BATMAN #29 (REVIEW)

Batman #29

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Greg Capullo
          Danny Miki

Cover: Greg Capullo





The Rundown:
The story returns back to the Zero Year story arc, after a single issue preview of Batman: Eternal. Things begin with a flashback sequence, with Thomas and Martha Wayne picking up a young Bruce from the GCPD headquarters, after being picked up after sneaking off to see the Zorro film. Thomas teases his son a little bit after Bruce was asked his thoughts on the movie (a favorite of Thomas') and said that is was "dumb". Thomas says that they must see the movie again, and it must be now, ditching the fundraiser they were pulled away from.
Back to the "present", where we see Batman breaking free of his burial beneath a ton of human skeletons. He immediately contacts Jim Gordon, who is currently assisting in evacuating the city because of the Super storm that has hit. Batman tells Jim of Nygma's plans and that Jim needs to take Nygma down at Wayne Tower where he is located, but to also stop the city from turning the power back on as it will give Nygma what he needs to control Gotham. Commissioner Loeb and others are above the city in a blimp looking to take down Nygma and Batman, who he still believes are working together, when something catches the attention of everyone outside. We see a variety of panel showing people looking up in the sky as the Bat Blimp emerges from the clouds. Batman is searching for Nygma's weather balloon where there is a way to shut down his plans. Jim tries to convince Officer Corrigan to not turn the power to the city back on, but despite Gordon's pleas, Corrigan informs him that not only is the power going to be turned back on, Loeb is transferring him back to Chicago. Back on the Bat Blimp, Batman is trying to push the blimp higher and higher into the storm despite things malfunctioning and exploding. He sees the weather balloon, and is forced to make a suicidal leap and barely grapple onto the balloon. Upon his arrival he is greeted by Scar, who plans to show him how unwelcome Batman is.

At Wayne Tower, Jim confronts Nygma, who is sitting at a desk and a string wrapped around his finger. It is quickly revealed the string is attached to a bunch of pulleys all of which are holding a five ton boulder above Jim's head. The trap is unleashed, although narrowly misses Gordon, it crashes through the floor causing Jim to fall behind it. On the weather balloon, Batman and Scar are battling it out as Batman attempts to convince Scar to let him stop Nygma and his plans to kill thousands of people. It goes unwarranted as it was Nygma who helped Scar after he was fired from Wayne Enterprises, both financially and convincing him he was doing things for the greater good. Scar knocks the jammer Batman was going to use from his hands, and stops him from recovering it as it plummets off the edge. Batman kicks into gear and proceeds to break Scars bones in a variety of places, leaving him a mangled heap on the floor. Scar proclaims is change in theories after his sons life was taken so easily during a routine mission in the military, as Batman attempts a new method in shutting down Nygma's device. Scar is also snapping his bones back into place as he is talking and is able to sneak up on Batman who is focused on the device. Scar gets a few shots in before what Batman was doing explodes, engulfing Scars body with shrapnel. Batman pleads for him to remove them before his bone healing ability works against him and kills him with the shrapnel still lodged in his body. Scar refuses, asking only that Batman carry on his story, before perishing in the manner Batman said he would.

Back in the city, Corrigan and others attempt to turn the power to the city back on, but the only thing to light up was a question mark on the grid map before them. Out on the streets, Nygma is standing amongst the people leaving the city, holding the device/briefcase. He then pushes a button on his briefcase initiating and achieving control of Gotham as well as his others plans. Which at the moment consist of blowing up the retaining walls, beginning to flood the city, as well as taking control of the blimp Loeb is in, causing it to and other blimps to crash and explode. Enraged, Batman begins to pummel the device before him as we get a mix of this, the chaos amongst the city including the weather balloon beginning to fall from the sky. As well as, some flash backs to the Wayne family exiting the movie that they had set off to see earlier, including the moments when Thomas and Martha's lives were taken in front of Bruce, leaving him helpless screaming out for help.


The Review:
Another amazing issue by all talent involved in this one, as well as the Zero Year story arc which has delivered with every issue so far. Scott Snyder once again show why he was chosen to take on the writing for Batman for the relaunch and going forward. He was able to take a much over played event in Batman's history and made it feel fresh and unique, yet staying true to form with events surrounding Thomas & Martha Wayne's death. It has me intrigued as to how he has chosen to write out the rest of Bruce's traumatic moment, which was also slightly intrigued by a panel that just reminded me of The Joker. I had to go check my stash to see how long "Zero Year" has been taking place. and that is is about the same length as "Forever Evil". The difference between the two, is "Zero Year" hasn't felt that long, and leaves us wanting more of Snyder's vision of a modern aged Batman. Although there is another chapter of "Zero Year" to come, I couldn't think of what this is all building up to. Then I remembered it wasn't long ago a certain someone took a plunge in a specific vat at a known location. Just what I think, but then again I have a preference for the clowns in comics. Also, with the upcoming "Batman: Eternal" being a weekly title and dealing with the "now", it is possible "Zero Year" could be a very long ways from being done. And as long as Snyder can keep this up and have itching for the next issue, we're okay with that.
Capullo along with Miki, delivered again on the art side of things. Almost every panel was top notch, with the detail being good, even down to the water bouncing off the streets. Keeping in line with Snyder, they took a slightly overused panel, a Batman silhouette in front of a bolt of lightning, and gave it a fresh interesting look. The flashback panels were nicely done having a soft tone to them, however the panels involving Thomas and Martha's death, were intense yet subtle. Again giving it an original feel to them. Of course Capullo and Miki delivered in translating Snyder's words, telling us this great installment on the visual end of things.
Overall? Quite obvious. Great story that is a part of a great story arc, that again is just as long as "Forever Evil" yet hasn't felt that it needs to finally end. Other than the villain I mentioned above, curious to see if any other members of Batman's rogues gallery will appear within this origin based arc. That includes both new and old characters. Feel free to weigh-in with your opinions in the box below, either here or the posting that you found this. Until then...

