Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Batman #2
DC Comics
Snyder, Capullo & Glapion
The second issue of Batman continues to tie the lead character to the city of Gotham, linking them as if one cannot exist without the other. While this theme is being built up we also get Batman trying to figure out the current case, while solving some other crimes in between. Overall, the issue is an extremely dense issue and is backed up with solid artwork. I found the storytelling style to be a bit disjointed at times as I struggled to determine if I had missed something from the previous issue. Still, this is a strong issue as Snyder continues his signature run with the character.
The issue opens with two pages of Bruce Wayne dropping from Wayne Tower in a free fall. As he falls helplessly to the ground he is explaining the gargoyles around the tower and their origins. For example, five of them pointed towards the bridges and tunnels in and out of the city. I'm not sure any one city had two tunnels in 1888 but the idea here is very clever.
Immediately after we flash back 24 hours as we pick up Batman chasing down some crooks in a helicopter. At this point I had to break out the previous issue because I had no recollection of either of these plot treads. The cliffhanger from the first issue is that a dead man had Dick Grayson's DNA under his fingernails. I found the storytelling style to be confusing as a result. I wasn't thrilled that I needed to open up last issue to figure out that this wasn't really related to anything that had come before. Is this a case where Snyder's style works better in trade format? Is it a good idea with so many new readers to launch into Morrison-esque narrative or should a writer not drop down to the lowest common denominator of reader?
The issue takes off from there as Batman works over the dead body in his virtual morgue, then he has some great interaction with Dick Grayson before he ends up as Bruce Wayne getting attacked by a new threat which leads to him falling out of the window.
The issue is very good. Snyder has a knack for Batman's dialogue as he has some great lines such as, "He tried to use Gotham's legends against me. But I'm the only legend this city needs." The issue is filled with these types of lines which completely embodies Batman as a character. Another aspect that Snyder has mastered is bringing in the gadgets for Batman. The autopsy scene is really something that is very imaginative and fitting for Batman.
I love Capullo on this title. I can't get past how much his art has evolved from his first run on Spawn. It's grittier and so much more down-to-Earth. He's got a few very extraordinary panels, such as the finale to the helicopter chase. There are a few panels that I found difficult to follow the action because of the close-up nature of the artwork but overall this is a very good art effort. The artwork continues to provide the perfect setting for Snyder's story.
Snyder is putting together an outstanding look at how the city makes what Batman and his villains are relative to each other. He's rolling out a comprehensive story that contains just about every aspect of the character that I look for in a Batman book. I think the only thing this book is missing is more Alfred. Overall, this is the class of the DC reboot/relaunch as far as I'm concerned.
4 out of 5 Geek Goggles
