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Batman (2011) #1-2
Batman: The Court of Owls Saga
Hidden for years, the mysterious Court of Owls surfaces in Gotham City--what must Batman do to defeat them, and what deadly connection do they have to his past? Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's masterpiece epic is collected in its entirey in trade paperback for the first time ever!
After a series of brutal murders rocks Gotham City, Batman begins to realize that perhaps these crimes go far deeper than appearances suggest. As the Caped Crusader begins to unravel this deadly mystery, he discovers a conspiracy going back to his youth and beyond to the origins of the city he's sworn to protect. Could the Court of Owls, once thought to be nothing more than an urban legend, be behind the crime and corruption? Or is Bruce Wayne losing his grip on sanity and falling prey to the pressures of his war on crime?
Considered one of the greatest stories in the Dark Knight's historic lore, Batman: The Court of Owls Saga is an epic tale told by two of comics' finest storytellers. Collects issues #1-11 of Batman as well as bonus material including sketches, scripts, design concepts and variant covers.
The DC Essential Edition series of graphic novels highlights the best standalone stories the medium has to offer, featuring comics' greatest characters. These trade paperback editions focus on the easiest entry points DC has in its vast library, with seminal, groundbreaking tales that transcend the printed page. Start with the Essentials.
After a series of brutal murders rocks Gotham City, Batman begins to realize that perhaps these crimes go far deeper than appearances suggest. As the Caped Crusader begins to unravel this deadly mystery, he discovers a conspiracy going back to his youth and beyond to the origins of the city he's sworn to protect. Could the Court of Owls, once thought to be nothing more than an urban legend, be behind the crime and corruption? Or is Bruce Wayne losing his grip on sanity and falling prey to the pressures of his war on crime?
Considered one of the greatest stories in the Dark Knight's historic lore, Batman: The Court of Owls Saga is an epic tale told by two of comics' finest storytellers. Collects issues #1-11 of Batman as well as bonus material including sketches, scripts, design concepts and variant covers.
The DC Essential Edition series of graphic novels highlights the best standalone stories the medium has to offer, featuring comics' greatest characters. These trade paperback editions focus on the easiest entry points DC has in its vast library, with seminal, groundbreaking tales that transcend the printed page. Start with the Essentials.
320 pages, Paperback
Published September 11, 2018
About the author
Scott Snyder
1,694 books4,777 followersScott Snyder is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer on DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his original series for Vertigo, American Vampire. He is also the author of the short story collection, Voodoo Heart, published by the Dial Press in 2006. The paperback version was published in the summer of 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews
September 8, 2018
One of the major (and fair) critiques of Batman is that Bruce Wayne could do more good for Gotham with his billions of dollars than he ever could as a masked vigilante. So in this book he puts his money to work, rejuvenating the impoverished areas of the city… and inadvertently awakening a secret society of homicidal lunatics called The Court of Owls who’ve ruled Gotham from the shadows for years! And the only person to thwart their plans? Superman Wonder Woman Green Lantern Literally dozens of other characters Batman! Hand meet gauntlet – this is The Court of Owls Saga!
DC have decided to reissue the complete Court of Owls storyline in one volume so I thought this would be the perfect time to revisit one of my favourite Batman arcs of recent years. Does it hold up on re-reading? Eh… kinda. Here’s the thing: I’ve read this storyline now three (maybe four?) times in six years. If I was reading, even re-reading, this for the first time? Easy four stars. But I know the story too well now. There aren’t any surprises with the plot, I’ve seen the art before and the book simply doesn’t hold up to this many re-reads this close together. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it just means I’ve read it too much/remember it too well to be as engaged this time around.
I have the same criticisms I had when I reviewed the individual volumes. The Court of Owls kids rhyme is stupid and wouldn’t be a rhyme any parent would teach their children, not least as it’s inappropriate but because it’s too unwieldy and complicated: “Beware The Court of Owls / That watches all the time / Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch / Behind granite and lime / They watch you at your hearth / They watch you in your bed / Speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send The Talon for your head.” (“The Talon” is a zombie assassin!)
The story takes a while to get going, it’s too wordy at times, the “Dick Grayson as a secret Talon in training” subplot didn’t work, the Court of Owls deciding to implode their organisation all at once in the Night of Owls was really stupid and contrived, and the villain was an idiot, complete with the clichéd lengthy monologue explaining his motives, background, etc. in the final act. The ending itself was much more sudden than I remembered and the two backups included didn’t do anything for me either. Also, Bruce “investigating” the Court as a kid was enough for him to dismiss them as real forever – he was a kid detective, what the hell did he know as a 12 year old!?
But there’s a lot to like too. The labyrinth scene is still the best part, with some of Greg Capullo’s best artwork – that looming, stark white owl statue is incredible, and the sequence when Batman starts going mad and the panels start moving around was great. I still like a lot of what Scott Snyder does here too. His work in building Gotham up as a character in itself is so impressive, weaving in a history of the city from the architecture to the old families to the mythology.
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo were the most successful creative team of DC’s short-lived New 52 project (which isn’t saying much as almost that entire line was terrible!) and The Court of Owls was a fantastic start to their soon-to-be-critically-acclaimed-bestselling Batman run. Even though their next two arcs – Death of the Family and Zero Year – are better, The Court of Owls is more noteworthy and impressive. Why? Death of the Family is another Joker story while Zero Year is another origin story. The Court of Owls was an original – there were no previous books to draw from. It’s the most distinctively Snyder/Capullo Batman story because it’s uniquely theirs.
The Court of Owls are a brilliant creation and an excellent addition to Batman’s rogues gallery. They’re a genuinely creepy group of uber-rich, over-entitled sociopaths with the money and connections to do what they did for years and get away with it. They have this horrific sub-culture with the labyrinth and their rituals as well as their own gruesome enforcers: the Talons, formidable undead ninja hitmen! And Capullo’s designs for the Talons through the ages are so inspired and cool. Not to mention those deceptively-simple owl masks which really sell the terror angle.
So no, the excitement and urgency isn’t there upon re-reading The Court of Owls storyline for the third/fourth time in nearly as many years. However, if you’re picking this one up for the first time, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did the first time. It’s got its own “Essential Edition” for a reason!
DC have decided to reissue the complete Court of Owls storyline in one volume so I thought this would be the perfect time to revisit one of my favourite Batman arcs of recent years. Does it hold up on re-reading? Eh… kinda. Here’s the thing: I’ve read this storyline now three (maybe four?) times in six years. If I was reading, even re-reading, this for the first time? Easy four stars. But I know the story too well now. There aren’t any surprises with the plot, I’ve seen the art before and the book simply doesn’t hold up to this many re-reads this close together. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it just means I’ve read it too much/remember it too well to be as engaged this time around.
I have the same criticisms I had when I reviewed the individual volumes. The Court of Owls kids rhyme is stupid and wouldn’t be a rhyme any parent would teach their children, not least as it’s inappropriate but because it’s too unwieldy and complicated: “Beware The Court of Owls / That watches all the time / Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch / Behind granite and lime / They watch you at your hearth / They watch you in your bed / Speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send The Talon for your head.” (“The Talon” is a zombie assassin!)
The story takes a while to get going, it’s too wordy at times, the “Dick Grayson as a secret Talon in training” subplot didn’t work, the Court of Owls deciding to implode their organisation all at once in the Night of Owls was really stupid and contrived, and the villain was an idiot, complete with the clichéd lengthy monologue explaining his motives, background, etc. in the final act. The ending itself was much more sudden than I remembered and the two backups included didn’t do anything for me either. Also, Bruce “investigating” the Court as a kid was enough for him to dismiss them as real forever – he was a kid detective, what the hell did he know as a 12 year old!?
But there’s a lot to like too. The labyrinth scene is still the best part, with some of Greg Capullo’s best artwork – that looming, stark white owl statue is incredible, and the sequence when Batman starts going mad and the panels start moving around was great. I still like a lot of what Scott Snyder does here too. His work in building Gotham up as a character in itself is so impressive, weaving in a history of the city from the architecture to the old families to the mythology.
