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

[Concept Coop]

In the end it is all opinion. I think Snyder has written some good stuff but so far I think this is crap.

Again, please tell me what isn't crap. I'd like to get an idea of what "crap" is to you. What other Big 2 books are you reading and like more?

It sounds like anything short of Year One, Morrison's run, Dark Knight Returns, Black Mirror, etcetera, is crap to the mob.

[Conway]

I figured out M. Night Snyder's twist ending.

It is really Owl Man wearing Joker's face. That is why everyone keeps literally saying "He's [Joker] changed this time". And that is why Joker felt the need to rant about their relationship on the bridge. The crazy Owl wants to be as important to Batman as Joker is

[Conway]

Again, please tell me what isn't crap. I'd like to get an idea of what "crap" is to you. What other Big 2 books are you reading and like more?

It sounds like anything short of Year One, Morrison's run, Dark Knight Returns, Black Mirror, etcetera, is crap to the mob.

Action has had its moments and Action #13 was amazing. I love Chew, and Layman has had a decent start to 'Tec but the art so good it's throwing me off a little.

Snyder's Batman Annual was really good, it was great right up until the last panel.

But this arc is average at best, and average for DC is pretty bad lately. Both of the back-ups have been top notch though.

[Concept Coop]

Action has had its moments and Action #13 was amazing. I love Chew, and Layman has had a decent start to 'Tec but the art so good it's throwing me off a little.

Snyder's Batman Annual was really good, it was great right up until the last panel.

But this arc is average at best, and average for DC is pretty bad lately. Both of the back-ups have been top notch though.

You name one other DC title, suggest it has it's spots, call another decent, then claim current Batman is average for DC?

I guess if those are the 3 books are are reading from DC, and rank Batman anything but #1, by definition, I guess it is average.

[DCDOOM]

I'm going with the idea that Joker had something in the chemical bath at the beginning of the issue that will act as a catalyst for all the characters he approaches. That is how Joker will find out who is who beneath the masks. He has an idea now, but I think he is lying to try and draw them out. As they get in contact with Batman, chemicals from Batman's suit will interact with the other chemicals that the heroes have been dowsed with in some fashion, and then they will "die." See how Gordon didn't start bleeding until Bat's showed up. Nightwing now has some residue from the bomb blast (which he will survive), and next time he meets up with Batman, boom. Slowly Joker will meet up with the others and that's how Batman will kill them all.

But that's just my crazy theory.

thought this as well.. i thought the issue was ok, i felt i had too many "why" moments.. but hey it's batman so i'll read it, and capullo and jock always impress..

[tylenoljones]

The guy dresses up as a Bat, jumps around rooftops, and beats people up every night. I think by definition that makes him mentally unstable

Not at all. You have to remember that he comes from a world where dressing up in silly costumes and fighting crime is normal. I imagine even small towns in the DCU have superheroes.

[Mr. Holmes]

Yeah Snyder's writing couldn't have possibly gotten worse. People just hate him because he's popular!

You sound like one of those people who would defend Justin Bieber with "Oh you're just jealous."

[Conway]

You name one other DC title, suggest it has it's spots, call another decent, then claim current Batman is average for DC?

I guess if those are the 3 books are are reading from DC, and rank Batman anything but #1, by definition, I guess it is average.

No you wanted to know what I thought was good. Action #13 is the only single issue of DC since the reboot that deserves a 5/5 although JL #0 comes close.

Things I'm reading that I usually enjoy, Action, Aquaman, Nightwing, last 2 issues of 'Tec, Earth 2
Things I'm also reading but know some issues will disappoint, DK, B&R, Swamp Thing, Inc.
Things I'm still reading but might drop any second Batman, JL, Superman
Things I already dropped WF, WW, 'Tec (came back for #0 and Layman), TT, RHatO

Average at DC is pretty bad right now.

