Batman #10 or The Comic That Shook the Internet to its Foundations!

Batman #10

Written by Scott Snyder with art by Greg Capullo

I should warn readers that there are spoilers in this post, but frankly if you have been reading Batman since the New 52 relaunch you’ve no doubt read this issue.

If you haven’t been reading, you’ve probably read the spoiler and developed a reaction to the news… this post is actually for those people.

Often this kind of thing gets ‘leaked’ and explodes across the ‘net out of context and receives reactions based not on the work itself but on the news item itself.

The Human Torch is dead! Green Lantern is gay! and Spider-Man is now half black/half Latino! (for example) mean absolutely nothing out of context. These ideas do not exist in a vacuum, they are part of an ongoing story and if you haven’t been investing the time and money to keep up, you’re just not going to get it. If you have been reading, you’ll probably have seen this kind of thing coming a mile away.

In the case of Batman #10, this is one massive shocker of an adventure that has played out in several books, all culminating into a series of stunning revelations changing the status quot of Batman and his world.

To begin with, there exists in Gotham City a mythical Court of Owls that is so deadly that they are only known by nursery rhymes by the general population. After his parents were murdered, young Bruce Wayne investigated their real existence and came up with nothing. One of his ancestors, Alan Wayne, who was found ranting in the streets that the Court of Owls was real and watching them all.

As the wily crew at ComicVine.com pointed out, this idea was not born out of thin air. It’s roots are in the pages of Batman comics several decades old in which Batman discovers that he not only has a brother, but that Thomas Wayne Jr. is an insane killer. Grant Morrison was renowned for reviving ideas from Batman’s past, but frankly they felt far too much to me like attempts to appear clever. Doctor Hurt claiming to be evil devil-worshiping Thomas Wayne who faked his death, etc, was just… odd (even if it was a lie to confuse the dark detective), especially given the topsy-turvy narrative style.

In the case of Batman #10, the revelation is built into the narrative and a large part of the emotional storyline. Lincoln March is introduced early on in the series, appears eerily similar to Bruce Wayne (financially well-off, well-built, dark haired) and is clearly important for some reason… but Snyder leaves it unclear what the reason is. March is running for the position of Mayor, but is a clean and positive politician with an optimistic vision of Gotham City’s future.

As Batman explores the world of the Court of Owls and becomes enveloped in the race to protect the various assassination attempts hatched by the Court’s Talons, March is included as one of the many targets. Bruce visits March while he is recuperating and learns that they have more in common, both are orphans. March paints a tragic image for Bruce, including details that haunt Batman as he further investigates the Court of Owls.

Throughout the course of the story, Batman discovers that not only is the Court of Owls very real, but they are part of the history of Gotham City, a brotherhood that has shaped the people and various industries to the city of today. All of this has been going on in ‘Batman’s City’ for generations and he never knew, partly because their existence would put a neat cap on the death of his parents. Thomas and Martha Wayne could have been eliminated by the Court of Owls as they were philanthropists who refused to tow the party line or play nice with other members of high society.

It is revealed that Dick Grayson was chosen to be a Talon and marked by the Court of Owls, but his tutelage under Batman changed all of that. The Talons are nearly immortal killers that date back to the formation of Gotham City itself, and through mysterious means they are nearly immortal.

The multi-title event has consisted mainly of races across Gotham City to stop the Talons from killing their targets. The chase ends with Batman finding the entire Court of Owls already dead.

Even though Alfred tries to assure Batman that he has won the fight… Bruce knows that he has missed something important. March attached importance to a particular heart-shaped pin that was found by his mother’s body after the car crash that took her from him… the same pin that Bruce can clearly see worn by his departed mother in the family portrait. Only after connecting details from March’s tragic history does Bruce theorize that he is being emotionally manipulated. March is connected to the Court of Owls. A man that Bruce Wayne shares so much in common with, who appears on the surface to be a man of noble character, is actually none of these things. He is a cold-blooded killer.

—SPOILERS—

Given all of the above, throwing another big reveal into this story isn’t all that unusual. Even so, Batman himself refuses to believe the facts that have been staring him in the face all along. March isn’t just a member of the Court of Owls, he has taken them over. Not only that… he and Bruce share so many details for a good reason… they’re brothers.

