Written by: Scott Snyder Pencils: Greg Capullo
Inks: Jonathan Glapion
Colorist: FCO
THE BASICS:
- New villains, old presence. And Owls.
- Trapped underneath Gotham City.
- Delusion + reality, which one’s which?
- Batman faces death…again.
- Plus: this cover is terrifyingly amazing.
RUNDOWN:
Wow, what a comic this has been so far. If there’s a proper way to write Batman, Scott Snyder’s probably nailed the formula—hell, he probably invented a new one. At the rate he’s going with the character, he could redefine a lot of things about what Batman really means as a book and as a superhero.
If you haven’t read the first five issues of the current Batman series, you are missing out on some grand and disturbing storytelling. Snyder and his team have definitely moved away from the traditional way Batman is portrayed into some psychopathic reality-bending horror fest that pits Bruce against his own sanity. And it’s lovely. 
No spoilers allowed, because I want you to read it but: the new set of villains that Snyder’s introduced into the Batverse are a doozy. I don’t read a lot of Batbooks and I’m not his biggest fan, but nothing like this has been done for a while to this scale. Organized crime syndicates sure, but the balls on these guys now three issues in—and by the fifth, as the previous issue, it’s balls-to-the-wall fucked up.
These bad guys will tickle your fancy, and Snyder following up last issue’s unmatchable story, matches it with this one. The entire set-up has been for this issue, and the constant disadvantage that Bats has been set with loses ground, and the pacing of this issue is literally him crawling up from the deepest of dark places and fighting back with all his might.
And I think Snyder’s direction with Bats’ character is to bring an emotional core back to him rather than just a representation of strict morals and due justice. That’s all blah-blah and constantly gets dished out with countless Batbooks—this is different.
A major theme so far in the first six issues has been the identity and soul of Gotham City, rather than just a place, it has its own atmosphere, its moods and its defining emotional qualities, and Bruce is intensely tied to the city he protects. So the Court of Owls—these new guys, come up as a secret society that’s been hidden from everyone, including Bruce, and he’s not gonna be happy.
It’s played with wonderfully in the previous issues, and again, it all bubbles and festers to the top with some jam-packed action, slick fight scenes, and some of the grittiest artwork you could have for a Batbook, and that’s saying a lot, thanks to Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion.
BRASS TACKS:
Technically, Capullo brings that distinct drawing style that automatically adds some personality to a book. By issue six, I’ve grown accustomed to those harsh edges and angles that permeate through soft backgrounds and locations. Faces are lively, but rooted in a sense of grit that matches Gotham’s architecture and its atmosphere. It’s a lovely look if you dig stylized characters, which I do.
Plus, violence is done so beautifully here, and especially the past few issues. You can feel the pacing of the fights, it’s like a visual crescendo with each panel punching into the next. It’s a hell of a ride. And Capullo I’m guessing is loving the fact that he gets to detach from realism for this book and really delve into Bruce’s psyche (which takes a beating in this storyline, read those other issues) with consistently nasty, brooding, and grimy takes on what it’s like to be in Bruce’s perspective. There’s a full-page that really brings it home for me, it’s great.
FCO’s colours—I’m liking the visual theme he’s got going here. If you read it, you’ll notice a consistency of black and whites, dully greys peeking through, and an emphasis on lighting, or lack thereof. Shadows and darkness are key. The thematic implications are full to the brim, it’s a great compliment to Snyder’s story. This time, the Batman is not the one lurking in the shadows. Awesome.
TAKEAWAYS:
Read this fucking comic. It’s going to be award-winning. Batman’s never—and I mean NEVER been done this way with such conviction and efficiency. If you think you know Batman, you’ll change your opinion for the better with this one. If you don’t know Batman, you’ll be meeting the best version yet. If you’re like me and really need a reason to like Batman, then this is definitely it.
That’s something for everyone, inside one comic book. That’s skill.
That’s Batman #6. GET IT.
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