Batman: The Court of Owls (USA) di Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo

[Azrael]

Colorata a me non dispiace 

[Sawyer88]

Colorata a me non dispiace 

[Azrael]

This is it. This is Rocky and Ivan Drago. He-Man and Skeletor. Cain and Abel. Batman #11 gives us the showdown that has been escalating for some time now. Does Batman prevail? Will Lincoln March live on to fight another day to haunt Bruce? Scott Snyder and the rest of Team Batman give us quite the battle, but nothing is ever black and white in Gotham City.

Jumping in right immediately from the last panel of the previous issue, Batman and his so-called brother duke it out all across Gotham with Lincoln getting the upper hand for the majority of the fight. When Bruce finally gets some hits in, he makes sure they count and the two cause some serious collateral damage to the city.

I think given the ending that Snyder has presented is the best route to have gone. Nothing is definite and gives Bruce a mystery he can't solve. The fact that Snyder also makes clear is how nobody owns Gotham is a poignant lesson. Lincoln has some great dialogue here as he's the main voice of the issue. His taunts to Bruce really show his mental instability and given time, will be a fine addition to the already legendary Batman rogues gallery. I do think that Bruce's ending monologue is a tad cliche at the end, and could have been punched up a bit. However, it is definitely an exclamation point for the end of this arc.

The back-up feature continuing Jarvis Pennyworth's story has more emotional weight, especially with Alfred and Bruce at the end. Alfred is more than the butler, or the confidant; he's the voice of reason. Both Bruce and Alfred lost somebody dear to them because of the Court, but where Bruce is determined to want to solve the mystery of Lincoln's heritage and put an end to the ambiguity, Alfred insists that they leave things at rest. This makes sense, and it adds to the whole overall lesson that Gotham is not just a city, but a force of its own.

You have great art teams on this. What can be said about Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, and FCO that hasn't been said over and over. They are just dynamite, and Capullo really has established himself as one of DC's top artists and shown a whole new generation why he's a superstar. He's definitely won me over and I'll be on the lookout for whatever he puts out in the future. The best thing about this art team, that even with the more weaker dialogue, the scenes are still elevated to greater levels because the visuals are just that strong.

Over at the back-up, the mainstay art team of Albuquerque and McCaig literally burn the roof off the place and handle both the intense moments and more subtle ones with ease and panache, you'd easily would want a Bat-book with just them.

Batman #11 gives its readers the finale to something nobody was really expecting: a year long arc that establishes not only a new villain, but a new premise about Gotham City. Bruce has been pushed to the edge and he still fights another day. It's a strong book and one certainly labeled a can't miss one to read. This might be the finale to "The Court of Owls," but it's not an end. Kudos, Team Batman. Kudos.

9 su 10

Da Newsarama

[Matches Malone]

Exclusive First Look at the Variant Covers for BATMAN #12

Here's an exclusive first look at the issue's variant cover by Bryan Hitch!

A differenza di quella che Hitch ha fatto per Superman, questa mi piace un sacco!

[Lois Lane]

Exclusive First Look at the Variant Covers for BATMAN #12

Here's an exclusive first look at the issue's variant cover by Bryan Hitch!

A differenza di quella che Hitch ha fatto per Superman, questa mi piace un sacco!

Anche a me

[Matches Malone]

Exclusive First Look at the Variant Covers for BATMAN #12

Here's an exclusive first look at the issue's variant cover by Bryan Hitch!

A differenza di quella che Hitch ha fatto per Superman, questa mi piace un sacco!

Anche a me

Quella di Supes in sè è pure bella, è proprio la faccia che gliel'ha fatta male

[Lois Lane]

Exclusive First Look at the Variant Covers for BATMAN #12

Here's an exclusive first look at the issue's variant cover by Bryan Hitch!

A differenza di quella che Hitch ha fatto per Superman, questa mi piace un sacco!

Anche a me

Quella di Supes in sè è pure bella, è proprio la faccia che gliel'ha fatta male

Non so... non mi colpisce.

[Bruce Wayne]

Spiacente, ma non sei autorizzato a visualizzare il contenuto degli spoiler.

[Matches Malone]

Ottima conclusione!
Proprio come in

Spiacente, ma non sei autorizzato a visualizzare il contenuto degli spoiler.

Sequenze di lotta molto belle, la scena

Spiacente, ma non sei autorizzato a visualizzare il contenuto degli spoiler.

è spettacolare così come Bruce che

Spiacente, ma non sei autorizzato a visualizzare il contenuto degli spoiler.

. Bello il

Spiacente, ma non sei autorizzato a visualizzare il contenuto degli spoiler.

[Azrael]

It's the end of the arc so does that mean this is the final battle? There were some serious revelations in the last issues and there might be some answers here.
"You're a lunatic in a bird suit...and I was done playing nice..."

The Good
Lincoln March made some serious allegations last issue. If true, they could completely change Batman and Bruce Wayne's world. We pick right up where last issue's cliffhanger ending left off. This is a major match up. Of course during this no holds barred fight, there's going to be some speech making. Despite all the cards being laid out on the table, there's that bit of doubt. You'll be hanging onto every word, waiting to see what the outcome could be. Of course there's the question of whether or not Bruce and Lincoln will survive. This is an intense fight. You also have to consider the fact that Lincoln took the Talon formula

The great part is hearing Lincoln's talk. The way he describes his story is poetic. The way Scott Snyder has him describe his upbringing and the symbolism is brilliant. This was an issue that I literally paused on each page because I didn't want it to end. Of course I was dying to see the outcome but part of me was almost sad to know the end was coming.

