It’s probably no surprise that Batman #15 once again ups the ante for Batman and his beloved Bat-family. This issue picks up right where the last left off, leaving Bats to confront the Joker on a bridge surrounded by police offers, in which Joker has announced to his nemesis that he knows the secret identities of the entire Bat-family. Of course, Batman gets himself out of this situation and soon retreats the Batcave. But looking at this book as a plot-driven narrative would be a mistake, because as Scott Snyder proves once again, this series is 100% centered on character.

Right from page one, Snyder reminds us of the Joker’s lack of humanity, building an effective and terrifying monologue that – as Snyder loves to do within his issues – comes full circle by the book’s end. This bookending narration is perhaps Batman #15’s crowning achievement when coupled with the chill-inducing imagery of Greg Capullo on that last page. Though it’s narrated by Bruce, this is Joker’s show as we see every instant of Bruce’s existence – awake or not – engulfed in the threat that is the Joker. Fitting that the cover would depict the Joker squatting inside of Batman’s brain, because that’s exactly what issue #15 provides.Here we see Bruce diving further into denial, as he reveals a long-kept secret to Dick, Damian, and the others that could have potentially put them all at risk a long time ago. Whether Bruce’s hunches pay off remains to be seen, but for now it seems as though Bruce’s overconfidence might be a hindrance for the Bat-family. If this is the case, then my complaint from last issue remains: if Bruce is so cocksure, then did the Court of Owls ordeal teach him nothing? The flip side of that, though, is that if Bruce is indeed wrong, then that paints a flurry of changes across many different iconic events. Essentially, Snyder flirts with looking at iconic Batman tales like The Killing Joke and A Death in the Family through an all-new lens.This story builds masterfully. Between the aforementioned bookends, Bruce’s ghoulish nightmare, the flashback to an old Batman/Joker battle, and right up through the evocative imagery of the last page, this book will have you hook, line, and sinker. Snyder slowly peels back the layers of Joker’s plan for Batman, and in doing so, gives us a reveal that is so obvious we should’ve seen it coming from the get-go. But it’s Capullo’s imagery on that last page that really seals the deal – I don’t want to spoil it, so let’s just say, he gives haunting characterization to an otherwise inanimate object.Speaking of Capullo’s work, he once again nails it. He excels more in the atmospheric qualities of this issue – the last page, the opening splash with just a single image of Joker draped in shadow, Batman leaping through flames, and the flashback that’s given a vintage look with the help of colorist FCO Plascencia. These are standout moments, but there are a couple of instances of confusion within the smaller bits of storytelling.During Batman’s escape on the bridge, his gloves magically disappear – presumably in an effort to help him escape – but there’s no indication of why that had to happen, either in the script or visually. The other comes in an inconsistency in height for Barbara Gordon, who has equal footing with Tim Drake in one scene and then towers over him in another, once she’s in costume. That could be due to the perspective of the panels or even chalked up to the fact that one is a dream. Ultimately, neither of these things are a big deal, really, but worth pointing out.That said, those quirks are far outweighed by Capullo’s storytelling abilities elsewhere. The scene leading up to the final page is simply breathtaking, as Batman scrounges the city looking for the Joker’s cronies. Similarly, the opening sequence on the bridge is stunning, and the nightmare scene is suitably creepy. The inks of Jonathan Glapion seem to have lost some of their accuracy in places – particularly in the Batcave scene, giving it a very loose feel – but all told, Batman #15 is another beautiful installment.The back-up story features some nice interaction between Joker and Riddler, and though we don’t get to learn much about the Joker’s plan – but we do learn that even the Riddler thinks it’s insane.

thinks

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