PREVIEW: Snyder & Capullo's "Batman" #14

[dubbauw]

not many. Remember, most of his villains don't know batman and bruce are the same person

yeah basically bane, catwoman, um dr. strange i think?, and hush? those are the only ones i can think of... catwoman is not out to hurt him either way, and dr. strange is crazy.

[adkal]

not many. Remember, most of his villains don't know batman and bruce are the same person

The Court of Owls attacked Wayne Manor regardless of the Inc-link and without knowing that Bruce is The Bat...

It's not just about 'his villains', though. You also need to take into account the 'mainstream' opportunists. Sure, currently they might stay away because of the Wayne-link to Batman via Inc but that won't always be the case (although, 'traditionally', these folks seem to strike when there's an event going on (more pickings) rather than targeting Wayne specifically).

[Conway]

The Court of Owls attacked Wayne Manor regardless of the Inc-link and without knowing that Bruce is The Bat...

Yeah right... they sent one (young) talon after known killers like Mr. Freeze, or into police stations and protected city officials, but they sent over a dozen to Wayne manor because they had no idea that Bruce is Batman. This is part of my problem with Snyder, a full on task force for the rich kid that is just starting to get into Gotham politics for the first time, but only one to kill the sitting mayor, then tell me how great it all was and compare it to real literature.

I mean the title of this thread is headlined with his name... I'm pretty sure the Bat is still the headliner. And I know for sure that both Inc. and 'Tec were better stories last month. For crying out loud Jason Voorhees has more presence and charisma than the Joker did in the main title. I'm seriously on the verge of dropping this title and all I'm hearing is how great it is. Last month's main title might have been the worst of his entire run, and I can't find one bad review that wasn't written by a fan. I'm sick of the hype.

[Nite-Wing]

Why would Batman have cameras all around his property? He's not some recluse who obsessed with keeping people out.
Alfred almost always just goes to the door and greets everyone.
No reason for it to be any different now

[adkal]

Yeah right... they sent one (young) talon after known killers like Mr. Freeze, or into police stations and protected city officials, but they sent over a dozen to Wayne manor because they had no idea that Bruce is Batman.

Bruce had survived an attack from their 'best' Talon, so they decided to crank it up a notch (so to speak).

The Court doesn't know Bruce is Batman, and only a handful of Talons (currently frozen and stored in the lower levels of Blackgate) know.

This is part of my problem with Snyder, a full on task force for the rich kid that is just starting to get into Gotham politics for the first time, but only one to kill the sitting mayor, then tell me how great it all was and compare it to real literature.

Since NML (apparently) still happened, this isn't Bruce's first time getting in to politics - although, if NML did happen then I have no idea why people are protesting the renovation projects, especially since (unknown to almost every Gothamite) Bruce ensured the deeds and ownership records of all Gotham property were safeguarded in order to prevent anyone (Lex) from making claims of ownership over land they did not own...

The Court is aware of Bruce's ties with and sponsorship of Inc, so sending in more troops to offset the likely protection such ties bring about is understandable.

How they got into the cave and, more specifically, navigated the tunnels, though, is another matter...

[adkal]

Why would Batman have cameras all around his property? He's not some recluse who obsessed with keeping people out.

It's not about keeping people out - cameras can't do that - but about knowing what's going on around you (cameras can help with that).

He also has various sensors set up around the grounds (see the Court of Owls story, for example).

Alfred almost always just goes to the door and greets everyone.

There's (sometimes) a gate with an intercom (see Year One). Communique using that probably happens off-panel most of the time, but on an estate the size of the Wayne grounds, there will be something like that.

No reason for it to be any different now

There not being cameras or sensors would be different, not the other way round

[dubbauw]

Yeah right... they sent one (young) talon after known killers like Mr. Freeze, or into police stations and protected city officials, but they sent over a dozen to Wayne manor because they had no idea that Bruce is Batman. This is part of my problem with Snyder, a full on task force for the rich kid that is just starting to get into Gotham politics for the first time, but only one to kill the sitting mayor, then tell me how great it all was and compare it to real literature.