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo were the most successful creative team of DC’s short-lived New 52 project (which isn’t saying much as almost that entire line was terrible!) and The Court of Owls was a fantastic start to their soon-to-be-critically-acclaimed-bestselling Batman run. Even though their next two arcs – Death of the Family and Zero Year – are better, The Court of Owls is more noteworthy and impressive. Why? Death of the Family is another Joker story while Zero Year is another origin story. The Court of Owls was an original – there were no previous books to draw from. It’s the most distinctively Snyder/Capullo Batman story because it’s uniquely theirs.
The Court of Owls are a brilliant creation and an excellent addition to Batman’s rogues gallery. They’re a genuinely creepy group of uber-rich, over-entitled sociopaths with the money and connections to do what they did for years and get away with it. They have this horrific sub-culture with the labyrinth and their rituals as well as their own gruesome enforcers: the Talons, formidable undead ninja hitmen! And Capullo’s designs for the Talons through the ages are so inspired and cool. Not to mention those deceptively-simple owl masks which really sell the terror angle.
So no, the excitement and urgency isn’t there upon re-reading The Court of Owls storyline for the third/fourth time in nearly as many years. However, if you’re picking this one up for the first time, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did the first time. It’s got its own “Essential Edition” for a reason!
November 5, 2018
DC is releasing some of the best stories from the new 52 as part of their Essential Editions. It's not often that a creative team adds something to the Batman mythos that sticks. The Court of Owls shaped the Bat-family for several years. The idea of Batman discovering a secret society that has been pulling Gotham's strings for hundreds of years is a very cool. I loved the thing with the 13th stories. The best part of the book is still Batman wondering through the labyrinth. The art getting trippier with each page as Batman hallucinates while having to turn the book as if the reader is walking through the maze as well. Capullo's art overall is pretty fantastic even if he sometimes draws Batman a little too barrel-chested, sometime to the point of looking like he's ate too much to fit into the suit.
Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
February 15, 2021
Batman thinks he knows Gotham until he discovers a fairy tale known as the Court of Owls turns out to be true. Brilliant and bold artwork in this deluxe volume. A bit heavy to carry but the presentation of artwork on the large pages is magnificent.
Book 1 is close to awesome; Book 2 is very good; Book 3 feels anticlimactic but is good enough.
MY GRADE: B plus to A-minus.
Book 1 is close to awesome; Book 2 is very good; Book 3 feels anticlimactic but is good enough.
MY GRADE: B plus to A-minus.
April 5, 2019
I heard a lot about scott snyders run of Batman before going into this, so my expectations were high, which is not a good starting point. Luckily I can say that the Book holds up and I get the hype about it, but it still comes with some flaws.
It starts off a bit over the top by having Batman fighting right away against multiple enemies in Arkham Assylum. It saves itself quickly tho getting into a more calm setting and building up to an interesting crime mystery. That approach I liked 10 times more than Batman fighting, but hey.. he probably wanted to get the younger audience excited.
I wont go into spoilers here so I have to keep it vague, overall the story is nicely paced and the plot is really great hitting us with shocking revelations left and right. It keeps that up until the last third, where it still is strong but falls apart due to some typical evil villian tropes like - I am the bad guy and I am gonna explain you everything. (thats why I have to take 0.5 stars from the rating)
Overall I recommend it a lot, apart from the very beginning and the end.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
It starts off a bit over the top by having Batman fighting right away against multiple enemies in Arkham Assylum. It saves itself quickly tho getting into a more calm setting and building up to an interesting crime mystery. That approach I liked 10 times more than Batman fighting, but hey.. he probably wanted to get the younger audience excited.
I wont go into spoilers here so I have to keep it vague, overall the story is nicely paced and the plot is really great hitting us with shocking revelations left and right. It keeps that up until the last third, where it still is strong but falls apart due to some typical evil villian tropes like - I am the bad guy and I am gonna explain you everything. (thats why I have to take 0.5 stars from the rating)
Overall I recommend it a lot, apart from the very beginning and the end.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
February 12, 2019
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Imagine being offered the opportunity to write a Batman story as part of the New 52 DC Universe reboot. That’s what occurred to Scott Snyder, following his sensational Detective Comics run, notably his gritty Batman: The Black Mirror story arc where Dick Grayson takes on the mantle of the Dark Knight. With a completely clean slate allowing him to establish just about anything he desires, his mind brings him to retcon the character’s lore in unimaginable ways by not only playing on well-established facts about his character, his city and his history, but to also introduce a whole new artistic and story-telling vision to comic books. With the help of artist Greg Capullo, this dynamic and legendary duo carved their way into the comic book industry in extraordinary fashion as they further expanded Bruce Wayne/Batman’s character by fully-exploring their most basic traits of personality and abilities. This isn’t just a simple story about the rise of a sinister clan clawing their way out of the darkest alleys of Gotham. This is the exploration of a city that was thought to be known inside out by the hero that protects it and the sudden and deadly revelation of its most well-guarded secrets, mythologies and prophecies.
What is Absolute Batman: The Court of Owls about? Collecting Batman #1-11, this oversized and exquisite edition offers fans an opportunity to revisit one of the greatest story arcs written for the Dark Knight. While Bruce Wayne believes that Gotham is his playground and promotes new ideas of landscape modernization to launch his beloved city on a path towards prosperity and change, darker forces with ill intentions seek to stun the Dark Knight with an unpredictable uprise. Although a nursery rhyme regarding the Court of Owls resurges to create fear among Gothamites, Batman doubts its legitimacy, until a series of murders raises his suspicion and throws him on a goose chase that will flip his world upside down. As he attempts to uncover this mystery, unfathomable truths that were long buried are brought into the light and invites Batman to realize that he is no longer the predator in his city, but the prey of a scheme that has been in the work for countless years right under his nose. The truth he ends up discovering will not only tie together loose ends but also leave him speechless while Gotham City becomes the target of this secret organization.
Right off the bat, Scott Snyder’s story-telling skills have always been my cup of tea, even with his very verbose writing style. His ability to build tension, to create memorable and powerful scenes, to develop characters and colourful world-building is all topped with an unafraid desire to take risks and venture in uncharted territories. His flair for darker themes is also unseen and perfectly fits with Batman’s character. He not only capitalizes on his detective skills by shining some light on it whenever he can, but he also exposes Batman as a flawed hero who isn’t superhuman à la Frank Miller in Batman: Year One. Although Bruce Wayne/Batman remains the center of attention, important characters from his universe are also heavily incorporated in this story arc, including Dick Grayson/Nightwing and Alfred Pennyworth, and play crucial roles that further investigate the complex relationship between each other but also with Batman. The most important introduction remains the Court of Owls and the cruel Talon. The organization in itself appears out of the blue and successfully establishes themselves as significant and powerful villains within Batman’s lore and only Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo could have accomplished this so rapidly and succinctly.
There couldn’t have been a better artist to join forces with Scott Snyder on this project than Greg Capullo who brings to this story arc the perfect amount of fantasy horror to give The Court of Owls, similar to the sharp edge that Scott Snyder’s writing bestows upon them. The crisp darkness that his style brings to this universe is incredible and captures the lingering air of fear that consumes Batman as he not only battles physically but psychologically a menace that he never saw coming. While darkness seems like his ally, this artwork comes to show that it can also work as his nemesis as the Court strips away the one environmental advantage that has always given Batman the edge on his foes. The creative and visionary decision to also play with the reading orientation of some segments of this story to further exploit the mind-numbing and psychological distress of Batman is also unprecedented and incredibly rewarding. This story-telling innovation further vouches to their talents and their ability to change the game. The absolute edition’s format also greatly helps in further admiring their final product, especially with the included sketches and character designs at the end.
