Batman (The New 52) # 2

By Mark Rodriguez

Batman's soft reboot in the New 52 streamlined his history (removing Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown from existence) and started things off with a quest that will lead him towards a secret society that ran Gotham behind the scenes for decades. While investigating a recent murder, Batman and Bullock run across a burning message saying 'Bruce Wayne will die Tomorrow', and the DNZ of skin cells found under the victim's fingernails turned out to belong to Dick Grayson.

The next issue, ‘Trust Fall’ opens up with Bruce describing a series of towers made with unbreakable glass…. Unless when a trained assassin knows just the right way to kick someone through it. As Bruce falls helplessly, we go back 24 hours to find out how he got into that mess.

So 24 hours earlier, Batman was out fighting crime as usual. We see that some guys stole ten priceless statues and are getting away in a helicopter, flying alongside some train tracks. Batman is right beside them on his Batcycle and yanks a guy out of the chopper by smashing his fist through the window. The chopper pilot decides to turn around and play chicken. Batman lets go off the guy and runs his cycle towards an approaching train and jumps on it. Now on the train, Bats turns his cycle around and drives right into the chopper, stopping the crooks. As this happens, Alfred informs Batman via radio that the autopsy on the previous murder victim is taking place.

Once Gordon is alone with the victim, Batman activates a camera that shows him everything new needs to know about the autopsy, without him actually being there in person. Yes, Batman is checking this out from the safety and privacy of the Batcave. Based on the man’s scars and such, they determined he was some kind of trainer for fighters. They also find the emblem of an owl in one of his wisdom teeth. Gordon says it might relate to the old nursery rhyme ‘Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind Granite and Lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them or they’ll send a Talon for your head'.

Gordon thinks someone wants them to believe this story, but Batman pushes it aside as just a legend. Gordon reminds him that Batman was once thought of as just a legend, but he keeps pushing that aside. As Gordon leaves, Nightwing enters the BatCave. Since Dick’s DNA (as well as anyone else from the Bat Family) is off any kind of record, no one else could indentify his DNA under the victim’s fingernails. Dick remembered the guy from a week ago while the press was taking pictures and asking him about Bruce’s new project. The man grabbed Dick by the arm and said ‘they’re real, they’re everywhere. And they’re sending him for you- ALL of you’. Dick’s DNA got there when the man scratched his arm as security pulled him off him. Batman being Batman still checked the surveillance footage to make sure Dick was telling the truth. Because of course he wouldn't trust his longest known ally.

 Later on at the Old Wayne Tower, described earlier in the story, Bruce meets up with Lincoln and discuss their projects to improve Gotham. Lincoln sees Bruce as a good ally to improve the city and give back the good it gave to them. Suddenly, a man is knocked through the door in front of them, stabbed and bleeding. A deadly assassin appears and quickly tosses a blade at Lincoln. And he has his sights set on Wayne. Bruce tries to fight him, while not being too overly showy.

However, the assassin blocks his every move and can even withstand a strong choke hold without passing out. He stabs Bruce again and says ‘The Court of Owls has sentenced you to die’ and kicks him out the window. The assassin jumps after him and continue the fight in mid-air, mentioning he loves ‘killing Waynes’. Bruce punches him off and lands on ‘the 13^th guardian’ an extra perch added to the Wayne Tower that isn’t in the tour guides of the place. The assassin falls and smashes through the top of a car.

 

As the ambulance arrives and carries the guy away, it’s revealed he is still alive. He kills the driver and drives off. All the while, Batman continues to think the Court of Owls is just a story and doesn’t really exist….

My Opinions

 The mystery continues and keeps me intrigued, and that's how your write a good Batman story. I remember there were some complaints about 'this random assassin already being good enough to kick Batman's ass', but come on. If you want to build up a new enemy, you can't make their assassins go down like chumps. The Talons are awesome, give them a chance. Plus, Bruce Wayne can't go all out in public as not to risk exposing himself as Batman. 

Batman has gotten kind of insane in his methods. In The Dark Knight, Luscious Fox wasn't happy about Bruce having access to every cell phone in the city. Here Batman has cameras wired in several parts of the city as well hidden Bat Bunkers which serve as mini Batcaves all over the city as well. Some might say, he has too much power. I wonder if there was ever a comic where he was confronted about that.

The motorcycle scene was also pretty bad ass, and adds some extra action in there. I do have to admit, the whole part of Batman getting the Batcycle on the train to play chicken with the guy in the chopper made me have to look at the panels several times to understand what the heck was going on. 

Anyways, the story continues to intrigue and this assassin only made me more and more curious (at the time) of the Court of Owls and what they were capable of. Stay tuned as we continue the story!