Batman by Scott Snyder issues #48-50

When writer Scott Snyder had Batman and the Joker face off each other in one epic final battle of everything in his ENDGAME arc (Volume 7, issues #34-40), they both eradicated one another not just in a physical sense but in a symbolic one, making this a rather meaningful moment since it was supposed to close the chapter of both characters' prolonged rivalry. Not only that, but it was also later revealed that Bruce Wayne himself had forgotten who he is and what made him Batman in the first place; including his childhood loss and trauma that motivated him to take up the cowl. To replace him was former GCPD commissioner James Gordon, who had to deal with a lot of cynical reception not just within the comic book pages itself but with the fanbase of loyal readers. 

But this is a superhero comic book, so it wasn't really the first time when Batman died before; or at least made believe to have died. Given the character's history and legacy, Batman is irreplaceable but there have been other characters who have taken up the mantle. The most recent example before Gordon was his former ward and first Robin, Dick Grayson. Now DC had gone down the same path with Gordon and for the last eight months starting with issue #41, Gordon was Batman. He was fantastic, dimensional and often fun to read about, even as he struggles to fill such mighty shoes. In the hands of more than competent writers who understand Gordon's psychology and personality, we get stories that represent why he was such a fan-favorite to begin with, and how deeply cares about his city and would do all in his power to protect it even when he feels like his shortcomings as a crime-fighter outweigh his passion. In the last eight months, we have to contend ourselves with this Batman and though the fanbase was divided in a lot of factions concerning Gordon's run at the cowl, one thing remains certain that we all can agree upon:

Only Bruce Wayne is Batman. He was, will always be, and should be Batman forever.

I expressed in my previous review of the combined issues #45-46 that I was unhappy that Snyder has to bring back Bruce as Batman because it came off as a cheap cop-out. I do think I was harsh to claim this, only because I was under the impression that Bruce Wayne was NEVER supposed to come back as Batman, and that Gordon will stay as Batman until...I don't know, when Damian Wayne finally takes the mantle once and for all? That would probably happen decades from now, who knows, but for now in this generation and as far as 75 years of history and legacy is concerned, Bruce Wayne IS Batman even when he wasn't. I suppose the two things that had me convinced that Bruce is permanently removed from the equation were because of (1) The Dionysium completely erased his memories and changed his identity; and (2) A glimpse at the future a century from now during a special story written by Snyder himself where a series of Batman clones take over protecting Gotham even after Bruce's death. Now that Bruce Wayne is once again Batman (after the really convoluted and drawn-out arc that included the sadly expendable Mister Bloom), does it mean that the Batman clones won't happen at all? Did Bruce's return change that future? Again, anything is fair game at this point and I'm sure that if the times demanded it, DC would just do yet another Crisis/convergence/divergence thing again that will make it plausible for a future with Bat-clones to come to pass. It's DC, so I won't put it past them.

Enough with the speculations, and let's talk about the journey towards this inevitable destination.

To make this review as succinct while still substantial, I just want to talk about the highlights. Snyder's Superheavy issues during its second cycle were A LOT to digest because of Snyder's verbosity which you don't notice (or would easily overlook) because of his artistic team's way of balancing the text with the visuals. Capullo, Miki and Plascencia once again bring the most dynamic and creative illustrations that defined Snyder's run of Batman as one of the more visually captivating comics out there. Most of its pages don't even strike you as something you would normally see in superhero comics. In fact, while I was reading this inside my parents' bedroom and my father walked by and glanced at what I was reading, he asked me if it was Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. My dad has good eyesight, by the way, so I know he was paying attention to what he was looking at, and so when I told him that it was Batman, he looked a little unconvinced about it. It led me to the conclusion that he was deceived by the colors and presentation that made him believe it couldn't possibly be a superhero comic book. 

FIRST HIGHLIGHT: In the previous issue #47, we ended with a cliffhanger between Bruce Wayne and the Joker--or the normalized version of him post-death at least. The Dionysium seemed to have cured the crazy out of him which would be disappointing indeed if not for the ominous tone the entire dialogue exchange between him and Bruce was written in. As far as I'm concerned, if Bruce Wayne comes back as Batman then this guy will become the Joker again. They're intrinsically inseparable characters after all. Snyder seemed to be gearing towards that reality as well, but it was quite interesting to see that this normal Joker (how should I call him? Joe?) was essentially though subtly begging Bruce to move on and not fall back to the Batman role. If he does, then Joe has no choice but to become the Joker again--for symbolism and old times' sake, you know. There is actually a part of me that feels sad for Joe because based from his dialogue here, he seems happy that for the first time in forever, he is free from playing the chaotic evil to Batman's lawful good. He would even rather die than go back:

SECOND HIGHLIGHT: Joe's climactic suicide attempt was interrupted by this bullshit: Mister Bloom's hostile takeover of Gotham City. The city has been under attack SO MANY TIMES already than whenever a villain starts doing it again, I just--I don't know, I feel like rolling my eyes and just skimming through the panels, waiting for the good guys to clean up the mess. To be fair to Snyder, each city-wide attack that he made Gotham undergo (whether perpetuated by the Owls, Riddler, or the Joker) have been transformative in spirit. These acts of terrorism didn't just happen for the sake of action fodder; there was always a metaphor he manages to put in that neatly and poignantly makes sense of the tragedies that Gothamites keep on facing and ultimately enduring for the better. So what makes Mister Bloom's act of terror different from his predecessor? Not much; most of it is a little overdone and for shock value--but what it does establish in the end is become a representation of cynicism and hopeless for Gothamites who have probably given up and allowed for sorrow and despair to take root and bloom into something dark and deadly. 