Absolute Batman: The Court of Owls is a stunning and magnificent edition that collects Scott Snyder’s legendary Court of Owls story arc about the lurking dangers of the dark and the palpable threat of a mythological predator as it glares from its nest.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
Imagine being offered the opportunity to write a Batman story as part of the New 52 DC Universe reboot. That’s what occurred to Scott Snyder, following his sensational Detective Comics run, notably his gritty Batman: The Black Mirror story arc where Dick Grayson takes on the mantle of the Dark Knight. With a completely clean slate allowing him to establish just about anything he desires, his mind brings him to retcon the character’s lore in unimaginable ways by not only playing on well-established facts about his character, his city and his history, but to also introduce a whole new artistic and story-telling vision to comic books. With the help of artist Greg Capullo, this dynamic and legendary duo carved their way into the comic book industry in extraordinary fashion as they further expanded Bruce Wayne/Batman’s character by fully-exploring their most basic traits of personality and abilities. This isn’t just a simple story about the rise of a sinister clan clawing their way out of the darkest alleys of Gotham. This is the exploration of a city that was thought to be known inside out by the hero that protects it and the sudden and deadly revelation of its most well-guarded secrets, mythologies and prophecies.
What is Absolute Batman: The Court of Owls about? Collecting Batman #1-11, this oversized and exquisite edition offers fans an opportunity to revisit one of the greatest story arcs written for the Dark Knight. While Bruce Wayne believes that Gotham is his playground and promotes new ideas of landscape modernization to launch his beloved city on a path towards prosperity and change, darker forces with ill intentions seek to stun the Dark Knight with an unpredictable uprise. Although a nursery rhyme regarding the Court of Owls resurges to create fear among Gothamites, Batman doubts its legitimacy, until a series of murders raises his suspicion and throws him on a goose chase that will flip his world upside down. As he attempts to uncover this mystery, unfathomable truths that were long buried are brought into the light and invites Batman to realize that he is no longer the predator in his city, but the prey of a scheme that has been in the work for countless years right under his nose. The truth he ends up discovering will not only tie together loose ends but also leave him speechless while Gotham City becomes the target of this secret organization.
Right off the bat, Scott Snyder’s story-telling skills have always been my cup of tea, even with his very verbose writing style. His ability to build tension, to create memorable and powerful scenes, to develop characters and colourful world-building is all topped with an unafraid desire to take risks and venture in uncharted territories. His flair for darker themes is also unseen and perfectly fits with Batman’s character. He not only capitalizes on his detective skills by shining some light on it whenever he can, but he also exposes Batman as a flawed hero who isn’t superhuman à la Frank Miller in Batman: Year One. Although Bruce Wayne/Batman remains the center of attention, important characters from his universe are also heavily incorporated in this story arc, including Dick Grayson/Nightwing and Alfred Pennyworth, and play crucial roles that further investigate the complex relationship between each other but also with Batman. The most important introduction remains the Court of Owls and the cruel Talon. The organization in itself appears out of the blue and successfully establishes themselves as significant and powerful villains within Batman’s lore and only Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo could have accomplished this so rapidly and succinctly.
There couldn’t have been a better artist to join forces with Scott Snyder on this project than Greg Capullo who brings to this story arc the perfect amount of fantasy horror to give The Court of Owls, similar to the sharp edge that Scott Snyder’s writing bestows upon them. The crisp darkness that his style brings to this universe is incredible and captures the lingering air of fear that consumes Batman as he not only battles physically but psychologically a menace that he never saw coming. While darkness seems like his ally, this artwork comes to show that it can also work as his nemesis as the Court strips away the one environmental advantage that has always given Batman the edge on his foes. The creative and visionary decision to also play with the reading orientation of some segments of this story to further exploit the mind-numbing and psychological distress of Batman is also unprecedented and incredibly rewarding. This story-telling innovation further vouches to their talents and their ability to change the game. The absolute edition’s format also greatly helps in further admiring their final product, especially with the included sketches and character designs at the end.
Absolute Batman: The Court of Owls is a stunning and magnificent edition that collects Scott Snyder’s legendary Court of Owls story arc about the lurking dangers of the dark and the palpable threat of a mythological predator as it glares from its nest.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
April 12, 2018
Very good! So decided to re-read this after many years and realized I never actually wrote a review for this one! But overall this is still hands down Snyder's best Batman story! So the story has Bruce Wayne at the top of his game as he begins plans to rebuild the narrows and just as he thinks he knows Gotham City, The Court Of Owls show up. Basically their a bunch of Aristocrats who have controlled everything in Gotham since the 1800's, Snyder's Illuminati essentially, and they have a bunch of Talons who are reanimated assassins in owl costumes! That is all I will say about the story, its fantastically written, it got great moments and its hands down an essential Batman read! Another great part is Greg Capullo's artwork, its fantastic, dude knows how to draw Batman, from epic poses to badass panels, this book has it all!
I don't have many complaints, other then the last issue with the final boss battle; its kind of my issue with a lot of Snyder's stuff is how much dialogue there is! I mean I understand it makes for good story telling, but at the end of the day a lot Snyder's big baddies dialogue just amount to boring exposition! There's a part in the last issue where for something like 8 pages(Or something around that number) the villain just talks and talks and talks and talks, meanwhile I've already gotten up made myself a cup of coffee and came back. I mean some of the villians dialogue is good, but most of it like I said is just uninteresting exposition; it was my issue with Riddler in Zero Year and most recently The Batman Who Laughs in METAL! But otherwise, like I said this is a must read for Batman fans!
I don't have many complaints, other then the last issue with the final boss battle; its kind of my issue with a lot of Snyder's stuff is how much dialogue there is! I mean I understand it makes for good story telling, but at the end of the day a lot Snyder's big baddies dialogue just amount to boring exposition! There's a part in the last issue where for something like 8 pages(Or something around that number) the villain just talks and talks and talks and talks, meanwhile I've already gotten up made myself a cup of coffee and came back. I mean some of the villians dialogue is good, but most of it like I said is just uninteresting exposition; it was my issue with Riddler in Zero Year and most recently The Batman Who Laughs in METAL! But otherwise, like I said this is a must read for Batman fans!
March 24, 2023
4⭐Este sí que me ha gustado más que "Joker: sonrisa asesina", pero no es tampoco una obra maestra, pues de nuevo le pasa lo mismo que a la obra anteriormente citada: el interés de su trama se va diluyendo a medida que avanza, de tal modo que su especie de epílogo final, "La Llamada", no sientes que aporte nada nuevo ya que redunda en lo anteriormente citado.
Aún así toda su primera mitad, hasta que son soltados los búhos en Gotham City, sí es de obra maestra, con un Batman más dubitativo que de costumbre, que está continuamente contra las cuerdas.
En su segunda mitad decae en algunos momentos, para remontar en la batalla dentro de la batcueva, pero para mí que falla bastante en su ritmo a diferencia de la otra mitad, y de ahí mi bajada de puntuación.
Aún siendo el primer cómic que leo de la dupla Snyder-Capullo, y también el 1° de la colección DC Pocket, he quedado gratamente satisfecha, y encima me gasté la mitad que la algo decepcionante "Joker: sonrisa asesina".
Sé que habrá comiqueros que estén en contra de esta Colección DC Pocket, y es verdad que para según que historias ("Arkham Asylum" de Morrison, "Joker" de Azzarello, "El Regreso del Caballero oscuro" de Miller) no es nada recomendable, pero no ocurre así con esta historia detectivesca que escarba en el pasado, tanto de la familia Wayne como de los Pennyworth. No os defraudará a los fans de Batman como una servidora.
Aún así toda su primera mitad, hasta que son soltados los búhos en Gotham City, sí es de obra maestra, con un Batman más dubitativo que de costumbre, que está continuamente contra las cuerdas.
En su segunda mitad decae en algunos momentos, para remontar en la batalla dentro de la batcueva, pero para mí que falla bastante en su ritmo a diferencia de la otra mitad, y de ahí mi bajada de puntuación.
Aún siendo el primer cómic que leo de la dupla Snyder-Capullo, y también el 1° de la colección DC Pocket, he quedado gratamente satisfecha, y encima me gasté la mitad que la algo decepcionante "Joker: sonrisa asesina".
Sé que habrá comiqueros que estén en contra de esta Colección DC Pocket, y es verdad que para según que historias ("Arkham Asylum" de Morrison, "Joker" de Azzarello, "El Regreso del Caballero oscuro" de Miller) no es nada recomendable, pero no ocurre así con esta historia detectivesca que escarba en el pasado, tanto de la familia Wayne como de los Pennyworth. No os defraudará a los fans de Batman como una servidora.
