NEWS
IGN reviews BATMAN #692
October 30, 2009
Battle for the Cowl was an odd book, as it seemed to thrill as many Bat-fans as it annoyed. Whether you loved it or hated it, though, you have to admit that writer/artist Tony Daniel really was in a precarious situation with that mini-series. DC editorial essentially applied the jaws of life to a (relatively) small plot point in Grant Morrison's greater Batman story (Dick Grayson taking on Bruce's mantel), artificially stretched it out and then told Daniel to craft a mini event in that space. That DC also asked Daniel to completely reshape the landscape of Gotham City only made his job more difficult. As far as mainstream comics writing debuts go, Daniel definitely had the cards stacked against him.
After reading Battle for the Cowl, I thought Daniel deserved a second shot at writing Batman without all the unfortunate obstacles he faced in that mini-series. He's gotten one with this stint as writer/artist on Batman proper, and the first issue reveals a far more confident and focused storyteller than we saw previously. This first issue feels like the work of a creator with a clear vision and intent for how to craft a Batman story, and even showcases a flair for unadulterated weirdness that I didn't at all expect.
