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Sep 27, 2011 DC Comics By Kyle Lemmon

Batman #1 comfortably sits alongside the relaunches Action Comics, Animal Man, Batwoman, Justice League, Swamp Thing, and Wonder Woman. It’s one of the best examples that DC’s New 52 relaunch is an out-and-out success. This issue is a fitting tribute to old Batman comics and brings a fresh approach to the franchise. Writer Scott Snyder (American Vampire, Severed, Swamp Thing) gives fans a smart tale that links Gotham’s slow urban renewal with Bruce Wayne’s rebirth as its savior. The last panel’s mysterious cliffhanger is deserved and sets up the Dark Knight for a loss of trust when a close ally is accused of murder.

Scott Snyder’s work with the Dick Grayson Batman this past year was pretty solid. His take on Bruce Wayne is more refined and intellectual. It also packs a violent punch when the time is right. The violene is never gratuitous, though. Too many modern books go way overboard with violence, to the detriment of the overall storyline. There’s also a ton of classic Batman villains thrown into the scene-setting prologue of the book. Comic book geeks will gush. As the narration boxes roll along, we also get some classic comic action. It’s rare that I have this much fun while reading a comic. Snyder takes some tonal cues from Christopher Nolan’s film universe, too. There are gadgets and mysteries to be solved and galas for Wayne to attend. Classic stuff.

Greg Capullo’s art reminds me of Batman: The Animated Series from the ‘90s. It’s slightly cartoon-based in form, but the details are mature and nuanced. He lends a sense of mystery and creepy violence from his days working on Spawn and Haunt. FCO Plascencia’s (Haunt, Invincible) colors employ a lot of primary colors. Oftentimes, Batman books are too gray and black. New fans will be introduced to all of Bruce Wayne’s wards in this issue and that sequence is handled gracefully, too. It’s not forced and doesn’t slow down the narrative.

Snyder and Capullo tell a Bat tale that’s tailormade for a recession audience that desire an exciting story that’s actually worth $ 2.99. The Bat universe is still strong post-relaunch. (www.dccomics.com)

Author rating: 9/10