Batman #1

Scott Snyder is now the man at the head of Batman. This is great news for everybody. While Morrison made fantastic stories, his unique style and choice to put Dick under the cowl for almost two years did alienate many a Bat-fan. But now that Dick is Nightwing again, and a writer who is not so controversial is at the helm, Batman is poised to take over as the biggest thing in comics again.

Quick history on Scott Snyder in the Batman universe. He recently wrote Detective Comics #871-881, Batman: The Black Mirror (which Hungry City is a part of). And it was phenomenal, easily one of my favorite Batman stories ever (didn't hurt that Dick was the starring character). Also, he was the initial brains behind "Batman: Gates of Gotham." So in essence, he wins.

And he doesn't let up his hot streak here. Batman #1 is easily my favorite out of the New 52 I have read so far. And here's the kicker, the art isn't even that good. Often times the art for books enhance the overall experience, but Greg Capullo's art doesn't do much good or bad for this book. His display of movement is strong, but overly strong that I took notice.

The "Gotham is" motif that Snyder concocts seems like a crutch, a literary device that honestly most writers would fail at using. But he never gives up on it, and that commitment sustains it and makes the payoff at the end worth it. It ties in his past, present, and future of Bruce Wayne in a succinct and effective way.

This comic also succeeds in that Bruce is shown to be a family man, not a loner. That Bruce is long and gone, and it's great that while DC wants all the characters to go back to their roots, Snyder refuses to write him as the Bat-jerk. He has positive, pleasant relationships with Dick Grayson (in particular), Jim Gordon, Tim Drake (or is he still going by Tim Wayne even though Bruce is back?) and Damian Wayne.

 The twist at the end is going to be the most talked about piece of the entire comic. Which I don't necessarily mind, as it fits in nicely with the earlier Joker plot. But I do wonder, how come this character is always the one that might be evil/is turning evil? (I'm talking to you Frank Miller and Adam Beechen).

Also, apparently Nightwing and Batman are going to be connected? I mean, the stories seem to match up, I do hope it's not coincidence. Crossovers can be terrible I know, but this one is natural and it's a loose tie, so expect former collaborators Kyle Higgins and Scott Snyder to kick butt together.

What I enjoyed: A Bruce that isn't so brooding, the ability for Batman to both lighthearted and dark at the same time, and excellent dialogue.

What I didn't: Capullo's art isn't bad, but this title deserves someone better.

Conclusion: This is why they relaunched, as it opened up opportunities like this. If I'm a first-time reader and pick this issue up, I'm hooked. 9.4/10 (A).