Batman: Court of Owls
By: MSJ
Batman is a character that is known for his super-heroics first and foremost. If he is not saving the world he is fighting crime along the streets of Gotham. As a result, it is hard to fathom the idea that Batman would be placed in any sort of horror story, but various writers have taken the opportunity to explore Batman under a horror lens. Such as Grant Morrison's magnum opus, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth. Morrison also crafted a Saw-like story arc during his tenure on Batman called the Black Glove. Which saw Batman and various heroes competing against a clandestine organization. There was even an entire else worlds trilogy of comics dedicated to Batman fighting Dracula. Batman does have occasional forays into a horror that tend to lead to some of the most compelling stories with the Dark Knight due to horror necessitating that a character faces an insurmountable obstacle. Few other writers have embraced combining horror elements with Batman more so than Scott Snyder. Most of Scott Snyder's run on Batman is so phenomenal as horror tales that I could recommend any here from Black Mirror to Death of The Family to Bloom. The one story arc, in particular, that stands out the most as far as showcasing Snyder's skill as a horror writer and Batman writer would be the Court of Owls.
It is a meditation on the ownership of Gotham, with Batman believing after protecting the city for years he knows everything there is to it. He believes there is no dark corner in Gotham that he has not uncovered personally. This arrogance leads to a string of murders that occur across Gotham City by the group known only as the Court of Owls, a group that Batman brushes off as an old nursery rhyme to scare children. Naturally, as most readers will have guessed from the premise Batman would prove to be wrong with this assumption as he himself is targeted by the court. The comic has an air of a slasher movie as the formidable Caped Crusader is hunted by the court that seeks to not only break the crusader physically but mentally as well. The climax of the story sees Batman captured as he is forced to traverse a maze hidden under Gotham as he is pursued by the assassin of the court called the Talon. His glowing yellow goggles and jet black costume causes him to stand out in shadows, preying on Batman waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Snyder frames the story expertly with numerous references to owls being the natural predator of bats making the reader feel that Batman may be outmatched. Helping to elevate the story is artist Greg Capullo, a former artist for Spawn brings his penchant for otherworldly yet expressive characters to life here in Batman.
Capullo is an expert at conveying Batman as he is overflowing with confidence one moment and perfectly captures a tortured Batman on the brink of insanity next. Where Capullo shines brightest is the previously mentioned maze that Batman finds himself captive in. While much of the background is cast in shadow or a bright sterile white what makes the scene so special is the attention to detail given to decoration that Court has placed in the maze. Certain sections will have a giant ornate fountain or pictures of previous targets that found themselves in Batman's unfortunate position. Each picture taken is in sequence as the psychological torment the Court has inflicted on them worsens, a feature very similar to Batman as you can see his spirit break with every panel. His Batsuit is ragged and torn, stubble has grown across his normally clean-shaven face, his eyes have reddened from sleep deprivation. All details to inform the readers of the severe toll this has taken on him. The combination of the writing and artwork makes this not just a superb superhero comic, but a superb horror comic.
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