organic.
Capullo’s work on the series cannot be understated; his dynamic storytelling and penchant for badassery abounds from every page. Capullo deserves much credit for the success of the story’s seamless integration of the Court of Owls. From the detailed architecture of Gotham City to the utter creepiness of the Court once they are revealed, Capullo hones in on the madness of Gotham and exploits it to the best of his ability. Best depicted in the phenomenal issue #5 – the one that requires the reader to turn the book around as the pages realign – Capullo showcases why he was the perfect candidate to tackle this story. His pencil work is tight, and the incredible, bold inks of Jonathan Glapion only make them tighter.
From action sequences – the train/helicopter scene in issue #2 is a standout – to the more subtle horror elements, like the glowing yellow eyes of the Talon (capped by the great color work of FCO), Capullo is churning out the best work of his career on this book. When the story comes together in the chilling sequence that finds Batman discovering the “nests” of the Court of Owls, culminating in a gigantic explosion, the only thing running through your head (on the second read through, at least, when you’re not distracted by the utter insanity of the story) is how Snyder and Capullo are a match made in superhero heaven.
So. Awesome.
The only significant problem with the collection is the production itself. While this hardcover keeps with the style of the rest of the New 52 collections (original covers acting as chapter breaks with some supplemental material in the back), the nature of this story unfortunately makes the less-than-stellar binding of the book a bit more glaring. Particularly in the aforementioned book turning sequence, when you are reading the book vertically, images and text get lost into the spine. The same goes for the double page spread early in issue #1. This has been an issue in all of the New 52 hardcovers so far, but unfortunately here the problem is exacerbated when it sucks you out the story, replacing the jarring effect of confusion that you felt reading the floppy version with frustration.
The other problem is that this collection was released with only seven chapters. Much like The Black Mirror, The Court of Owls story is a long-form tale. As such, Volume 1 answers a few questions and resolves a limited number of thematic points, but ultimately there are more questions than answers when you close this book. In fact, it ends on a pretty huge cliffhanger. That’s well and good for those of us that read the books monthly, but those that wait for trades often do so in order to get a complete story in one go – which you won’t get here. That’s not a knock against the story itself, but as a collected edition it might be frustrating to some.
Finally, the supplemental material is only a little better than what the other hardcovers have shown off. Along with the covers (and their un-colored counterparts) dispersed throughout the book, you’ll find a variant cover gallery and an insightful comparison of Snyder’s script to Capullo’s pencils – similar to what we’ve seen in other collections of Snyder’s work. You’ll also find a brief sketch book from Capullo featuring some early designs for Batman’s rogues. In all, it’s decent material but severely lacking – like the rest of the collections – any real input or commentary from the creators themselves.
Despite the physical collection having some shortcomings, Snyder and Capullo’s Batman is by far the standout book coming from DC’s relaunch. Present in Volume 1 is everything that you loved about Snyder’s work on Detective Comics, with the addition of the meticulous, stylistic detail of Capullo, and some Gotham history thrown in for good measure. If the Court of Owls story wraps up as strongly as it started in this first volume, these creators will have fundamentally changed Batman’s relationship to Gotham City forever.
Source : http://www.ign.com
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