In my opinion this is a great find #new52batman1 with #joker on the cover #hologram. When a comic is bad, I typically bash it and bring up tons of spoilers because plot points have no real value in a terrible tale. But this is one of, if not THE best #1 issue in all of DC’s New 52 campaign. I don’t want to ruin the surprise! This is the fun, energetic read that the New 52 line is all about. Snyder even used a new gadget of Batman’s to ease first-time readers into the story, giving bits of exposition regarding the newer characters so no reader ever feels lost. The dialogue is natural, the plot is perfectly paced, and the art is gorgeous. Several images here would make a great poster or at least a desktop wallpaper. Fans of Batman need not worry about the New 52 relaunch — Batman’s legend remains intact with most of the rest of the DC universe changing around him. The only other character left mostly untouched is Green Lantern, and DC’s decision to keep the Bat and Lantern “families” going has been met with sighs of relief. And while the rest of the DC universe starts fresh with new origin stories, Batman’s renumbering to #1 begins not by recounting for the millionth time why Bruce Wayne put on a cowl to fight crime — it begins with a simple story of Gotham City as told by its citizens. Snyder makes all of the right moves by putting the focus on Gotham City as a whole. As abstract as the concept is, reimagining or recounting Batman’s origin for the umpteenth time could have been a task in drudgery, but zooming out to the big picture sets the story with some background and scene. Snyder is known for writing horror stories, and Batman #1 looks like it will take the Dark Knight into darker territory. Snyder’s partner, penciller Greg Capullo, who worked on X-Men before taking over drawing duties on Spawn, is a worthy addition to the list of great artists who were given a crack at the Batman franchise. Simply put you need this issue 1 in your collection. #batman #thebatman #thebatman2 #joker #harleyquinn #theriddler #gotham #batman80 #batman80years