Batman Rebirth #1 Review - Same City, Different Outlook

Written By: Scott Snyder & Tom King
Drawn By: Mikel Janin - Colors By: June Chung

It seems like only yesterday we were in this very same place. Bruce was back in the role of Batman, on his way to reclaiming his fortune and training a new person to be by his side. While aspects of this newest take on Bruce Wayne are familiar, Scott Snyder & Tom King are able to push those predetermined constraints outward just enough to remain engaging to the reader without resorting to changes just for changes sake.

It all starts with one of the most compelling takes on Batman's nemesis Calendar Man I've seen to date. He grabs you from the opening page and remains a constant threat throughout the book. He doesn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, and I can't wait to see more of him.

Snyder's writing in Batman Rebirth holds a few gems throughout the issue, including one exchange between Lucius Fox and Bruce, where Lucius comments on the constant and often times unrewarding nature of Thomas Wayne's (Bruce's father) chosen occupation, that of a doctor. He tells a story of when he attempted to talk Thomas into coming into the business and leaving all that craziness behind. It was then that he gave him a look he's never forgotten since. That leads to this quote by Lucius: "It's a look I've only ever seen once again. And it was in the face of a masked man. Finally, in a dark voice, he said, "You're right, Lucius, I am crazy, but the sick need someone crazy enough to believe they can be better, so what else could I be?"

While Batman's world is filled with a prevailing sense of despair at times, exchanges like this are what give us a glimpse into why that doesn't seem to bother him, and why he doesn't leave it all behind. Snyder and King are able to put their own spin on "is Batman the crazy one" without resorting to ham-handed setups to get the point across.

It should also be noted just how wonderfully done the art by Mikel Janin and June Chung is throughout the book. In fact, this has to be one of the brightest Batman books I've read in recent memory. They pick their spots to let the dark and grey world Bat-fans are accustomed to shine through, mostly in regards to the Batcave and Calendar Man, but just in look alone, there is more hope represented in Bruce's surroundings than I've seen in a long time. Kudos are also deserved for that Batman symbol inspired panel layout seen in the opening pages.

The other major takeaway from the issue is the inclusion of Duke Thomas, who comes to Rebirth from the We Are Robin series. Again, Snyder takes the familiar "Batman trains a young man for the Robin role" formula and switches it up, which even comes as a surprise to Duke. He's young, yes, but Bruce doesn't approach him the same way he would a typical apprentice, and I'm eager to see how this relationship grows over time.

All in all Snyder and King are able to twist the formula and take it in interesting directions, with the biggest theme being a renewed sense of purpose that seeks to look forward to what the future can bring rather than constantly bury itself in the events of the past.