I wouldn't say Mister Bloom is a formidable new villain, but I appreciated what he was supposed to stand for at this point in Snyder's run for Batman. This is a villain borne out of the citizens themselves when they lost their hero and have to face the facts that no one is possibly going to save them. Even Jim Gordon's Batman was casually brushed aside as an undeserving pretender who didn't make a damn difference. THAT PART OF THE STORY MADE ME A LITTLE ANGRY. Snyder somewhat attempts to diminish Gordon's contribution and hard work as Batman Regent, only to have Bruce himself affirm it again by driving home the point that Gordon has done a spectacular job holding it all together for the sake of Gotham; for stepping up and embracing the challenge of it. Phew, for a while there I thought Snyder was dissing Gordon. And so we get this marvelous speech Gordon made during the climax:

THIRD HIGHLIGHT: As I've mentioned many times here, Bruce Wayne coming back as Batman was inevitable. It's downright predictable. Snyder handled his comeback in a dignified manner that his character more than deserved. Sure, there were some annoying details such as the fact that yet another one of Dionysium's erasure side effects was the removal of Bruce's mental and physical scars. I take offense to that because has undone all the pain and suffering that Bruce has undergone to become Batman in favor of him truly becoming 'reborn' in the most literal way possible. Ergo, acquiring perfect, unblemished skin and top physical condition. So the entire emotional journey of his baptism of fire, as well as those lifelong battle scars he had worn with pride, were all for naught becomes here comes the fix-all Dionysium cure? UGH. I was not a big fan of that. What I did approve of was Bruce's last gift to his now ex-fiancée Julie. He donated the dinosaur statue from his Bat-cave to the children's recreation center. I thought that was a nice gesture. It didn't automatically make the abrupt break-up and ending of that relationship any less tacky and unfair--but Julie and I are just going to have to contend with it now, won't we? It's such a shitty thing, you know. It was as if Bruce's relationship with Julie has been a placeholder for him becoming Batman again all this time. How else am I supposed to see it but just that? The only thing that softened the blow was the fact that I barely knew Julie to care too much about how she was badly treated as the love interest when all is said and done. But whatever, right? 

It's not like superhero comics have female readers too who might expect women who play as romantic foils to the heroes to be written at least with more active roles--even if they are just secondary characters. WHATEVER.

My favorite part of this entire arc had to be issue #49 which was illustrated by Yanick Paquette (of Batman Incorporated!) as opposed to Capullo. The visuals for that issue were still pretty awesome especially the gorgeous full-paged spreads depicting the kooky, inventive ways Bruce tried to remember being Batman by using a machine that was originally supposed to conceive Batman clones. His DNA imprint was stored there so in order to remember his identity, he had to subject himself to agonizing simulations. I really didn't need to see him die over and over again, or choose a life of fighting crime over having a stable, happy life, mind you. But it was a necessary evil. Besides, I think the one thing that has made me tear up was Alfred's role in all of this, as well as his reactions to what is happening and about to happen yet again to the man he deeply cared for and would want to be set free from his lifelong burden. He was the character who broke my heart the most.

So Bruce Wayne as Batman is back. It has finally happened, fanboys, so shut the fuck up and enjoy it. Your have been appeased. That costume below had me in a state of giddy nostalgia, if I may add, because the gray tights were reminiscent of the BTAS costume. I don't really have anything else to say anymore that I didn't say in the introduction of this post, so I'm afraid I will end this review in a rather anticlimactic note. All I could say is that I am...relieved though a little peeved that Bruce Wayne is back. I can't really complain now, can I? It's all we wanted. Gordon had been great but Bruce is forever and always will be Batman. As painful as it was for Bruce, he simply needs to keep being the hero Gotham wanted because the alternative is accepting that Gothamites have to save themselves and they can't do that. And neither can us fans.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Batman by Scott Snyder issues #45-47

Okay, this is going to be embarrassing, but I want to disclose first that, last year, I planned on writing a review for the combined Snyder issues of #45-46 and was unable to do so. Instead, I ended up writing only Tomasi's Detective Comics #45-46 review before I took months-long hiatus from Bat-blogging. So now here I am, stuck on reviewing three issues together in one post because I'm simply too tired to discuss each of these issues in detail, mainly because--and I could not believe I am even saying this--I don't find Scott Snyder's writing nearly as compelling enough as before; and it has little to do with former GCPD commissioner Jim Gordon becoming the new Batman. Or maybe it does. Or maybe I've just been away for so long that picking up this title again has worn me down somehow and turned me into a cynic. Either way, what was that saying again? In for a penny, in for a pound, amirite? What a really disheartening way to write reviews! I'm very sorry in advance. Oh gods, please bear with me as I stumble through this review, hoping I can accomplish it as cohesively as I could. I won't make this torturous to endure, I promise!