March 29, 2021
Sud sova jako dugacka priča. Betmen ne poznaje svoj grad onoliko koliko je mislio da ga poznaje. Sud sova iz dečijih pesmica stiže da mu presudi. Puno drugih likova ovde učestvuje i puno twistova u priči. U suštini zadovoljan sam pričom i odličnim crtežom koji je prati tako da cu dati 4 zvezdice. Ipak malo previše ukrštanja priče i tvistova tako da podseća na meksičke serije i zbog toga ne 5 zvezdica. Sve više me ove komplikovane price podsećaju na sapunice televizija presenta
July 16, 2022
¿Se le pueden poner 6 estrellas a algo? ¿Por qué no?
Esta es una de las mejores historias de Batman que he leído. No es de extrañar que cuando DC relanzó su universo con los Nuevos 52 empezaran por aquí. Poca gente entiende a Batman mejor que Scott Snyder, y la parte gráfica está a la altura.
Es algo completamente original (o lo era cuando salió), y que desde luego modificó la manera de ver al personaje y sus relaciones con la familia (que es una parte del canon que en general me interesa poco). Y no quiero contar nada porque spoilers, así que lo dejo aquí.
Si te gusta Batman es imprescindible.
Esta es una de las mejores historias de Batman que he leído. No es de extrañar que cuando DC relanzó su universo con los Nuevos 52 empezaran por aquí. Poca gente entiende a Batman mejor que Scott Snyder, y la parte gráfica está a la altura.
Es algo completamente original (o lo era cuando salió), y que desde luego modificó la manera de ver al personaje y sus relaciones con la familia (que es una parte del canon que en general me interesa poco). Y no quiero contar nada porque spoilers, así que lo dejo aquí.
Si te gusta Batman es imprescindible.
January 11, 2022
This has been an enormously enjoyable experience. The Court of Owls has been an excellent creation by Scott Snyder and personally, I can't wait to see it in a live-action story of the character because this one has so much potential. Not only that, with this ancient elite of antagonists who seem to be everywhere, and at the same time nowhere, we wonderfully explore the detective side of Batman.
I should also highlight the way the Waynes are drawn into the story and the conspiratorial intrigue that ultimately leads to their death (and the death of Alfred's father). Once you start the story, you cannot detach yourself until you unravel the scope of this almost omnipotent threat. Interesting questions are posed throughout the story such as "Whose Gotham?" and, ultimately, "What is Gotham?". In conclusion, I loved these new villains and, automatically, they have entered the list of villains that I want to see in the future trilogy of Matt Reeves with Hugo Strange and Victor Freeze.
I should also highlight the way the Waynes are drawn into the story and the conspiratorial intrigue that ultimately leads to their death (and the death of Alfred's father). Once you start the story, you cannot detach yourself until you unravel the scope of this almost omnipotent threat. Interesting questions are posed throughout the story such as "Whose Gotham?" and, ultimately, "What is Gotham?". In conclusion, I loved these new villains and, automatically, they have entered the list of villains that I want to see in the future trilogy of Matt Reeves with Hugo Strange and Victor Freeze.
April 9, 2021
Disappointing.
The premise of the overlong story arc is that a secret criminal/vigilante organization has been lurking in Gotham for more than 200 years, but is so well-hidden that even Batman considers it to be an urban legend. When a body appears with clear evidence pointing to this "Court of Owls," he begins to question everything he knows about his beloved city.
I decided to read this based on Snyder's superb "Black Mirror" story-line, but it doesn't even come close. In his introduction to this volume, Snyder mentions how he found it easy to write Dick Grayson as the new Batman but felt daunted by the prospect of writing Wayne. His concerns seem to have been valid. There's nothing appealing, charming or interesting about this incarnation and sometimes he behaves weirdly out of character (like when he sucker-punches Nightwing for no real reason.)
Any time you insert an element that is supposed to have been part of a history all along it's tricky. Grant Morrison succeeded during his run, but Snyder didn't manage to convince me that it was plausible. Furthermore, if the "New 52" is supposed to be a reboot of the DC universe, what's the point of doing a story like this in the first place? It has no weight at all. It's not a revelation about the world we know because there isn't a world we know yet.
Aspects of the story seem too familiar. If you've read Jeph Loeb's "Hush" you won't be surprised who the main villain turns out to be. I was suspicious as soon as he was introduced and I turned out to be right. And when he claimed to be a certain individual from Bruce's past, I was again reminded of Morrison's much better run.
Greg Capullo's art is of the thin-lined, scritchy-scratchy Jim Lee 90s style that I just don't care for. Like Tony Daniel's art in "Batman R.I.P.", there are numerous instances where it just isn't clear what is going on in the panel. A good editor would have had these redrawn. Capullo does put in some fine covers (particularly the "bat-owl" image on the slipcase); this generation of comic artists tends to be better at splash images than actual sequential art.
I'm a bit baffled by the high marks its received here though I do see that some folks are completely new to Batman or even comics. If they have become fans because of this story then I suppose it has done its job. I thought it was very weak, and I certainly don't recommend spending extra for the deluxe treatment.
The premise of the overlong story arc is that a secret criminal/vigilante organization has been lurking in Gotham for more than 200 years, but is so well-hidden that even Batman considers it to be an urban legend. When a body appears with clear evidence pointing to this "Court of Owls," he begins to question everything he knows about his beloved city.
I decided to read this based on Snyder's superb "Black Mirror" story-line, but it doesn't even come close. In his introduction to this volume, Snyder mentions how he found it easy to write Dick Grayson as the new Batman but felt daunted by the prospect of writing Wayne. His concerns seem to have been valid. There's nothing appealing, charming or interesting about this incarnation and sometimes he behaves weirdly out of character (like when he sucker-punches Nightwing for no real reason.)
Any time you insert an element that is supposed to have been part of a history all along it's tricky. Grant Morrison succeeded during his run, but Snyder didn't manage to convince me that it was plausible. Furthermore, if the "New 52" is supposed to be a reboot of the DC universe, what's the point of doing a story like this in the first place? It has no weight at all. It's not a revelation about the world we know because there isn't a world we know yet.
Aspects of the story seem too familiar. If you've read Jeph Loeb's "Hush" you won't be surprised who the main villain turns out to be. I was suspicious as soon as he was introduced and I turned out to be right. And when he claimed to be a certain individual from Bruce's past, I was again reminded of Morrison's much better run.
Greg Capullo's art is of the thin-lined, scritchy-scratchy Jim Lee 90s style that I just don't care for. Like Tony Daniel's art in "Batman R.I.P.", there are numerous instances where it just isn't clear what is going on in the panel. A good editor would have had these redrawn. Capullo does put in some fine covers (particularly the "bat-owl" image on the slipcase); this generation of comic artists tends to be better at splash images than actual sequential art.
I'm a bit baffled by the high marks its received here though I do see that some folks are completely new to Batman or even comics. If they have become fans because of this story then I suppose it has done its job. I thought it was very weak, and I certainly don't recommend spending extra for the deluxe treatment.
December 19, 2015
I had already read the story and it is top notch.
The presentation in the Absolute format makes this exceptional. I have been wanting to have an enhanced edition of Greg Capullo's art and this was the perfect opportunity.
This is highly recommended from me, especially if you can pay less that cover price for the book.
The presentation in the Absolute format makes this exceptional. I have been wanting to have an enhanced edition of Greg Capullo's art and this was the perfect opportunity.
This is highly recommended from me, especially if you can pay less that cover price for the book.
April 14, 2019
This is why I read comics. I could literally hang each and every page of this on my wall, that’s how incredible the art is. And to make the comic even greater, the story definitely matches the art so that you’re constantly struggling whether to quickly glance over the art so you can get more of the story or just forget the story and immerse yourself in the art. Luckily, a mix of both of these options is possible with the Absolute Edition, as both are put on display in this prestige format.
Thanks to books like Watchmen and The Sandman, comics have been realized as being capable of being truly “art.” That said, there’s still definitely a stigma against “normal” superhero comics (i.e. books not so allegorical and symbolic as Watchmen is so amazingly). This comic proves there shouldn’t be that stigma.
