Batman: Dark Victory

Batman: Dark Victory picks up where Batman: The Long Halloween left off.  The Holiday killer has been caught and is behind bars the Roman is dead, but our heroes are coping with the loss of Harvey Dent.  Two-Face has taken over and the last remnants of Harvey Dent are slowly being erased throughout this book.  There is a shining light in this book as it showcases how Dick Grayson became the first Boy Wonder to team up side by side with the Dark Knight.  There are new characters to make there appearances as well such as Janice Porter.  This book is sort of a mirror reflection to Batman: The Long Halloween because instead of the mob being targeted police officers are being targeted every holiday by a new killer called the Hangman and a piece of evidence is found at each scene linking Harvey Dent to each victim.  Janice Porter is the new district attorney but she is hiding something that when it is revealed is one of the greatest twist that Jeph Loeb has ever written in a Batman story because it’s not something you expect.  There is more of a shock value I think at the end of this book when it is revealed who the real Hangman killer is.

Like I mentioned earlier one of the shining lights of this book is seeing the origin of Dick Grayson how and why his parents died.  How he discovered the Bat-cave and how he became Robin.  It doesn’t take very long but it is something that felt quite fulfilling to see put to the page in this collection.  There is surprisingly little Bruce Wayne in this book compared to its predecessor.  The relationship between Bruce Wayne and Selena Kyle seems to dissolve in this book as he pushes her away in his grief over losing Dent.  But on a side not it is because of events in this book that there is a spin-off story of sorts about a journey that Catwoman goes on in between two of the chapters in this book.

If you read Batman: The Long Halloween then you mostly know what to expect with this sequel closing out some of the early adventures of the Caped Crusader.  I highly recommend it on the artwork alone as I love Tim Sale’s work but it is a very well crafted story.

Batman: The Long Halloween

Some of my favorite books to come out of either Marvel or DC Comics are the collaborations by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.  Batman: The Long Halloween is the start of the Holiday Quartet by Jeph Loeb in the other books in this are Batman: Haunted Knight, Batman: Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome.  Batman: The Long Halloween takes place after Batman: Year One.  These stories are composed more in the vein of crime noir tales than Batman stories and that is what makes them so intriguing this is the era when crime shifted from the mob to Batman’s rogue gallery that we know and love today.  This first book showcases the downfall of Carmine Falcone aka the Roman and the main kingpin of Gotham City.  This book also gives us the origin of Two-Face and the downfall of Harvey Dent.

First off before we move on to story the art work is spectacular on every page a Tim Sales drawings are amazing and the colors work so well with the setting and tone of the story.  Pretty much all of Batman’s villains appear in this book at one point or another.  I really like the character development that was put into this story as we see the building of the relationship between Batman and Jim Gordon, Gordon and Dent, Batman and Catwoman.  Again back to the art work in this book Tim Sale is masterful at framing and perspective.

The story centers on the Holiday killings in which a different member or groups of members are killed each holiday of the year and all of the victims have connections to the mob.  This is truly a different type of crime noir story because it takes so many of those tropes and it turns them on their heads.  The mafia is on the defensive the entire book instead of being on the offensive.  Batman is trying to solve the case one way while Gordon and Dent are attacking it from another angle.  This book also perfectly captures Bruce Wayne’s public life balanced with his private life something that can rarely be seen outside of Batman the Animated Series.  The fall of Harvey Dent is the perfect cliff hanger to leave this book on because for those of us who are comic fans or Batman fans in particular we already know the story or at least the broad strokes of the story.

I fully recommend this book if you are a Batman fan by any means this is a title for you.  I may be a little longer to get through but in the end you will be rewarded for sticking with it.

A Dirk Pitt Adventure: Pacific Vortex

This isn't the book that started it all publishing wise but it is the story that started it all chronologically.  The first of many Dirk Pitt adventures by Clive Cussler.  Dirk Pitt is a cross between Indiana Jones and James Bond in tone.  If you like adventure, history and action thrillers then this is the book series for you.  This book is a short quick read but introduces us to a slew of characters that you grow to love the more you read this series.  

