The first word that comes to mind when I think of how to describe this issue is ‘brutal’.
Many other words could equally be applied, though. Beautiful. Haunting. Stunning. Gutpunch.

Masterpiece.

This issue shows us the shocking ordeal of Bruce Wayne trapped in the Court of Owls’ maze, living out a surreal nightmare. The twisted, disorienting centrepiece of the story combines with two emotionally charged bookend sequences to give readers an early contender for 2012’s best single issue of the year. Sure, it’s only January. But if I read a better issue of a monthly book in the next twelve months I’ll be amazed and very fortunate.

With this issue Snyder and Capullo take Batman into another league, staking their claim to the best comic being published by anyone, anywhere right now. They also join the pantheon of the greatest creators to ever work on this illustrious character. I don’t know when the last time was that I worried about a character in a comic book, but Snyder and Capullo made me WORRY about Bruce Wayne here. Crazy.

Powerful writing, amazing storytelling and design, real emotional weight. Time to start believing the hype, friends. Snyder and Capullo’s Batman is the damage.