We are almost a year into the Zero Year arc and the anticipation of what is going to happen is killing me. We are welcomed into the new Gotham. There is one rule. Get smart…or die!
The one thing I can say about this book is that I wish it was combined with the next one. There is so much to be told in this last act, it has to be spread out. Good for business, bad for me. What was a little different about this book over every other book in the series is that Batman is barely in this book. First thing in the book, Bruce is hanging out of a window and next things he wakes up in an apartment with an IV in his arm. There is a kid there doing what seems to be a crossword puzzle explaining to Bruce what happened. It’s been a while since Bruce remembers but Gotham is overgrown and partly inhabitable. The Riddler now runs Gotham. It is quite a sight to see. Greg Capullo did a wonderful job putting this down on the paper. One thing I liked during the explanation from the kid is that he mentioned that The Riddler calls this time Zero Year. The Riddler is trying to make Gotham smarter. Every day he gives the city a chance to tell him a riddle. If The Riddler can’t solve it, he would give Gotham back to the people. James Gordon is trying to outwit Nygma but there is really only one man capable of outsmarting this mad man. There is some nice action near the end of this chapter and low a and behold, we get to see our caped crusader.
Scott Snyder is putting together an epic story with his run on Batman. He is very narrative in his story telling which is great for the overall story. Capullo’s art tops off book for me. While reading though it, I soak in the story but then I go back to stare at the pages in awe. Once again, I smile as I go through the pages after seeing panels in full color that I once saw as a work in progress thanks to Greg Capullo’s Twitter. Miki and FCO really make the book POP! Love love love this crew!
Zero Year is wrapping up and I know it will be in a grand fashion. There is much more to come from Scott and Greg with Batman. I never envisioned that it would go the way it is going now. I am eager to see how Batman is going to turn Gotham around and bring it back to how we remember it. Now I have to wait a whole month.
Batman #30 (Zero Year) – Savage City Part One
Written by: Scott Snyder
Pencils by: Greg Capullo
Inks by: Danny Miki
Colors by: FCO Plascencia
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