The story starts off with the mysterious disappearance of vessel at sea this is how most of the Dirk Pitt adventures start off.  One of the great things about this book is that you don't actually meet the villain until you are more than halfway through the book.  The golden eyed villain is so close to a Bond Villain that it is laughable at some points but he is still terrifying as there is a mixture of Captain Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  The characters are well put together in this series and very relatable.  You have the damsels in distress and the femme fatales who both fall for our hero.  The book not only introduces us to Dirk Pitt and the women in his life but to part of his ever faithful cast of supporting characters.  Al Giordino and Admiral Sandecker are two of the series mainstays who support Pitt in everything he does.  

The book also sheds light on the N.U.M.A. organization which is a real organization founded by Clive Cussler himself.  Knowing little tidbits like that add an air of credibility to the adventures of Pitt and Giordino.  The Pacific Vortex is similar to the Bermuda Triangle but it lead to a much more sinister end.  Another trait of this series is that Dirk and company are always taking on the corrupt wealthy untouchable villains around the world.  The more untouchable they feel the harder they fall.  If any of this sounds like fun to you then pick up this book and immerse yourself into an adventure.

Batman: The Man Who Laughs

This Batman story takes us back to the early days of the Dark Knights career in Gotham.  There are really two stories collected together in this collection.  The first of which is The Man Who Laughs this is one of the quintessential Joker stories.  The second is titled Made of Wood this is a story that teams-up Batman with the Green Lantern.

The Joker story is by far the main attraction of this book if you were disgusted by Scott Snyder's take on the Joker I would say you may want to shy away from this then.  As this title starts out as a serial killer who done it story that Captain Gordon is investigating.  This is considered to be Batman's first encounter with the Joker after the Red Hood at Ace Chemical.  Joker targets people in this story in his usual fashion with chemicals poisoning them and leaving them grinning and bug eyed.  Joker's introduction in this book is truly chilling I would love to see DC Animation take a stab at this story.  Joker leaves a cryptic message at the newly opened Arkham Asylum even though he hasn't been incarcerated there yet.  The Joker has set his sights on the rich men of Gotham City and to distract the police why he goes about his mission he arms prisoners who are set to be sent to Arkham Asylum.  This story shows Batman's skills as a detective as he starts trying to figure out who the Joker is and it takes him back to Ace Chemical and that fateful night against the Red Hood.  Batman confronts the Joker at the water reservoir.  This tale is directly referenced in Scott Snyder's work and the way the Joker acts in this story is very similar to that of Heath Ledger's portrayal of the character in The Dark Knight. 

The second story is a delight as it shows the history of Gotham City but the really selling point for the story is art by Tim Sale.  Made of Wood is a straight up serial killer murder mystery.  It is told primarily in present time with Jim Gordon taking a staring role as the retired police commissioner returning to the job to solve one last case.  This story while not as gripping as the first is a great detective story none the less.  The killer is nothing special in the story in fact you kind of feel sorry for them in the end.  The team-up between between the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott and Batman heroes from to different eras.  Working together to solve a case lost in between the cracks and forgotten for decades.  Overall if you are a fan of Joker or Tim Sale art this book is a must read.

Batman Vol. 10: Epilogue

This is the last volume of Scott Snyder's run on the main Batman title but not the end of his run on the character.  This collection is filled with little one shot stories setting up the next run.  The few issues in this book explore the relationship between Batman and Gotham City.  It also delves into part of his childhood and how Alfred motivated him to become the man he is at the end of this volume.  The annual issue ties in with the events of Arkham Manor and the Superheavy story-arc.  The Futures End one shot is part of this collection which ties in with that event.  The gem of this volume is the inclusion of the Batman: Rebirth issue where Scott Snyder hands over the reigns to Tom King.  in this volume readers get to see who Duke Thomas is about to become.  The issue is very Calendar Man heavy and has portrayed him as interesting villain.  I am interested to see where Tom King takes the Batman mythos as a whole.  There is no doubt that Scott Snyder has left his mark on Batman similar to the way Grant Morrison did just not as jarring.  It has been an enjoyable ride.

Batman Vol. 9: Bloom

The second volume of Jim Gordon as the caped crusader and continuing the Superheavy story-arc.  This ups the action after Mr. Bloom crashed Geri Powers party.  While Batman is attempting to find a way to stop Bloom, Bruce Wayne is looking to find out who he is.  There is a really well done seen where he is sitting on bench by this lake talking to a pale skinned man in a while suit.  This scene is so full of tension as you know in the back of your mind that it is the Joker.  

