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Batman (2011-2016) Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (Batman Graphic Novel) Kindle & comiXology
Following his ground-breaking, critically acclaimed run on Detective Comics, writer Scott Snyder (American Vampire) alongside artist Greg Capullo (Spawn) begins a new era of The Dark Knight with the relaunch of Batman, as a part of DC Comics—The New 52!
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?
Collects issues #1-7 of Batman.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherDC
- Publication dateJune 5, 2012
- Reading age13 - 17 years
- Grade level8 - 12
- File size436534 KB
- Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download
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Editorial Reviews
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Q&A with Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
Q: What is it like working on a huge initiative like The New 52?
Scott Snyder: For me it was exciting because we were given the opportunity to work on characters we love with no restrictions. So if the best story meant making changes to a character's history, there was flexibility to do so. With an imitative this big, seeing how many new readers came to the table to read comics after having lapsed, or never having read one at all, was a real thrill.
Q: What would you say defines the characters you are working on?
SS: For Batman, what defines him is his relentless determination, which is both his most heroic quality and his most pathological. For Swamp Thing, I'd say what defines him is his inability to give up his humanity even when he's at his most monstrous.
Q: What stories or creators inspire you most when working on your character?
SS: For Batman, I have my favorites: Dark Knight Returns and Year One, but it's hard to only pick a couple because he's a character who grew up alongside me, where the kinds of stories that were being told about him were becoming more sophisticated and complex right as I was coming of age. And now the fun thing is that I have a five-year-old son and I get to fall in love with some of the tamer versions of Batman all over again.
Q: Do you keep up with any of the other New 52 books? Which ones and why?
SS: My favorite of The New 52 would have to be Animal Man by Jeff Lemire, who is also one of my closest friends. And I'm really excited to be a part of everything happening in Gotham between Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Nightwing, and all the great books in our neighborhood. I particularly like All-Star Western for its interesting mix of old west and gothic horror.
Q: Has social media and increased direct interaction with DC Comics' fans changed your writing/drawing approach at all in regards to The New 52?
SS: It hasn't changed my writing approach; it has made me appreciate how much the fans love these characters. I always knew it, but seeing the responses online through Twitter and Facebook is overwhelming and inspirational. It's like being at a con all the time. I brought my wife to her first con last year and when I asked her what she thought, she said--and I was nervous to hear her response--that she was really moved by how passionate the fans were about these characters, and I feel the same way.
Q: When it comes to writing Batman, are you distinguishing this version from the previous one? Is your approach to the character different than the pre-New 52 Batman?
SS: No, my version of Batman is as different as the version that came before, just like every version is, because the truth is, the only way to write a character as iconic as Batman is to accept that you're going to have to make him your own, almost as if you were writing fan fiction and no one is ever going to read it. If I started thinking of all the amazing versions of the character that have come before, I would be paralyzed.
Q: You and Jeff Lemire tend to Twitter war each other often. How has this affected you when it comes to writing Swamp Thing and its ties to Animal Man?
SS: For me, our Twitter war is fun because while we insult each other online, usually we are texting each other offline, laughing about the whole thing. Jeff is one of the creators who inspire me the most for his sense of story and his dedication to characters.
Q: Greg, what's it like for you to work on the iconic Bat-Family and Batman villains? You even redesigned the Batman Rogues in the very first issue!
Greg Capullo: Well, everyone has probably heard me say by now that I first drew Batman and Robin when I was four years old. My mom has it somewhere. It was crude, but clear who they were, so to be drawing them professionally all these years later is really cool. I can tell you that I'm super excited to be drawing Batman and, though I admit to being a bit jaded, I was never so nervous (except for maybe my first work for Marvel) as when DC asked me to relaunch Batman from issue no. 1. Terrifying, is what it was. Especially being that I was aware of some of the fear out there that I was going to be turning Batman into Spawn, as I'd worked for years on that book. I really felt like an underdog. I was always confident (after the nerves settled) that those fears would be replaced with joy. I mean, I love Batman the same as you. I don't want to mess him up!
The Rogues, Ah, the Rogues. Well, they weren't really redesigns. I guess to some extent they were. But, they were locked up in Arkham. So, it was more like: what ways might a prisoner come up with to maintain his or her persona behind bars? That became the question. Speaking of, how about the Riddler's mohawk? HA! I think some Batman fans actually wanted to lynch me for giving him that! The Joker was the closest I got to a redesign. I'd love to get my hands on him for a story arc!
Q: The New 52 introduces a younger universe of heroes and I think your art very much reflects that. Is this a conscious thought when you're working on the title?
