After weeks of delays, the first issue of David Finch’s writer/artist Batman series finally arrives, and to the surprise of most of the internet it manages not be bad. The story of the issue is your standard Batman mystery, with a twist to ensure that Bruce Wayne is the focal point of the arc; an old school friend has gone missing, and Batman is out to find her. There’s a nice sequence involving Killer Croc, and some decent Gordon moments, as well, but this feels like a unique book. Finch’s art has improved greatly since his time on New Avengers, and here it looks breathtaking; the first two page splash of Batman in the rain is one of the best images of the new costume I’ve seen so far, while the pacing and choreography are fantastically intricate and weave a grand tale. The ending is ominous and raises more questions than it answers, drawing more of Batman’s rogues gallery into the mix and promising good things for the series ahead.