Mr. Bloom has tricked Gordon and taken him hostage as he is wreaking havoc on Gotham City.  This is almost worse than the War Games story-arc.  In the previous volume Mr. Bloom came off creepy and mysterious, all of that has been thrown out the window with this volume.  I think Snyder jumped the shark with him in this volume.  Bloom is doing just what the Joker did in Endgame arming or infecting the citizens of the city to fight for him.  

The real gem of this story is how Bruce Wayne becomes Batman again the dialog between him and Alfred is touching and amazing.  The idea that Bruce Wayne has to die to become Batman, is simple but well executed.  Also the fact the Julie Madison came down to the cave to be the person to press the button because Alfred couldn't sacrificing her own happiness it was truly touching is probably one of the best things Snyder has written.  

Batman the real Batman has returned to take down Bloom and rescue this city and he doesn't disappoint.  Bloom is taken down but I feel it is a cop out as we never find out who Bloom was but we do find out who created him Daryl Gutierrez who was the engineer for Jim Gordon's bunny-bat suit.  One the things I really liked about this two volume story-arc is that it was written in a very self aware style.  that Snyder knew how much hate he was going to get for doing this to Batman similar to the what Dan Slott did to Spider-Man over at Marvel.  This is the last main story of Scott Snyder's the next and final volume is an epilogue of sorts to the run as a whole and set up for what is to come with Rebirth.

Batman Vol. 8: Superheavy

Endgame has ended and the ending was quite shocking to say the least it was the most gruesome fight the Joker and Batman have ever had.  With that being said I feel that story-arc could have been executed better.  It seems like Scott Snyder has been chasing the great Batman scribes that came before him. writers like Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Jeph Loeb, Dennis O'Neil, Chuck Dixon and Grant Morrison.  I know there are others but these specific writers left a mark on the Batman mythos that others have not been able to.  Scott Snyder seems to be trying really hard to be counted among those writers, each of his story-arcs can be tied to one of the stories by those writers I have listed and this new arc is no different.  

Its starts off that Batman is gone since the Endgame event,  Snyder does do a lot of set for this volume and if you have been reading his run your used to this.  Powers International has swallowed up Wayne Enterprises through a take over.  I had to look up Powers International because I didn't know who they were it would be nice to have some more build-up when the writer makes some changes to Gotham City because the as Snyder has voice before along with other authors the city is a unique character to the Batman mythos.  Anyway Batman is gone and Powers International has taken it upon themselves to build a better Batman.  Geri Powers teaming with the GCPD is sanctioning a new Batman that works for them, is trained by them and answers to them.  The person they choose to take the mantel of Batman is Jim Gordon.  It sounds like a bad idea and fans have been very critical of this move.  Unlike the Knightfall saga where Jean-Paul Valley took over as Batman when Bruce Wayne was broken by Bane; Jim Gordon is very aware that this is a bad idea but he does it because he doesn't trust anyone else to do it.   But also like the Knightfall saga Jim's tenure as Batman is short lived and confined to the Superheavy story-arc.  

Batman has been replaced three different times in main continuity the first by Jean-Paul Valley, Dick Grayson and now Jim Gordon.  The only one that fans have loved was Dick Grayson because of the way it was executed and built up.  Jim Gordon's suit is very reminiscent of Robocop and makes me long for the days of the Jean-Paul Valley suit.  However Batman is not the only change to Batman mythos but also the villain who is Mr. Bloom is brand new.  Mr. Bloom started out as a very cool creepy and awesome villain for this whole first volume.  Could Mr. Bloom be the evolution of where we see Batman's rogues gallery going.  

It is revealed that even though Batman may have died at the end of Endgame, Bruce Wayne did not he just has amnesia.  This part of the story I loved the most because it is really well constructed and executed and it is a unique enough to work.  In the past Bruce Wayne has been framed for murder, replaced by Hush in the public spotlight and declared dead.  But until now he was never given a clean slate.  This isn't turning me away from Batman I'm to invested but I am taking a more critical stance on Snyder's choices during his run on the character.