The ongoing arc Superheavy deals with the supposedly weighty repercussions when Bruce Wayne finally retired for good (via absolute memory mind wipe) as Gotham City now now has to contend being protected by DC Comics' lovable good guy Jim Gordon who has officially become the titular hero of this series: the new and improved (?) Batman--a police-cooperating, corporate-ensured and government-sponsored 'vigilante' in name only, who alternates between powering up inside a tank suit known as a Robobatbunny, or costumed in sleek tights that make me a tad sexually confused because dah-yum, Gordon looks young and hot whenever he puts that on. Without the Batsuits, Gordon also looks pretty ripped and shaved in all the right places (WUT?), and I pretty much wasted two sentences describing my unresolved attraction with a character who had always been a strong father-figure archetype for me and never a sex symbol UNTIL NOW. What have you done to me, Scott Snyder?

It also doesn't help when you make him wear those white wife-beaters and is a ginger with impressive muscle tone for his age. Srsly, he resembles Walter Kovacs (a.k.a Rorschach from Watchmen) AND I SHOULD NOT LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS, Snyder!

So much spotlight has been put on Jim Gordon ever since he became Batman and all this center-stage treatment suspiciously corresponds to the fact that his character is the main protagonist of the ongoing Fox show Gotham. I have no complaints whatsoever because I've always been fond of Jimbo. It's worth saying, however, that as much as I still enjoy him being the focal point of Snyder's series, I'm also growing lukewarm about his TV show counterpart. The only thing that keeps me invested in him emotionally is Ben McKenzie's pretty strong portrayal of him. I don't agree with the decisions they have made about his character on-screen but I'm going to have to talk about it in my official season 2 Gotham review someday. Now back to Snyder's Batman.

Issue #45 was nice compartmentalization of things readers could still care about. I'm just going to refer to Jim Gordon as Batman as Batman Regent from now on, okay? I'm okay with this change much like I was okay when Dick Grayson put on the cowl for a while too, but Batman will always be Bruce Wayne even in spirit so I can't call Jimbo as Batman at all. So, Batman Regent got attacked by a bunch of thugs and it was an uneven fight. I was glad it was realistic in a sense that BR did get his ass kicked because the odds were against him. He recovered quickly enough a week later, though, which was less realistic and diminished a reader's tense expectation that he would have died after he lost consciousness during said  brutal confrontation. Another thing readers cared about while reading this issue was when Bruce literally destroyed anything that ties him to Batman and that...I'm not going to lie; that SUCKED BIG TIME. I didn't like that scene at all but I understood its purpose and relevance, including its inevitability. To soften that blow, we have another cutesy Bruce/Julie scene, which was nice. Mind-wiped Bruce Wayne trying to make a difference for Gotham's neglected children was a good enough subplot for me. I don't mind keeping tabs on the new Bruce.

The issue ended with Batman Regent trying to save some snobby rich people when somebody crashes into their party. 

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Issue #46 has Mister Bloom murdering Gotham's elite in one fell swoop, often doing it to establish a point or just for shit and giggles. It was gruesome enough to make me care a little even though some of these people he was torturing are entitled snobs. They may be awful people in their own way but I don't think they deserve to have their deaths paraded in front of their friends like that either. In the middle of this clusterfuck is Bloom's overdue bad-guy speech where he bemoans and explains why he is doing the terrible things he does while just vaguely explaining what these terrible things are in the first place. He would take momentary pauses every now and then by murdering someone, either because they tried to run away and escape, or because he felt like their presence offended him so they must be disposed of. It's all fair game at this point. 

Meanwhile, somewhere less murder-y, Bruce proposes to Julie while they were doing mundane couple stuff in the bathroom. Then a shower sex scene happens off-page. Believe it or not, this scene was an acceptable break from Mister Bloom soliloquizing and inserting his disgustingly horrific long finger into a person's eye socket if he or she refuses to listen. On another location where nothing made sense to me because it was such a jarring change of setting, Duke Thomas (a side character featured back in #44) breaks into Penguin's Iceberg Lounge because of REASONS. I couldn't really focus at all with why he was there, and why he's wearing a knock-off Robin costume. I'm far more concerned with whatever the hell was happening with Bloom and the rich people and Batman Regent failing to capture Bloom afterwards than comprehend exactly why this confused and frustrated young man would try to play hero in the worst time and place possible for reasons I could hardly discern. Come on, dude, just let the grown-ups do their thing and be a kid, for god's sakes! I like you enough that I don't want to see you get killed!

We also get a possible origin story/motivator as to why Bloom blossomed and has targeted the rich. It's an ominous flashback in the most Snyder-esque way possible:

On the plus side, artist Capullo has outdone himself by illustrating yet again how he can turn any normal-looking thing repulsive and creepy. Before it was Joker's peeled-off skin as a mask. Now it's Mister Bloom's flower-face. It looked particularly sinister in this issue because it's alive and moving. It's much like Rorschach's ink-blots in his mask which change designs due to thermal response to heat. Mister Bloom's flower-face is as creepy to look at while it talks as that alien plant from the film Little Shop of Horrors. The issue ends with a confrontation between Bloom and BR who is out of his Robotbunnybat suit--which Bloom managed to control via electronic magnetic waves (?) and successfully turned against its wearer. That's the cliffhanger right there. 

