It’s been one of the greatest – if not the greatest – Batman storyline runs ever.
I know. I know.
High praise, indeed. But that’s what writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo have been fashioning each month within the pages of Batman over the last four-plus years. Really, in my decades-long Batman memory, there are only a handful of writer and/or artist story runs that potentially rival that of Snyder and Capullo: Denny o’Neil and Neal Adams as well as Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers from the 1970’s, Doug Moench from the 1980’s, Norm Breyfogle from the 1990’s and Grant Morrison from this past decade.
That’s not to say there weren’t other great stories over the past forty-odd years.
That’s just saying that I think the Snyder and Capullo story, all forty-nine issues of it, has been the greatest.
And for the past year, they’ve done it without Batman!
Follow me after the jump for the scoop on the climactic final issue that is Batman #50!
Batman #50
Written by: Scott Snyder
Illustrated by: Greg Capullo and Danny Miki
Published by: DC Comics
This isn’t the first time I’ve listed the monthly Snyder and Capullo Batman comic as my Wednesday Run pick. No, I’ve done it here (Batman #9) and here (Batman #13) and here (Batman #17) and here (Batman #29) and here (Batman #33) and here (Batman Volume 5: Zero Year Dark City collection).
But really, it all started right here (Batman #1), when DC Comics re-booted their entire line of comics with new #1 issues during the “New 52”.
So, yeah. That’s a lot of regular, excited praise for a series by the same creative team for over four years now.
Over that time period, in absolutely classic stories, Batman has battled The Court of Owls, The Riddler, the Joker and, with Batman #50, the climax of his entanglement with new villain, Mr. Bloom.
Only, it’s not Batman. Well, it hasn’t been. Not until now.
You see, after a heartbreaking “final” battle with arch-villain, the Joker, Batman died. For the past year, the comic book has centered on James Gordon, fighting crime as a stand-in Batman. Only this version of Batman is a technical marvel – a mechanized crime-fighting machine with a team of scientists and police administrators to rely on.
It’s been a bold step for Snyder and Capullo and DC Comics: Batman without Batman.
Aptly titled “Superheavy” the storylines questions what it’s like to battle crime in Gotham City as Batman without being Bruce Wayne. At the same time, it explores the rarely treaded terrain of what it’s like for Bruce Wayne to not have to be Batman. Fascinating, really.
And it all comes to a stunning climax today in a special double-sized issue! Batman is back. But he’s not entirely like the one you remember. As an interested reader looking for new ways to read (and love) the same characters, it’s for the better!
Make the run to your local comic book shop and pick up the classic-in-the-making Batman #50. Let “Superheavy” fall on you!
Filed under: 2016, Batman, comics, dc, DC Comics, JP, JP Fallavollita, JP/Japer, the Wednesday run Tagged: Batman, Bruce Wayne, comic book, Danny Miki, DC, Greg Capullo, James Gordon, JP, jp fallavollita, JP/Japer, Mr. Bloom, Scott Snyder, the wednesday run