  

Batman Vol. 7: Endgame

Scott Snyder has spent his entire run really delving into the psyche of the Joker & this story is no exception.  If Batman: Death of the Family was a look at the Joker's love for Batman this is a look at the Joker's hate for the Dark Knight.  Now this edition is by no means the definitive version of the story there is a Joker: Endgame edition that includes a few other tie ins to make it complete honestly that version is most likely an improvement but this is the one I read.  The story starts out with Joker having been gone for awhile but in reality he has been hiding in plain sight.  There are some really good & twisted acts the Joker pulls off in this story-arc.  The first is poisoning the Justice League & having them go after Bruce Wayne.  I really would have liked to see how the Joker got to all of them I think that was a missed opportunity that Snyder didn't capitalize on.  Joker's big reveal of who he was working at Arkham was brilliantly executed I would have liked to see play out for a longer period of time so that this is someone that Batman, the police, staff & the inmates of Gotham have interacted with for many issues before the reveal it would have made the reveal even more dramatic. 

The Joker's main weapon of choice in this book is a two pronged attack on the one hand he is using his chemical expertise to create a chemical to make everybody go mad.  I have to say it is nice to see Snyder take the Joker in this route in terms of giving him a weapon & making him a threat to Gotham as a whole that hasn't been done in a while.  Most of the stories that I can remember the Joker goes after individuals.  That is still the case in this story but the city has become his minions.  Greg Capullo's art is almost more compelling than Snyder's writing.  The showdown between the Joker & Jim Gordon is simply amazing it gave me chills just reading it.  Those two characters have so much shared history with what the Joker has done to torment Gordon it was just amazing to see.  Likewise with the reveal of patient zero being Joe Chill & Duke's family about to play the part of the Wayne's in Crime Alley while Batman watches is one of the most amazing set ups but I think it would have worked much better if it had been built up more.  The Court of Owls makes a brief return in this story but they have chosen not to interfere because they want to take over after Batman's defeat.  Joker's parade through Gotham City with the trophies from the Bat-Cave is awesome & a nice throwback to the 1980's Batman movie where Joker throws his own parade.  The final showdown between Joker & Batman is one of the most brutal outside of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.  The brutality doesn't bother me its the fact that they made a reference to the Lazarus Pits in this story & it is central to curing the City but Ra's Al Ghul is no where to be seen in this story I would have liked to see the Clown Prince try to taken down Batman while also facing a threat from the Demon's Head for contaminating a Lazarus Pit.  Now that it is revealed that the Court of Owls also uses these pits for the Talons I hope so see them going head to head or teaming up with Ra's in the future.  I feel that this was one of the biggest lost opportunities with this story-arc & could have lead to so much more. 

There were several things that took me out of this story I think most of it falls in the editors lap but I think Snyder & Capullo can be blamed as well.  First off when the Joker appears in the Bat-Cave his face is messed up pretty bad but I have no idea when that happened because when we the reader saw him swimming his face was fine. The second was the switch between Bruce & Dick in the story it was vaguely foreshadowed but it was executed poorly & should have had a better effect on the outcome of the story than it did.  As I have said in the past Snyder wrote a great Dick Grayson Batman in Batman: The Black Mirror but he isn't as adept to writing Bruce Wayne Batman.  The back up story where the inmates of Arkham are telling their stories of who they think the Joker really is or I should say what he really is; it makes for an interesting side story but it doesn't feel right to make it part of DC Universe canon.  It just doesn't feel right that Batman's biggest bad should be the devil incarnate.  I could see it working as an Elseworlds story but for canon work this is really what took me out of the story I couldn't agree with this.  

There are several characters that should have died in this book & if Snyder wanted to truly shake up the Bat-world he could have killed off any or all of them but each one was kept alive in kind of a cop-out feel way.  Back to Jim Gordon in this story-arc I really think they could have killed him off in this & it probably should have happened.  I really don't see how he survived that interaction with the Joker.  Alfred goes head to head with the Joker & loses a hand for his trouble.  This is by far the most gruesome scene prior to the end of the arc.  I still don't understand why Joker left him alive.  The third death should have been Dick Grayson simply because of the switch which wasn't executed well as I stated before.  I understand why they didn't kill him off  because they tried to Forever Evil which compromised his secret identity as Nightwing.  I feel this would have been the right story to kill him in & it would have put another Robin under the Joker's crowbar.  Now if your upset with Dick Grayson getting the ax in the street battle you could have switched him with any of the supporting Bat-Family Batwing, Bluebird, Batgirl, Red Hood, Red Robin, Spoiler or Batwoman.  It wouldn't have mattered I think someone should have gotten the ax.  I know that would have been controversial & fans would be up in arms but it would have proved how high the stakes were.  Remember this is after the death of Damian Wayne & before Robin Rises event so there is no straight up Robin. 