Owlman, a dark and twisted version of Batman from a parallel reality, was initially Thomas Wayne Jr., the same character exposed as a madman by Deadman many years ago. That Thomas Wayne Jr. suffered after effects from a car accident that Martha Wayne survived, after effects that drove him to Willowwood Asylum. It is this same asylum that Batman tracks March to in the pages of the latest issue of the series, where he and March square off as equals.

The new Batman series has been very violent, very upsetting and intense, but at the same time intelligent. It is also helped by the astonishing artwork by Greg Capullo. While it may not be ‘new reader friendly’ as DC’s New 52 line was intended, it is one of the better runs of Batman I have read in ages, since the last time Snyder helmed the book, in fact.

So if you do stumble upon the latest ‘shocking’ revelation in Batman, you may want to catch up on the series by reading the recently released collection by Snyder and Capulo before you cast judgement.

Batman: The Black Mirror

Batman: Gates of Gotham

Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls

Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths

This week at your comic shop – 5/9/2012

For the complete list of this week’s comics, click here.

Not sure where your local comic shop is? Try comicshoplocator.com!

(note: all information including ad copy is from the publisher)

If you can’t make it to the shop, just click on any of the images below to be taken to an online retailer. I don’t get any referrals for these sales, I’m just doing my bit to spread the word on some neat products.

Hulk Smash Avengers #2 (of 5)

Hulk Smash Avengers #2 (of 5)
By: Joe Casey, Max Fiumara, Lee Weeks
A five-part, weekly punch-fest that explores the ever-evolving relationship between the Gamma Goliath and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!Hulk vs. the ’70s-era Avengers: Iron Man, Wasp, Vision and the Beast!

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Batman HC Vol. 01 The Court of Owls

Batman HC Vol. 01 The Court of Owls
By: Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo
Following his groundbreaking, critically acclaimed run on Detective Comics, writer Scott Snyder (American Vampire) begins a new era of The Dark Knight with artist Greg Capullo (Spawn) and a new beginning for Batman!

In this hardcover collecting the first six issues, a series of brutal murders rocks not only Gotham City to its core but also the Caped Crusader himself when the prime suspect is one of Batman’s closest allies–Dick Grayson!

This title collects
Batman #1-6

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Batman #9

Batman #9
By: Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo
‘NIGHT OF THE OWLS’ continues here!

Batman must stop the TALONS that have breeched the Batcave in order to save an innocent life…and Gotham City! In the backup story, learn more about the Pennyworth family and the secrets they’ve kept from the Wayne family!
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Wolverine and the X-Men #10

Wolverine and the X-Men #10
By: Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo
An AVX TIE-IN!

Cyclops comes to the Jean Grey School! Will Wolverine’s X-Men join Cyclops against the Avengers? ICEMAN vs RED HULK!

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Doctor Who Classics Series 5 #4 (of 6)

Doctor Who Classics Series 5 #4 (of 6)
By: Grant Morrison, John Ridgway
IDW’s newly recolored reprints of classic Doctor Who tales from years past! This all-new series picks up where Series III left off, with the adventures of the SIXTH DOCTOR! Features two complete stories from celebrated writers Grant Morrison (Batman Incorporated) and Simon Furman (Transformers)!
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Batman And Robin #9

Batman And Robin #9
By: Peter J. Tomasi, Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray
NIGHT OF THE OWLS continues here!

Robin faces Talon alone with the skies of Gotham City at stake!

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Babys In Black HC

Babys In Black HC
By: Arne Bellstorf
Meet The Beatles… right at the beginning of their careers. This high-energy graphic novel provides an intimate peek into the early years of the world’s greatest rock band. The ‘fifth Beatle,’ Stuart Sutcliffe, falls in love with the beautiful Astrid Kirchherr when she recruits the Beatles for a sensational (and famous) photography session during their time in Hamburg. When the band returns to Liverpool, Sutcliffe stays in Hamburg and becomes engaged to Kirchherr. A year later, his career as a modern artist is cut short when he dies unexpectedly. The book ends as it begins, with Astrid, alone and adrift; but with a note of hope: her life is incomparably richer and more directed thanks to her friendship with the Beatles and her love affair with Sutcliffe.
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Uncanny X-Force #25

