Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls
- Jan 1, 2013
- 2 min read
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Greg Capullo
Before the Batman, there was the Court of Owls...
Ranking: 5 stars
Before you consider reading this, I should tell you that this book is part of THE NEW 52. "The New 52" is company wide reboot of all DC comics characters. So not only have their comics been restarted at issue one, but some characters have had some changes in their back history as well. But don't worry Bat-Fans; the majority of the dark knight's history has been unaltered (the only change I personally have a problem with is that Barbra Gordon is back as Batgirl, and I'm more of an Oracle fan). That's all I'm going to say about "The New 52," now to get to the story!
We all know that Batman is the protector of Gotham City. He's a guardian that watches it at night, protects the innocent from the scum of its underbelly, and is considered a legend to every citizen in Gotham... or so we thought. Because now, "The New 52" reveals a legend that has existed in Gotham, centuries before the Batman: THE COURT OF OWLS! The Court of Owls is a society that dates back to the founding of Gotham 400 years, and there is little known about them. But what is known is that the court has a firm grip on Gotham from the shadows, and will eliminate those who would threaten their agenda. The Talon, an elite assassin in the garb of an owl, carries out the assassinations. Batman has always believed that the court was just a myth, as he has protected Gotham for years. But the dark knight begins to come across clues of the court's existence, and will eventually have to accept the impossible truth: he does not know the city as much as he once thought he did.
Scott Snyder does an astonishing job on the story! He drives deep into the dark knight's psyche, and shows his internal struggle over whether or not the court exists. The reason Batman refuses to believe that the court is real, is because he has always thought that he was the true guardian of Gotham, that he was it's true legend. And to learn that the court is the real power over Gotham is unbearable for him as he still tries to doubt it, and his overconfidence in himself, nearly gets him killed. It's a feat that Snyder handles so well. "Complex Magazine" called Snyder the "defining Batman writer of our generation," and after reading this, I believe that they might be right. He's not as ultimate as Frank Miller (THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, BATMAN: YEAR ONE) and Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, BATMAN: HUSH), but he has made his way into the list of my favorite Batman writers. Seriously, it's a fun and shocking read! Plus the artwork is sensational as well! A great start for the dark knight in "The New 52!"
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