Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Batman #33
DC Comics
Snyder, Capullo, Miki & Plascencia
In the latest issue of Batman, the Zero Year storyline wraps up with a quite a finish: Batman versus the Riddler in a battle of the minds. The over-sized, five dollar comic book is definitely worth the price of admission as you get an entertaining climax to the story, an epilogue, a launching point for Batman's future and fantastic artwork. This is a comic that is not to be missed.
Batman finds himself in an array of lasers, trapped, as time runs out on an air strike about to hit Gotham. The Riddler is giving Batman a fighting change though. If Batman can correctly solve twelve riddles then the beams will shut down and Batman can prevent the destruction of the city. Batman plays along with the Riddler as beam after beam closes down after each successful riddle puzzle is solved, but Batman is working his own plan to surprise the Riddler.
While the best part of the book is the clever riddles that Snyder throws at Batman, the setup is also an important part of the comic as well. Batman is relying on Fox and Gordon to do their parts to keep his plan up and running. Not only is Batman giving trust, but he is also taking a gamble with the stakes as high as they can get. In these tension filled pages, Batman manages to read the clues to solve the ultimate problem while dealing with the pesky riddles to hold the Riddler's attention in the wrong spot. It's an issue that is constructed perfectly.
At the comic's end, Bruce has a meaningful conversation with Alfred about Bruce's plans for Batman. While there isn't anything too original here, the conversation is a great way to end the storyline and it shows the deep love and respect that Alfred holds for Bruce. It's a perfect ending.
The artwork shines once again. The images of the Riddler dangling his hat on his cane above and within the lasers are terrific panels that show the carefree nature of the character while Batman balances his body through the same array of lasers. This is one example of how Capullo brings imagination and realism to his panels while keeping the story's tone in mind throughout his pages. The Gordon sequence may very well be the best of the book, especially because they are nearly wordless. It's a great comic book visually.
Batman is a fantastic read. It's no surprise that each issue manages to build a story in a way to provide a payoff at the end. This issue is the payoff and it delivers everything and more. This is the comic book to pick up this week. It captures much of what makes Batman and his supporting cast so special.
5 out of 5 Geek Goggles
