#BuildingMyOwnTrade...With Trades #5 --Batman 2012-13

Ok...so maybe the title of this post isn't accurate, since I technically didn't build my own trade, these were all collected for me in a box set...but I digress

Batman (1-17, and Annual #1), 2012-13 (DC)
By: Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and a massive collection of other talent throughout all 18 books!

It's quite easy to ascertain I'm far stronger in my understanding of Marvel books by reading most of my reviews or listening to me talk about Marvel books on the podcast.  Every time I've asked for a recommendation for something to read, all of my DC twitter folks point to this as one of the transformative Batman tales, or even better, one of the best story-arcs ever written.  I'll have to agree with Twitter on this one.  Every time I had to put this book down to work, to parent, to be a responsible adult...I was pissed.  This story from top to bottom is quite enthralling.

Vol 1 introduces us to the Court of Owls in two different ways.  First, is the mythical notion of the Court of Owls.  The second is the long history the Court has not only with Gotham, but the Wayne family itself.  Watching the emergence of the court from myth to reality is something quite engaging.  But, there is something I saw in this collection I have never seen before.  In the midst of one of the last books in the collection, you are forced to turn the book from normal orientation, into two landscape spreads, and then the book is upside down...forcing the reader to experience some of the disorientation Batman is experiencing whilst working through the Court's labyrinth beneath Gotham.

Vol 2 continues the Court story arc into their rise to taking down prominent citizens of Gotham.  While the Court seems to rise into power, we see the Bat sink into a sea of hopelessness feeling had, however he learns in-part his gut is accurate.  What truly stands out to me in this volume is the individual issue dedicated to the presumed death of not just Bruce's brother, but watching Alfred's father warn him to stay away from the cursed House of Wayne.  The apologies of being an absentee father, showing the yearning for a relationship with his own son through the way he cared for young Master Bruce, and how these words ultimately do not find it to Alfred, as his father is also murdered by the court.  This storytelling device, especially seeing Alfred's father's name revealed at the bottom of the final letter pane with scorch marks is a beautiful marriage of art and story-writing.

Vol 3 is fucking insane.  With some of the other bat-reading or DC Black Label reading I've done on the Joker, I catch myself asking if this is the most insane version of the Joker we've ever seen...and the answer is no.  It's this final arc from the Snyder/Capullo et. al collection.  Seeing the escalation of the Joker's plans, seeing the throwback to altering earlier escapades between the Joker and the Bat, and seeing the final Arthurian-adaptation of Batman's life had me hooked from start to finish.  Again, something unique in this book is the constant use of dark-on-dark coloring to show the nefariousness of shadowy characters.  The other element is the use of smaller lettering to draw you in to discover every little detail of what is occurring throughout the storyline.  It is simply breathtaking.

I don't know how this collection ranks amongst the most religious of Batman fans (aside from my twitter folks) but holy shit, the folks who told me this'd be at the top of my list of all-time books I'd love fucking nailed it!  This is an amazing collection and doesn't really require an understanding of all-things Batman, which makes it perfect for entry-level readers like me!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go see what other Snyder/Capullo books I can snag (don't think I'm sleeping on Tynion IV's contributions to this, everyone already knows I'm enamored with what he does!).