BATMAN #21

Review by: Escargot4Lunch

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Avg Rating: 4.4
 
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Story by Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV
Art by Greg Capullo, Danny Miki, & Rafael Albuquerque
Colors by FCO Plascencia & Dave McCaig
Letters by Nick Napolitano & Taylor Esposito
Cover by Greg Capullo & Mikel Janin

Size: 40 pages
Price: 3.99

If you were able to skim the issue yesterday (and hopefully pick it up) you’ll have noticed the nice glossy, thick cover with the raised “Zero Year” lettering. You don’t even have to open the book up (although you’ll definitely want to) to get an indication that the next big step for Snyder’s Batman is here. And it’s a step backwards.

But definitely not in quality.

I’m glad Snyder dialed down on talking about this new arc. As a fan it made the wait more grueling, but it was worth it in the end. Snyder has been criticized for overhyping his books before their release. And I’m just going to go ahead and call this bullshit. Faulting a creator for being excited about his own book? And excited at the prospect of the readership also enjoying it? Crazy. The fans are the hype-machine, and no one else. So while this issue lives up to the hype, I’m gonna advise you leave your expectations at the door. Because we’re starting from the ground up.

I love that Snyder continues to get more confident with his writing and exercises said skill by forgoing the norms. Echoing his latest release, The Wake, in Batman we get some time jumps and the seamless introduction of several narrative threads. This helps the story achieve a grander feel and promise that while this is going to be our introduction into the first few exploits of Batman, we’ll also be watching Bruce Wayne blossom.

There’s a ton of fan service here for any fan to latch onto, and Snyder makes classic Batman iconography relevant again in new and clever ways. Several villains are thrown in the mix and I’m genuinely excited to see how all the pieces come together.

As usual Capullo is a boss, ushering in another gorgeously drawn issue. You’d think the quality of his art would occasionally take a hit here and there, but it’s relentless. The colors are bright this time, with the details in each panel jumping out. There’s so much character, nuance and life to the pages that it’s hard not lose yourself while reading. And Danny Miki’s inks are exactly what the doctor ordered. The final product has never looked better.

Even the back-up featuring Rafael Albuquerque is fun and flashy.

Overall if you pick up this issue you’re in for a treat. Snyder didn’t lie when he said the first 4 pages would hopefully hook you. And DC feel free to stick with the thicker covers for this arc. They greatly increase the production value, are hardier than normal and would look great as a set when it’s done.

So this is me putting out the big signal in the sky and urging you to snag this issue. Come on, it’s (New 52) Batman’s 21st birthday, time to celebrate in style.

Story: 4.5 Art: 5

Story: 5 - Excellent
Art: 5 - Excellent

Comments

  1. Great review, totally agree. This first issue has really made me more confident that this entire story will be worth reading.

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