REVIEW: Batman, #31

[Mantis Girl 94]

First off...Marvel fan #1 here.

But I do read BM, DET, Superman, Action, BM/SM, and JL.

The new 52 BM to me being a very young person still (19), but being old in comic reading. (read BM 251 when I was 7 or 8) this (the new 52) is some of the best Batman stories I have ever read. SN is killing it with his writing and is making me actually like BM as much as my dad. The covers are stunning and I love the old looking Bat's ala Det #27!

Many of you long time BM fans may not like this run but it is making some of us new BM fans love him... hence keep buying the comic.

I have not even read BM #31 yet (but got it in the mail today) and I am excited to read it!.....isn't that what it's all about?

[ImprobableQuestion]

Well said.

As for the 20minute deadline, the pace of the panels came off more uneven than dramatic. Was he telling his riddle story like 1 word every 5 seconds? Batman's ultimate question choice suprisingly, simply demanded a yes or no answer and may have been payoff with its chaotic rebelling and visceral defiance, however, even if Bruce didn't want to chance his secret with the question "WHO AM I", I was at least waiting -for over 30 days- for a riddle that would stump Nygma in embarrassing fashion.

The "who am I" question is somewhat implied. He was banking on the guess that analyzing Nygma and bringing up his past would enrage him into grandstanding, monologuing about how much better he is and trying to analyze Batman's past (though he lacks some key details). Riddler just happened to be less curious than he intended.

I still think we'll get the stumper eventually. We still have two issues and Cap's layouts on twitter promise direct confrontation.

[blackbolt396]

The book gets better and better, great issue.

[K. Jones]

The "who am I" question is somewhat implied. He was banking on the guess that analyzing Nygma and bringing up his past would enrage him into grandstanding, monologuing about how much better he is and trying to analyze Batman's past (though he lacks some key details). Riddler just happened to be less curious than he intended.

I still think we'll get the stumper eventually. We still have two issues and Cap's layouts on twitter promise direct confrontation.

I actually liked that bit. It felt very B:TAS, but was generally a good way to play it. If Zero Year is an early story and serves as a new Riddler origin, ironically what we're getting here (ironic because it's in a Snyder story) is an origin or the first time that Batman has become self-aware enough of tropes to realize he can catch Riddler with what basically marks the "FIRST EVER" instance of the "Hero jibes the narcissistic villain into going into a monologue, thus buying some time" tactic.

In that way it can almost be looked at as Snyder using Bruce to subvert his own monologue tendencies - in a writerly context, it's satirical. And Riddler's "earliest debut against a very early Batman" is a completely apropos place to do it.

Snyder's kind of the perfect writer for Riddler. (Well, Parker is, but Snyder's proving good as well.) The quirk is that Capullo's Riddler isn't my favorite. I know he's meant to be an earlier, less stylish, less Neal Caffrey, proto-Riddler, but I think it's detrimental to his whole schtick in this storyline that he's not more stylish, or even more Gorshin. (Which he was in the Villain's Month one-shot - so I have a rare faith that Snyder's thoughts on the Czar of Conundrums, the Prancing Puzzler aren't far off from my own.)

I hope in the context of the post-ZY stuff Snyder does to run alongside Eternal he's got a spiffier, more classical Riddler story brewing. Less "Eddie's big debut/trying to make a point" and more "I, Riddler, am personally going to commit a media-frenzy of a crime in my latest battle of wits with Batman".

[EdwardNigma]

I really liked the issue though I agree I want shorter comic arcs. Also Riddler's look needs to be changed. Overall pretty good.

[bat39]

Overall I found this issue enjoyable. The whole story is drawing to a close so that's a major relief. I find myself now not really caring about what happens now but I'll keep reading to find out. It's still a pain how the awesome and exciting Batman origin shown in Secret City has now devolved into a fairly standard "Batman saves the city from a super villain who in this case is the Riddler for some reason".

Gotta agree with you there.

IMO, this story arc peaked with Batman's debut in Batman # 24.

'Dark City' was interesting as far as the new take on Dr. Death goes as well as the evolving relationship with Gotham. But it read a lot like a standard 'Year One' Batman story (of which we've had literally hundreds in the last several years). 'Savage City' is interesting in itself, but it seems too much like a re-hash of TDKR, with the Riddler instead of Bane.

Not that there weren't some great moments. I liked the 'improvised' Batsuit, and Batman talking the Riddler down. Snyder's done a great job recasting the early Batman as a bold and somewhat impetuous hero rather than a vigilante slinking in the shadows as he's been depicted since Year One.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

Finally!! After a week delay managed to read this thing. Wow!! I so don't want ZY to end. Also this was a quicker read then #30 so does that mean there is no set page count for $3.99 books?

[ImprobableQuestion]

Finally!! After a week delay managed to read this thing. Wow!! I so don't want ZY to end. Also this was a quicker read then #30 so does that mean there is no set page count for $3.99 books?

DC has gotten into a nasty habit of charging the extra dollar for particularly popular 36 pager-s. With Batman at least you get a glossy cover.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

DC has gotten into a nasty habit of charging the extra dollar for particularly popular 36 pager-s. With Batman at least you get a glossy cover.

Yeah. Can't complain about the glossy cover. In regards to covers DC is knocking it out the park. I was at my LCS and was feeling the marvel and DC comics (weird I know had time to.kill before X-men showing lol) and even $2.99 books felt better than the $3.99 Marvel books. Which is why I only have ASM on my monthlies. (I don't care for a digital code, there's somethings that shouldn't go 'digital')

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

First off...Marvel fan #1 here.

But I do read BM, DET, Superman, Action, BM/SM, and JL.

The new 52 BM to me being a very young person still (19), but being old in comic reading. (read BM 251 when I was 7 or 8) this (the new 52) is some of the best Batman stories I have ever read. SN is killing it with his writing and is making me actually like BM as much as my dad. The covers are stunning and I love the old looking Bat's ala Det #27!

Many of you long time BM fans may not like this run but it is making some of us new BM fans love him... hence keep buying the comic.

I have not even read BM #31 yet (but got it in the mail today) and I am excited to read it!.....isn't that what it's all about?

Hey, dude, Year One was the first Batman story I ever read (also still one of my favorites), but I am right there with you in loving this run. Although, like you, I am pretty young (23), but I have been reading Batman comics for a while. Scott Snyder, I believe, will go down in history as one of the best Batman writers of all time. Not to knock all the other great Batman writers, of course.

Anyway, loved this issue. Can't wait for the next one.