Batman #41

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

DC has been promoting their new status quos for a while. Now that said status quo is here it appears to be something of an improvement. A lot of these changes seem to be working. One of the only DC titles that didn’t need a shakeup was Batman, but they the title a little spring cleaning anyway. So, how is issue 41? Is it still great? It’s Snyder and Capullo… of course it’s still great.

In case you didn’t know, Jim Gordon has taken the mantle of Batman. DC’s New Comic Book Day issue gave us a little taste of this new era, teasing the whys and hows of Gordon’s promotion. Unfortunately, issue 41 is simply more of that with a different spin. While this may sound like a bummer, fear not. Snyder’s character work is in full force, so it feels fresh and exciting (even if it isn’t). If you have read Superior Spider-Man, you may get a sense of familiarity. This has a similar tone, but it’s thankfully not as ridiculous or poorly written.

Gordon is portrayed as a man in over his head. He has the bravery and knowledge, but he doesn’t have the unrealistic training it requires to properly be Batman. However, there are moments when his love for justice and keen detective skills win out, allowing him to save the day. Snyder’s flawless character building has created a Jim Gordon that is both new and the same. Deep down, he’s still the gritty commissioner that we know and love. Snyder shows the familiar and proceeds to present some new ways to look at him. It’s really clever as heck and needs to be read to truly comprehend what’s at work.

Oh, Capullo. How we love to sing your praises. The entire art team is simply the best comics have to offer. Issue 41 looks more refined and you can tell that Capullo and Plascencia have found a groove. Considering how incredible things have been, it’s scary to think that it could possibly get even better. When I close my eyes and think of Gordon (creepy), Capullo’s interpretation is what my brain immediately goes to. The character has simply never looked better than right in this very issue. Even his Batman mech suit looks great. I’m not a fan of the overall design, but Capullo, Plascencia and Miki sure make it look as impressive as possible. Well done.

Are you mad that they changed Batman? Suck it up, loser. This is Snyder and Capullo and this comic is just as great as the rest. You won’t regret it.