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Issue #47 opens directly to a fight sequence that packs enough punch and fabulous gadgets to make me overlook the fact that there was a small moment that hilariously defied the laws of physics and believability. But whatever. Batman Regent (good ol' Jimbo) is amazing because he doesn't give up and he's able to think on his feet. His courage and resourcefulness are resolute in the face of death. That's what Batman is all about and I think we should give him his due credit for that. Before I tackle about my opinion and feelings so far in Jimbo's run as the new Batman, let's get this bullshit below out of the way first: Geri Powers finally revealed her plans to expand the Batman brand in a most predicable maneuver that stems from her expression of corporate greed which aims to profit from the mass panic that Mister Bloom has just heightened since that awful party-crash last issue.

Meanwhile, Scott Snyder contradicts himself in the final scenes using the most frustratingly left-field revelation that made me a little angry as opposed to feeling relieved and celebratory. This reaction is tied closely to how I feel about Jimbo as the new Batman as well. Bruce Wayne tried to confront Duke Thomas with his extracurricular activities by trying to be a vigilante, but fails in a grand way because it was Dye who tried to school him. Apparently, the kid knows Bruce Wayne is Batman. HOW? SINCE WHEN? AND WHY? Um, is it because of Dick Grayson? I do recall Duke found out who Grayson is and as Bruce's former ward, I suppose he made that connection fast, eh? Secondly, he believes Bruce is simply choosing to not remember it and repressing all his memories and connection to his past life. But we already know that Snyder ensured that it wasn't just simple, temporary and plot-convenient memory loss--Bruce Wayne also lost his identity as that orphaned rich boy who became a caped crusader due to survivor's guilt and a dream to save his city. He is a new, different person now. I was okay with this. I was fine that he was getting a second shot at a normal, happy life with his recently revealed fiancée Julie. And as nervous and unconvinced as I usually am ever since Jim took the reigns, I'm still confident that he could be the Batman Gotham needs, and his progress through that greatness has been interesting to see unfold. So what in the damn hell is this cop-out, Snyder?!

I'm aware that there have been criticisms regarding Synder and co.'s decision about erasing Bruce Wayne's identity as Batman and Jim Gordon becoming the new Batman in his place. I was never a part of those bandwagon of nay-sayers and cynical fanboys. I was open to the idea of this kind of change and creative direction because why not? I trust in Snyder's skills as a writer and I have faith in his team because they have yet to deliver me a story that wasn't engrossing, emotionally nuanced and meaningful. But all of that hard work and sticking-it to the illogical fanboys and doubting Thomases seemed to have been undone by the revelation that deep, deep, deep inside Bruce's subconscious is the real Bruce Wayne just waiting to remember who he is--that he is the one and only Batman. I felt as if I was simply strung along with the false premise that things are going to a different and refreshing direction in storytelling only to face the reality that the writer himself is heading back on the familiar and safe route because he must have caved in from fanbase demand to bring back Bruce as Batman. I don't understand. I was on-board with almost everything about Synder's arc for Superheavy (even in spite of some plot inconsistencies) but now? 

Now I feel so deceived and betrayed with this sudden and sharp 'twist'.

I suppose it was inevitable. For impatient fans who just want Bruce back as Batman, his absence for eight months is already too much to take. I don't know. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Just let me freak out in a small, dark corner of my mind, okay?

And I ain't even touching that great reveal in the last page! I don't even want to acknowledge it yet until I get to the next issues. As far as first impressions go, I don't have any strong emotion about it except for this indescribable numbness that resembles both dread and elation. If you have read this issue then you know the reveal I'm talking about. I won't talk about it for now but it is a GAME-CHANGER in a way. Again, I know I'm reviewing for a few months late since there are already 50 issues released, which meant that this will probably not be considered a major spoiler at this point if you're reading. BUT IT IS FOR ME. So let me have this moment in the dark before my next review for Snyder's Batman.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Batman by Scott Snyder issue #44

Happy #BatmanDay, everyone! If you have any kind of ritual in place that you do to celebrate our favorite avenging knight on his blessed day, then please feel free to share that information with me in the comments section of this post. Personally, I have a folder in my hard drive dedicated to all things Batman and I would re-watch documentaries or select BTAS episodes to commemorate him. After all, I'm only in my Bat-blog every now and then just to review the releases for three ongoing Bat-titles, and I've been on a steady diet of X-Men since the beginning of this year. I'm frankly relieved that there's a reason for me to come back to my Bat-blog each time I find myself in need for a break from the clusteruckness that is X-Men and it just so happened that I'm getting a little sick of Brian Michael Bendis' All-New X-Men. So, reading new issues for Bat-titles has become a needed dose of sanity again. I'm more than happy to comply.