I mean the title of this thread is headlined with his name... I'm pretty sure the Bat is still the headliner. And I know for sure that both Inc. and 'Tec were better stories last month. For crying out loud Jason Voorhees has more presence and charisma than the Joker did in the main title. I'm seriously on the verge of dropping this title and all I'm hearing is how great it is. Last month's main title might have been the worst of his entire run, and I can't find one bad review that wasn't written by a fan. I'm sick of the hype.

Bruce was their primary target though. His billions of dollars and new project for Gotham made him the biggest threat to the Court's dominance over the city. I think that most people in Gotham would agree that Bruce Wayne has more influence over the city than anyone including the mayor. Think about it in real-world terms, to have the biggest effect, who would you send more Talons after, Bill Gates or the mayor of Seattle? Who has more security? Who is the biggest threat to the Court's power? Gates, Gates, Gates. Makes sense why they sent more after Wayne than anyone else to me...

[tylenoljones]

Bruce was their primary target though. His billions of dollars and new project for Gotham made him the biggest threat to the Court's dominance over the city. I think that most people in Gotham would agree that Bruce Wayne has more influence over the city than anyone including the mayor. Think about it in real-world terms, to have the biggest effect, who would you send more Talons after, Bill Gates or the mayor of Seattle? Who has more security? Who is the biggest threat to the Court's power? Gates, Gates, Gates. Makes sense why they sent more after Wayne than anyone else to me...

In real world terms, and as a former resident of Seattle; that makes no sense.

[Mr. Holmes]

Yeah prefacing with "real world terms" made me lol.

[ispacehead]

'...inspired by the freedom he had as Sexton, the Joker kidnapped Alfred over a year ago. After undergoing intense personality suppression, removing his face and 'uploading' 'Alfred', the Joker has spent the past year posing as Alfred...and now his chaotic nature, after churning away in frustration at the stumbles the Bat has been going through in his absence, wants out!

The revelation that Alfred is missing pulls in the Family but creates a schism between Damien and the rest of the family as he feels they, especially Bruce, have failed a good man (he doesn't hold himself to account because he didn't know Alfred well enough to recognise it wasn't really him). '

So THAT'S what's goin on!

[Choppa]

No, I don't, because his plan isn't physical with Bruce, it never usually is--it's psychological.

I see your point. He knows he can't beat him in a straight physical attack so he's attacking him on a psychological level.

[dubbauw]

In real world terms, and as a former resident of Seattle; that makes no sense.

okay mayor of redmond better? i dont know... um, my point is bruce is way more important than the mayor of gotham, can we agree on that and just ignore my confusing metaphor?

[Nite-Wing]

Batman isn't the Mayor of gotham though so even though he does live there I wouldn't say he's the most important person there just because of his money.

[adkal]

So THAT'S what's goin on!

You know it makes sense

It's an expansion (or narrowing, rather) of the 'you thought you knew the city...you didn't' with 'you thought you knew your family...you didn't', which was alluded to with the revelation that Dick Grayson was 'supposed to be a Talon'.

It will rock Bruce's foundations and make him question everything he thought he knew.

Then, in the Riddler arc, we'll find that Bruce's maternal grandmother influenced Bruce behind the scenes and the majority of the teachers he sought out were actually handpicked by her. It will be revealed that her daughter (Martha) had begun to win her over in her bid to change Gotham for the better and, when the Court began to take steps to eliminate the Waynes, she tried to protect them (ultimately failing to do so).

Overall, the Riddler arc will focus on 'who is Bruce Wayne' and whether or not 'he died the night his parents were murdered', and will have Br-Batman reassess his dual roles in Gotham, even temporarily shedding the 'burden' that is Wayne in order to guide Gotham better. Having cut himself off from the family, and ignoring approaches from Clark, Br-Batman dives into his work with renewed fervour, only to see the error of his ways through the intervention of the innovative and resourceful 'Harper Row'.

[dubbauw]

Yeah prefacing with "real world terms" made me lol.

How about real world plus Court of Owls and Talons terms? Make sense? I'll just stop before I confuse even myself, cause I'm getting close...