Wow. Pure wow. I’m stunned like it was the first time I saw a woman naked. Your mom looked so weird to me. And so did this book. The issue toys with you. It contorts your mind and forces you to twist your mind around the story. Batman looks for an escape from a labyrinth created by the Court of Owls.

Every turn of the corner is another turn of the path that leads Batman to face his darkest thoughts. Scott Snyder drafted a story that’s as much of a puzzle as is the maze imprisoning Batman.

Well-paced writing makes this Shutter Island/Inception type mind fuck story a pleasure to read. Greg Capullo’s art looks something like the Frank Miller Dark Knight Returns styling. Grim. Dark. Twisted. This book succeeds with all its intentions and gives readers assurance that DC knows how to handle such a character.

The ending gave readers more than enough incentive to continue reading this book. And the epilogue featuring Robin fretting over a Batsignal that burned itself out from waiting for the Caped Crusader was a brilliant metaphor of the frustration of waiting for a hero and the despair that he might not come…

Brilliant visuals complement this story. This book gives me shivers at how great it is.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Scott Snyder Artist: Greg Capullo Publisher: DC Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 1/18/12