My very initial thought once I saw this graceful cover illustration was Snyder's previous work in pre-New 52, which was in Detective Comics with Dick Grayson as Batman in that memorable dark tale entitled The Black Mirror which has to be one of my favorite Batman stories collected in a trade paperback. I quickly glanced at the list of names in the credits and nodded appreciatively as I saw the artist Jock in it because that meant I was right to make that comparison. Jock (real name Mark Simpson) originally worked on The Black Mirror himself for several of its issues, giving that particular tale an eerie, haunted look that may not be as polished as most modern visuals in the roster of most comics title, but is nevertheless creates an atmosphere of dread when you turn the page. His depictions for issue #44 of Snyder's Batman is no exception. I can't get enough of those delicately drawn bats!

Co-written with Brian Azzarello, Snyder's installment for this month took us back from post-Zero Year timeline where Batman is adjusting to the stress of lone vigilantism as crooks and supervillains began coming out of the woodwork to make life even crazier for Gotham City. The story started with the murder of a fifteen-year-old boy from the Narrows named Peter Duggio who entered a life of crime because he wanted to take back the building where he and his father and brother used to live which was now used as a rendezvous base of operations by the Four Five gang operating in the Narrows. He sought the aid of Oswald Cobblepot who is a rising star in the criminal enterprise, but in a typical Penguin fashion, he backstabs the boy and instead gives away the place completely to the gang. Batman suspects him of murder but Penguin profusely denies it, claiming that he had never killed Peter and accusing him so meant that Batman knew little of the way things work in Gotham if he believed that. What follows after is a a very unexpected emotional story focusing on this boy Peter and his struggle to push back against the insurmountable evil surrounding his life. It was simply rendered in a very stark yet humble prose, emphasizing that there are certain battles of the human spirit that even Batman himself can't defeat. This was wonderfully explored in A Simple Case.

Now I had a complicated one-off relationship with Brian Azzarello as a writer, mostly because the first time I ever read him in comics was during his work for the Before Watchmen series where he handled the writing for the Comedian and Rorschach, two of my most favorite characters in the roster. And, personally, he handled both arcs poorly, more so with the Rorschach one (the Comedian's story eventually got a little better by the last two issues). Since then, I became very lukeward towards him as a writer based solely on that, but since I read BW almost four years ago now, I've completely forgotten about holding a petty grudge against this writer so I was perfectly fine reading this Snyder issue where I believe Azzarello took a more leading role in the narrative. The story he produced was both straightforward and opaque with deceptively bold strokes at first that slowly revealed an intimate portrait about the ordinary lives of Gotham citizens who live in terror and despair and what that desperation could push them into doing such as things that they will forever regret or, worse, even result in their demise. Batman coming to terms that he doesn't always have to function as the Dark Knight to make a difference in his city is a rather uplifting message once this tale ended. 

Reading Bruce Wayne as Batman has been nostalgic too because I do miss Bruce under that cowl and seeing him relating to other human beings such as those delinquents on the streets was so moving that I could only stare at that last page in disbelief. It was a nice touch. Much like everyone else, I suppose I was hoping we get the origin story of Mr. Bloom for this issue and though he made that really creepy appearance midway, I was glad we didn't focus on him on this story at all. It also adds a new layer of mystery to his identity after reading this. It would seem he has been around Gotham after Zero Year and has bid his time in the shadows, waiting for the moment to strike. The illustrations for this issue, especially the way Batman was drawn, were astounding and spectacular to peruse! There are so many angles and shapes in Batman here that were unique and fun to look at. He looked like a smudge on paper in some parts and an overpowering inky presence on others. It's visually distracting in the best way possible.

The composition of the colors (lots of black and grays with only select pages in color) was so delicately balanced and atmospheric that I could stare at some of drawings for minutes, lost and enthralled. I like the pages that had the newspaper clippings as interruptions in the flow of an otherwise linear narrative. That style really pulled me into the pages since I've always paid close attention to newspaper articles myself growing up and back when I would watch my father from across the table read his paper during breakfast and I would try to read along with him from the other side. Seeing that here in this issue reminded me of that childhood memory in such a pleasant yet uncomfortable way as well. I'm ending this review with my favorite pages:

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Batman by Scott Snyder issue #43

At this point in time, writer Scott Snyder has been making quite a gamble with his stories for this title since Endgame started and reached a conclusion earlier this year. Fans among themselves could endlessly debate which ones are a hit, and which ones are a miss, and that's the beauty of Snyder's writing and creative decisions for a flagship title that is dear to the comic book fandom. Personally, I always put nothing but my faith forward whenever I read a Snyder-Batman story. I could only recall one or two instances that he had disappointed me, and even those weren't enough to steer me away from this title. 

After all, Batman is masterful in its overall narrative and visual composition, more so since Zero Year.

This third installment of Superheavy offered us a controversial truth about what happened to Bruce Wayne after his final battle with the Joker. He was supposed to be dead and, as Snyder revealed in this issue, he very much is; his physical body may be still intact but his mind, his heart, his soul were essentially...rewritten. I'm aware that this has been pretty hard to process for a lot of Bat-fans after reading. Some reviews of online Bat-fansites were opposed to this concept and they are rightfully justified. Personally, even as I give my own opinion about it, I am not entirely sure how I feel about this change either. I wouldn't say I hated it nor would I say I'm crazy about it. I suppose my neutrality is inevitable because I don't feel like judging something in a writing that hasn't completely played out yet. So, I'm waiting exactly for that. It is an unconventional direction but I'm eager to follow Snyder through it. I'm very excited about it, actually. So let's break down this issue before I start discussing the very big spoiler in the story, starting with the visuals.

