A LOVE LETTER TO THE COURT OF OWLS : BATMAN DAY 2026
BATMAN: COURT OF OWLS TPB (Credit: DC COMICS)
I’ll be honest, I haven’t read enough Batman to justify a Batman Day list without
sounding basic.
Even I know the classics: The Dark Knight Returns, Year One, The
Long Halloween.
Then you have the Absolute Batman series, which is breaking hella records. Matt
Fraction’s stellar current run, and a ton more ongoings that my wallet just cannot cough
up enough dough for.
So when my editor, Ken, asked me to do a Batman Day list, I was stoked but also a
nervous wreck because, again, I haven’t read enough. It didn’t feel right to cobble
together a list when my own on Comic Geeks doesn’t have much.
But the one I’ve read isn’t discussed as often as I expected, given its accolades and this
particular writer’s current victory lap with the Absolute series. I’ve seen it mentioned in
bits and pieces, and when I saw it at my local library, I had to check it out. Thank God I
did.
Batman: The Court of Owls, by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, is the earliest Batman
run I’ve read so far, and I was blown away. It started in 2012 as part of DC’s New 52,
and The Court of Owls gives us a Bruce Wayne I’ve never seen tested like this before.
Frankly, one I’ve never seen get his ass kicked like this before.
A string of murders is linked to the mythical Court of Owls, a supposed secret society of
Gotham’s elite who have been running things since the city’s founding. The run begs a
seemingly simple question: Gotham is…?
Finding the answer leaves Bruce battered and questioning everything he thought he
knew about his beloved city.
BATMAN #1 (2013 - Credit: DC Comics)
Scott Snyder gives us a seasoned veteran crime fighter at this point in Bruce’s crusade, but one who still has a lot to learn about what goes on in Gotham. That brings me to
another reason I love this and Batman in general so much. Gotham is as much a character in Batman’s stories as Bruce is. It’s a city that seems to only birth monsters,
but when you squint hard enough, you will find people willing to fight.
ABSOLUTE BATMAN!
The combination of Greg Capullo’s pencils, Jonathan Glapion’s inks, and FCO Plascencia’s colors gives us a brutal, detailed world that jumps off every page. There’s no wasted space here.
It’s gorgeous. I was particularly taken with this page in the first issue, where all the Bat Boys are dressed up nice and dapper. On the floor, you can see the reflection of their
shoes jutting downward, smudged. Little details like that are what make this special to me.
MORE BATMAN!
There are so many damn Batman stories, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by sheer
volume. The Court of Owls, though, is an accessible, well-written, and beautiful looking
book for new readers like myself. Snyder and Capullo capture a singular vision of
Gotham that’ll make you appreciate everything Batman brings to the table for you as a
comic book enjoyer.
Will this top my list next year? I mean, it’ll be tough to beat.
What y’all think? Am I trippin’? Let me know your thoughts on BATMAN: COURT OF OWLS in the comments below.
Thanks for reading & HAPPY BATMAN DAY!