Disappointing.

The premise of the overlong story arc is that a secret criminal/vigilante organization has been lurking in Gotham for more than 200 years, but is so well-hidden that even Batman considers it to be an urban legend. When a body appears with clear evidence pointing to this "Court of Owls," he begins to question everything he knows about his beloved city.

I decided to read this based on Snyder's superb "Black Mirror" story-line, but it doesn't even come close. In his introduction to this volume, Snyder mentions how he found it easy to write Dick Grayson as the new Batman but felt daunted by the prospect of writing Wayne. His concerns seem to have been valid. There's nothing appealing, charming or interesting about this incarnation and sometimes he behaves weirdly out of character (like when he sucker-punches Nightwing for no real reason.)

Any time you insert an element that is supposed to have been part of a history all alone it's tricky. Grant Morrison succeeded during his run, but Snyder didn't manage to convince me that it was plausible. Furthermore, if the "New 52" is supposed to be a reboot of the DC universe, what's the point of doing a story like this in the first place? It has no weight at all. It's not a revelation about the world we know because there isn't a world we know yet.

Aspects of the story seem too familiar. If you've read Jeph Loeb's "Hush" you won't be surprised who the main villain turns out to be. I was suspicious as soon as he was introduced and I turned out to be right. And when he claimed to be a certain individual from Bruce's past, I was again reminded of Morrison's much better run.

Greg Capullo's art is of the thin-lined, scritchy-scratchy Jim Lee 90s style that I just don't care for. Like Tony Daniel's art in "Batman R.I.P.", there are numerous instances where it just isn't clear what is going on in the panel. A good editor would have had these redrawn. Capullo does put in some fine covers (particularly the "bat-owl" image on the slipcase); this generation of comic artists tends to be better at splash images than actual sequential art.

I'm a bit baffled by the high marks its received here though I do see that some folks are completely new to Batman or even comics. If they have become fans because of this story then I suppose it has done its job. I thought it was very weak, and I certainly don't recommend spending extra for the deluxe treatment. ( )