Batman #3

A new adversary, a new mystery, action, detective work and revelations and a cliffhanger is all crammed into this comic. Snyder and Capullo do a superb job deliver another great issue. This issue doesn't have as much action as issue #2 but there is a lot going on. Batman is supposed the world's greatest detective and we get to see some of that detective work. The idea that a secret organization could have existed in Gotham for decades without Batman having any knowledge is almost absurd but incredibly scary at the same time. Batman is discovering that he doesn't have all the answers. He can't always be prepared for everything. This is a new type of Batman story. It's a great ride that you're going to want to sit back and savor every tiny bit. Reading this series just makes me happy to be a Batman fan. Read Full Review

Batman has been patrolling the night for decades, so long that you'd think the entire concept had been mined to exhaustion long ago. Snyder more than manages to find unexplored avenues in darkest Gotham and contribute new levels of complexity to one of the greatest urban legends to slink out of its shadows. Read Full Review

Its getting hard to review this title on a monthly basis, without just repeating the its great! hyperbole. My conclusion for this issue is the same as it was for the last one, and I imagine next month Ill be saying the same thing: Batman #3 is the best issue yet, building on what came before and steadily ratcheting up the tension. Its so rewarding when a comic doesnt just coast on the power of the title characters brand name. The writing is striving to provide fresh insight into Batmans character, while the art is innovative and charged with a desire to explore new and exciting possibilities the comic medium makes available. This is comics done right. Read Full Review

And the scene with the iron mask-wearing gang and Batman's magnet – awesome. Read Full Review

"Batman" after the relaunch has been a strong series, and this issue is no exception. It's a good time to be a Batman fan. Read Full Review

Simultaneously, Batman #3 excels in showing us why Bruce is the best detective in the world, but perhaps the most overconfident one as well. It takes him down a peg while staying true to the character; Snyder and Capullo's story challenges the Dark Knight, but doesn't detract from him. Something sinister is afoot, and if Batman #3 is any indication, it's going to be a ton of fun to discover the depth of this conspiracy alongside Bruce every step of the way. Read Full Review

A cool and kinda creepy story about what Bruce Waynedoesn't know about Gotham! Great art. Read Full Review

And with that, I'm all out of pedantic criticisms. How creepy were those white owl masks, by the way? What do you think the Court of Owls is up to? How will Batman survive the explosive finale? Tune in next time! Same Bat-time, same Bat "channel. Read Full Review

And best of all? It's totally self-contained, even as it's part of a greater storyline " you can jump in without reading the previous two issues, even as you'll find that it's very difficult to leave. Batman #4 can't come quickly enough. Read Full Review

This one ends with a heck of a cliffhanger. This is the third strong issue in a row, and keeps this title as the best of the Bat-books and one of the better comics in the entire "New 52." Read Full Review

The conclusion of the book ends with a chilling boom that perfectly displays the danger in store for Batman. Read Full Review

Batman discovers the truth behind the Court Of Owls as The Talon strikes a deadly blow! This series just keeps getting better and better. Written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Capullo. Read Full Review

Greg Capullo’s art is beautiful in this issue. I was especially impressed with how he handles the opening mob action. It’s so violent and so brutal but keeps the darker fine art edge that Capullo is known for. The fact that his line work is so thin but translates with such weight is a testament to how good the work is. Especially with Batman, who looks truly menacing here, a dark spirit of vengeance out to stop a killer. Batman #3 isn’t the most visceral issue and there are a few kinks in it, but having followed Snyder’s work for this long. I trust there’s a reason for everything. Read Full Review

As to the Court of Owls, the uncovering of the mystery works well enough, but the conspiracy and super-secret organization full of people dressed up as owls hiding in the homes of Gotham's most wealthy doesn't come off any better than it sounds. Issue #3 isn't a good as I'd like but it's still the best of the Bat-titles. Worth a look. Read Full Review

