Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
(Batman’s Dynamic Duo)
by Phil Perich for the Legends of DC Blog
This past Wednesday’s new comics featured Batman #51, the final issue (just for now hopefully) featuring the writer/artist team of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. These gentlemen have added so much to the Batman mythos just in the last five years since the beginning of DC Comics’ New 52. I thought I’d make a short list of their historic contributions.
The Court of Owls
This group of influential villains who have run their evil schemes in the background of Gotham City for decades make just about every Batman fan’s list of favorite villains, even though they’ve only been around since their first mention in Batman #2 (October 2011). Considered only a legend for decades, even young Bruce Wayne was terrified of them after hearing the classic nursery rhyme. And their masks are simple looking, yet menacing. Like true owls, they make formidable opponents for a bat!
Harper Row / Bluebird
This street smart girl made her debut in Batman #7 (March 2012) as Harper Row. She would not as appear as Bluebird until Batman #28 (February 2014) which was a preview of the weekly Batman Eternal event where she formally become part of “Team Batman”. Unlike most of the other teenagers before her who were members of Batman’s inner circle, Harper never took the identity of Robin but created Bluebird completely on her own, even designing her own weapons. Harper does not have the problem with guns that Bruce Wayne does.
Zero Year
The team supreme gave us an updated, New 52 origin for Batman in Batman #21-27, 29-33. In this continuity the Red Hood was a criminal organization, not just one man. This idea was even used in the Gotham TV show. And the criminal who almost destroyed Batman and Gotham City before the two could come to an understanding was Edward Nygma, aka the Riddler.
Superheavy
After the events of the Endgame storyline, both Batman and Joker were missing and presumed dead. Eventually an amnesiac Bruce Wayne is found alive. With no Batman to protect the city, The Powers Corporation in cooperation with the Gotham City government creates their own Batman project and empowers former Police Commissioner James Gordon to be the city’s new protector. In the end, Bruce would rediscover his past and return, but who would have ever thought to make Jim Gordon Batman in the regular continuity? Snyder and Capullo of course!
Those are just a few of the many highlights from this classic run. Are there any issues/moments from the Snyder/Capullo that you love that I missed? Let me know:
nightwingpdp@gmail.com or beforethebat@gmail.com
@Nightwingpdp or @BeforetheBatPod on Twitter
You can hear me and my cohosts discuss various DC topics every week on the Before the Bat, Flash/Arrow Power Hour and World’s Finest Podcasts. I also write another blog, True Believers, which is all about Marvel. You can find all my podcasts, blogs, and those of others at www.southgatemediagroup.com.
You can find all my creative endeavors at www.PhilPerich.wordpress.com
But in closing I just want to thank Scott and Greg for 5 years of great Batman stories, you both are definitely Legends of DC!