Scott Snyder is the best writer to touch Batman since Miller went crazy.
 

It stands to reason that Batman: Year One, probably the most important interpretation of the character in comics, is the best Batman comic ever. It's a compelling origin that leaves plenty of room for other writer's to work in, it's a great crime story, and it practically reinvented the character. It set the stage for great works that include The Long Halloween which, in turn, helped inform Nolan's film trilogy just as much as Year One did. Year One is the benchmark for every Batman story, hell, every origin story to be measured by. It's a masterpiece that has never been equaled.

Scott Snyder's done better. Much better.

He started writing comics in 2009 and now he's practically been handed the keys to the Batman kingdom after DC had to pry the keys out of Grant Morrison's multi-colored fingers.

In a year he has become the Batman writer after one 11 issue run of Detective Comics, a five-issue mini-series, and a current run on the relaunch of Batman that is still in it's infancy.

Snyder tells great crime stories, character pieces, and history lessons. Often in the same issue. Picking up a thread that Grant Morrison left hanging, Snyder explores the history of Gotham and her architecture. And it's fascinating. His Gates of Gotham mini-series managed to weave a mystery centered around the cities skyline.

And his run on Batman is telling a story tying into the history of Gotham while using it to examine Bruce Wayne's character and what his real strengths and weaknesses are.

That's what Snyder's real strength is: he knows his characters. He explores them in relation to their city and their enemies. To him, Gotham is a Black Mirror that seeks to twist everything about it's heroes. His understanding of Dick Grayson was so great that he was able to make the greatest Batman comic ever written be one about Dick. And, in a nod to Year One, Jim Gordon.

Scott Snyder is the best writer DC has. And he needs to stay on Batman until he can't write anymore. Also, American Vampire is the shit. Buy that.

Stopped reading right there.

I mean come on

Azrael isn't even in Year One

I stopped reading at Miller. Because Morrison. Okay, I didn't stop reading there. But still. I'm a Grant Morrison Fanboy.

I'll see how Snyder's run turns out and then consider giving it a read. I mean, I usually wait for TPBs anyway.

Oh, what happened to that other Batman thing? Odyssey? That finished yet?

Nonononono, If he's that good he should do original stuff, not mainstream superhero comics.

The Black Mirror is already available.

That book is batshit crazy. Not in the Morrison way, but in the "this is such garbage" way. Art's not bad though.

I agree that he should stay with his creator-owned books (Severed and American Vampire) but he's so good on Batman that a lot of his work comes off as incredibly fresh even if he's exploring ideas laid-out by previous writers. He's got the touch. The guy's even writing Swamp Thing and it's great.

Oh, Nice I just might check that out then.



I know, I know, isn't it just great? It's like an accident, you don't want to see it but you can't look away. From what little I read it seemed like something so insane I have to read it at least once.

Oddysey is the book Frank Miller dreams of being brave enough to be crazy enough to write.

Have you read Holy Terror? There is not enough racism in Oddysey to make Miller jealous.

It takes a truly courageous maniac to go straight-up Hollow Earth all over your shit
 

Racism is the madness of cowards

Miller is sittin in his corner seein' ayrabs and black helicopters, Neil Adams is up on the table frothing at the mouth screaming about THE LIZARD MEN, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE DON'T YOU SEE THEM, THEY COME FROM THE HOLLOW EAAAAAAAAAAAARTHHSG;ALKJSH;LKAJSF *bites off elbow*

Holy shit, Batman, stop the presses. Miller made up some shit that sounds stupid the instant you put thought into it?

But seriously, Flass is totally a believable name. Merkel, I'm willing to accept but Skeevers as the name of a black drug dealer just... there's just something oddly racist about it that I can't identify.

EDIT:

This is a pretty good rundown of all the crazy in Adams' initial run of Odyssey.

There's at least one more black character in Year One: Selina Kyle. Miller totally made her black. And a dominatrix/prostitute. He's funny that way.