Poor Batman. Someone is always trying to melt his brain or push him over the deep end. I wondered once how hard it must be to write a character that probably has gone through every trial and tribulation under the sun. Is there anything Batman hasn’t been through or can’t do? The answer is no! He’s the god damned Batman after all.

Somehow Scott Snyder has kicked off his Batman run with a major bang. He’s created a new group of villains that are just as crazy and mysterious as his other rivals. It’s not really clear what the Court of Owls want but they do enjoy menacing Gotham’s elite it seems. The story has been awesomely bizarre. Somehow watching Bruce getting broken down only to come back and kick ass never gets old.

Greg Capullo goes crazy and draws an absolutely fabulous issue. His weakened version of Bruce really adds a nice touch to the story. His suit is torn and sagging off his body. The hallucinations (I guess that’s what they are) of the “owl people” is creepy. The real treat is Batman’s transformation into a monster/beast thing as he fights back against the Talon. Capullo captured Batman’s rage well in those scenes.

One of the best of DC’s new titles. This book should not be missed.