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo must go down in history as one of the greatest writer/artist collaborations in comic history, up there with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, Brian Azzarello and Eduard Risso, Jeff Loeb and Tim Sale, et cetera. They’ve created something truly extraordinary here that just seems like it could only be made by these two together.
Now I’ll admit I’m a tiny bit biased because this book is what (partially) got me into comics, but I think that’s more of a testament of how great it really is. Even after reading so many amazing comics since (such as The Sandman, Maus, etc.), my love and appreciation for Snyder/Capullo’s run on Batman as art hasn’t changed. It’s not just a great superhero comic or great Batman story, it’s a great comic. It’s a great piece of art. They show this even more as their run goes on, as they take risks and make choices that would seemingly be crazy choices to make, and one that fans would react negatively to. Yet they pull it off (I’m referring specifically to their “Superheavy” arc here).
But let’s get back to how I started reading comics. There were a few comics that I read before any others: Watchmen, Batman: Hush, and a few others, and while I loved those and appreciated them (I do often consider Hush being one of the most influential books period for me, especially because of how it shaped my love of Batman and comics in general), my love didn’t really take off until I read The Court of Owls. I had read a few great graphic novels and thought maybe that was about it. You hear about comics like Watchmen and Sandman all the time, so I thought maybe those were just more the exception than the norm (not to mention the fact that all of the “great” comics seemed to have come out decades ago). But then I read Court of Owls. While they were already on their fourth or fifth volume by the time I read it, this was still a current, ongoing series. And one that was truly incredible—a current comic that is as good as all those decades-old graphic novels everyone talks about.
That said, Court of Owls is definitely different from more “arthouse pieces” like Watchmen. It is a more “normal” superhero comic, it’s not incredibly heavy on philosophy and thematic weight. Instead, it’s an easily-accessible, fully enjoyable, amazingly-crafted Batman story.
It’s what comics should be.
Not that I’m taking away from things like Watchmen at all—it’s amazing, and it’s also what comics should be—but Court of Owls is just a “regular” superhero comic, yet it’s as amazing as it is. That’s what made me really want to get into comics and read them “religiously” because I realized what comics were capable of doing.
Scott Snyder first showed his amazing skill at writing Batman with his run on Detective Comics, most notably The Black Mirror. Somehow, he managed to top even that when he took over the main Batman title with DC’s New 52 Reboot. Each and every story he’s written has built on the last, even if it’s not immediately apparent. He weaves various storylines through each arc, building a universe that is both familiar (i.e. obviously still Batman, without making any huge changes that would cause fan riots) but at the same time entirely his own.
Using the Court of Owls as the main villains for his first double-length arc was the perfect choice. Not only did it allow him to set up the New-52 Gotham City by showing an organization that has been deeply embedded in its roots for decades, but it also allowed him to introduce a Batman that is, perhaps for the first time, in truly unfamiliar territory. Bruce no longer knows Gotham the way he thought—the way he knew—he did: there’s a secret organization throughout its entire infrastructure that he knew nothing about. And that unfamiliarity is something that resonates with the reader as a rebooted Batman is begun. And it also allowed Snyder himself to present his unease at writing Bruce Wayne for the first time, as he’s stated in interviews (as Dick Grayson was Batman during his Detective Comics run).
One of my favorite parts of the storyline is at the very beginning when we’re introduced to the rogues gallery and the city as a whole. Snyder really sets up the whole universe perfectly with the opening fight, especially with cementing the idea that “Gotham is Batman.” Not only does Snyder use this effectively, but he proves it throughout the next ten issues.
It opens with a murder and Batman taking a role that he doesn’t often enough: detective. Without giving too much away, the reader follows him along as he investigates and is met with various obstacles until eventually meeting the Court itself. This is one of my favorite things about Snyder’s run (which is now, unfortunately, almost at an end with only one more issue to go), that each of his arcs has a specific “genre” to it, and this one is Mystery.
Perhaps my favorite moment in this arc is chapter five, wherein the mystery is almost personified on the pages itself. I don’t want to give anything away for anyone who hasn’t read it (though it’s been out for five years now), but the art compliments the writing so incredibly well in the way that the art itself becomes another mystery to unfold, and the reader—just as he or she is made unfamiliar by Batman himself being unfamiliar with Gotham—becomes wholly wrapped up in the mystery and confusion that Batman is. I’m honestly not sure if I’ve ever been this close to a character in a comic book, and it’s only due to Snyder and Capullo’s prowess.
Which of course, leads me to the next half of the duo: Greg Capullo. This book would not work without him. It really wouldn’t. There’s many, many fantastic artists who have done incredible work on Batman, but I truly think that there has never been a greater pair than Snyder and Capullo. The one that comes closest to me is Snyder and Jock (especially in their issue #44 flashback, which was perfect because it was a flashback—juxtaposed with issue #49 that took me out of the story a little bit because Yanick Paquette took over for the issue. He’s a fantastic artist, but because it was in the current storyline, it was jarring to have the artist shift without the time period).
Capullo can draw Batman—and he can do it in any scenario. Whether it’s friendly, normal Bruce Wayne or tortured, at-the-end-of-his-ropes Bruce; whether it’s detective Batman, action Batman, etc.—he can do it all.
Chapter five, as I mentioned before, is so fantastic because of Capullo’s art, and what he does with Snyder’s script. I love how horrifying Capullo can make certain pages or panels, but he can also make beautiful and light-hearted scenes too, all in a style that works together, never drawing the reader out of the story.
As I said in the opening, each and every page could be framed and put on a wall, and I meant it. I really don’t know how he is able to get such perfection in each and every panel, but he does, and with much detail. He’s just as good at full-page or double-page spreads as he is with small, individual panels, and in this Absolute Edition, his work truly shines.
Because of the incredible high-quality of this edition and the larger size of the page, it allows you to really take in every page of art, while still intently following along with the story—and that’s how comics really should be read.
I truly think that every comic should be good enough to deserve such grand treatment, and it’s a shame that that cannot be the case (DC’s Wonder Woman with Azzarello and Chiang, Marvel’s Secret Wars with Hickman and Ribic, etc. are also deserving, for example, but there are many that are not).
But Capullo’s artwork alone is definitely enough to merit this edition, not to mention just how amazing Snyder’s story is.
It would also be incredibly remiss of me to not mention FCO Plascencia’s coloring—he’s honestly my favorite colorist, and his work with Snyder and Capullo is why, especially in the later arcs where he’s allowed to run loose with his colors. However, no matter how bright or colorful Plascencia makes the comic, it always fits perfectly with the story, just as it does here, with many grays and muted colors, adding to the unsettling state of mind the creators want you to be in.
All in all, the Absolute Court of Owls is truly a masterpiece, and one of my all-time favorite graphic novels. If you haven’t read it, go read it—even in just the trade paperback size if necessary—as this is too amazing of a work to not be read, and I honestly believe that it’s up there with Watchmen, The Sandman, and others.
The Absolute Edition, specifically, just enhances Greg Capullo’s amazing artwork, and is definitely worth the price.
Thanks to books like Watchmen and The Sandman, comics have been realized as being capable of being truly “art.” That said, there’s still definitely a stigma against “normal” superhero comics (i.e. books not so allegorical and symbolic as Watchmen is so amazingly). This comic proves there shouldn’t be that stigma.
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo must go down in history as one of the greatest writer/artist collaborations in comic history, up there with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, Brian Azzarello and Eduard Risso, Jeff Loeb and Tim Sale, et cetera. They’ve created something truly extraordinary here that just seems like it could only be made by these two together.
Now I’ll admit I’m a tiny bit biased because this book is what (partially) got me into comics, but I think that’s more of a testament of how great it really is. Even after reading so many amazing comics since (such as The Sandman, Maus, etc.), my love and appreciation for Snyder/Capullo’s run on Batman as art hasn’t changed. It’s not just a great superhero comic or great Batman story, it’s a great comic. It’s a great piece of art. They show this even more as their run goes on, as they take risks and make choices that would seemingly be crazy choices to make, and one that fans would react negatively to. Yet they pull it off (I’m referring specifically to their “Superheavy” arc here).
