BATMAN #16
What did the
iFanboy
community think?
Pulls
Art by Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, & Jock
Cover by Greg Capullo
Variant Cover by Aaron Kuder
Size: 40 pages
Price: 3.99
Scott Snyder yada yada yada….
You’ve heard it all before, Snyder can write the hell out of comic books. He’s not trying to blow our minds ala Morrison, or play like he’s one of the cool kids the way Bendis does – instead what Scott brings to the table is a love for what comic books can do that no other media can, he “gets” comics. I feel like when I read a Scott Snyder comic that it’s a book written by a fan for a fan – and this run he has been giving us Batman fans exactly the sort or comic we love.
But enough about Snyder goddamn it! I came here to talk about the other half of this team – Greg Capullo!
I’ve been a fan of Capullo since his days on X-Force back in the early 90’s. i was even collecting Spawn when he came on board and started to work his magic on that title (although I bailed shortly thereafter. Just couldn’t take the bad writing anymore). The one thing that stands out the most about his art is that is is MADE for comic books. It’s not photo-realistic and you can tell he doesn’t trace over Playboy models (cough, greg land, cough) or use anything other then the words provided to him by Snyder and his own imagination and god given talent – and holy shit what talent this dude has.
I’ve read reviews of this Batman run and sure Scott gets most of the praise, he is the one that came up with the ideas and plots and dialog that all make this book fabulous – but would be half as great with Capullo?
Allow me to speculate for a little bit here – bear with me….
I was listening to a pod cast today where Scott Snyder was talking about the stellar issue 5 of Batman – you know the one that you had to turn around and upside down and backwards to read? Yeah, great issue and we fanboys ate it up. Well you know who fought like a motherfucker to get DC to agree to print the comic that way? Greg Mother Fucking Capullo that’s who. Snyder said it was Greg that wrote DC a letter telling them in no uncertain terms to “grow some balls and print the comic that way”. Greg took the brunt of the attack and succeeded in making DC see the light and in turn gave us one of the best comic books of last year.
It is no secret that when DC paired up Snyder and Capullo on Batman when the started up the New 52 that both guys didn’t really see eye to eye and in fact didn’t really like each other. They butted heads over Batman and the style and feel the book should have. I have this feeling that Snyder was use to getting his way with the other artists he has worked with in the past and when when veteran Capullo showed up, dudes been at this game for a lot longer then Scott, he didn’t know what hit him. Scott Snyder is not the only one putting himself out there with his stories that could either succeed or fail – Capullo is putting himself out just has much, perhaps even more, because it is his art that is the first thing we see when we pick up that Batman book.
Snyder showed us that he could write a kick ass Batman tale back in Detective Comics with his Black Mirror story arc. A superb run with Jock and Francesco Francavilla – but comparing that run with this Batman one, it seems like something has changed. The stories are both cerebral and touch on what makes Batman tick and just how far he can be pushed to the edge. Both deal with a cunning psychopath that attacks Batman at his core – his extended family. But yeah, something is different. The Black Mirror lacks something that The Court of Owls and Death of the Family have.
Something that Greg Capullo has brought to the table with his fantastic story telling art.
Capullo has given Batman balls.
Art: 5 - Excellent
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It can’t be understated the impact Capullo has had on this book and one of the biggest things with him is his output. The man is a machine and the art quality never seems to dip. Some titles seems to be going bat shit crazy with rotating artists (looking at you Action Comics) but Capullo keeps churning out world class art every month.
Other artists need to step up and take whatever steroids Capullo is on cause he’s getting it done!
I hear you – Action Comics suffered greatly from the inconsistent art. I love it when an artist can stay on a book and deliver quality work month after month like Greg has donw on Batman (only one issue out of the 16 do far had a fill-in artist).
Again, Capullo is old school and has been at this for a long time. I’m stoked that his work is getting this platform and recognition it deserves.
Exactly 15 issues out of 16! Then you look at someone like David Aja on Hawkeye whose does 3 issues and then immediately needs another artist???
But the fact, is most can do 6-7 tops before switching. I think they should do what Saga does and take 2 months off to catch up again, unless your someone like Capullo or Samnee.
@Microwave25 I couldn’t agree more with just about everything you just said. Capullo’s art is never anything but the best. He’s there every issue. That’s what makes this book so great. Solid story and art issue after issue.
Great review. Thanks for taking the time to put Capullo’s excellent art into perspective. The man is a master. I would love to see him do something creator-owned where he could let his cartooning abilities run wild.
My only caveat is that for this particular issue, I prefered the look of Jock’s art in the side-story.
Jock is indeed a superb artist and I too love his style – a complete 180 from Capullo’s. I will say that these little back-up’s he’s been doing in Batman don’t quite match his work in the “Black Mirror” run in Detective Comics. There were some pages in that run that completely blew me away. Best work he’s ever down – period.
And the only problem with Greg doing a creator-owned comic is he wouldn’t be able to draw Batman anymore! =)
INKERS. You failed to mention Jonathan Glapion. He is one of the industry’s premier inkers and has been inking the hell out of Capullo’s Batman and deserves some credit here. Inkers make or break the pencils (have you seen how great Rags Morales’ pencils look?) and, taking nothing away from Capullo (he has been and is my favorite artist in comics), but he has had GREAT inkers throughout his career. Oh yeah, and I disagree that this arc is anywhere near as good as Owls or Black Mirror…On any level. It’s been a bunch of unneeded theatrics and long Joker expositions mixed in with a plot and metaphor that is constantly thrown in our faces at face value. No sleuthing, no mystery (except for where’s Alfred and what’s in the platter…what happened to the “did he get in the batcave?” story?) And then the ending to last issue… the Batman I know wouldn’t break so easily and seemingly give in to the Joker. But tons of people love it so maybe I’m missing something, because you’re right, its like Snyder is a fanboy (no offense) who decided to do everything he possibly could with the Joker in 5 issues and it hasn’t worked for me.