Stay Nerdy!

BATMAN #28 (REVIEW)

Batman #28
Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Greg Capullo
          Danny Miki

Cover: Greg Capullo






The Rundown:
Taking a break from the really good story arc "Zero Year", we're given a glimpse into the upcoming weekly Bat-title, "Batman: Eternal".
Story begins with Harper Row out on the streets being confronted by a group of police officers (dressed in riot gear) claiming she has broken the 8pm curfew that is in effect. They give her a ten second countdown to either clear the streets or suffer a beating at their hands. Harper gets lippy as they approach, saying first that she wished that they knew who her mother was, and then uttering, "Midnight In Gotham Is The Bee's Knees" which stops them from cracking her over the head. They blindfold her and take her to apparently the only nightclub left in Gotham City called "The Egyptian" (a large luxurious place, giant gold Egyptian cat statues). Harper says that she is there to see "the boss" for help for her infected brother, who is at "Ground Zero". She is taken to a backroom where there are a group of armed men and a giant man with a dead eye and scars on his face around both eyes who informs her that her "password" given earlier was an old one and now they were to hurt her. Harper remotely turns out the lights, when she turns them back on we see Batman standing over the group of men now unconscious on the ground. Batman receives information he needs to locate a vault within the club from someone at the Batcave (only see them from behind, Carrie Kelly?), then informs Harper to get dressed so they can continue their mission. 

After an explosive entrance back into the main floor of the nightclub, we're given a full page panel of Batman and Bluebird (Harper Row), who looks like a female cross between Nightwing and Red Hood, armed with some very large firearms. Batman notices that Bluebird holds her own while clearing the room of thugs and has been training to which she tells him to blame his sidekicks. She then proceeds to do a back flip off of a bad guy, throwing a grapple line, then hooking onto it with a clip on her boot, ready to fire. Which she does, firing an electrical charge and disabling a small group of thugs below her. Things come to a halt when we are introduced to the "boss", who turns out to be Selina Kyle. During a conversation between Batman and Selina, we learn that he's lost the police, his friends and the city. Where Selina claimed top spot and rebuilt Gotham City's underworld. Selina brings Batman to his knees whipping her whip around his neck, and informs him that the mask wearing Catwoman of old died when he left her for dead. She was possibly close to killing him when Bluebird reminds them of her presence via pointing her gun at Selina. Batman pleads with Selina to give him the "key" to reclaiming and saving the city, all he had to do was ask, and she leads them to her vault and its contents. The contents of the safe is a person who is the only one who knows how to stop whats coming. That person is Stephanie Brown aka Spoiler.

Story ends with Stephanie tied up with in the vault, dressed in her Spoiler costume, and then we're given a few pages of previewing Scott Snyder's "American Vampire".



The Review:
They may have to wait until April 9th, 2014 before they get more of her, but Stephanie Brown fans everywhere must be as happy as can be with finally seeing her in the New 52. Whether or not they will be happy with how the former Batgirl and Robin is presented is yet to be determined of course, but she's somewhat getting the red carpet treatment with her full debut being in Batman's new weekly title, "Batman: Eternal", as well as already being revealed to be a big part of what is made out to be a massive event in Gotham City. Speaking of which, Scott Snyder and company have gotten me quite intrigued with what is to come during this break from the current major Batman story arc, "Zero Year". When I had first heard that this would be a "spoiler" issue (as Snyder put it), I was a bit unsure of what I would be reading, luckily I was quite impressed. 
Although showing us the near future, there were a number of things that will definitely need to be answered. Love or hate her, Harper Row is now a member of the Bat-Family now known as, Bluebird, and she showed she is quite capable. Be interesting to see how they brought her from a smart yet  "punk" kid from the narrows, to this cross between Nightwing and Red Hood, and "Kick-Ass" character, Hitgirl (visually speaking). Who was Batman talking to in the Batcave? I may have been right in the "Rundown" above in saying it is Carrie Kelly, but may also be Harper's brother. Again, they only show the person from behind and they have short slightly spiky hair. And then of course there is apparent crisis that has hit Gotham City. By the sounds of it there was some sort of outbreak, and people are dying from it. Batman himself seems to be kind of starting a new in regards to his relationship with the police department, what caused that to happen? Where's Jim Gordon? Infected? Batman has also lost some friends. Did things get worse between him and the other members of the Bat-Family? Did someone else die?

Clearly the writing is top notch as it has been really since the relaunch, lot of large story arcs, but well written. The art is right up there with the writing. Snyder and Capullo are a winning team in my humble opinion. Again with Bluebirds visuals, although it looked like a blend, it fit well into the traditional "look" of a Bat-Family member, as well as looked good. Even the nightclub, "The Egyptian", looked really good especially the statues which were in hindsight a giveaway as to who was the "boss" of the establishment. Visually interesting to see what unfolds in "new" Gotham and all the possible changes and events that occur.
Overall, it was yet another great issue of "Batman". The break from the slightly origin based "Zero Year" heavily surpassed my low expectations going in, and has me eager to pick up the first issue of "Batman: Eternal" in April, and of course refreshed to be hyped about tuning in next month at the same Bat-time and same Bat-channel for "Batman #29".

Stay Nerdy!