I wish that there had been more substance to this story-arc than there was.  Batman is one of those rare comic book characters that benefits from having story-arcs that are more of the maxi-series than mini-series in terms of issues.  They need the build up to be fully effective.  This story felt rushed to hit all the right notes I feel it could have been longer to make it more effective.  I would have liked to see an epilogue issue of how they retrieved Bruce Wayne's body from the cave-in at the finale; done in a way that doesn't spoil the next arc.  That is another thing that I have noticed throughout this whole run & I didn't realize how much it bothers me until now Snyder doesn't transition between arc's he leaves them like they are individual books which is good but if you are trying to read an entire run there needs to be some connectivity.

Batman Vol. 6: Graveyard Shift

This collection is a mixed bag of single & double issue stories that Scott Snyder & friends put together.  Issue zero in this book really is connected to the Zero Year story-arc so I don’t understand why it wasn’t collected in those volumes particularly the first volume.  However that story is not as important it is the backup written by James Tynion IV that focuses on the first lighting of the Bat-Signal it showcases so many characters of the Bat-Family in there & how inspired they are by seeing the signal.  As a Batman fan I have a big problem with this in that it skews Jason Todd’s origin writers seem to forget that he was ever Robin & keep throwing references to him becoming Red Hood.  That they forget why he took the Red Hood persona in the first place, it was to psychologically mess with Batman due to his history with the Joker & what the Joker did to Jason Todd.  This is one of the biggest problems for me out of the New 52 era.  I also have issues with how they have treated Tim Drake but that is a discussion for another entry. 

The next story is the requiem issue for Robin R.I.P. which was the finally of Grant Morrison’s multi-year spanning Batman run through multiple titles.  This issue sees Batman deal with the loss of another Robin but this time it goes much deeper as Damien Wayne was his son.  This is also a very Harper Row centered story.  The following two issue arc is a Clayface story that is truly suspenseful.  I have come to realize that Snyder may not always write the best voice for Batman but for his rogues gallery he is spot on.  The backup’s to the Clayface story take on the mystical side of Gotham City.  It’s not a great story but it is nice to see Batman & Superman team-up.  The following single issue story is a Batman Eternal crossover that was written by Snyder & friends.  This crossover sees many things happen such as Jim Gordon be arrested, Catwoman becoming the Kingpin of crime in Gotham City & the return of Stephanie Brown as Spoiler. 

There are two more single issue stories one which sees Batman helping the staff of Arkham Asylum test out their new security system.  Batman comes face to face with one of the oldest inmates of Arkham.  She accuses Batman of changing the purpose of Arkham from a place of healing to a living hell.  The next story showcases that no criminal is above the law when it comes to crime & they are not below Batman’s radar.  Batman is on the hunt for a serial killer who is murdering Dr. Thompkins patients & burying them in potter’s field.  It is a great little story about Batman’s crusade on terror.

Batman Vol. 5: Zero Year, Dark City

The second half of Scott Snyder’s Batman origin story-arc is full of highs & lows.  There is a lot to like in this volume the first Batmobile for example is a prowler that is purple & yellow that can jump like the Tumbler from the Christopher Nolan movies & drive on the ceiling of the tunnel.  The villain that is introduced in this story is Dr. Death I can’t say l like him very much as he is a very outlandish villain for Batman to go up against in this early set story.  His motivations are that of a disgruntled employee whose experiment has gone horribly wrong.  He reminds of the Man-Bat in many ways but he is just a pawn to the real threat. Even though I don’t like Karl Hellfern as a villain I did a little research & he apparently is one of Batman’s early villains so kudos to Scott Snyder for including him for a new generation. 

It is during the first half of this collection that focuses on Dr. Death & his supposed plan one of his victims is Dr. Isley so it was nice to see Poison Ivy briefly before she goes all villain.  Along with seeing the first Batmobile we get to see the first Bat-boat & the Bat-blimp.  The big reveal at the end of the first half of this book is that Dr. Death is not the big bag but instead a pawn of the Riddler.  The Riddler is beginning to take center stage as Batman & Dr. Death have their final showdown.  One of the great things about this story is that the Riddler is able to best Batman throughout most of this story & the first half reads very much like a Batman story.  Batman crashes with the falling platform only to wake up to a whole new city.  This is where the first volume started. 