GC: Absolutely. I was given the characters' ages up front. Some complained that I draw Bruce and the family too young. The fact is I'm drawing them exactly as the powers that be want them to appear. As a professional, you want to give the client, in this case DC, what it is they're looking for. However, I listen very closely to the fans. After all, without them, we're nowhere. I've tried to make subtle changes based on what some of them were saying. My hope at the end of the day is that everyone will be pleased, even though that is completely impossible. Still, I'll always try. Now, I'm off to the Bat Cave to draw me some more Batman!
Review
—USA Today
“This is one of the best comics of the week.”
—The New York Times
“[Writer Scott Snyder] pulls from the oldest aspects of the Batman myth, combines it with sinister-comic elements from the series’ best period, and gives the whole thing terrific forward-spin by setting up an honest-to-gosh mystery for Batman to solve.”
—Entertainment Weekly
“Scott Snyder, already the company's greatest asset over the last four weeks, spins a stack of plates immediately…. Too often Batman comics focus heavily on the hero persona … Snyder sets up equal amounts of conflict for both Wayne's public and private personas.”
—Time Out Chicago
“A stunning debut…. Snyder knows these characters, sets up an intriguing mystery, and delivers some action that Capullo realizes stunningly. This is definitely in the top rank of the revamp.
—The Onion AV Club
“Hits all the right notes. I enjoyed the living hell out of this.” – io9
“Bruce Wayne is a badass. The end.”
—IGN, 9.5 Rating
“A+. Incredible tone and enough twists, turns and character appearances to keep us hooked.”
—UGO
“There's enough here, kept at a high enough level to make it interesting and viable across media and digestible enough for even the most novice DC Universe reader…. Score one for DC and score one for Snyder and Capullo in finding a new fan.”
—Comic Book Resources
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : B008J2GAKU
- Publisher : DC (June 5, 2012)
- Publication date : June 5, 2012
- Language : English
- File size : 436534 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Not enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Not Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Not Enabled
- Sticky notes : Not Enabled
- Print length : 173 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #63,895 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #35 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Graphic Novels
- #73 in Mystery Graphic Novels
- #223 in Superhero Graphic Novels
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
I write comic books! Growing up, I always wanted to write comics, but I ended up trying my hand at fiction first. I got my MFA from Columbia University, published a book of short stories with The Dial Press in 2006 called Voodoo Heart, then finally broke into comics in 2009 and haven't looked back since. I've worked extensively for DC Comics, writing such titles as Batman, Detective Comics, Justice League, the comic event books DC Dark Knights Metal and Death Metal, and Swamp Thing, among others. I've also created a number of series with some great co-creators and partners -- books like We Have Demons, Clear, Night of the Ghoul, Nocterra, American Vampire, Wytches, the Wake, AD: After Death, and more... I live in NY with my wife, Jeanie and our three boys. I am also a big fan of Elvis Presley.
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Everything about Batman vol. 1: Court of the Owls is basically a win. Batman is interesting, but one of my favorite things about this story is the fact that I finally get to see some Bruce Wayne again. I get tired of the way people claim that "Bruce Wayne is just a mask and there is only Batman" because without Bruce Wayne, and what happened to him, there is no Batman. Without the Money Bruce Wayne inherited from his parents and continues to earn because he is an amazing businessman, Batman doesn't have the money or the resources to be Batman. He might pretend to be more of a Party Boy than he really is, he might pretend to be a bigger whore than he really is (Okay maybe not) but Bruce Wayne and Batman still live by the same basic principles. They still have the same basic goals, the only difference is one is exposed by the daylight, and the other is concealed by the night. One creates Buildings, gives money to charities, and tries to bankroll the honest politicians he supports. The other Fights crime, saves lives, and constantly fights the good fight and both make the city he Loves a better place so I don't really see how there is no "Bruce Wayne." They are two parts of the whole character that is Batman so I hope Bruce is never taken for granted again.
The art is stunning and I personally don't mind that all of the bat babies have a lot of resemblance to Bruce because this makes them look more like a family. Even Jason Todd, who is not in Batman just yet b/c he has his own comic, looks like his foster father. I believe it was intentional and should not be complained about too much. Also the choice to change the page layout for the labyrinth scene was a ballsy experiment and I actually really like it. It helps emphasize that Batman feels out of his league and is losing his cool, his confidence, and his sanity.
In Batman: Court of the Owls Batman is as sharp, cool, and interesting as he always has been. It is a great showcase for the character with a story I cannot wait to keep on reading in Volume 2. If you have any love for Batman at all, then you need to buy this book ASAP! You are missing something great without it!
