Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Batman (2011-2016) Vol. 2: The City of Owls (Batman Graphic Novel)

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A Good (But Slightly Deflated) Conclusion to the Court of Owls Story

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2019

To preface this, Volume 2 of Scott Snyder's Batman is still really good, solid Batman. But compared to Volume 1 it definitely falls short. Whereas Volume 1 set up a frightening, almost too powerful enemy in the form of the Court of Owls and their immortal Talons, Volume 2 seems to take the wind out of its own sails, starting to lead in the direction of a challenging conflict that has the reader on the edge of their seat, and then taking a left turn, as if there were not enough confidence in the Court itself being the antagonist and someone thought there needed to be another angle--that's all I'll say about that to avoid spoilers. The art by Capullo continues to be great, but a few issues switch to other artists that are a little too stylistically distinct--normally fine, but in a serialized story like this, it can take the reader out of it a bit. There are a few misc. single issues at the end of the volume focused on Harper Row and Mr. Freeze, etc. These are fine but seem somewhat tacked on. All in all, this is a good TPB, but not one of the stronger ones in Snyder's run.

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Steven J. Epps

Don't worry Batman, the villian will do all the work for you.

Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2016

I was somewhat disappointed by the conclusion of the Court of Owls arc. Everything goes from total chaos, Batman on the ropes, Gotham has fallen, to well, a one trick pony. The first volume of the series was amazing. One of my favorite Batman arcs. The introduction of a whole new set of lore is an amazing accomplishment in a character that has been so well developed over the years. But again, everything was tied up in a neat little bow all too quickly and too easily.

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CB ReviewTop Contributor: Batman

A Good (But Slightly Deflated) Conclusion to the Court of Owls Story

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2019

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Rick

Almost as good as volume 1, but still great

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2017

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Lots of others have had their say, but I'll add mine just because. First of all, it's Batman so odds are if you're looking at this volume, you're already a fan of the Dark Knight and are chomping at the bit having just finished the outstanding Court of Owls (Vol 1 of the relaunch, fantastic story if you haven't read it you should). On to City of Owls:
The story picks up immediately following the final panels of The Court of Owls and becomes an all out war between the Batman and the Talons who are attacking Gotham City. This is an action-heavy volume so if you enjoy Bat battles and big bads, then you're wish will be granted within the first 2 or 3 chapters of this volume that concludes the Owls story arc. There is even an interesting spin on the emergent big bad of this story that adds some alterations to the way we view young Bruce Wayne and his parents (at least I think the Big Bad background is a new take, I'm nowhere near as deep in Batman mythology as a lot of people are). The conclusion is fairly satisfying and leaves an air of mystery about some of the happenings. Along with the Owls conclusion, there is an interesting background story on Alfred's father, there is a character-building story of a person that figures to feature more later on in the Batman series, and an intriguing new take on the origins and character of Mr Freeze.
For me, the only thing really keeping this one from being a 5 star book is that it is nearly all an action adventure without a lot of substance elsewhere. I felt that Volume 1 was amazing with it's intrigue, mystery, action, psychological examination, and so on. You got a great view of Batman there from him being the world's greatest detective through the spectrum of being the defender of Gotham and incredibly mentally tough. In Vol 2 (this book), there isn't much detective work to do, the city's under attack and he needs to save it. Also, the only real mystery that crops up leads to Batman showing no interest in actually solving it.
The imagery throughout the comic is great, so many wonderfully drawn and colored panels that give the character and city so much interest and depth. If you loved or even just liked volume 1, you will almost certainly be happy with volume 2 especially if you are an action fan. I like to see the whole picture of Batman so without the detective/mystery side of the story it loses just a little bit for me. That said it's still easily a solid 4-4.5 stars.

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Stuart STop Contributor: Batman

A great continuation of the New 52 Batman, but a little jumbled near the end

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2015

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The City of Owls delivers terrific battles, good drama, and further character exploration in a most satisfying read. The Court of Owls was a fantastic story, not quite Year One or HUSH, but I wasn't expecting that and neither should you.