But let’s get back to how I started reading comics. There were a few comics that I read before any others: Watchmen, Batman: Hush, and a few others, and while I loved those and appreciated them (I do often consider Hush being one of the most influential books period for me, especially because of how it shaped my love of Batman and comics in general), my love didn’t really take off until I read The Court of Owls. I had read a few great graphic novels and thought maybe that was about it. You hear about comics like Watchmen and Sandman all the time, so I thought maybe those were just more the exception than the norm (not to mention the fact that all of the “great” comics seemed to have come out decades ago). But then I read Court of Owls. While they were already on their fourth or fifth volume by the time I read it, this was still a current, ongoing series. And one that was truly incredible—a current comic that is as good as all those decades-old graphic novels everyone talks about.
That said, Court of Owls is definitely different from more “arthouse pieces” like Watchmen. It is a more “normal” superhero comic, it’s not incredibly heavy on philosophy and thematic weight. Instead, it’s an easily-accessible, fully enjoyable, amazingly-crafted Batman story.
It’s what comics should be.
Not that I’m taking away from things like Watchmen at all—it’s amazing, and it’s also what comics should be—but Court of Owls is just a “regular” superhero comic, yet it’s as amazing as it is. That’s what made me really want to get into comics and read them “religiously” because I realized what comics were capable of doing.
Scott Snyder first showed his amazing skill at writing Batman with his run on Detective Comics, most notably The Black Mirror. Somehow, he managed to top even that when he took over the main Batman title with DC’s New 52 Reboot. Each and every story he’s written has built on the last, even if it’s not immediately apparent. He weaves various storylines through each arc, building a universe that is both familiar (i.e. obviously still Batman, without making any huge changes that would cause fan riots) but at the same time entirely his own.
Using the Court of Owls as the main villains for his first double-length arc was the perfect choice. Not only did it allow him to set up the New-52 Gotham City by showing an organization that has been deeply embedded in its roots for decades, but it also allowed him to introduce a Batman that is, perhaps for the first time, in truly unfamiliar territory. Bruce no longer knows Gotham the way he thought—the way he knew—he did: there’s a secret organization throughout its entire infrastructure that he knew nothing about. And that unfamiliarity is something that resonates with the reader as a rebooted Batman is begun. And it also allowed Snyder himself to present his unease at writing Bruce Wayne for the first time, as he’s stated in interviews (as Dick Grayson was Batman during his Detective Comics run).
One of my favorite parts of the storyline is at the very beginning when we’re introduced to the rogues gallery and the city as a whole. Snyder really sets up the whole universe perfectly with the opening fight, especially with cementing the idea that “Gotham is Batman.” Not only does Snyder use this effectively, but he proves it throughout the next ten issues.
It opens with a murder and Batman taking a role that he doesn’t often enough: detective. Without giving too much away, the reader follows him along as he investigates and is met with various obstacles until eventually meeting the Court itself. This is one of my favorite things about Snyder’s run (which is now, unfortunately, almost at an end with only one more issue to go), that each of his arcs has a specific “genre” to it, and this one is Mystery.
Perhaps my favorite moment in this arc is chapter five, wherein the mystery is almost personified on the pages itself. I don’t want to give anything away for anyone who hasn’t read it (though it’s been out for five years now), but the art compliments the writing so incredibly well in the way that the art itself becomes another mystery to unfold, and the reader—just as he or she is made unfamiliar by Batman himself being unfamiliar with Gotham—becomes wholly wrapped up in the mystery and confusion that Batman is. I’m honestly not sure if I’ve ever been this close to a character in a comic book, and it’s only due to Snyder and Capullo’s prowess.
Which of course, leads me to the next half of the duo: Greg Capullo. This book would not work without him. It really wouldn’t. There’s many, many fantastic artists who have done incredible work on Batman, but I truly think that there has never been a greater pair than Snyder and Capullo. The one that comes closest to me is Snyder and Jock (especially in their issue #44 flashback, which was perfect because it was a flashback—juxtaposed with issue #49 that took me out of the story a little bit because Yanick Paquette took over for the issue. He’s a fantastic artist, but because it was in the current storyline, it was jarring to have the artist shift without the time period).
Capullo can draw Batman—and he can do it in any scenario. Whether it’s friendly, normal Bruce Wayne or tortured, at-the-end-of-his-ropes Bruce; whether it’s detective Batman, action Batman, etc.—he can do it all.
Chapter five, as I mentioned before, is so fantastic because of Capullo’s art, and what he does with Snyder’s script. I love how horrifying Capullo can make certain pages or panels, but he can also make beautiful and light-hearted scenes too, all in a style that works together, never drawing the reader out of the story.
As I said in the opening, each and every page could be framed and put on a wall, and I meant it. I really don’t know how he is able to get such perfection in each and every panel, but he does, and with much detail. He’s just as good at full-page or double-page spreads as he is with small, individual panels, and in this Absolute Edition, his work truly shines.
Because of the incredible high-quality of this edition and the larger size of the page, it allows you to really take in every page of art, while still intently following along with the story—and that’s how comics really should be read.
I truly think that every comic should be good enough to deserve such grand treatment, and it’s a shame that that cannot be the case (DC’s Wonder Woman with Azzarello and Chiang, Marvel’s Secret Wars with Hickman and Ribic, etc. are also deserving, for example, but there are many that are not).
But Capullo’s artwork alone is definitely enough to merit this edition, not to mention just how amazing Snyder’s story is.
It would also be incredibly remiss of me to not mention FCO Plascencia’s coloring—he’s honestly my favorite colorist, and his work with Snyder and Capullo is why, especially in the later arcs where he’s allowed to run loose with his colors. However, no matter how bright or colorful Plascencia makes the comic, it always fits perfectly with the story, just as it does here, with many grays and muted colors, adding to the unsettling state of mind the creators want you to be in.
All in all, the Absolute Court of Owls is truly a masterpiece, and one of my all-time favorite graphic novels. If you haven’t read it, go read it—even in just the trade paperback size if necessary—as this is too amazing of a work to not be read, and I honestly believe that it’s up there with Watchmen, The Sandman, and others.
The Absolute Edition, specifically, just enhances Greg Capullo’s amazing artwork, and is definitely worth the price.
December 22, 2020
Beware The Court Of Owls,
That watches all the time,
Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch,
Behind granite and lime,
They watch you at your hearth,
They watch you in your bed,
Speak not a whispered word of them,
Or they'll send the Talon for your head !
Scott Snyder begane his Batman run with a absolute home run, after a fantastic stint on Detective comics,he got to helm Batman with Greg Capullo. Batman The Court Of Owls is among my favorite Batman tales. In a pretty short while Snyder and Capullo managed to create this group of villains and make them among the more interesting ones in recent years. With an entire mythos and background with them. Greg Capullo draws a very dirty Gotham, you are almost waiting for Sam and twitch to walk around the corner and for Spawn to make an appearance. In its building design you see Owls every where ( look good on the first page) and you have a dreadfull feeling something huge is about to happen. Snyder also brings back the detective skills of Bruce Wayne and alot of horror elements, something i think Snyder excells at. He writes a pretty grounded Batman but is not afraid to go over the top a bit, batman in a mechsuit is one of the highlights for me here, we also see a side from Batman whe haven't seen in a while, a Batman who almost loses his mind and is at the brink of going insane. Art and story here supplement each other to perfection, and make this a must read for Batfans.
4.5 stars.
Side note, while i do think Snyders run on Batman is a great one, there are some duds in the run, mostly with zero year, and i think it gets never beter then this first arc to be honest. But still a Batman run worth checking out.
That watches all the time,
Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch,
Behind granite and lime,
They watch you at your hearth,
They watch you in your bed,
Speak not a whispered word of them,
Or they'll send the Talon for your head !