With the second half of this book the we are introduced to Duke Thomas who becomes a new ally for Batman later on in Snyder’s run.  The Riddler has transformed Gotham City into a Savage Land where nature is working to reclaim the city & parts of the city are flooded.  For me this is where Snyder appears to have jumped the shark with his story.  I understand how it is possible given the theft of Pamela Isley’s research but at the same time it feels very fanciful.  The Riddler is holding the city hostage while also waiting for a citizen of Gotham to rise up & be a hero for the people.  This entire scenario feels very old hat especially since it was part of the plot for the Dark Knight Rises.  Also it is never explained how the Riddler was able to get all of his equipment as he doesn’t seem to have any henchmen.

Batman faces off against the Riddler in a battle of wits multiple times in this book all are memorable but it is the last two that I am most enthralled with.  In their second encounter Batman is stalling for time which the Riddler seems to see through & pulls a Jabba the Hutt by dropping him into a lion pit.  After Batman dispatches of the lions in a cool & unorthodox way he is off to find the Riddler.  The final showdown for Batman & the Riddler takes place where Bruce Wayne first encountered Edward Nygma at the museum in front of the Sphinx.  The whole entrance of the Riddler coming out of the shadows clapping reminds me of the Joker clapping in The Dark Knight or the entrance of Silva in Skyfall.  The Riddler has one final game for Batman to play for the future of Gotham City.  This is straight out of the classic Batman stories of the past & the animated series.  A series of riddles & each misstep is detrimental to the safety of the city; it is simply chilling as Nygma explains the rules & says “rrrriddle me this, Batman.”  That came straight out of Batman: Forever for me with Jim Carry’s portray of the Riddler.  The giant penny makes a return in this story as well as the origin of the Bat-Signal to warn the fighter jets.  The Riddler has the mother of all failsafe mechanisms that Batman has to get around to save the city.

Again Snyder plays to his strengths which is character development & conversations I like those moments of just talking between Bruce Wayne & Alfred but also Bruce Wayne / Batman & Jim Gordon.  There is some great backstory here that is portrayed by all of the characters involved.  It is also great to see a younger Lucius Fox interacting with a young Bruce Wayne.  There is one splash page in this collection that hints at many other characters & their involvement in this event but their issues are not included in this story frankly I don’t see why they were even alluded to because this is primarily a Batman story.  There is a nice little back story about Harper Row & it is still not clear what Scott Snyder has planned for her.  

Again Greg Capullo shows us just why is the artist for this book every page is amazing there is a great single image of Batman performing a leap of faith from the blimp to the Riddler’s floating platform with is a reference to The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller.  Now what Batman origin story would be complete without touching on the death of Thomas & Martha Wayne.  Snyder does just that but he approaches it from the perspective of Bruce Wayne which puts a new spin on it & the potential trauma that it creates in him.  There are a lot of big reveals in this story as the Riddler is the first official inmate in Arkham.  But also that Bruce Wayne checked himself in there many years before because he could not cope with the loss of his parents & he was going through therapy to create a new personality for himself.  This is truly an amazing & terrifying aspect to introduce into the Batman mythos.  The end of this collection is truly touching & shows the great devotion Alfred has to protecting him when an old girlfriend comes back to Gotham to reconnect with Bruce.  As readers we see both scenarios of that meeting & it is the real one that pulls on our heartstrings. 

There is a lot to like in this story-arc as a whole the two volumes of Zero Year but for everything I like there is something I dislike.  For all of the characters involved there are a few decisions that they make that are either out of character for them or reckless in their execution.  For example Jim Gordon leaping off a building into a flooded subway stairwell Batman drinking gasoline & blowing flame at a lion while it looks cool it seems out of character for Batman.  The failsafe that the Riddler has is again another out of wreckless moment where Batman attaches it to himself to defibrillate himself to save the city.  In the end Snyder & Capullo have crafted a great story & I have no doubt that history will showcase them as one of the premiere creative teams to ever work on Batman but this is still not a tail for everyone.  If you love the Riddler as a villain then this is a must read.