Batman fights original foes and an interesting take on the Wayne family never before seen quite like this. Batman doesn't win just because he's Batman, nor is he portrayed as unbelievably invincible in fights. He starts the story beaten, betrayed by the city he loves and vows to protect. Physically, he is still recovering from his previous bout with the Court of Owls. Of course, when a villain is revealed to know Bruce Wayne and Batman are the same person, it cannot come to a great surprise he doesn't stick around. Still, the action feels real and convincingly dangerous; the Talon assassins cannot die, whereas Batman most certainly can. The conclusion of the Court story is very satisfying.

There is not much to say on Capullo's work, he has improved somewhat on his pieces, which was already more than satisfactory. The Thrasher Batsuit in particular is visually wonderful. Bruce and company face's convey genuine emotion and help propel the story forward. I was initially hesitant on Capullo as artist, but he has delivered. Additionally, the final chapter detailing the origin and ensuing conflict with Mr. Freeze give Fabok a chance to shine. Nightwing and Robin look great, truly looking heroic yet not overdone. The story feels a little shoe-horned in, but I'm glad it was placed at the end of the story so as not to interrupt the main arc.

So, with all this praise, why only four stars? For me, it comes down to two reasons: it's not quite as satisfying as Vol.1, and two, the Harper Row story. Why not the Jarvis Pennyworth story? It was interesting, the art was a little clunky, but it was a brief and relevant component to the history of the Owls. The Harper Row chapter failed to impress me, and I know that sounds arrogant. Batman already has so many excellent supporting characters that Harper, to me, feels unnecessary. I can appreciate that DC now has to meet more diverse gender audiences, but I still don't see this as a valid excuse. I know Batgirl has her own title, and so she should be doing her own thing, but why not the already established Stephanie Brown or Cassandra Cain? When Oracle was left out of the New 52, a character void was left in her place, and I understand the need to fill it. Harper Row has the tech skills of Oracle, but not the heart. While this may be unpopular, I felt the story was partly created just to prove that DC is addressing the relevant controversies of society and appear young and progressive. That's fine, that's what helps the company survive and earn praise and recognition from diversity groups. Still, I felt the 'forcedness' of this addition, and it left me kind of scratching my head. This is only one small component of the book, but still, I think was distracting enough to pull focus from the positive aspects.

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BlueStarTop Contributor: Manga

"Put the call out to the family. Now."

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2013

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As Bruce Wayne is attacked in his own home by the Court of Owls, so too is the city of Gotham as all the important people that make Gotham tick are hunted down one-by-one in a calculated effort by the Court. Batman must stop the assassins loose in the city and, with the help of the Bat-family, reclaim Gotham!

The Court of Owls attack is still under way and now volume 2 is here encased in a nice hardcover with dustjacket like the first volume. This book covers issues 8-12 of the Batman series and Batman Annual #1 as well. The Court infiltrating Bruce's home gives a sense of hopelessness to the secrets Batman maintains and the art here by Greg Capullo and Rafael Albuquerque really implement the dread and cunning in the Court attack. However, the only downside is the transition from Greg to Rafael is not seamless by any means and just jumps to a different art-style mid-comic. Continuing on, the annual issue has guest writer James Tynion IV helping Scott Snyder, who wrote everything in the book, formulate the terrible new origin story to Mr. Freeze. The art by Jason Fabok is what saves the issue but the character of Mr. Freeze is forever scarred by a changed origin story for the worse. Greg and Rafael continue art duty for the main story and a nice backstory for Alfred's father and his struggles with the Court. Finally, we have an issue dedicated to a character named Harper Row with art by Becky Cloonan. Overall, it's a good book and the plethora of artists definitely doesn't detract from the feel of the writing. The Court of Owls storyline could have had a better ending but overall, was a good ride with the thrill of seeing Mr. Freeze, Penguin, and many others involved in this takeover of Gotham. Definitely a book to pick up and the textless covers and variant gallery in the back of the book make it even better!