Uncanny X-Force #25
By: Rick Remender, Mike McKone, Jerome Opena
Landmark 25th issue! The epic saga THE FINAL EXECUTION begins here! Who are the Omegas and why must X-Force hunt them down? Included in this issue: Two rare stories by Rick Remender and Jerome Opeña starring Wolverine and Deadpool!
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Megalex Complete Story HC

Megalex Complete Story HC
By: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Fred Beltran
On the planet-city of Megalex, urban sprawl consumes the entire planet, leaving only a few bastions of nature on the planet. Megalex’s drug-addled citizens are always searching for a distraction, even the battle Megalex wages on the planets’ environment is seen as giddy entertainment. That all changes when a clone, known only as the Anomaly, is born and rescued from certain destruction by the beautiful Adamâ and her fellow freedom fighters. With the forces of nature on their side, the Anomaly and Adamâ fight to end the stranglehold Megalex has on the planet.
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Conquest of the Planet of the Living Dead One Shot

Conquest of the Planet of the Living Dead One Shot
By: Joe Wight, David Hutchinson
The galactic war has raged for 300 years. The planet of origin has finally been confirmed. Now Humanity will strike at the undead heart of the Zombie Plague. The living must take back the galaxy or forever be condemned to death without end. There is no peace. There is no surrender. There is no escape. There is only eternal damnation…or CONQUEST.

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New Avengers #26

New Avengers #26
By: Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Deodato
AVX TIE-IN!

The secret history of the Phoenix is revealed in K’un Lun’s book of the dead Iron Fists. One of the most important chapters in the AVX story. What is Danny Rand’s secret connection to the Phoenix?
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Punisher #11

Punisher #11
By: Greg Rucka, Mirko Colak, Bryan Hitch
After making the streets run red in “The Omega Effect” with Spider-Man and Daredevil, Frank Castle speaks. And Rachel Cole is not going to like what she hears.

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Demon Knights #9

Demon Knights #9
By: Paul Cornell, Diogenes Neves, Mike Choi
‘THE MURDER OF MERLIN’ begins. Great jumping-on point for new readers to join the series!

Who has the power to murder Merlin–and what else are they capable of?
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Marvel Masterworks Avengers HC Vol. 12

Marvel Masterworks Avengers HC Vol. 12
By: Steve Englehart, Bob Brown, John Romita
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes fight one of the greatest battles in super-hero history! It’s hero against hero in the sensational summer hit of 1973: the ‘Avengers/Defenders War.’ Cap vs. Namor! Thor vs. Hulk!

It’s the original crossover clash, and there’s never been another one like it. But first, there are even more trendsetting classics in store for you: Mantis makes her debut; the Lion God brings the Avengers to their knees; Vision and the Scarlet Witch’s relationship blossoms, but not without the intolerant objections of others; and the Swordsman joins the ranks of the Avengers.

And as an added bonus, we’re including rare pinups, profiles and an interview with the Avengers’ own Jarvis – all from the pages of the ’70s fan-mag F.O.O.M.!
This title collects
Avengers #112-119 (1963), Defenders #8-11 (1972), Foom #5-7

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DC Superhero Chess Figure Coll Mag #5 Catwoman White Queen

DC Superhero Chess Figure Coll Mag #5 Catwoman White Queen

DC Superhero Chess Figure Coll Mag #4 Penguin Black Knight

DC Superhero Chess Figure Coll Mag #4 Penguin Black Knight
The DC Superhero Chess Figure Collector Magazine brings your favorite DC Comics characters to life in a stunning chess-piece collection, complete with a 16-page magazine providing detail on the character as well as instructions on how the piece operates on the chess board! Each official figurine is cast in metallic resin and individually hand-painted.

Get your collection started this month with the first four figures of this amazing set: Batman White King (#1), Robin White Bishop (#2), Joker Black King (#3), and Penguin Black Knight (#4)!
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Frankenstein Alive Alive #1

Frankenstein Alive Alive #1
By: Steve Niles, Bernie Wrightson
Few works by comic-book artists have earned the universal acclaim and reverence that Bernie Wrightson’s illustrated version of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein was met with upon its original release in 1983.

