Batman #0

6 years ago, back when Bruce Wayne was just starting out as Batman, without the cape & cowl and with little experience, he attempts to foil an attempted bank robbery by the infamous Red Hood Gang. With lieutenant Gordon sniffing around asking questions, Mr. Wayne has got his hands full. Plus : The tale of the 3 young men, who in their own time will take the mantle of Robin!

The Team

Written by Scott Snyder (Flashpoint, Aquaman : The Trench, Severed) & James Tynion IV (, illustrated by Greg Capullo (Spawn, The Creech, Batman : The Court Of Owls) & Andy Clarke (R.E.B.E.L.S. : The Coming of Starro, Batman : Eye Of The Beholder). Cover by Greg Capullo. Published by DC Comics

The Pros

Writer Scott Snyder delivers his own slice of Bruce Wayne’s past, in a sort of Batman : Year One story that has Bruce Wayne living in a fortified city block, masked as a run down building. Since the whole New 52 thing started a year ago, it’s has been difficult keeping track of a Batman timeline and try to make sense of it. There is a tense moment involving a timed batarang & lieutenant Gordon that is simply terrific. With the ending of the first story, we will most certainly see the return of the Red Hood Gang. Illustrator Greg Capullo continues his astonishing pencilling style that made this Batman series the best out of all The New 52 series.

The most confusing of all is the second story featuring a pre-Robin Tim Drake, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd. It’s not clear if the story takes place on the same night or if they’re 3 different nights from 3 different timelines. Jury’s still out on that one. Written by regular back up Batman writer James Tynion IV and illustrated by Andy Clarke.

The Cons

My biggest beef has got to be the ending of the first story. Continued in 2013? Wasn’t the whole point of a zero issue a self contained origin story? So that means if you’re a new reader to this title, you have to read #1-#12, then read this issue, then issue #13 for the Joker story arc until who knows how far & then the continuation of issue #0 sometime after the Joker story arc. Or #0 first, then #1-#12 oh forget it. Now I got a headache.

The Outcome

I’d like to give this issue the low rating it deserves, just because of the s**t they pulled with the ending of the first story. However with Snyder & Capullo at the helm, I just can’t bring myself to do that.