New 52 Batman didn’t start with a changed origin. It began with one of Bruce Wayne’s toughest challenges, the Court of Owls. Even after defeating them, that wasn’t the end. The battles continued with volume 2 of Scott Snyer’s run, City of Owls. A series where Batman may not have been tested mentally like he was previously, but was pushed to the limits physically. Despite getting that in Batman: Court of Owls, the arc had an impressive follow-up.
After Bruce escaped the Court’s Labyrinth (Batman: Court of Owls), the Court of Owls enacted their plan to take over Gotham by sending their talons to kill influential people in the city. Among the people on that list was Bruce Wayne. When the talons arrive at Wayne Manor, they learn that their target is the Dark Knight. This leads to an epic battle showing that Bruce really does prepare for everything.
Court of Owls - Essential Edition! Get it!!! 🤘🏻✏️🤘🏻 pic.twitter.com/aiIClUmLT6
— Greg Capullo (@GregCapullo) August 9, 2018
Batman: The City of Owls creative team
- Writers: James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder
- Artists: Jonathan Glapion, Andy Clarke, Becky Cloonan, Greg Capullo, Jason Fabok, Rafael Albuquerque
"And when the bats came back...it was with a vengeance."Batman written by Scott Snyder
Batman: The City of Owls could be a good stand-alone title. It has all the elements you want from a Dark Knight comic book. Bruce uses his detective skills to solve a mystery, his fighting prowess is on display, and the final battle is epic. Plus, the main villains' backgrounds are explained in case you missed the previous issues. However, this writer recommends starting with the previous story. Some moments hit harder once you know a certain character’s backstory (sorry, no spoiler).
Within this volume is a retconned version of Mr. Freeze’s origin. The sympathetic romance of Victor and Nora Fries was changed and made Victor look like a creepy stalker. Despite the alteration, the issue itself was fantastic. The art was beautiful and the story did its job of making Mr. Freeze a true villain instead of just an antagonist. The most important part comes when you learn that Victor’s experiments are responsible for the Talons being unkillable. The title tied into everything that happened with the court making sure that Batman Annual No. 1 didn't seem out of place.
City of Owls (referred to as Night of Owls when the other Bat Family titles are with it) is a must for any Batman fan. You learn more about the lore of Gotham City and some interesting facts about Thomas and Martha Wayne. You also get to see the lengths Bruce will go to protect Alfred and how foolish it is to invade the Bat Cave (wait until you see “Activate Fido”).
It also helps you understand Scott Snyder's approach to Absolute Batman and gives you more faith in what he's doing. There’s a reason DC Comics picked Snyder to write a groundbreaking version of The Dark Knight. He knows the character and understands how to get the fans invested.
In short, grab this title and enjoy a great comic book series with amazing writing, art, and character development.
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