Nearly 30 years later, Wrightson returns to his passion project with a comic series that picks up at the end of the classic novel, hailed as one of the greatest horror stories of all time. Frequent Wrightson collaborator Steve Niles provides the script for this epic, decades in the making.

While appearing to be in black and white, each page was scanned in color to mimic as closely as possible the experience of viewing the actual original art, showing off the exquisitely detailed brush work of one of the greatest living artists in comics today.

Each issue will also include supplemental materials, including interviews, essays and a serialization of the original prose story by Shelley.

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Mystery In Space (One Shot) (Variant Cover Edition)

Mystery In Space (One Shot) (Variant Cover Edition)
By: Andy Diggle, Paul Pope, Ryan Sook, Mike Allred
This one-shot anthology is loaded with unsettling short stories that will hijack your imagination and take you to strange, mysterious places.

Journey to the edge of the abyss with Michael Allred! Arrive in the middle of an intergalactic space heist with Paul Pope!

Plus: Broken hearts will be cryogenically frozen, a zero-gravity menage á trois will be compromised by aliens, and solar systems will spiral out of control when top comics talents and exciting newcomers collide!

This variant cover edition comes bagged and boarded.
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Higher Earth #1

Higher Earth #1
By: Sam Humphries, Carlos Magno, Phil Noto
Space is dead. Why conquer other planets when there’s a perfectly good Earth in the universe next door?

Heidi, a girl born in garbage. Rex, a soldier gone rogue. The only thing between them and their destiny is an empire of a hundred different Earths, across a hundred alternate timelines.

One majestic planet dominates them all: Higher Earth. Created and written by Sam Humphries (Fanboys Vs. Zombies) Higher Earth is his sci-fi follow up to last year’s indie hit Our Love Is Real, a fast-paced epic of infinite possibilities.

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Avengers Academy Prem HC Second Semester

Avengers Academy Prem HC Second Semester
By: Christos N. Gage, Sean Chen, Rodin Esquejo
It’s a new start for the Academy kids! New students! New staff! New West Coast campus! But when a classic Avenger is murdered, everyone becomes a suspect – and guest-stars Captain America, Luke Cage and HawkeyeÖbrawl with the student body?! As student turns on student, and students clash with staff, which cast members are trying to shut down the Academy? It’s a surprise revelation that will have your jaw on the floor! Plus: Reptil’s darkest secret is revealed! And when X-23 joins Avengers Academy, will they survive the experience? Collecting AVENGERS ACADEMY #21-26.
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Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #5

Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #5
By: Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Tonci Zonjic, Dave Stewart, Dave Johnson
Lobster Johnson blasts his way through an army of mad sewer cannibals in order to get to the greedy mob boss Wald!

* From the pages of Hellboy.

* Art by Tonci Zonjic (Who Is Jake Ellis?)

“Lobster Johnson is smart, savvy and fun.” -Comics Bulletin

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Journey Into Mystery #637

Journey Into Mystery #637
By: Kieron Gillen, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Stephanie Hans
Exiled part 2 of 5!

Gods made mortal, with mutants their only hope for survival! Undead cannibals on the loose, San Francisco turned inside out by forbidden magic!

A thrilling mythological mystery adventure in the Mighty Marvel manner, the most epic crossover of 2012! (Not counting that one where As fight Xs)
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Lone Ranger Vendetta GN

Lone Ranger Vendetta GN
By: Howard Hopkins, Doug Klauba
From out of the past comes a mysterious killer systematically murdering anyone with a connection to the Masked Rider of the Plains former identity. When all signs point to Butch Cavendish, a man long dead, The Ranger finds himself trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the life of his faithful Indian companion hanging in the balance.

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Frankenstein Agent of Shade #9

Frankenstein Agent of Shade #9
By: Jeff Lemire, Alberto Ponticelli
S.H.A.D.E. sends Frankenstein to find the mysteriously missing Animal Man. Frankenstein battles The Rotlings!
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FLCL Omnibus TPB

FLCL Omnibus TPB
By: Gainax, Hajime Ueda
The complete FLCL manga adaptation–now with bonus color illustrations and remastered story pages! In this surreal sci-fi romp, a sullen Japanese boy finds himself in the middle of an interstellar conspiracy.

