Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Batman #1-#2

Now it's time for the blankity blank-blank Batman. As I said last time, today's post would be a little different in that this story is current and still going in this book and others. These are the first two issues of the New 52 Batman aka "Same 'Ole Batman". Unlike everyone else in this new universe, everything is still the same except the whole "Batman's younger, Dick was 16 when he became Robin, Barbara's Batgirl again, etc., etc." stuff. The creative team is Scott Synder and Greg Capullo. Scott Snyder is already known for having a great run on Detective Comics, and Capullo is known for something I don't know. He is a good, stylistic artist. Well, here we go:
Batman #1
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Greg Capullo

This issue starts out in Arkham Asylum where Batman is trying to calm another breakout at the Asylum. This place really does suck. He goes up against his main enemies who are sporting some new looks. He fights them off, but some big one picks him up and throws him into a cell that belongs to the Joker. Suddenly, Batman AND Joker come out of the cell and beat the crap out of the inmates...okay. We then switch bases and are now at the rooftop of Gotham City Police Department. Batman's there explaining the night to Commissioner Gordon who looks like he's finally using "Just For Men".

Yes, this threw me off a bit.

We then move to Wayne Manor, specifically the Batcave. Wow. I hope Chris Nolan's version is as about as sweet. Bruce is there dressed in a tux and is working as the Joker...or should I say Dick in an EMP mask shows up to see what's going down. Man, Bruce has entered the 21st century!

Dang! Next, he'll be dawning his own suit of armor....just read a few more issues.

Bruce and Dick head up to the Manor where Damien and Tim are waiting and I really think Bruce should lay off the steroids. In the main hall of the Manor, a dinner is being held where Bruce is the speaker. Comm. Gordon and others are there.  He talks about Gotham City is and how he is going move the city to the future. in front of him is a display of the city and then he shows what the city may look like in the future. The crowd is pleased. After his speech, Bruce goes around meeting the people and he runs into Vicki Vale. She introduces him to Lincoln March, a candidate for mayor. They talk and set up lunch for tomorrow as Bruce uses his hi-tech gadgets to spy on Gordon and find out about something happening. Afterwards, he sets off into the night as Batman.

Wow! "Just For Men" can work on anyone!

Batman heads to an apartment where he find Det. Harvey Bullock. Harvey takes to see the body, which is ...Dang. Anyway, the small knives that are in the man's body have owls on them. Harvey wonders if it could mean something, but Batman cut him off. Batman then finds some skin under the man's fingertips, so he analyzes it for DNA. He then smells some strong paint thinner, so he asks Harvey for his cigar and a message lights up  saying "BRUCE WAYNE WILL DIE TOMORROW". Sounds ominous. While they're wondering how this guy could have known about Wayne, Alfred calls Bats back and tells him that the DNA belongs to...Dick Grayson?

Batman #2
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Greg Capullo
We start out with Bruce talking about Old Wayne Tower. He talks about the different gargoyles and different levels and such. We then see Bruce getting thrown out of said tower.

We move back '24 Hours Earlier' and see Batman do something that is pretty insane. He chases down a helicopter on a railway and then plays Chicken with said helicopter. The helicopter loses.

Batman: I eat sharks for dinner!!!

We then cut to the GCPD morgue where Gordon is viewing the body from the last issue. The coroner tells him how the man died. Apparently, he choked on his own blood. Ow. After the coroner leaves Batman shows up...via camera and communicates to Gordon from the Batcave. Apparently, Batman has a hi tech camera that makes a holographic version of the body. Hmm...Has he lost mind? Can he see or is he blind? Oh well.  Anyway, Gordon brings up that this guy was pretty tough and it had to take someone tougher to kill him. Batman notices that the man has a molar that an owl-shaped emblem on it. Gordon brings up the Court of Owls, but Batman dismisses it as myth and fantasy. Ha. Their conversation ends as Nightwing shows up.

He and Nightwing talk about the guy and Bruce tells Dick about his DNA being in his fingertips. Dick does say that he recognizes the man. He ran into the guy a week ago and he says the guy was already looking pretty crazed and haggard. The man grabbed Dick's arm and told him some crazy stuff.  Batman knows Dick didn't do anything to the man because he checked Dick's alibis. Later, Bruce goes to Old Wayne Tower to meet Lincoln. At the tower, they talk about things like life, the city, and Lincoln's candidacy. Wow, these two look alike. I wonder...Oh well.

Who's who?? No, really, they look too similar. 

Anyway, Lincoln is about to talk about some sort of evil when suddenly  some commotion happens and a figure in black breaks in to the room. The man in black throws a small knife at Lincoln and that takes him out of the fight. Bruce tries to take him down with some lucky blows (Bruce Wayne don't know Kung Fu!!!), but the man in black is too tough so Bruce goes into Batman mode. That still doesn't take the man down. The man places knives at critical points on Bruce's body and tells him that the Court of Owls want him to die. The man kicks Bruce out of the window and jumps after him to finish the job. The two fight mid-air until Bruce is able to grab a gargoyle and the man in black falls to his death. The issue ends as an ambulance takes the man in black away only for him to "pull a Lazarus card", get up, and kill the EMT who looks like Michael Moore.

So...is Bruce the DC version of David Xanatos???

........................................................
Well, those were a couple exciting issues! There's nothing that really needs to be said here. This book is one of the best books that has come out of the reboot. The writing by Snyder is pretty good. All of the characters that show up are in their best form. Batman is pretty much a force to be reckoned with here. The mystery set up in these two issues is also interesting. Who is the Man in Black? What is the Court of Owls? Those are some interesting questions and they do get answered. The artwork is also pretty good. Capullo draws some good stuff. At first glance, his art reminded me of Chris Bachalo's art. Now, I don't see that at all. It's got a certain style to it, but unlike Bachalo's, it not too out there. Well, since I have gotten the "Tales" part done with, it's time to move on to something...ULTIMATE.