Oh, Scott Snyder, you had me going–even through Bruce and his male love interest flirting while discussing the mystery–until you tried a hard cliffhanger with Batman dying.

Batman is not going to die this issue of Batman, Scott Snyder, and your readers know it.

Immediately preceding the cliffhanger is a series of nice pages–Batman finding these hidden “Owlman” lairs around the city, something the World’s Greatest Detective has missed his endire career–and the visuals work. It’s cool to see where the lairs are, how they look the same, how they look different. Up until the cliffhanger, this issue is an exercise in how to keep exposition lively.

Capullo still draws his fit gentleman exactly the same, except facial hair, and without much life. But Snyder’s multiple long dialogue sequences still work–the dialogue is strong (if long).

It’s neat, though the cliffhanger doesn’t reward the reader.

CREDITS

The Thirteenth Hour; writer, Scott Snyder; penciller, Greg Capullo; inker, Jonathan Glapion; colorist, FCO Plascencia; letterers, Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt; editors, Harvey Richards, Katie Kubert and Mike Marts; publisher, DC Comics.

I’d forgotten the cliffhanger in the previous issue. I only remembered—Dick Grayson: Murderer!—when Dick shows up in that lame new Nightwing outfit and he and Bruce talk about it.

It’s a strange thing to establish so early—the series is going to have unfulfilling cliffhangers. Maybe Snyder’s trying to do something retro with it. When Batman stops the museum robbers, it felt like Batman is supposed to be a mix of innocuous and extreme.

Snyder’s also working on his bromance. Bruce and his twin (Capullo can’t keep Bruce and the mayoral candidate straight… not even with different hairstyles) have a lengthy, talky scene together.

Capullo’s a lot better with the costumed stuff (even Nightwing) than he is with the people.

There’s some cool, movie-ready technology stuff with Gordon and the issue’s generally fine.

The ending, which ties to the opening narration, should be a lot stronger though.

CREDITS

Trust Fall; writer, Scott Snyder; penciller, Greg Capullo; inker, Jonathan Glapion; colorist, FCO Plascencia; letterer, Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt; editors, Janelle Asselin, Katie Kubert and Mike Marts; publisher, DC Comics.

Dick Grayson’s a crazy murderer?!? Oh, wait, no.

That pointless cliffhanger aside, Batman isn’t bad. I know Greg Capullo is a name artist and all, but I can’t figure out why. His figures give the impression of being static even when they aren’t.

The issue’s at it’s strongest in odd places. Scott Snyder has recast the Bat-family as the Brady Bunch before Mike met Carol. Dick’s the grown-up sidekick who’s still the best sidekick, Tim’s the ignored one and Damien’s the little wiseacre.

It’s sort of cute. Snyder’s not ambitious at all–his script reads a little like a mix of the Batman movies (all of them) and being sort of cute is about all the mileage the comic’s going to get.

Snyder does nothing to orient new readers; I guess DC knows there really aren’t Batman-readers-to-be out there.

It’s low-end mediocre mainstream stuff.

CREDITS

Knife Trick; writer, Scott Snyder; penciller, Greg Capullo; inker, Jonathan Glapion; colorist, FCO Plascencia; letterers, Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt; editors, Janelle Asselin, Katie Kubert and Mike Marts; publisher, DC Comics.