BATMAN VOL.1: THE COURT OF OWLS collects issues #1-7 and finds Bruce Wayne back in Gotham, as well as returning to the title of Batman *(everything before the New 52 reboot carry over in Batman. But don't worry, you don't need to have read any of that to understand or enjoy it this book. So new readers should have no problem coming in to this story, even with this little plot detail.)* Batman and Bruce Wayne are on an all-time high: Batman is completely self assured of his position since returning (he just about effortlessly defeats most of his rouges gallery within a jailbreak at Arkham asylum) and Bruce Wayne is looking into the future. Gone is Wayne being haunted by the past and loneliness, now replaced with a positive attitude and outlook into rebuilding a bright shining future for Gotham. Added to his cause, a new candidate for mayor that believes in Bruce's cause as well. But things start happening weirdly in Gotham when the appearance of a deadly assassin by the name The Talon shows up and demonstrates incredible skills that almost rival Batman. The Talon also mentions the court of owls, an urban legend/bedtime story that starts creeping its head into the larger influence on Gotham that Batman ever though possible.
The Court of Owls Vol.1 is something of a precursor to a summer blockbuster and the famous Knightfall saga. The main villain is new and shows it's every bit as up to the level of Batman himself, the side effects of working alone, and yes folks...Batman almost physically and mentally gets pushed to the limit (the sold-out issue #5 is something you will truly be stunned by in this regard). All the while bits and pieces Snyder has built up on since Gates of Gotham (and even The Black Mirror) about Gotham's legacy finally come to ahead with the threat of The Talon, combined with the Court of Owls themselves, is something of such dread and scope we haven't feel for since Knightfall and No Man's Land. This is truly epic in perception and depth in Batman that might find its place in the Bat mythos years to come (if Vol.2 ends up just as well as Vol.1, for example).
If your one who's become a fan of Snyder's work in Batman, such as Scott Snyder's other Bat-book Pre-52 was the Black Mirror, which was a dark, horror-like take with Dick Grayson as Batman...Snyder's take on Bruce Wayne is more suspenseful, action-packed sort of history lesson on Gotham. This makes Court of Owls a very different beast then Black Mirror. So if your one who loved BM, you might quite not be into CoO's as much (though I doubt it. Snyder's work is still solid). And if you're a new reader, this will be a great jumping on point (the other Snyder Bat-book is Gates of Gotham which isn't necessary, but still an interesting read).
Greg Cappullo's art work flourishes here that is a mix of sketchy and precision at the same time. I've seen his work from years of doing Spawn, but it never awed me in anyway. I like his art; I just never was blown away from him. His current work for Batman has changed my mind. His artistry holds up just fine without seeming scary or too simple. His highest compliment for his art narrative, combined with Snyder's script comes to ahead in issue #5 for example (again, issue #5 is an exceptional issue).
If there's any faults I can think of, there minor and personal on my behalf. I feel Batman is a tinny-bit too arrogant then I think he would be or I can remember in most Batman books. Also his attitude toward much of the Bat-family feels disconnected for no reason at all, considering Batman's attitude toward his fellow Bat-crime fighters has been reasonably tight ever since Jason Todd's death (his rebirth doesn't change this notion). The other thing is Batman is considered the worlds greatest detective, yet --*SPOILER*-- He disregards the Court of Owls existence. Even worse, after being attacked by The Talon and finding evidence of The Court itself...he still denies them.--*SPOLIER END*--. It just doesn't sit right with me on that information, but Snyder backs up these problems I have as well. Batman's arrogance stems from single-handedly taking out his entire Rouges gallery, so this does seem possible.*SPOILER* And my qualms with Bat's denial of The Court are told by Snyder by through a flashback explaining his reasons for denying the Court*SPOILER END*. So my problems are counteracted by Snyder's explanations (and even furthered when Vol.2 comes out), added with so many of the positives that I still keep my score at a perfect 5.
BATMAN VOL.1: THE COURT OF OWLS is an event that is fresh, exciting, epic, mysterious, and just plain fun. Heck, I bought the single issues upon release and bought this collected book because I enjoyed it so much. Old Batman readers will easily enjoy this (considering most fans accepted Snyder from his work on The Black Mirror) and new readers will have a blast coming into a new legacy of the Batman-lore. Hopefully, just hopefully the entire arc that finishes off in Vol.2 known as the "Night of the Owls" will be as powerful as Vol.1. Either way, this is a great book that I highly recommend.
Top reviews from other countries
The threads I could follow were fun and I very much enjoyed a big part of these comics.
***Requesting Amazon again, please do sent these kind of books with adding little more protective layer during packaging. As these are sophisticated products, there is a huge chance of multiple tear & dents that can cause due to shipment handle, which I had faced when I received these kinds of graphic novel earlier. Though gladful I'm as this came with pristine condition.
Reviewed in India on August 4, 2021
***Requesting Amazon again, please do sent these kind of books with adding little more protective layer during packaging. As these are sophisticated products, there is a huge chance of multiple tear & dents that can cause due to shipment handle, which I had faced when I received these kinds of graphic novel earlier. Though gladful I'm as this came with pristine condition.