Artist Greg Capullo, Inker Danny Miki, and colorist FCO Plascencia are the dream team and they always produce quality illustrations that are so unbelievably and inconceivably beautiful at times, and this issue featured some of the most fantastic artworks I have seen in superhero comics. The medium is a visual one after all and artists like these three are not afraid to challenge the conventional approach of illustrating scenes in a story, and that is why every time Batman comes out, I anticipate it because of the inarguable art pieces it produces on page, though that's not to say the content of the writing is not considered into my appreciation. With Snyder and Capullo, their talents are intrinsically woven together by now, like words and melody in a perfect musical composition. A great example of the visual dream team is this singular page many fans are talking about and it's certainly so captivating in a lot of levels:

Now let's move on to the story. The issue opens with Gordon approaching Bruce Wayne on his workplace. The idea seems to be that Gordon is even aware that Bruce Wayne is Batman, and that's not really a shocker to me even though it was never firmly established how he figured it out here in Snyder's series. Again, it's a development that I didn't mind happening because I can see it being very plausible, considering Gordon's instincts and relationships with Bruce and Batman respectively that Snyder had written. In any case, Gordon sought out Bruce because he wanted his help. He explained that there is a new player in town who has been supplying dangerous amounts of drugs to the people of Gotham. So far, the only thing we know about him is that he's called "Mr. Bloom" (the character creepily depicted in this issue's cover) who passes around these "seeds" with a sunflower symbol in them:

At this point, Bruce has a steady job at what seems to be an outreach for troubled teens, and he love working there so he told Gordon that he doesn't know how to help him, and that he has mistaken him for somebody else. And Gordon really did, but he had no idea just how wrong he was about this Bruce Wayne he is now speaking to. Outside, Clark Kent and Alfred are in a car and Kent was watching the conversation through his Superman vision. He agrees that the man he is seeing--who may look like Bruce Wayne--is not Bruce. After that, we get hefty explanations courtesy of Alfred about what happened after Batman's confrontation with the Joker. The panels had a fluid transition between the flashbacks and the present where Alfred and Kent are having a conversation. And it's so heartbreaking and beautiful to read Alfred's sentiments. If you are a Batman fan, it's undeniable that you will be moved by the words. They reveal so much about Alfred's wish for Bruce's happiness no matter the cost:

Kent refused to accept the idea of Bruce Wayne finally having a shot of getting a normal life. But Alfred was adamant this idyllic scenario stayed that way and he is not afraid to threaten Kent with a kryptonite and then he also revealed the impracticality of putting this new Bruce Wayne under the cowl. It's honestly a little disturbing how passionate Alfred is about this:

Finally, we get a great tie-in in reference to that anniversary story Snyder wrote in Detective Comics #27 which is a concept that has intrigued me to no end so I was only glad that Snyder is now placing that idea within the continuity of his Batman run. Entitled Twenty-Seven, we see a future a hundred years from now, where Bruce Wayne is long dead but, as Batman, he got cloned perfectly, so a clone of him aged twenty-seven (when he first started his crime-fighting and vigilante work) will emerge time and time again to ensure that Gotham will always have its Dark Knight for many generations to come. Alfred revealed the genius invention that has made this all possible, explaining to Kent and the readers that Batman is an un-killable idea after all, and even though the real Bruce Wayne is no longer who he was, there is a version of him that will live on and continue the mission:

Now...it's all been very difficult to swallow this information overload, isn't it? Most particularly if you're hang up on the idea of the present Bruce Wayne not just forgetting everything--but being rewritten as an entirely different man altogether. One would argue he is not the Bruce Wayne we loved and root for throughout the course of knowing him and supporting him in his noble crusade, and that meant him getting a small piece of compensation and happiness with a new identity should not matter to us BECAUSE WHO THE HELL IS HE IF NOT BRUCE WAYNE WHOM WE HAVE A GREAT EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT WITH? Perhaps that is the case because technically speaking, the young boy who lost his parents to a tragic murder and who grew up to be a man who forged his path to become Batman is truly and finally dead. The Bruce Wayne we see now in the present is not burdened with that rage and motivation, and he has also lost all his years of hard work in training to become the symbol of justice we have all admired. So, Snyder offered fans a compromise by ensuring that Batman in the futures to come will still be around...but it's a clone of the real Bruce Wayne so, again, we shouldn't care. But personally, I DO. I still care about all of this. I still love Bruce Wayne even if he is no longer the same person. I still believe Batman couldn't die and even when he did for that brief moment in the cave trapped with his arch-nemesis, Batman is unending because he is an idea that lives because our faith in him gives him power and everlasting life. Bruce Wayne is not the same person now and perhaps ever again, but BATMAN WILL ALWAYS BE BATMAN.

