Batman #11 Preview/ Discussion

[Quinnhop]

Hoo-boy, I didn't expect this story to end with the villain monologuing while the hero was tied up.

Discussion question: Is the villain disappearing without a trace in an explosion of their own design a cliché or a trope?

Trope. It's usually too self-aware to be cliché.

[wengweng805]

excellent issue! well done Snyder! ended with a bang!

now.....well march/thomas jr be killed off by the joker? "death of the family"? or just a recurring bat villain

[Rakzo]

I liked it. However, Owlman must have been preparing that speech for a long time. I mean, he was able to say it while he was fighting to death with Batman, that takes talent. Seriously now, that was truly unrealistic even for a guy in an owl armor.

Still, there were some pretty emotional parts like Bruce's conversations with Alfred and Dick, especially with the latter. I loved how Bruce said that he did'nt save Dick at adopting him, but in fact Dick saved him. Good scene and tru to their history.

The Court of Owls had high and low points but overall it was pretty good story.

[ispacehead]

My review of Batman 11.

Meh.

That probably sums up my feelings on the entire arc for the most part.

Hopefully the next arc will be more enjoyable. (Or at least just not a year long and mediocre...)

[Combustible Pumpkins]

Spoily question below:








Did anyone understand the explosion by the plane? Was that something Batman planted on him?

[jgiannantoni05]

Fine enough last issue. Did what was expected.

Kinda nice that Snyder played mysterious with this whole Thomas Jr. But IMHO, no matter what, Thomas Wayne Jr is now overplayed. Morrison connected Hurt to Thomas Wayne Jr (Hurt wasn't Jr, but Morrison connected Hurt to Jr and basically said he was that Jr that Bruce's parents tried to help and probably passed off as Jr to others/Willowwood).

[Mr. Holmes]

I don't think he meant Hush invented these plot points. From what I know from the guy, I'd say he doesn't like Hush much in the first place.
With that said, wether Snyder meant to do it or not, a parralel can be drawn with Hush without being shot down as being idiotic. At least, in my opinion.

Well yeah. I'm not saying that Hush was an original story that Snyder ripped off. I think this story is better than Hush, but my problems with it are very similar to the problems I have with Hush.

[Seattle Freeze]

As a Boeing engineer, I have to say- There is NO WAY Batman pulled himself out of that engine nacelle.

[direction9]

not an enjoyable issue
long-winded bummer

[C_W]

This was totally Capullo's issue. I thought the owl suit looked weird last issue but it was badass in this. Capullo did a great job on the art.

[maxpower00044]

Great issue! I like the angle spoilers:

that TWJr. potentially died in the crash, and "TWJr." was a John Doe the court manipulated into thinking he was a Wayne. (even if it was left open ended.)

end of spoilers A fitting end to this story. The conversations with Dick and Alfred were very heartfelt. Also, love that spoilers:

Jarvis's letter burned in the fire. Now we know why Alfred didnt know, either.

end of spoilers I know this story had its detractors, but I enjoyed this arc very very much. BRING ON THE JOKER!

[Seattle Freeze]

I thought this was a great issue and has left me completely satisfied with the Owl arc. I love that Lincoln March was not the brother but thinks he is so we get Bruce coping with a family secret but left the only child. Having lost 2 unborn children, I found the Wayne's pain and reaction believable.

Not only was the battle epic but the bonding between Bruce with Dick and Alfred was great. I love that Dick IS upset that Bruce punched him and that we get closure for Dick in the Owl arc.

I also noticed that Dick understands Bruce having secrets from the bat family so I guess he wouldn't mind not knowing what happened to Nobody.

[Chachi]

Enjoyed the end of the issue better than the beginning. I Liked the ending being "left open" in a What If? scenario with TWJ / Lincoln March. Like everyone else I say - Bring On The Joker!!!!

[SpecialAgentPunk]

This was one of the best Batman storylines ever, but it doesn't even hold an inch against Snyder's Dick Grayson run (maybe the greatest development and understanding of a mainstream character).

Thomas Wayne Jr/Court of Owls vs Bruce Wayne was essentially a weaker version of Gates of Gotham and Dick Grayson vs James Gordon Jr.. The exact same themes are there: the wealthy and elite antagonizing an individual who is an outsider or a remainder of the whole, Doppelgangers, Mirrors, the opposite of ourselves, and a dark secret social history of a city that when exposed, is not a conspiracy, but something simpler yet more horrifying because of its very banality.

Court of Owls didn't work as well, and I'll guess it's because Bruce Wayne is a two-tone character: protect the city and I miss mommy and daddy. So his inner voice is quite dull. Dick Grayson's greatest feature, one that Snyder so fully defined and delved into, was that his basic nature is one of empathy. So he doesn't have that cliche psychological trauma, doing good for the sake of it, and is a much more interesting character because of that.

Thomas Wayne Jr. was too much like a bad Bond movie villain - and although I didn't mind, as others have noted, this issue felt weighted down by exposition, trying to explain everything to make up for its weaker foundation. James Gordon Jr., The Architect, and the Gotham Five were very real - from a quasi-financial elite to a complete psychopath. To this day, James Gordon Jr will forever be one of the best written Batman villain. I do hope Snyder will find a way to create a character in this manner again.

The ending marks a shift for Bruce Wayne in that he understands he's just another person in the city, and Gotham has a life of its own - but also that it's everyone's city - especially the helpless, the abandoned, the forgotten, the ones his mother in her own way tried to save. What I hope Snyder does with this new path is to make Batman less central to the city...Gotham Central vol 2 here we come!!!

[Goose of Zur-En-Arrh]

One word to sum up this issue that "seemingly" wrapped up the CoO arc: Disappointed.

The art was on point and as usual Greg Capullo stuns. I'll say this about Capullo, the guy is a rock star and I'm glad that he'll be on Batman for at least one more year hopefully more. He should've been a breakout artist years ago and never got his due. Well know he has.

As far as the ending goes I felt it was just weird. I disliked the fact that the main villain was Lincoln March/Owlman. The arc started out with the Court of Owls and it veered off towards the end, veered off in the sense that i expected Brucento hunt down the people who were at the helm of the CoO and that didn't happen. It was left vague about their whereabouts, all we got was how vast their resources are and how omnipresent they can be. That really bugged me, I didn't Lincoln March as a villain only that I wanted the CoO held accountable for what they did to Bruce. Who are they? Why did they decide to show up now? Exactly who are the esoteric Gothamites who make up the high ranks of the CoO?

All these questions left somewhat unanswered. It was a solid and consistent story throughout but this issue felt flat. Owlman talking throughout almost the entirety of the issue, using all these melodramatic metaphors that did not speak to me. Bruce falling from the sky and referencing Grayson's love of patrolling Gotham via the Batplane and mentioning how Gotham speaks to him, overly sentimental and to me it didn't fit the Bruce/Batman "mold"

What did I like? Liked that he kept Owlman "alive" because from a superhero comics standpoint it was shown he could go toe to toe with the Bat and possibly win, so I like that Snyder kept him around to possibly come back in the future as a foil for Batman. Loved that Bruce and Dick reconciled although I would love a Batman v. Nightwing Civil War type arc where bat-fam characters have to choose sides, but I digress.

Comparing it The Black Mirror, this comes in second place. I'm glad Snyder is on for the long run but I felt robbed.