I have two words to say about Batman #1.  But, before I tell you what those two words are, I’m going to throw a lot more words your way to explain why those two words apply (or, you could just skip to the last sentence of this review… slacker).  

Alright, so, another big Wednesday for DC and another round of cool comics have dropped, including Scott Snyder’s Batman #1.  Of all the DC reboots I’ve read so far, this one was absolutely in my top two, and so was Animal Man.  But, which is my number-one number one?  No one cares?  Okay, on with the paragraph.  This comic is full of everything you want from a Batman story: amazing action, big bad guys, cool gadgets, creepy crime scenes, and Bruce Wayne being Bruce Wayne, all at a pitch-perfect pacing that will keep you guessing… and probably exclaiming, “WTF?!” a few times, too.

The story is great and the art by Greg Capullo is a big part of that.  It’s a really intriguing mix of crisp, uncomplicated, almost cartoony lines, with incredible and, at times, disturbing detail.  Right from the start, we are treated to a smorgasbord of recognizable villains including Two Face, Scarecrow, Killer Croc, Clayface, Black Mask, Mr. Freeze, and even the Joker, none of whom went through any major makeovers, but they each look, if not unique, certainly vivid and formidable.  

In this reintroduction to Batman, his alter ego, his sidekicks, his villains, his love interest (Ms. Vicky Vale), and his city, Snyder does an admirable job of nestling a Batcave full of exposition into a well-crafted and evocative story.  If you’re wondering whether or not to pick this one up, well, that brings me right back to those two words I mentioned way back at the beginning of this review… “um” and “yes.”