That's why I'm not bothered that Bruce Wayne came back as a different person because as a mortal man of flesh and bone, Bruce's calvary and tragedy has to end at some point. He can't be suffering forever and going through the cycle of violence, guilt and anger just because we want him to because that's mainly who he is. But we're the ones who defined him in that role, claiming that through his darkest moment turning him into the tortured hero we like seeing defeat the odds time and time again was an inspiring journey. WELL, MAYBE IT ISN'T. That's what Snyder wants us to think about by writing this, I believe. Don't we think it's time to let go of the oppressive notion that Bruce must always remain isolated and unloved just so he can be Batman, even if that also entails that we can't ever have the boy and the man who breathed life into Batman putting on that cowl and fighting yet again for another terrible night? Personally, I maintain the opinion that the idea that both Bruce and Batman have now been thankfully severed from their intimate and most grueling connection and purpose is not something to be upset about.

But if you still are, that's fine. I would hope it wouldn't discourage you to stop reading Synder's series because I think this is a meaningful turning-point in the seventy-five years of Batman's run as a superhero in the comics medium. Snyder has been de-constructing what we know about his tale and why we identify with it so much, and the idea of how that identification affects our appreciation for him as a character, as well as forms our opinions concerning moral relativism and values like strength of will and pursuit of justice. Batman is a story that is timeless and universal because it affirms the idea that even the darkest and coldest moments in a person's life can become the brightest and lead to the most inspiring journey to self-discovery and, yes, immortality. So, ask yourself now: why are you a Batman fan? Why are those your reasons to be a Batman fan? 

If you want to explore these feelings more and to really tap into the depths of this unique obsession and devotion of ours to a fictional character who might have touched something in us that we have yet to fully recognize and name, then let us keep reading Snyder's series. I know I would. I never started looking for answers when I read his stories but now they are certainly making me ask questions. And that I think is the beauty of a writing that challenges both mind and heart.

RECOMMENDED: 9/10

Batman by Scott Snyder issue #42

Was that really Jimbo? I did not recognize him with that new haircut and the canon-lack of kickass mustache. And the glasses too. I can't help but think about Ben McKenzie from Fox's GOTHAM while reading this issue which was weird considering he was written in a show that operates on a pre-Batman state of things while Snyder's Gordon for this arc is dealing with a post-Batman world. In fact, I can easily picture said actor himself playing out the scenes for this 42nd issue which personally for me is a good thing because I love McKenzie's youthful and often hot-headed take on the character for the show.

This version of Gordon as the deputized Batman in robo-suit is granted still a polarizing one but the arc Superheavy is laying down some more solid groundwork for this second installment. I remain trusting of Snyder even if his opening issue after Bruce Wayne's "death" and in some ways this follow-up delivered. In other ways, it left me just slightly unsatisfied and baffled mostly due to the fact that it's been such a slow burn and hopefully for now.

When I think about Scott Snyder writing Batman, I think about the man's amazing knack for treating Gotham not just as a setting or backdrop but rather as a character in itself. So far, I don't get this from him anymore. After all, both Batman and the Joker just had the face-off to end all face-offs and yet we never really got to see its impact on the city itself in the aftermath. Instead we had an issue concerning the search for a replacement, to have a law enforcement-sponsored Batman with a technology backed up by the still elusive Powers Industries. As much as I was on board with the idea of Jim Gordon putting on the cowl (a robobatbunny upgrade at that), I don't really see the purpose. In addition, there is a nagging question at the back of my head that needed to be addressed here before we go further in my reviews for the post-Convergence Bat-stories:

Does Gotham City still need Batman? Or a Batman?

I don't know. And, shockingly enough, I don't care. I am done with Gotham City. I only realized this now. Should I still give a shit if this crime-infested, hell-spawned and haunted city won't just tear itself apart into oblivion? Well, Gordon apparently still believes I should. We all should keep caring even citizens of Gotham which are incomprehensibly still sticking around for the bonfire and massacres. Because, reasons. You're only a Gothamite if you're a little bit insane and reckless yourself to stay in a place so rife with madness and discord. But is there really a point reading a Batman arc without Bruce Wayne as the Dark Knight? But, then again, Batman is an abstract, unkillable idea so should it matter who wears the cowl or the bat-bunny ears? As long as Gotham is a fucking mess, there will always be a Batman. That's all there is to it.

So how does Scott Snyder and co. approach this? Taking all the time in the world which isn't a bad thing. Everything about this arc is still finding its footing. Jimbo is struggling. Julia is supportive. Their interactions are agreeable enough and she definitely takes after her dad as she tries to appease and reassure Jim that he doesn't need to emulate his predecessor; he needs to be the Batman of his own choosing regardless of whatever outside politics involved. Visually, Capullo, Miki and Plascencia are superb together, enlivening the panels with the right mixtures of colors particularly on that action sequence between roboBats and some gangster who can turn himself into a granite-particled, dust-sucking monster thing.

