I see we've talked some about Batman Zero year over here. However, it seems to have gotten lost amongst other Batman talk. So I thought I'd start a thread devoted to Zero Year. I've read two issues so far and the annual which just slightly ties into the arc.
So far so good. It's a pretty interesting and fun take on Batman's origin. The back up stories of how Bruce acquired certain skills are pretty clever.
I've got to go to work so I'll post some more thoughts later. In the meantime, if you've read any of the Zero Year, post your thoughts.
Replies
I was initially very weary of this story arc, and was going to bail. Someone, I don't recall who (Cap?), convinced me to give it a try. I did, and I've enjoyed it for the most part. Scott Snyder can certainly tell a good tale.
I think the back-ups have been very well done as well.
My only complaint so far was calling the Batman Annual a Zero Year Tie-in. That was a load of....
I think the next chapter comes out tomorrow.
I've been tradewaiting all of the DC titles I'm interested in since the launch of the New 52. However, there's been so much good buzz about Zero Year that I decided to take the plunge back to single issues. So far so good. Year One is undeniably a classic tale, but in a lot of ways it's very much of its time (late 80s). There's nothing wrong with a modern retelling, and Snyder and Capullo are putting their own stamp on it so that it shouldn't be seen as a pastiche.
I'm going to Fan Expo in Toronto next week; one of the FE exclusive comics will be a Batman #23 variant with a cover by Gary Frank. I'm going to try to snag a copy.
I read issue 23 last night which is chapter 3 of Zero Year. Spoilers follow
It was a good issue. It parallels a beating Bruce is taking at the hands of Red Hood's gang and the incident when he fell in the well as a child. It's a scene we've seen before in various forms. It works well with Capullo's art style.
Another interesting note. This relationship between Bruce and Alfred is different than what I've seen in the comics. I've only read Batman off and on so I don't know if maybe we've seen this sort of dynamic before. Things are starting to change though. Right now Alfred does not approve of Bruce's actions. Bruce treats Alfred as if he's in the way and doesn't really show him much respect. It's similar to their relationship in the most recent movies except in those there was a mutual respect that you could sense. It's not here. Which, I like. Respect has to be earned. Both of these men haven't seen each other in a long time so they are still getting reacquainted. Plus Bruce comes back and starts this crusade which is likely making it harder for Alfred to take him seriously. It's a rocky relationship but we've seen that they eventually work it out.
I read the new issue last night as well. I think the story and the back-up is getting stronger as it goes on. I really like some of the little things Capullo is adding. When he Bruce puts his hand on Alfred's shoulder and you can see the individual stitches on his fingers.
I also thought the overlay of the bat cave and the den Bruce was sitting is looked great as well.
I agree it's getting stronger as we go along. Do we know how many issues this will be? Are they going for a year with 12 issues are keeping it shorter, like Batman Year One?
I read the new issue. I've been wanting for the longest time for a Batman title I could actually enjoy, and I don't think I've found it yet, but I'm willing to give it an issue-by-issue test.
But one thing in this issue nearly yanked me out of the story: Alfred's efforts at stitching Bruce up. I could only think: Bruce is going to be so scarred and mangled after he heals that he can never show his face in public again.
There was a brief stretch in the '80s, in Detective Comics, where Batman actually had a doctor, Dr. Dundee, to take care of his wounds. But they abandoned that idea; in fact, they wrote Dr. Dundee out of the strip by having some villain poison him with mercury. He survived but suffered severe brain damage and thus forgot everything he knew about Batman's secrets.
Too bad. I suppose the thought was that it's better not to have too many people in Batman's world -- and nobody said Dr. Dundee was a plastic surgeon -- but I'd have to think a true medical professional would be better at that kind of thing than a butler, no matter how competent.
I think the Bruce/Alfred dynamic is a fascinating one, and a vein that has largely gone untapped. With the death of Thomas Wayne, Alfred is Bruce's father figure, but he's not his father. He's the butler -- he's an employee. But Alfred is far more than that, but at the same time, he isn't. And both Bruce and Alfred are mourning the loss of Thomas and Martha Wayne, and that's got to play into how Alfred guides young Bruce.
Jason Marconnet (Pint sized mod) said:
As noted over here, it's to run for 11 issues.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next