As his home life unravels, a sexy space assassin becomes his family maid, and his own head becomes a portal for armed robots. Life as he knows it is quickly falling apart, and Ueda doesn’t know who’s friend or foe! One thing’s for certain–he has to grow up quick and save his hometown, whether he wants to or not!

* A popular Adult Swim cartoon–now read the manga series!

* Dark Horse Manga’s FLCL Omnibus will include remastered story pages, a remastered script, and bonus color pages.

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Hulk #51

Hulk #51
By: Jeff Parker, Carlo Pagulayan
General Ross is being haunted by ghosts from his past, but WHOSE ghosts are they? Red Hulk wants answers, but so do . . . RAIZO KODO and THE FORGIVEN?!?! Does salvation lie in the hands of the LEGION OF MONSTERS?
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Green Lantern #9

Green Lantern #9
By: Geoff Johns, Doug Mahnke
‘THE SECRET OF THE INDIGO TRIBE’ part three!

Hal Jordan and Sinestro learn the horrific truth behind the members of the Indigo Tribe and their connection to Abin Sur.

Also, the Guardians begin their plan to replace the Green Lantern Corps–at any cost!

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Essential Black Panther TPB Vol. 01

Essential Black Panther TPB Vol. 01
By: Don McGregor, Rich Buckler, Gil Kane
Embark on an expedition into the heart of Marvel’s dark continent! Join T’Challa, King of Wakanda – the Black Panther – as he fights to uphold peace and justice in both his own African kingdom and New York City’s urban jungle.

Experience the thrills as one of the Marvel Universe’s noblest knights-errant takes on everything from hatemongering heels to futuristic frog time machines, as brought to you by the inimitable imaginations of some of comicdom’s most sensational scribes!
This title collects
Jungle Action (1972) #6-22 and #24, plus Black Panther (1977) #1-10.

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Captain America And Hawkeye #630

Captain America And Hawkeye #630
By: Cullen Bunn, Alessandro Vitti, Patrick Zircher
All the patriotism and arrows in the world may not be enough to save Cap and Hawkeye from a hive of dino-monstrosities! A secret buried beneath the San Andres Mountains begins to unravel.

All this and: Stegron!

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Legion Of Super Heroes Archives HC Vol. 13

Legion Of Super Heroes Archives HC Vol. 13
Written by JIM SHOOTER, PAUL LEVITZ and GERRY CONWAY Art by MIKE GRELL, MICHAEL NETZER, JOE STATON, JIM SHERMAN and others ï Cover by MIKE GRELL ADVANCE SOLICITED ï On sale MARCH 3 ï 240 pg, FC, $59.99 US In these stories, collected from SUPERBOY AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #224-233, the 30th century teens battle Stargrave, The Fatal Five and the intergalactic conspiracy known as The Dark Circle.
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Avengers Crossing Omnibus HC

Avengers Crossing Omnibus HC
One of the nineties’ most notorious narratives! It was a day unlike any other, but in which timeline? Warriors from the future and secrets from the past abound when Kang the Conqueror appears to set the Avengers and Force Works against each other in a game for a prize no one can imagine!

Starring Iron Man, War Machine, Crystal and Quicksilver, Hawkeye and the Black Widow, Hercules, the Vision and the Scarlet Witch, Dr. Doom, and more!

This title collects
Avengers (1963) #390-395, Avengers: The Crossing, Avengers: Timeslide, Iron Man (1968) #319-325, Force Works #16-22, War Machine (1994) #20-25 and Age of Innocence: The Rebirth of Iron Man

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Captain America #11

Captain America #11
By: Ed Brubaker, Patrick Zircher
Patrick Zircher joins Ed Brubaker for “System Failure.” Ex super-villains in Witness Protection are murdered! Are they related to the return of an old villain and an old lover? Can Cap solve this mystery before he himself becomes a target?
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Kolchak And Lost World SC

Kolchak And Lost World SC
By: C. J. Henderson, Doug Klauba
After getting a serial killer to confess, Kolchak is offered an international assignment with massive coverage around the world. With fame and fortune finally within reach, Kolchak is ready to cover the story, when he’s confronted by a mysterious monk who warns him that ‘the seventy-two must always be.’ What this means is not explained. But, before he knows it, Kolchak’s dreams are invaded by unexplainable images that let him know every step he takes toward this story is bringing him closer to death.
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Captain America By Ed Brubaker Prem HC Vol. 02