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Matt Anderson

The first Court of Owls story comes to a conclusion

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2014

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This volume opens with a bang. It has been a while since I read Volume 1, but there is a one-page summary of what happened, so I felt well-caught up. Scott Snyder has established the Court of Owls as a formidable opponent for Batman. Their trained assassins, the Talons, are truly dangerous. So much so, that the first issues has Alfred putting out a call to the Bat Family for assistance. After finding a hit list, Alfred realizes that there are multiple people being targeted for assassination all at the same time. He needs help stopping all of these attacks, so he reaches out to Red Robin, Red Hood, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and the Birds of Prey. (Spoilers) Batman and the Bat Family are able to stop many of the attacks, but Lincoln March (a politician that we met in Volume 1) was unable to be saved. After tracking down the Court of Owls’ base, Bruce realizes there is something about the mystery that he hasn’t uncovered yet. After doing some digging, he puts the pieces together and realizes that Lincoln March wasn’t who he said he was. He follows the clues that lead him to Lincoln. There, Lincoln reveals his true identity. Yes, he works for the Court of Owls, but his real name isn’t Lincoln March. It’s Thomas Wayne Junior! He puts on his owl battle suit, saying that the Court developed it to specifically combat Batman. As they fight, we hear the story that Martha Wayne has another son prematurely, and he was being cared for at one of Gotham’s top hospitals. For some reason, the hospital didn’t know his true identity, and the Court of Owls took him in when his parents were killed in Crime Alley. Thomas Jr. is now back for revenge against Bruce for taking everything away from him. He claims to be Bruce’s dark reflection. Thomas is super-powered by the Talon serum, so it will be next to impossible to kill him, but Batman does when this first battle. Bruce is left unsure if he is able to believe Thomas’s story, but admits that only a DNA test will prove things one way or another.

After the “Night of Owls” story concludes, we get a flashback starring Alfred’s dad. In this one-issue story, Jarvis Pennyworth writes his son a letter warning him not to work for the Wayne’s. Wayne Manor is cursed. At the end of the short story, (Spoilers) Jarvis is killed by the Court of Owls.

The next story is about a sister and brother I’ve never heard of named Harper and Cullen. Batman saves them from some violent bullies, so Harper decides to use her technical skills to help Batman around the city.

The final story, from Batman Annual #1, features Mr. Freeze. He breaks out during the Night of Owls, and we learn his New 52 origin story, which has been altered from Mr. Freeze’s original origin story.

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johnnywendy

The End of the Owls... Or is it?

Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2020

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What an awesome wrap up. The Owls are a wonderful new addition to Batman’s rogues gallery though this one is less immediate though to the Illuminati style organization.

For a volume tasked with wrapping up a brand new Batman tale, there was still room for heart and twists. I especially loved how the story wrapped up with Bruce and Dick.

Note to anyone looking to buy this collected volume: about half of the content here can be found in Night of the Owls which is a bit of waste and is confusing.

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A Swanky Man

Great Conclusion to the Court of Owls

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2013

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Let me say this first thing: The opening issues to this collection are not as good as the previous six from Volume 1. It took on a different tone, and (as another reviewer mentioned) they demystified the Talons a little bit by having them talk and taunt so much. I would have given this a 4.5 star review for this alone - but we'll round up to 5 for the excellent finale. You may be able to guess who Batman goes toe-to-toe with by the end, but you will not see the villain for who they REALLY are. DC has rocked the Batman mythos to its very core with this one simple twist. Suddenly I see the Joker as less of Batman's chaotic mirrored reflection, and more of this new menace.

Other things worth mentioning in this collection, besides the completion of the Owl storyline, we are also given Mr. Freeze's origin story (again, slightly twisted from its original tale - and all the better for it!), and a look at a possible new "Oracle" type of character with Harper Lee. I was a bit annoyed at first with her story, given that there was a new artist working on that issue, and it definitely contrasted the previous work; but in the end, her side story provided more detail to a quick reference from Volume 1, and set up a possible alliance in the future that Batman may find he needs.

Like I said in my review for Volume 1, buy Volumes 1 and 2 together to get the whole story. This is, in my opinion, possibly the best Batman story arc ever written.

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BOBdotEXE

Another great book by Scott Snyder

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2013

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Nice action and story telling,
not a huge fan of the pacing (yet again)
but the action and the story telling, and art were very well done.

there is a side plot about alfread's father, but it's extremely overdone, and not very believable.
it felt like they were trying to shoehorn more talon stuff into gotham's backstory.

I did not take off a star for the 'jarvis pennyworth subplot' I felt it did not bring down the book as a whole,
but the whole city of owls arch dose not last for this whole book, so for a while it kind feels like there putting in filler content,
waiting to get to the 'death of the family' arc.

the last issue is a mr. freeze story,
I'm not a big mr freeze fan, I've seen heart of ice, and sub zero, and did not really care for either,
but I felt this telling was done pretty well, it's not completely coping 'heart if ice' from B:TAS Scott put's his own spin on it,
And I like how he did it. it made for an interesting story.

