Batman Talon Triple Shot: 3 Lethal Looks

Talon design courtesy DC Comics

  The Night of the Owls event affects the Batman family of books as the secret society unleashes an army of assassins knows as Talons on Gotham City’s heroes. Talons from different eras will attack different members of the Bat-family. The Source revealed three new designs a century apart.

  Scott Snyder’s American Vampire collaborator Rafael Albuquerque created the 1980’s version of the Court’s Talon appearing in the back-up stories in Batman.

  “I’ve tried to bring a clerical look,” he said. “Ceremonial, but also, something an assassin could use. Needless to say that I’ve followed what Greg awesomely did on the original Talon design, but also tried to do something different, with more leather than metal, and a cloak, to resemble almost a religious look to him.”

Talon design courtesy DC Comics

  Jason Todd, Arsenal and Starfire will face a slick almost reptilian version of the eternal assassin.

  “Our Talon is from the 1980s, so I think it reflects a very modern look,” said Bobbie Chase, Red Hood and the Outlaws series editor. “Our character is also an acrobat, and Kenneth [Rocafort] did a great, dynamic job with the design.”

  The Talons were back in the 1880’s along with Jonah Hex. Here’s the design for the henchman appearing in All-Star Western.

 “I first went to Racinet’s history of western costume. Then I looked a little harder at Ospery’s armies of the Napoleonic wars,” teased All Star Western artist Moritat, tongue firmly in cheek. “After several sketches I leaned toward  Prussian cavalry, specifically Borstell’s Pomeranian brigade.”

Do you have a favorite Talon look yet? Night of the Owls begins this May.

By Editor

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Batman: Dark Knight #6 courtesy Marvel

 

 

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Wolverine and the X-Men #6 courtesy Marvel.com

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I, Vampire #6 The Queen of Blood’s army overruns Gotham City. Batman must ally with Andrew to fight off the vampire infestation.

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Batman’s New Enemy in Gotham City’s Wild West Era

 

 

All-Star Western #9 courtesy Marvel

Batman writer Scott Snyder is revealing how the Council of Owls has a grip on Bruce Wayne’s hometown. But the secret society has been manipulating Gotham City since the 1880’s. When the Night of the Owls crossover hits this May even All Star Western will be in the grip of the Talons.

  Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti shared how the event affects their book on The Source. And they reference my all time favorite sci-fi epic to describe it!

  “Plans within plans.” That’s one of my favorite lines from Frank Herbert’s eco-sci-fi epic, Dune. It is also one of the hardest things to convey in a monthly comic where readers are often second-guessing the outcome or direction of a series. There is always a larger plan at work and things are never quite what they seem,” says Gray. “Both Batman and Jonah Hex have been discovering this fact in their own unique ways. Having chosen Gotham City as the unlikely setting for All-Star Western, Jimmy and I thought long and hard about the different ways we could make the book interesting to both new readers and the Jonah Hex faithful. To do that we began our initial arc with the secret society called The Crime Bible trying to establish its roots in 1880’s Gotham. At the same time over in Batman, readers were introduced to The Court of Owls.”

 Gray continues, “By now you know both organizations existed long before the caped crusader launched his one-man campaign to save the soul of a city. So starting in May, The Court of Owls, the Talon, the secret history of Gotham, Crime Bible, Jonah Hex and Amadeus Arkham…some of the most unlikely and surprising elements start falling seamlessly in to place. It has been months and months in the making, but the plans within plans are coming to fruition and even the most cynical fan has to admit this New 52 thing is pretty damn exciting.”

 “This is the best of both worlds for comic fans and us, and we plan on delivering the goods. Everything about this crossover makes sense and is planned brilliantly. We are happy to make Jonah and the gang part of comic book history once again,” said Palmiotti.

 See how the Council of Owls affected Gotham City circa 1880 in All-Star Western #9. This cool retro cover is by Ladronn.