Batman #31

By Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Danny Miki, & Fco Plascencia

We’re now in the final act of Zero Year.  That’s a good thing because the entire concept is starting to get a little long in the tooth.  It’s not that it’s bad at all.  Actually, it’s been great, especially lately.  We’re just ready to move on.  Enough complaining. So, how is this issue?

Well, it’s pretty cool.  Once you suspend your disbelief and just roll with the ridiculous state of Gotham during Zero Year, Snyder’s genius truly shines.  Batman finally accepts the Riddler’s challenge to a match of wits.  Through this exciting showdown, Snyder peels away the onion and presents some sides of the Batman/Riddler dynamic that perhaps we haven’t thought about before.

Snyder also continues to build Batman’s eventual partnerships with Lucius Fox and Jim Gordon.  These are very important relationships in Bruce’s life and it’s a treat to see them explored in new and exciting ways.  Heck, Jim saves Batman from certain death!  When you think about it, the fact that Jim saves Batman before our Dark Knight ever gets a chance to truly save him is very interesting.  Couple that with their meetings while Bruce was a young boy and it becomes a beautiful tapestry that is reminiscent of Nolan’s movie trilogy.

Greg Capullo keeps wowing us with stunning imagery and subtle visual allegories.  The guy’s run on Batman has become legendary.  Two guys that also need mention are Danny Miki (inker) and Fco Plascencia (colorist).  Capullo’s work always looks good, but Miki and Plascencia take these panels one step further.  Seriously, their work can keep your eyes occupied for hours.

Even if we’re ready for a new storyline, you can’t deny the recent brilliance of Snyder and Capullo.  It’s the hidden meanings that go beyond the page that make this creative team so special.  When they’re on a roll, there’s really no stopping them.