This Review Contains Spoilers
This week in Batman #23 we enter the third part Zero Year. The Red Hood Gang has their sights on Bruce, we have a seminal Batman moment re-visited for Zero Year, and in our back-up we have another young Bruce story as he pit fights in the Russian tundra. Its another jam-packed issue as usual, lets dig in and see if Snyder and friends do it again. Spoilers, they did and have been for the last 26 issues or so.
THE GOOD
Color. Color in comics is usually something many people look over. When people talk strong points its usually writing or the penciling. Since Batman #21 the colors by FCO Plascencia have gotten exponentially better. This issue has some of the best use of color I’ve ever seen in a comic book. From the blood, the skyline, the light on faces, and to the dark caves its grade A coloring throughout.
Never have I ever seen someone in a comic book get beaten so badly. Most times when a character gets beat up he or she just has some scratches or is covered in blood. Greg Capullo raises the bar of how badly someone’s face can look after a beating. It truly shows Cappullo’s art range.
Batman #23 also tackles a classic Batman moment from Batman Year One which you may have guessed from the title of the review.
“Yes Father. I Shall become a Bat” the universal scene of Batman’s origin from Batman Year One was respectfully re-created by Scott Snyder in this issue. It stays true to the source material, but adds a new twist into the mix. It is a scene of wonderment that needs to be read/viewed. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are still in top gear and show no signs of slowing.
The Young Bruce back-up is another great one. It shows how Bruce never gives in when faced with impossible odds and his refusal to kill another man. It is a very uplifting story, and the art by Rafael Albuquerque is too good. Look forward to seeing him on Animal Man with Jeff Lemire. Just like the last two issues and the many more to come, everything about this book is solid.
THE BAD
The main complaint I have with all the Zero Year issues is the fact that they are too short! Seriously, people who wait for the trades for Zero Year are in for a treat. Zero Year seems like something that should be binge read rather than waiting every month for the next part. Luckily, October’s Batman #24 will be double sized! Batman #23 and Zero Year as a whole is essentially the Breaking Bad of comics. So to you trade readers out there, you are in for a treat (besides the fact that DC is slow as hell getting their trades out).
THE VERDICT: 
(5/5)
Batman #23 is an impressive issue. The Bat-Team is like a well oiled machine and this issue is a perfect example. It respectfully re-visits source material, has one of the greatest beatings in a comic history, and my god the colors! In short, read this book. If you haven’t picked up issue #21-#23 yet, you are missing out in a big way. If you like Batman, Year One, Scott Snyder, comics, reading, or breathing, chances are Zero Year is something for you!
Ouch.
Batman #23 is written by Scott Snyder with pencils by Greg Capullo and inks by Danny Miki. It is available in print or digitally for $3.99 USD