What can be said about Greg Capullo's art that hasn't already been said? I will mention that the battle between Bruce and Lincoln takes place across various locations in Gotham. It's great to see the little detail of familiar buildings. Batman takes a helluva beating and leave it to Capullo to capture every detail of it.

And then there's the conclusion to the back up story. Snyder, James Tynion IV and Rafael Albuquerque bring the events to end and fill in the gap with details of what happened back when Thomas and Martha were alive. It's a tragic ending but also is exactly what this entire arc needed.

The Bad
The 'villain' has to be able to give their revealing speech at some point. As well crafted as it is here, it's in the midst of a pretty hardcore fight. The fact that the fight takes them all over Gotham and even on a plane in the sky, I wonder how much of it Bruce was able to hear. Of course the beating Bruce takes and the scene with the plane and after were a bit much. I suppose the normal New 52 armor/suit Batman wears really absorbs a lot.

The Verdict
Now we can finally catch our breathe. It's been a crazy ride and the action and revelations really amped things up these last couple issues. Scott Snyder made a bold move with the direction of Lincoln March. I won't comment whether or not there's a clear and definitive conclusion to his claim but there is plenty to make the argument for both sides. There was also a touching scene between Bruce and Dick that plays out nicely. The two of them have been through a lot and we don't often see them able to simply talk. The conclusion to the back up story further sheds light on the past and brings about another touching scene. There is a grand feeling of closure despite certain questions still hanging in the air. If DC ever felt they needed to cancel BATMAN, this would be a fitting and appropriate way to end the series. But clearly that can and never should happen.

It's hard to say what's next for Batman. We know Snyder and Capullo have some insane plans brewing in the coming months. I do feel a little sad this arc is over. It's not so much that it's over but more so all the revelations and emotion contained here. That's just a testament to the writing ability of Snyder. It's not often I actually feel something after reading a comic. This was the ending I would have asked for.

5 su 5

Da CVine

[Dean Winchester]

Il 5 su 5 lo merita giusto per il finale. Grandioso.

[Azrael]

"Batman" #11 wraps up a story that has run the course of nearly a year's worth of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's "Batman." Batman has been snatched by the Court of Owls and seen Gotham City slip from his grip, wondering if the very foundation of his city was crumbling beneath him. As he discovers places and people, Batman is left in this issue confronting his alleged brother Thomas Wayne, Jr., previously known as Gotham mayoral candidate Lincoln March.

Lincoln March is the "beak of the owls," plunging into Batman's chest. Outfitted with a stunningly hi-tech battlesuit, Thomas is every bit the match to fight Batman. Under Snyder, Batman has been pressed to the limit of his physical ability and mental prowess by the Court and March keeps pushing, trying so hard to get Batman to finally break. Snyder has added some depth to the Rogues of Gotham, both in the Court and in March and reveals the effect both have taken on the Dark Knight as Batman almost throws in the towel. Like all good Batman stories, however, the indomitable will of the Caped Crusader boosts his chances for survival.

Snyder tacks on an epilogue and, with co-writer James Tynion IV, fills in some of the backstory surrounding the mystery of Thomas Wayne, Jr. Naturally, it isn't completely solved, but there are enough clues for the readers to choose the proper course of rampant speculation until more evidence surfaces.

However, the visual evidence of Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion's shadowy city is undeniable. FCO Plascencia recognizes this and keeps the color range steeped in grays and browns with the occasional orange thrown in for good measure and excitement. Capullo has quite the range of subject matter to address in this comic, from Bruce Wayne in a wheelchair to a tower crumbling in the heart of Gotham. Still, he manages to provide some innovation and excitement, dropping in a maze for background of one page while solidifying the Gotham skyline later in the comic. Capullo's animated figures bounce through these pages and truly seem capable of the tremendous physical feats they accomplish.

The backup tale by Rafael Albuquerque and Dave McCaig is filled with slightly more vibrant colors and a healthy quantity of reality-grounded characters driven by fear and sadness. The art here is every bit as beautiful as the lead story, but illustrates perfectly the broad spectrum of style and color range in the world of Batman.

I've enjoyed the heck out of this Batman story for the past year. With the excitement around the character building due to "The Dark Knight Rises" as well as the impending Joker story coming soon in the pages of "Batman," it's easy to lose sight of stories that don't involve recognizable foes, but that's part of what makes this story all the more enjoyable. The Court of Owls and the Talons are not linked to Bane, Catwoman or the Joker. They're freestanding new additions to the city of Gotham, brought to you by the imagination of Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and the entire creative team. After this issue, Bruce Wayne, Batman and Gotham will never be the same. In my opinion, they're all better for it.

4,5 su 5

Da CBR

[Green Lantern]

insomma alla fine sto

Spiacente, ma non sei autorizzato a visualizzare il contenuto degli spoiler.

[Matches Malone]

Tendenzialmente no, con un margine di dubbio.

[Murnau]

Tendenzialmente no, con un margine di dubbio.

Eh, guarda che strano. Mi ricorda un certo "dolore".