I've spoken of the "third issue slump" before and how it seems that comic series' third chapters tend to be the weakest, when the teases of the villain have grown weary and it's too early to fully reveal what's going on, leaving only necessary plot moments devoid of life and energy. Unfortunately, that's what "Batman" #3 amounts to. It handles many of those necessary plot points competently, but doesn't make them memorable or turn them into anything more than scenes to get through. The issue does end on a clever revelation regarding the Court of Owls, with Snyder managing to tie together several threads of the story inventively, showing promise for the future of the story. Otherwise, it's Batman does things you've seen a thousand times before, and that's fine, I guess. Read Full Review

The Villain

Sep 15, 2016

This continues to really impress me. Scott Snyder continues to present one of the most ideal portrayals of Batman ever to grace a comic book page. Batman continues to put this case together piece by piece and even though the story moves very slowly it remains interesting through the whole read. The Court of Owls is real and Batman has no idea how he's missed them.

M1sf1r3

Jan 23, 2020

Prelude: I loved the last issue of Batman, so let's see how Snyder fares on this one. The Good: Love the historic part with Alan Wayne and how it ties to the Owls. I like how Snyder is showing the Gotham Underground with the Whisper Gang. I love how Snyder portrays Batman and Bruce and how they differ. The knowledge that his Batman uses is great. Greg Capullo's art is absolutely wonderful. His layouts, his pencils, everything. The tie between Alan and Bruce is an interesting one that Snyder seems to be exploring. Despite being barely in the issue, Talon's threat is felt throughout and it's great. The Bad: Nothing. Conclusion: Another perfect issue from Snyder and Capullo. The Court of Owls has been amazing so fa r. more

DarioV

Feb 02, 2015

We're finally well into the Court of Owl's story, with a shocking reveal showing how little experience Bruce really has with his own city he swore to protect five years ago. Snyder decides to start every issue with a combat between Batman and one of his multiple enemies, and he's shown his badassness in this number too. Capullo draws a superb city and the layout is great.

Nihilist

Feb 01, 2018

Atmosphere in this issue seems to be thicker, compared to previous two. The Court of Owls exists - readers know it already, but Batman finally comes to this conclusion and realizes he was wrong all along. Snyder offers more insight into Gotham's history and criminal underworld, as well as depicted final moments of Alan Wayne, Bruce's ancestor who encountered the Court back in early 1920s. The series doesn't lose its momentum at all, it's as consistent, engaging and artfully crafted as always, and for the most part, all these superlatives could be used in reference to Court of Owls as entirety. What a run!

Ardash

Sep 25, 2025

17.06.2021 — 8,0

Reaper74

Dec 22, 2022

Some great moments are undermined by the Whisper Gang interlude. I guess the author didn’t think through how these dudes eat while having no way of doing it for a year. But besides that really bad detail the rest is really good with some nice detective work.

myconius

Feb 11, 2016

Scott Snyder starts the issue with a flashback of Gotham City in the year of 1922 with a character we don't really know being chased, but boy does he look terrified! ... poor guy! ...OK! where were we again?? ... jump Forward to Batman down in the subways fighting the Whisper Gang (a gang we'll probably never hear from again?) the Whisper Gang wear these metal face masks. probably for no other reason but to have Batman throw a high powered magnet at the passing train just so all of Whisper Gang's masks can get magnetized and stick them all to the train? still though Greg Capullo's visual compositions of the fight sequence were absolutely beautiful! and Jonathan Glapion's heavy use of bold shadows really adds a beautiful feeling of mirth an d grit to the mood! after two very dialog heavy scenes, Batman is in pursuit of his suspect 'The Court of Owls' a criminal organization that has been operating out of Gotham since before Batman was EVEN born. but Batman had absolutely NO idea they really existed!!! (World's Greatest Detective, my foot!) even worse is while investigating one of the Court of Owls "Secret Lairs" that's been hiding the WHOLE time in "Our VERY Homes", Batman stumbles over a trip wire like a rank armature and sets off a booby-trap causing the building to blow up! ... The End. more