Captain America By Ed Brubaker Prem HC Vol. 02
By: Ed Brubaker, Alan Davis
Cap struggles to find his faith when the new Hydra rises from the ashes and makes its first deadly moves! As the Serpent Squad strikes and Madbomb riots explode through Manhattan, Sharon Carter takes charge – and Cap’s crisis of faith becomes a debilitating physical dilemma! Events spiral out of control as Codename: Bravo returns, Machinesmith breaks loose, and Falcon fights alongside the enemy! Can Cap be cured? And if so, will it be in time to face the new Hydra’s deadly secret? Superstar artist Alan Davis joins the all-star creative team as best-selling Cap writer Ed Brubaker brings you action-packed espionage in the Mighty Marvel Manner! Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA (2011) #6-10.

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Avenging Spider-Man #7

Avenging Spider-Man #7
By: Kathryn Immonen, Stuart Immonen
A night out with Spider-Man and She-Hulk! All the thwipping and quipping, and none of the calories! Katherine and Stuart Immonen smash their way into the book so action packed it keeps flying off the shelves…
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Avengers Private War of Dr Doom

Avengers Private War of Dr Doom
By: Steve Englehart, George Perez
In an epic spanning from New York to Louisiana to California to Maryland to the Atlantic Ocean, the Avengers are forced into Dr. Doom’s latest scheme by the Atlantean Attuma, who wants Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to keep Doom from conquering the world – so HE can conquer it, instead!Plus: voodoo, mad science and the resurrection of the dead! With guest appearances from throughout Avengers history! Featuring Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Champions of Los Angeles, the Circus of Crime and more!

This title collects
Avengers #151-156 (1963), Avengers Annual #6, Super Villain Team-Up #9

Quick reviews: Animal Man, Batman, and Thunder Agents

Animal Man #5

By Jeff Lemiere and Travel Foreman
Out of all the 52 re-launches, I have been most impressed by Batwoman, Frankenstein, OMAC and Animal Man. Of course OMAC will end shortly (a greater crime against humanity I cannot conceive), but the other two are chugging along. An obscure superhero from the Silver Age of comics, Animal Man apparently gained the ability to tap into the abilities of the animal world via alien technology. When DC’s Vertigo imprint decided to revise a number of characters and make them more modern, Neil Gaiman tackled Sandman and Grant Morrison took Animal Man. He developed Buddy Baker into a family man who felt that in the story of his life, he wasn’t even a supporting character. The world was wild and out of control but he just couldn’t find his place in it. Struggling to make ends meet, he had a wife and two kids to support. His perceptions were stretched to the breaking point when he encountered the aliens responsible for his powers and broke the fourth wall into the realm of the writer. The Morrison run remains very impressive and showed readers that even the most obscure and random character could be crafted into an incredible story, given the right impetus.

I was confused as to why DC would relaunch Animal Man without Morrison’s involvement (though the work by Peter Milligan and Jamie Delano are also highly recommended). In Delano’s run, Animal Man became part of ‘The Red,’ a kind of animal-version of Swamp Thing’s ‘The Green’ and the series ascended to a cosmic level. Fan-favorite Jeff Lemiere (Sweet Tooth, Essex County, FRANKENSTEIN: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.) has proven me oh-so-wrong for questioning DC’s judgement.

The revamped series takes hints from the Vertigo run and adds a healthy dose of horror… actually make that a generous amount of spine-tinglingly terrifying imagery. Buddy Baker is still trying to make a living as a superhero with mixed results. The Red is tainted by something called The Rot, an infection that is causing a series of violent deaths, all with a pattern leading to Buddy Baker’s daughter, Maxine. Delving into the Red, Buddy and Maxine discover that Maxine is
the avatar of the Red, a position that Buddy failed to fill. The Rot are attempting to kill Maxine before she reaches her full potential and thereby take prominence over all creation. One of the Red’s ‘Parliament’ joins Buddy and Maxine in an attempt to assist them in evading the Rot, but the Baker’s have other plans.

