He is vengeance. He is the night. And now, at long last, Bruce Wayne is Batman again.
Unfortunately, this is the last time we will see Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo create an issue of Batman together for the foreseeable future. With Batman #51, DC Comics‘ real dynamic duo ends their nearly five-year run on the premier title for Gotham City’s Caped Crusader. Snyder and Capullo’s run launched in September 2011 as part of DC’s New 52 reboot, which launched 52 brand new series as part of an effort to consolidate and revitalize its continuity. Of the New 52 series launched that month, Synder and Capullo held the longest tenure behind the scenes, and their time on Batman has been celebrated by both fans and critics alike.
In an interview with ComicVine, Snyder said that Batman #51 is “really just a letter to the fans from us and a letter to Batman. It’s the lightest I’ve ever written. Not lightest as in happy, but light as in not as many panels per page. It’s really, really open. It’s a chance for Greg to draw the close before we take our break.”
Snyder isn’t completely abandoning the Dark Knight; he’ll next be penning All-Star Batman as part of DC Comics’ Rebirth line with a cast of rotating artists. Capullo, on the other hand, is working on a 6-issue mystery project with Mark Millar. The two of them will reunite down the line, having teased an incredibly top secret comic collaboration.
While parting is such sweet sorrow, the future is looking bright for both creators, and they’ve left us with one hell of a goodbye. Jim Gordon’s tenure as Batman — chronicled in the “Superheavy” arc — has come to a close and Bruce Wayne is once again beneath the iconic cowl. And Snyder and Capullo are really putting him through the wringer for their final issue. After contending with the Court of Owls, Mr. Bloom, the Joker, the Riddler, and countless other nemeses, Batman must face his toughest challenge yet: a quiet night in Gotham City.
Batman #51 hits store shelves on Wednesday, April 27, but we have an exclusive preview for you in our gallery below.
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Greg Capullo, Danny Miki
Cover Artist: Greg Capullo, Danny Miki
Variant Cover Artist: Klaus Jansen, John Romita, Jr.,
Synopsis: “Batman has battled everything from the Court of Owls to Mr. Bloom to the Joker, but how does he handle a quiet night in Gotham City…?”
Are you ready to say goodbye to Snyder and Capullo’s Batman run? Will you be reading Batman #51? Let us know in the comments below.
Images: DC Comics
Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@Osteoferocious) and ask him about Batman.