As of the point when I read this, I was really starting to get into Scott Snyder's writing,
so far I was not a huge fan of his pacing, (dose not make the story less enjoyable, just the slow parts some times
make you less interested) he is really good at telling, but he dose tend to go a little overboard at times, and you'll just roll your eyes at a few things he adds, but over all a good book, if you liked the first one!

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Hunter C.

The Action Continues to Escalate

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2013

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Before reading this, you absolutely have to read Volume 1, The Court of Owls, as this continues the plot-line of Batman's encounters with the Court. Before I continue with the review of the actual contents of the story, I will mention the quality of the binding and other physical aspects of the graphic novel. As with Vol 1, this hardcover book is very nicely bound, with the cover being embossed with the bat symbol, and the title of the book. The book appears to be extremely durable, and will look nice on the shelf next to other "New 52" titles.

The Story- We are thrust right into the action fairly quickly, as the Court descends upon Wayne Manor to try to take out a certain Bat who is still recuperating from the previous installment. We get to see a pretty well-handled scene with Bruce controlling a Batman stylized mech to fend off dozens of owl assassins. There are also plenty of Bat metaphors to be had here. After this scene, Batman finds out that the Court is targeting all the key political figures in charge of Gotham. Alfred sends out a call to all members of the Bat family (Nightwing, Batgirl, etc.) to help out in protecting the targets that hadn't already been killed. During this, we start to get a major plot-line with Mr. Freeze, as he is connected to the Court of Owls, in having helped them with certain aspects of their reanimation. This all starts racing towards a finish when we find out a twist about a certain owl assassin and his possible relation to Bruce. To cap it off, we get a very nice look at Alfred's father in the past, as he deals with the Court as it tried to hurt the Wayne family, and how Alfred's father tried to warn him to stay away from the "cursed town of Gotham."

This was a fantastic thrill ride; full of the great art, wit, and clever writing that I have come to expect from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. This a great treat for any fan of Batman (as long as they've read the previous book).

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King Billi

Thrilling conclusion to the Court of Owls.

Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2014

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Following on from the excellent 'Court of the Owls' Scott Snyder continues to impress me with his interpretation of a character I have loved since childhood. I will try and avoid any significant spoilers in this review.

This book follows on almost immediately from Volume 1 after Batman has just escaped from the court of owls and now while still weary from his last test must contend with a full scale assault on Gotham city by the courts foot soldiers, the Talons. The action is certainly intense though I feel this book suffers from a similar issue that the previous book did in that it just seems to end too quickly as though a part of the story is missing... I attribute this to the fact that this book is just the climax to the story which begun in volume 1, also I understand this story crosses over with a couple of other DC titles which while are not essential to enjoying this book have peaked my interest and led me to seek some of them out (I went with Batgirl and Nightwing for now, we'll see how they stack up). Overall this a thrilling and action packed conclusion to the story arc, I especially liked the climax when Batman finally confronts and does battle with the ultimate mastermind behind the court.

The illustrations by Greg Capullo are once again incredible, there is one issue early on where the artwork switches to a different artist, it looks very good on its own don't get me wrong but its just for the one issue while the rest of the 'court of owls' arc is handled by Capullo, not really a complaint just something I found distracting.

Also included in this volume are three backup stories, one which serves as an epilogue of sorts to the whole 'Court of Owls' saga and gives a little backstory in the courts obsession with the Wayne family. Another story deals with fleshing out a side character briefly introduced in volume 1, it's intriguing and I'm curious to see where it will lead. The final story in this volume is a confrontation between Batman and Mr Freeze, it is very "cool" (how witty am I right?) and I liked finally seeing some of Batmans established rogues turn up in this series. Mr Freeze looks awesome and the short story even puts an interesting twist on the popular origin of this supervillain.

I've got to say I'm loving this series thus far and while I did have some issues with the pacing and the rather abrupt ending to the main story this was still a very good read and has actually encouraged me to try out some other titles from this lineup.

This book is strongly recommended.

Thanks for reading and I hope this review was helpful.

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Batman (2011-2016) Vol. 2: The City of Owls (Batman Graphic Novel)

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