In the corporeal realm, Buddy’s wife and son Cliff are threatened by an agent of the Rot who has infected a seemingly human being. The transformation is stomach turning as eyeballs roll, intestines unravel like snakes and sinew twists into a distorted nightmare if the human body. Buddy isn’t much help in battle, to be honest, as the Red is tainted by the Rot and suffering. Maxine attempts to help her dad by summoning an army of animals to attack the monstrous creature… and then things get really really bad.

Animal Man is about to formally tie into Swamp Thing as their story lines become more closely related. It’s an exciting time to read both monthly books as they are both so well crafted and drawn with an unsettling attention to disturbing detail.

Batman #5

By Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
Batman has discovered a myth as old as Gotham, the Court of Owls, is real. A story told by parents to scare children, any who have spoken of the Court of Owls as a reality were deemed as insane, including a member of Bruce Wayne’s own family, who was found raving in the streets despairing about the eyes of the owls following him everywhere.

All of this came to a head when Bruce Wayne and Batman both became the target of a killer named Talon, an agent of the Court of Owls. Looking deep into the history and architecture of Gotham City, Batman has discovered that not only is the Court of Owls real, but they have hidden bases in the 13th floors of many important buildings. It’s a terrifying moment that challenges Batman’s sanity and ego. The very city that he had long guarded and surveyed belongs to an ancient society operating in the shadows.

The latest issue sees Batman lost in a maze built by the Court of Owls, apparently for days as Commissioner Gordon and the other members of the Bat Family search for their mentor in vain. Batman is physically battered and beaten, but mentally he is entirely shattered, wandering the through labyrinthine halls, arriving at the same location on numerous occasions and remaining none the wiser. A wall of framed photographs depicting haggard and wan men driven insane by the Court. His own face joins the others, and the expression is one of madness and defeat.

The page layouts tip and turn throughout the comic, requiring the reader to turn the comic sideways and upside down in order to follow the story. It sounds intrusive (because it is) but it works marvelously with the tone of the comic. Unsettling and confusing, the story tightens around our hero and his grip on sanity loosens until it is too late.

As you may know, the current story involving the Court of Owls will soon expand into a full cross-over, stretching into the other Bat-titles. The threat posed by the Court of Owls is staggering and the normally composed and stern Batman is clearly frayed at the edges in this situation.

Batman has fought several super villains throughout his long career, many of which have opposed what is normal and sane. The Court of Owls is the apex of this concept, and promises a challenge that the dark knight will not easily survive. A relative newcomer to the realm of Batman, Scott Snyder has already earned his place as one of the most impressive writers to ever grace the pages of this series. His previous stories ‘Black Mirror’ and ‘Hungry City’ have been named among the best of the modern Batman adventures. I have high hopes that the Court of Owls will soon join the others that reputation.

Thunder Agents #3

By Nick Spencer, Wes Craig and Walt Simonson
In the 1960’s Wally Wood created an entire line of comics designed to challenge the popularity and success of the characters created by Marvel and DC Comics. He created the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, an international organization consisting of super spies and soldiers along with remarkable individuals armed with the most sophisticated weapons and tools ever known to man. The catch was that the devices were slowly killing the users. Sadly, the initial experiment was a failure at challenging the sales of the other more established titles and the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Undersea Agent, NoMan and Dynamo all fell off the shelves. However, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is kind of the Velvet Underground of the comic book world. They failed to make a mark in the industry sales-wise yet everyone who has read those comics has recognized the genius inherent in the pages therein and the potential for more.

After as few false-starts, the new Thunder Agents series finally arrived last year and set the comic book world afire. Featuring dynamic artwork (including guest artists to depict flash-back sequences), Nick Spencer’s series wasn’t the edgy modern revamp fans of the classic feared, it honored and understood its precursor and built on the ideas born in those pages. The series ran for 10 successful issues. When it was announced that Nick Spencer would be working for Marvel on Iron Man 2.0, fans were nervous that comic was headed for the crap heap. Remarkably, it merely took a brief hiatus only to return in a new limited run.

The one problem I must admit to in the series is that I am intensely interested in the Thunder Agents NoMan, Dynamo and Lightning, but all too often the focus falls on the quirky Toby, the man with the Menthor helmet, a device of immense power. But Toby is reluctant to don the helmet as it seems to take him over, putting him in a kind of back-seat to his own psyche. That may be interesting, but what is not so interesting is what the reader is left with, endless scenes where Toby fails to flirt with fellow agent Colleen and his lame jokes. There’s a war waging under the Earth’s crust, a nest of secrets and lies hiding in the history of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents program… yet we keep coming back to this character who adds little to nothing to the story.