Scott Snyder begane his Batman run with a absolute home run, after a fantastic stint on Detective comics,he got to helm Batman with Greg Capullo. Batman The Court Of Owls is among my favorite Batman tales. In a pretty short while Snyder and Capullo managed to create this group of villains and make them among the more interesting ones in recent years. With an entire mythos and background with them. Greg Capullo draws a very dirty Gotham, you are almost waiting for Sam and twitch to walk around the corner and for Spawn to make an appearance. In its building design you see Owls every where ( look good on the first page) and you have a dreadfull feeling something huge is about to happen. Snyder also brings back the detective skills of Bruce Wayne and alot of horror elements, something i think Snyder excells at. He writes a pretty grounded Batman but is not afraid to go over the top a bit, batman in a mechsuit is one of the highlights for me here, we also see a side from Batman whe haven't seen in a while, a Batman who almost loses his mind and is at the brink of going insane. Art and story here supplement each other to perfection, and make this a must read for Batfans.
4.5 stars.
Side note, while i do think Snyders run on Batman is a great one, there are some duds in the run, mostly with zero year, and i think it gets never beter then this first arc to be honest. But still a Batman run worth checking out.
May 30, 2024
Despite being a Batman fan, I knew very little about the Court of Owls story. So I went into this knowing almost nothing and oh boy am I glad I did!
The plot follows Batman trying to uncover the mystery behind the secret and ominous organization called "The Court of Owls", after a brutal murder occurs in Gotham City. For most of the story your stuck in Batman's head as he goes full detective mode when investigating. There were many shocking discoveries in the investigation I didn't see coming, but not too many where I became completely bored.
There are also some scenes that really kept me on edge. For example, the labyrinth scene was the creepiest and nerve-racking thing I've ever read in a Batman story. The book uses Bruce's narration and its own format to make even the reader think they too are going insane. Even the plot twist, which felt cliché at first, had me questioning if it was even real for the rest of the book. Good stuff!
The character of Batman was what I liked most of all, because he actually seems like a character not just this hollow, brooding guy in a bat suit that most comics write him as. As I said before we're stuck in his head for a majority of the book and can see his confidence in himself but also his doubts on every page. He's a formidable detective that can keep a level head even in the moments of uncertainty from himself and everyone around him and it was the coolest thing ever! Batman even seems to be enjoying what he does, finding pride in outsmarting and beating up bad guys, sometimes even getting a little cocky.
Though there are other important characters in this book, Batman mostly interacts with Alfred and the first Robin: Dick Grayson, now Nightwing. First of all, Alfred was a freaking trooper in this book! The real MVP! No matter what was happening he was by Batman's side doing what needs to be done. And Dick seemed to be the supporting child figure/ voice of reason when Bruce got too into the investigation. Just talking to him and making sure he kept a clear head through all this helped Bruce a lot, though it didn't seem like it at first.
There are other characters, like the current Robin: Damien Wayne, Red Robin (Tim Drake), Batgirl (Barbra Gordon), but the story is really focused on Bruce/Batman. I found it really refreshing in a time where supporting characters are basically made into main characters for the sake of crossovers.
The writing is really great at establishing Batman's ongoing dilemma: what is Gotham and what does it mean to be a part of it? The writing makes it feel as if the city of Gotham is a character itself by teaching us about its underground activity, it's architecture and it's morale, and the Wayne family's influence on it.
There are bat and owl metaphors that can clearly be seen as inspiration to write the novel. The way each creature is drawn depends on who has the upper hand. If it's the owls, they are always drawn as menacing, brooding predators and the bats are drawn as small, helpless prey. If it's the bats, then they are drawn as creepy, teeth baring creatures that are not to messed with.
Another thing I really liked was the art. From page to page the tone and setting of the story shifts, and so does the color pallet. Everything down to the hairs on Batman's beard to the grime on a gargoyle statue was in detail. I will say however that the way the men of the bat family are drawn in their civilian personas makes it hard to tell them apart. Tim and Dick look like exact copies each other, with black hair and similar builds, and Damien only looks like a shorter version of them. It had to be spelled out on the page who was who and I didn't enjoy that very much.
This is a DC Essential Edition of the Court of Owls story line so there is some extra material in it, such as new covers for the chapters and exciting behind the scenes stuff like a note from the author on how he came up with the story and an early draft of its structure.
I would highly recommend this for fans of the infamous Dark Knight.
8/14/2018 Edit: Just saw the direct to video DC movie that features the Court of Owls: Batman vs. Robin. Gotta say: Not bad, not bad. 👌👌
Where to get a copy: 📚
Amazon* - Barnes & Noble - Books-A-Million
ℹ Disclosure:
I received an arc copy of this book from DC Comics via NetGalley and I’m reviewing it voluntarily.
*This review contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission. All proceeds will be donated to a local animal shelter at the end of the year. Thanks. :)
The plot follows Batman trying to uncover the mystery behind the secret and ominous organization called "The Court of Owls", after a brutal murder occurs in Gotham City. For most of the story your stuck in Batman's head as he goes full detective mode when investigating. There were many shocking discoveries in the investigation I didn't see coming, but not too many where I became completely bored.
There are also some scenes that really kept me on edge. For example, the labyrinth scene was the creepiest and nerve-racking thing I've ever read in a Batman story. The book uses Bruce's narration and its own format to make even the reader think they too are going insane. Even the plot twist, which felt cliché at first, had me questioning if it was even real for the rest of the book. Good stuff!
The character of Batman was what I liked most of all, because he actually seems like a character not just this hollow, brooding guy in a bat suit that most comics write him as. As I said before we're stuck in his head for a majority of the book and can see his confidence in himself but also his doubts on every page. He's a formidable detective that can keep a level head even in the moments of uncertainty from himself and everyone around him and it was the coolest thing ever! Batman even seems to be enjoying what he does, finding pride in outsmarting and beating up bad guys, sometimes even getting a little cocky.
Though there are other important characters in this book, Batman mostly interacts with Alfred and the first Robin: Dick Grayson, now Nightwing. First of all, Alfred was a freaking trooper in this book! The real MVP! No matter what was happening he was by Batman's side doing what needs to be done. And Dick seemed to be the supporting child figure/ voice of reason when Bruce got too into the investigation. Just talking to him and making sure he kept a clear head through all this helped Bruce a lot, though it didn't seem like it at first.
There are other characters, like the current Robin: Damien Wayne, Red Robin (Tim Drake), Batgirl (Barbra Gordon), but the story is really focused on Bruce/Batman. I found it really refreshing in a time where supporting characters are basically made into main characters for the sake of crossovers.
The writing is really great at establishing Batman's ongoing dilemma: what is Gotham and what does it mean to be a part of it? The writing makes it feel as if the city of Gotham is a character itself by teaching us about its underground activity, it's architecture and it's morale, and the Wayne family's influence on it.
There are bat and owl metaphors that can clearly be seen as inspiration to write the novel. The way each creature is drawn depends on who has the upper hand. If it's the owls, they are always drawn as menacing, brooding predators and the bats are drawn as small, helpless prey. If it's the bats, then they are drawn as creepy, teeth baring creatures that are not to messed with.
Another thing I really liked was the art. From page to page the tone and setting of the story shifts, and so does the color pallet. Everything down to the hairs on Batman's beard to the grime on a gargoyle statue was in detail. I will say however that the way the men of the bat family are drawn in their civilian personas makes it hard to tell them apart. Tim and Dick look like exact copies each other, with black hair and similar builds, and Damien only looks like a shorter version of them. It had to be spelled out on the page who was who and I didn't enjoy that very much.
This is a DC Essential Edition of the Court of Owls story line so there is some extra material in it, such as new covers for the chapters and exciting behind the scenes stuff like a note from the author on how he came up with the story and an early draft of its structure.
I would highly recommend this for fans of the infamous Dark Knight.
8/14/2018 Edit: Just saw the direct to video DC movie that features the Court of Owls: Batman vs. Robin. Gotta say: Not bad, not bad. 👌👌
Where to get a copy: 📚
Amazon* - Barnes & Noble - Books-A-Million
ℹ Disclosure:
I received an arc copy of this book from DC Comics via NetGalley and I’m reviewing it voluntarily.
