The X-Factor of this entire new run by Scott Snyder was one man. His name, well the name he likes to give out, is Jock. While the covers you always seem him do are really fantastic, his interiors always leave me wanting more. The first issue of Snyder’s run on this series was great to read from the main story to the backup. But the art by Jock really disappointed me like always. With the second issue under everyone’s belt, I gotta say this issue really surprised me.

Mainly for this: Jock’s art was actually pretty damn good here. Now let me get this out of the way first before singing some praises. As always, faces are just a big problem for Jock and it’s no different here. Some of the panels of Grayson without the cowl, or even with the cowl, are pretty cringe worthy to look at. If he doesn’t look like himself (and no, I’m not just saying that for the panels he is wearing a false face) then he looks like a 40-something, middle age man. Also, Tim looks absolutely nothing like himself in the panels he’s in (it’s quite comical). Getting that out of the way though, what is here is pretty impressive. Exterior or establishing shots are beautiful and the action sequences are really well done. The good really outweights the bad in my opinion unlike anything else I’ve seen of Jock’s work. If he could just somehow get better at drawing people then this would be Jock I would always be happy seeing with.

Onto the story itself, Scott Snyder really does a great job with Grayson and making him so much of a deeper character. His interactions with Tim and Barbara felt real for the situation and I like the more ‘jokey’ side to his character. Then you have the introduction to a truly insane villain, The Dealer. Now he might not be as wonderfully insane as Professor Pyg, but he’s pretty darn close. I’m not sure if I want to even see the guy’s face, wearing a gas mask is totally appropriate for him. Then you have the backup (drawn gorgeously by Francesco Francavilla) and it really brings a great light into Gordon and his family life. I can’t wait to see just how disturbing James Gordon is, especially after reading how disturbed ‘The Dealer’ is.

This was just a great issue all around, especially with Jock surprising me on the art. Again it’s not perfect, but it’s almost to where I can see why people love the guy so much. Add in with some fantastic writing by Scott Snyder and a dash of Francavilla, and you got a great run of Detective in the making. Fingers crossed that Jock can keep this level of quality going.