I don't have any definitive thoughts for Snyder's arc post-Convergence and Wayne's death so far. I love Jim Gordon to pieces but it also feels like I'm getting to know him again and for that alone I will keep reading this title. To be honest, I'm losing a bit of steam for DC stories in general, even Batman. But that's just crazy talk…or, post-fever talk. I just got back from a three-day crippling illness which was why I got delayed writing reviews. I have Detective Comics and Gleason's Robin titles to review next.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Batman by Scott Snyder issue #41

Wonderful things are brewing for this month of July. 

After a six-month absence due to my X-Men comics diet, I am finally back and I intend to make the most of it. I have a new reading list (four graphic novels from old continuity and the third and fourth volumes of New 52's The Dark Knight) as well as the official review for Fox's GOTHAM which wrapped up its first season a few months ago. I'm also starting a Batman: The Animated Series re-watch and review. All in all, it's going to be a great thirty-one days and I intend to fill each one with Batman-centric material in my long-neglected Bat-blog.

On that note, I won't forget reviewing the issues for the current roster of three Bat-titles I'm solely interested in for DC 2015 which are all set in the post-Convergence universe. I'm referring to Scott Snyder's Batman, Francis Manpul and Brian Bucelatto's Detective Comics and the new series Robin: Son of Batman now written by former Batman and Robin artist, Patrick Gleason. 

This review will be painstakingly spoilers galore so if you are reading, then I will assume you have read the issue and are familiar with the Endgame resolution in issue #40. If not then come back later and we can talk about it here. 

Snyder's Endgame was all about the mystery and mythology surrounding the Joker and Batman's complicated relationship with him as well as their contrasting, polarizing roles. It was a fulfilling story arc that also manages to question our own grim fascination for the Clown Prince of Crime and Batman's deal-breaking resolution at the end of it all. Basically, these two forces of nature, find themselves in one of their final showdowns yet this time Snyder actually gives us a real finality to the rivalry. That's the idea at least. To end the Joker, Batman must end himself. After all, they both represent supposedly unkillable ideas, one noble and the other nihilistic. By dying in a physical sense, Batman has also metaphorically severed the Joker's life who only seems to exist in direct opposition of who and Batman is to Gotham and the world he has created. It was an obvious answer that Snyder carefully crafted while also deeply understanding why these two men are inseparable as concepts. 

Now, we have the aftermath. Bruce Wayne is dead. This has happened before, of course,  during the Final Crisis big-event back in old continuity. Former first Robin Dick Grayson replaces him as the Dark Knight and we get a few epic stories from that, most notably my favorite The Black Mirror which was also penned by Snyder himself. At this point, it may not seem like a big deal to replace Wayne and put someone else under that costume since we all know he has to come back sooner and later, right? I think that's understandable but I still think it's rather exciting to have Snyder write and tackle another man taking over that Bat-mantle, only this time there was no big battle of the cowl amongst his Robins. This time law enforcement stepped in and asked a retired marine and trustworthy officer of the law...and it's no other that the former police commissioner and recently exonerated James Gordon. I have to confess that this was a shock to me only because I stayed away from any spoilers that may have trickled in comics news websites before this issue was officially released. But after five pages or so, I started to guess that Gordon was the one chosen to wear the mask--and represent it for different purposes. 

Who appointed him as the new Batman? A new female character I am not sure whether to trust or not. She is a wealthy, affluent woman of resources and a billion-dollar enterprise so of course she has other agendas. One can only hope it aligns with Gordon and everyone else's in Gotham who has the city's best interests at heart.  

The narrative was invigorating for this issue as we jump back and forth from the present action sequence while Gordon as the new Bat tries to apprehend criminals to the flashback scenes showing his reluctance and eventual acceptance of the responsibility. The idea of Jim Gordon as the new Batman is for me definitely interesting because I've always considered the guy as one of my all-time fave characters in fiction in general so I would love to see him take the center-stage. Moreover, there is so much room for possible arcs and character conflicts with a former police commissioner now being a sponsored vigilante working with the law. It's a great, informed decision to explore this angle especially when we further get to see the contrast between Bruce Wayne and Gordon as their own heroes.  After all, it takes a certain training regimen and discipline to be Batman, and you have to wonder how Gordon will cope with the difficulties that may entail both physical and psychological setbacks. Speaking of the physical, Gordon dons more of an armor as oppose to a costume. It's reminiscent of the JLA-designed Hell-bat suit. It was described as the "ROBOBAT-BUNNY" which Gordon should totally get trademarked. Weirdly enough, Gordon still has a costume underneath which I did not like because it resembled too much of the Batman Beyond style, a version of Batman I am still having problems with. So seeing Gordon in the same get-up didn't please me...though I can't deny he looks good for someone his age. 

That being said, I would gladly settle for the Robobat Bunny armor instead. It's only the first installment so I have no uniform thoughts for the story and approach as of yet but it definitely has a promising premise and I look forward to how the events will unfold as the next issues come. The truth for the matter is that I don't want Bruce Wayne coming back so so soon. His absence must be felt deeply as well as Alfred's. God, I hope we get something Alfred-centric soon. 

More importantly, I want Gordon to be given a chance in the role as the new Dark Knight, and how Gotham as a city and the villains and crooks living in it will react and adapt to this new, exciting change. 

RECOMMENDED: 8/10