The saving grace is that this issue, the main plot involves a poetic meditation on NoMan, the only surviving member of the original T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. An aged inventor, Dr. Dunn is haunted by his past invention, a technology that has made him essentially immortal. His consciousness converted into an electrical impulse, Dunn has become NoMan and is capable of ‘jumping’ between android bodies at will. It’s a remarkable achievement, but as the story unfolds Dunn ruminates on the fact that it is no longer his. His life has become an extension of his inventions and those now serve a higher order. He is, in essence, a tool.

The action continues to unfold slowly but surely which must frustrate some, nut I think that when the smoke clears this will be recognized as a great superhero comic book. Perhaps not as ground-breaking as the original, yet reverently paying homage to an obscure classic and continuing the hard work begun so long ago.

The Dark Knight faces the Court of Owls in Scott Snyder’s Batman

When DC Comics revamped their line-up with 52 #1’s, there were some comics that thankfully continued onward with their already established record of success. Scott Snyder had already impressed readers with his Black Mirror and Hungry City story lines as well as the Gates of Gotham mini-series, so it was a major relief when it was revealed that he would remain a member of the modern Batman bullpen.

The latest series has involved a mystery that hearkens back to the establishment of Gotham City and a sad period in the Wayne lineage. Faced with a strange shrouded killer, Batman is told that the Court of Owls, a long-standing urban myth, is a real secret society that has been operating in secret throughout Gotham for generations. When he investigates the possibility, he discovers that there is a lot about ‘his’ city that he does not know.

While the killer himself is interesting enough, what I find most appealing is that Batman isn’t just facing one adversary but an entire conspiracy with ties running into the legacy of Gotham City and knowledge that surpasses his own immense intellect. I enjoyed Snyder’s run on Batman previous to the 52 re-boot for many reasons but one of them was that it featured Dick Grayson under the cowl. Many fans questioned this decision (especially given that EiC Dan DiDio had expressed an intent to kill the character off) but it opened up so many possibilities. Gone was the brilliant and near-flawless crime fighter and in his place was a courageous hero who could very well be killed each issue. This was not Bruce who commonly had a secret plan up his sleeves, this was Dick who, while hardly new to the game, was not his mentor.

When DC brought Bruce Wayne back into the Batman costume, it placed a new challenge to writers. Wayne had stood up to Darkseid, fought his way through history and even out-schemed the Black Glove. From this point on, the foes that Batman faced would have to be far more dangerous than ever before. Snyder meets this challenge with exceptional skill by inventing the Court of Owls…

Scott Snyder has teased the secret appearances of new Batman villains The Court of Owls.

The Swamp Thing writer revealed that visual clues to the group appeared throughout his year-long run on Detective Comics and his Batman: Gates of Gotham miniseries prior to his move to Batman in DC Comics’ New 52 titles.

His run on Detective Comics has recently been collected in the Batman: The Black Mirror hardcover, with art by Jock and Francesco Francavilla.

“I had so much fun on the ‘Black Mirror’ run with Jock, Francesco and Dave B – not just issue to issue – but brainstorming and talking ideas that would play out over the whole year, that it got me thinking about my next big Batman story early,” Snyder told iFanboy.

“So by the time we were heading toward home plate on it, I had the bones of this year’s Court of Owls story down for myself, too. I told Jock and Francesco some of the beats and we thought it’d be fun to start lacing a couple glimpses of owls into the final issues. Same with Gates [of Gotham].

“The idea was to really make the reader feel – like Bruce – that the Court has been hiding in plain sight for years, built into the stone and glass latticework of the city itself, tucked into the history, the shadows.”

Batman #4 will be released on December 21.

Via: http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a354045/batman-scott-snyder-teases-the-secrets-of-the-court-of-owls.html

The monthly Batman comic book, along with Detective Comics and Batman and Robin are outstanding and highly recommended, but I must give more acclaim to these two collections by Scott Snyder that belong on your shelf:

Batman: The Black Mirror

Batman: Gates of Gotham