[tylenoljones]

I like how no one can ever really definitively put down what they don't like about Snyder's writing its all very muted whenever the discussion comes up. They tend to focus on these really irrelevant details of the story or preferences that only the most anal fan should care about and then blow it up until your no longer talking about the issue and instead arguing about the current state of Batman line.

Who hasn't been specific about what they don't like in the writing? You're just making stuff up now. How many times have people said that the overly verbose monologues and the forced melodrama weaken the stories for them? That he writes people out of character to serve the scene or build up other characters?

Who exactly has become "very muted" when the topic of Snyder's writing has come up?

[Conway]

Who hasn't been specific about what they don't like in the writing? You're just making stuff up now. How many times have people said that the overly verbose monologues and the forced melodrama weaken the stories for them? That he writes people out of character to serve the scene or build up other characters?

Who exactly has become "very muted" when the topic of Snyder's writing has come up?

I think that was in response to my post where I explained why each scene of the new arc didn't work for me, but I wasn't being specific.

[adkal]

I'm going with the idea that Joker had something in the chemical bath at the beginning of the issue that will act as a catalyst for all the characters he approaches. That is how Joker will find out who is who beneath the masks. He has an idea now, but I think he is lying to try and draw them out. As they get in contact with Batman, chemicals from Batman's suit will interact with the other chemicals that the heroes have been dowsed with in some fashion, and then they will "die." See how Gordon didn't start bleeding until Bat's showed up. Nightwing now has some residue from the bomb blast (which he will survive), and next time he meets up with Batman, boom. Slowly Joker will meet up with the others and that's how Batman will kill them all.

But that's just my crazy theory.

The problem with this theory, though, is that he's not wearing the same suit he wore when he was in the vat. He was also never directly exposed in such a manner (protected by the suit and re-breather).

The heparin variant he came up with to use on Gordon is highly unlikely to be able to be triggered externally - but this is comics, so... - I prefer to think he laced Gordon's cigarettes, allowing for the chemical to build up in his system (time release). I'm also, however, of the view that there was something laced into the pictures, too, just not the heparin variant.

[Conway]

The problem with this theory, though, is that he's not wearing the same suit he wore when he was in the vat. He was also never directly exposed in such a manner (protected by the suit and re-breather).

The heparin variant he came up with to use on Gordon is highly unlikely to be able to be triggered externally - but this is comics, so... - I prefer to think he laced Gordon's cigarettes, allowing for the chemical to build up in his system (time release). I'm also, however, of the view that there was something laced into the pictures, too, just not the heparin variant.

See, all of this stuff is more fun than the actual issue. I'd like to think he made the poison react with whatever he had Harley dunk the Bat into in the beginning. Without Alfred around he can't get his dry-cleaning done so he had to wear the same suit with a back-up cowl.

And I still say Joker is really Owl Man.

[Scurlogg_Hawkk]

This is batman stories at his best ....

[adkal]

Without Alfred around he can't get his dry-cleaning done so he had to wear the same suit with a back-up cowl.

But that makes him physically dependent on Alfred (and the issue already has him being mentally dependent on him...). We can see the suit was ruined, it also wasn't functioning properly, either.

However, if Joker did get into the cave and have a wander, as he has claimed, then, as with the clothing of the Gotham PD, he may have made some...chemical enhancements to the various suits...

And I still say Joker is really Owl Man.

Shoulders are too thin, and there's far too much weight loss

It's Alfred, and there's going to be a Face/Off moment

[tylenoljones]

Yeah Snyder's writing couldn't have possibly gotten worse. People just hate him because he's popular!

You sound like one of those people who would defend Justin Bieber with "Oh you're just jealous."

Exactly. Thanks for keeping me from saying it.

Hey, you know who else used to write acclaimed Batman stories? Jeph Loeb. You all remember Long Halloween? And his Hush story got great reviews.

I bet he's still a great writer, and it's just fanboys trying to tear down his reputation. Surely someone of his caliber never wrote a bad story.

Yet another case of someone finding it easier to condemn the people he disagrees with rather than defend the text or his own views.