Nobody expects a comic book to be this good, particularly when the writer is someone relatively new to the medium. But then, Scott Snyder has also penned one of the best new series of 2010, and he’s now spinning his magic on the premiere Batman book and turning it into something you wouldn’t expect. Detective Comics is slowly becoming a horror book; the first issue teased at it, but the second issue solidifies the fact, as Snyder does something completely different with the book and makes it about the sadism of the villains rather than the mystery at large.

By condensing these arcs, or ‘cases,’ to three issues, Snyder is essentially ordering us to come back and finish the story, as the cliffhanger of this issue is arguably one of the most terrifying and perfect in recent memory. And he writes Dick Grayson’s Batman so wonderfully; he feels like a man in his twenties, driven by his desire to follow in his adopted father’s footsteps, while also trying to strike out and be his own man. It’s a truly unflinching look at the character, something Grant Morrison has only touched upon briefly in his Batman and Robin run.

The art by Jock is a true highlight, as well; every panel screams of beauty and finesse, and the issue is devoid of any facial anomalies people would normally complain about were they to read a book featuring Jock’s work. His splash pages in particular are marvellous, especially one of Batman launching himself off a rooftop, like a sleek bullet streaking through the sky, and the final disturbing page of the main feature. And that’s something to note, too; this comic has two stories, both of which tie very heavily into one another.

Commissioner Gordon is noticeably absent from the main story as he deals with the mystery in his back-up by Snyder and Francesco Francavilla dealing with story elements from the legendary Batman: Year One, which haven’t come into play since, but are welcome additions to this story at present. The emotion behind Gordon’s mission is obvious right from the start and his interactions with his daughter, Barbara, are truly engaging and show a depth of humanity most comic books barely manage to hint at.

Francavilla’s artwork is beautiful, too, rivalling Jock’s in terms of sheer unparalleled mastery; it’s almost a shame it’s a more condensed story, with the lack of action shining through and reducing the artwork somewhat from its full potential. Still, both stories promise intense conclusions in the next issue, and if the last two issues are anything to go by, that should be nothing short of spectacular.