“And where is the Batman?!” Jack Nicholson’s Joker famously asked Gotham City in Tim Burton’s Batman.
He’s right here in the pages of Batman #41 and he’s absolutely badass.
Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Mark Doyle and the rest of Team Batman could have kept on with a winning formula. After The New 52 rebirth featuring Bruce and the Bat family against the Court of Owls, Batman faced The Death of the Family in a battle with the Joker, then went back to Zero Year for a origin filled thriller against The Riddler and finally a game-changing rematch The Joker in Endgame – they could have redefined a classic villain with an action-packed epic sure to keep satifying fans. Instead the team have taken a huge creative risk and by the first chapter alone it’s going to be huge payoff.
Jim Gordon is the all-new Batman. As much as I love Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson under the cape and cowl, I’m so excited for Gordon to get his shot under the mech Bat armor as Gotham’s new Dark Knight. Snyder and Capullo capture Gordon’s doubt and excitement as he debates this opportunity with Harvey Bullock and Geri Powers, whose taken over Wayne Enterprises and launched with corporate policing with Gotham City. Even Gordon’s Bat undersuit is awesome as takes on new villains and uncovers a conspiracy. Snyder and Capullo leave us with a parting shot that sends hearts and minds racing as we wonder what did happen to Bruce?
In Detective Comics #41 Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul don’t miss a beat showing how the new Batman is having an impact on the other fan-favorite members of the Gotham City police. Bullock is heading up a new Batman task force and it’s the most welcome return of Renee Montoya to the beat. Bullock is gonna need her as we see an evil growing inside the force.
The new Batman met the Man of Steel no more in Batman/Superman #21 by Greg Pak. The newly empowered Dark Knight confronted the de-powered “formerly known as Clark Kent” in Truth part two. There’s a moment in Batcave between Superman and Alfred that is just incredibly moving with one line by Pak that just beautifully explains the Batman/Superman relationship.
The new DC Comics is here and an all-new Batman may not be the Batman you know and love but this is the man we need right now and you will love him as the Bat. Imagine you’re exhaling the Endgame virus and just take a deep breath of this air of excitement and change.
Go get ’em Jim!
By Editor