Batman: Volume 2: The City Of Owls [The New 52] by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, James Tynion IV (graphic novel review).
This second volume of ‘Batman [The New 52]’, concludes the battle against the Owls’ team of Talons, all resurrected to kill Bruce Wayne and members of Gotham City’s council, as they later discover. When a bunch of them attack Wayne Manor, they also discover Bruce Wayne is Batman, and it doesn’t take much telegraphing to know something has to be done about that. Without going too far, the ending is a bit messier than the build-up needed. I do tend to think that modern comic book writers don’t really understand how to up their game, but not at the cost of a realistic plot and using the elements developed effectively enough. It isn’t helped when we only really see Batman’s perspective rather than view the villain’s aspect. Granted, it might have given something away regarding who the villain really was, but there are still ways around even that.
Then there was a change of pace, exploring Alfred Pennyworth’s father, Jarvis, warning his son off in a letter to never work at Wayne Manor. That couldn’t have worked. The art is more experimental and lacks proper credit.
Not so in the following story, as artist Becky Cloonan does manga-style art. Batman is only given cameo appearances, with the focus on two teens in a slum tenement about to be moved out so new homes can be built. After rescuing them from bullies, the girl and electrician Harper decide to help Batman in her own way, not realising that the ghost electrics are something he implemented to keep electricity flowing as well as dampening the camera network when he drops in on some villainy.
Then we are back to conventional art and an old villain, Mr. Freeze, who escapes from Arkham Asylum and seeks vengeance on his ex-boss Bruce Wayne for not letting him save his wife, Nora. There are twists upon twists here, and Victor Fries is very single-minded and a tad deluded. This story really does get back on form.
All of these stories are from Batman #8–12 and Batman Annual #1.
GF Willmetts
March 2024
(pub: DC Comics, 2013. page graphic novel softcover. Price: varies. ISBN: 978-1-4012-3778-3)
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