*This review contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission. All proceeds will be donated to a local animal shelter at the end of the year. Thanks. :)
March 10, 2019
[Auszug aus meiner Leserückschau Februar]
Batman: Court of Owls von Scott Snyder und Greg Capullo beinhaltet die elfbändige New 52 Reihe um den Rat der Eulen, der nach hundert Jahren wieder auftaucht und Bruce Wayne alias Batman den ,,Anspruch'' auf die Stadt Gotham streitig machen möchte. Und dazu nutzen sie auch das ein oder andere tödliche Mittel und scheinen ihm immer einen Schritt voraus, was dem reichen Meisterdetektiv den letzten Nerv raubt. Denn wie kann es sein, dass er schon so lange über Gotham wacht, und noch nie etwas von dem Rat mitbekommen hat?
Das ist auch der Aspekt, der die Geschichte ein wenig Tiefe verliehen hat, denn Bruce' Kontrollwahn gegenüber seiner Stadt lässt ihn psychisch ziemlich verkommen und ihn sogar eine Art Paranoia entwickeln, über die er hinwegkommen muss. So wird der Rat als Instrument genutzt, seine Charakterentwicklung weiterzutreiben, und allgemein ist er durch seine geheimnisvolle Aura ein sehr cooler Feind.
Zumindest oberflächlich gesehen, denn auch wenn es halbwegs dazu passt, was vermittelt werden soll, nämlich dass Batman seine Stadt mit allem Geld und allen Überwachungskameras der Welt nie wird hundertprozentig kennen können, ist es doch schade, dass man so wenig über den Rat erfährt. Er bleibt ein verborgenes Kollektiv, in dem nicht mal die Identität der verschiedenen Mitglieder erklärt wird. Man weiß nicht mal, ob es sich dabei überhaupt um echte Menschen handelt, denn in den Zeichnungen wirken sie nicht wie normale Menschen. Zwar erfährt man etwas über ihre Assassinen, aber nicht über den Rat selbst. Passt das also nun zu ihrer Rolle als symbolische Feinde der Fledermaus, dass auch der Rat nur ein Symbol von Bruce fehlender Allmächtigkeit ist? Etwas enttäuschend war es dennoch.
Ebenso hat mir der Twist am Ende nicht so ganz zugesagt, das hat allerdings auch damit zu tun, dass ich es allgemein schwierig finde, Bruce' Eltern in irgendwelche Verschwörungen mit reinzuziehen. Unpopular opinion here, aber man sollte die Toten einfach tot sein lassen und nicht versuchen, den Mord an ihnen zu entmystifizieren.
Dennoch ein unterhaltsamer und vor allem actionreicher Sammelband. Ungelogen, jeder Teil endet mit einem enormen Cliffhanger und in Sachen Spannung kann einem Scott Snyder niemand so schnell etwas vormachen! 😀
Gesamtwertung: 3.5/5
Batman: Court of Owls von Scott Snyder und Greg Capullo beinhaltet die elfbändige New 52 Reihe um den Rat der Eulen, der nach hundert Jahren wieder auftaucht und Bruce Wayne alias Batman den ,,Anspruch'' auf die Stadt Gotham streitig machen möchte. Und dazu nutzen sie auch das ein oder andere tödliche Mittel und scheinen ihm immer einen Schritt voraus, was dem reichen Meisterdetektiv den letzten Nerv raubt. Denn wie kann es sein, dass er schon so lange über Gotham wacht, und noch nie etwas von dem Rat mitbekommen hat?
Das ist auch der Aspekt, der die Geschichte ein wenig Tiefe verliehen hat, denn Bruce' Kontrollwahn gegenüber seiner Stadt lässt ihn psychisch ziemlich verkommen und ihn sogar eine Art Paranoia entwickeln, über die er hinwegkommen muss. So wird der Rat als Instrument genutzt, seine Charakterentwicklung weiterzutreiben, und allgemein ist er durch seine geheimnisvolle Aura ein sehr cooler Feind.
Zumindest oberflächlich gesehen, denn auch wenn es halbwegs dazu passt, was vermittelt werden soll, nämlich dass Batman seine Stadt mit allem Geld und allen Überwachungskameras der Welt nie wird hundertprozentig kennen können, ist es doch schade, dass man so wenig über den Rat erfährt. Er bleibt ein verborgenes Kollektiv, in dem nicht mal die Identität der verschiedenen Mitglieder erklärt wird. Man weiß nicht mal, ob es sich dabei überhaupt um echte Menschen handelt, denn in den Zeichnungen wirken sie nicht wie normale Menschen. Zwar erfährt man etwas über ihre Assassinen, aber nicht über den Rat selbst. Passt das also nun zu ihrer Rolle als symbolische Feinde der Fledermaus, dass auch der Rat nur ein Symbol von Bruce fehlender Allmächtigkeit ist? Etwas enttäuschend war es dennoch.
Ebenso hat mir der Twist am Ende nicht so ganz zugesagt, das hat allerdings auch damit zu tun, dass ich es allgemein schwierig finde, Bruce' Eltern in irgendwelche Verschwörungen mit reinzuziehen. Unpopular opinion here, aber man sollte die Toten einfach tot sein lassen und nicht versuchen, den Mord an ihnen zu entmystifizieren.
Dennoch ein unterhaltsamer und vor allem actionreicher Sammelband. Ungelogen, jeder Teil endet mit einem enormen Cliffhanger und in Sachen Spannung kann einem Scott Snyder niemand so schnell etwas vormachen! 😀
Gesamtwertung: 3.5/5
August 30, 2018
Tenía muy pendiente la lectura de El tribunal de los búhos, y ha sido todo una experiencia. Una gran historia!
March 8, 2024
Una historia y unos dibujos TOP. No suelo coleccionar cómics —son carísimos—, pero esta saga lo merece.
June 4, 2024
All time favorite.
August 5, 2018
Batman: The Court of Owls Saga is a giant sized bag of awesome that reminds me why I will always be a Batman fangirl. The world's greatest detective has failed to uncover a goliath conspiracy in his city. The Court of Owls, a hidden organization, has been pulling the strings in Gotham since before Bruce's parents' murder. When his people, Gotham's people, fall under attack, Batman rises to occasion with true grit and hard nosed determination. Snyder's writing reads like a thriller, full of twists and turns, all the while delivering heart pounding action for a story that is riveting and addictive. The art is gritty and dark and expertly expresses the story's chilling ambience. With bonus stories and a how its made guide, the story is supersized for an all you can read extra value of brilliance. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
December 7, 2020
This was a reread for me, and I still loved it the second time around! The first half is flawless, in my opinion, but the second half isn't as solid, and the ending felt really anticlimactic to me. That's not to say the second half didn't have great moments; it just wasn't to the same level as the first half. The art was consistently great though, and this book left me wanting more from the court of owls, for better or worse. I was a fan of the court itself as a villain, Bruce's inner monologue here, and the relationship between Dick and Bruce portrayed. Although this isn't a perfect story, it's close to being one, and easily one of the best Batman books I've read. 4.5/5 stars.
April 29, 2020
Qué permisivos somos con las historias de los cómics “súper” heróicos. La narrativa y la estética son lo suficientemente buenos como para aguantar un guión de película de domingo de Antena 3; pero no veo por ningún lado esa “obra cumbre” de la que muchos hablan.
January 1, 2023
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed storytelling it's just Grayson secret what didn't worked for me.
I really enjoyed storytelling it's just Grayson secret what didn't worked for me.
June 16, 2021
Court of Owls is Batman at its best. The story, the characterization, the relationships, the art, the design, the tone. It all hits exactly the notes that make it great. I have nothing negative to say about this saga.
January 24, 2021
4.5/5
August 7, 2021
this should've been a 4/5 but i refuse to let the evil brother bullshit slide. the annual issue salvaged the situation a bit.
April 14, 2022
Is this largely 3 stars because it seemed unfair to give it the same ranking as Hush? Yes. What an utterly hollow Batman story.
August 26, 2022
this was some beautifully illustrated and clever anti-owl propaganda
October 5, 2019
Really nice, standalone story. Not that surprising though and a "twist" is a bit cliche. I think this is one of the best Batman designs though. More lore of the Court would be nice addition.
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