The Streetlight Reader

"Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them, or they’ll send the Talon for your head."

Court of Owls Nursery Rhyme

Cover Gushing Worthiness: In all honesty I may not have picked up The Court of Owls based on the cover alone. I think the title would have played a part in it. However this one is not a favourite cover of mine. Sure it does do the job of relating to the observer what the story is going to be like, but it doesn't do it for me for some reason. Don’t be fooled by the cover though, the story more than makes up for it!

Just a heads up-I read this graphic novel last year, so my memory on it might be a little fuzzy. I do apologize for it in advance!

Ever since the DC Revamp happened I had been out of touch with the characters I follow from the DC Universe. Last summer I went with my brother to our local comic bookstore (which is owned by an old Alumni from our High School  ) and he recommended it to us. Needless to say I was blown away by this graphic novel and it’s pretty obvious that Scott Snyder can easily rival both Grant Morrison and Jeph Loeb when it comes to writing the stories of the world’s greatest detective.

If I could use one word to describe The Court of Owls it is haunting. Even when you read the nursery rhyme you feel chilly; as if you’re waiting for one of the owls to come and attack you. Scott Snyder’s writing is brilliant in that way because he plants an idea in your read about the court that doesn’t leave you, even after you’re finished with the book. Instead the eeriness of the court stays with you well into reading both City of Owls and Night of Owls.

What I liked about this story in comparison to some of the other Batman comics I’ve read is the exploration of not only the Wayne Family’s past which is sad and mysterious, but also Gotham City’s past which is dark and rich in its tales of those running the city behind the curtains of power. This may sound like a rather unoriginal idea to some, but it’s not so much the idea that you give Scott Snyder credit for, rather its the way he weaves the storyline to grip the reader’s attention where you can’t wait to turn the page and wondering what’s going to happen.  The plot twists were so well done in this story. The elements Snyder took from not only Bruce Wayne’s family but also Dick Grayson’s were excellently threaded which left you with a feeling of disbelief. The ending of course was a cliffhanger in the best possible way because you couldn’t wait to get your hands on City of Owls.

Character wise Bruce Wayne is amazing as always. I thought this saga pushed him to lengths where we’ve never seen Bruce go before. His relentless pursuing of the court was exciting and thrilling and left you wondering how much more the great detective could handle. The relationship tension between Bruce and Dick was also great and as readers we know that they’ve had fallouts in the past, but what makes this storyline touching in a way is that Dick will always be a son to Bruce. Bruce will always protect his own no matter what. Alfred is present as always and what’s not to like about the British Butler with an incredibly sarcastic and dry sense of humour? However the best thing about the story line is the organization of the Court of Owls. The Court is a very dark entity and I think that’s what makes them so interesting. I don’t think we’ve ever come across such an organization that could exist in Gotham that has no connection with the other villains that roam the city streets. Plus their connections to a certain DC Universe member what blew me away.

Overall The Court of Owls is one of the best Batman Graphic Novels I’ve read. It has all the right ingredients to keep the reader interested and invested in the plot and characters. Scott Snyder has created a gem when it comes to stories of the Dark Knight and I can’t wait to read his future work.

My Rating: 5/5

Would I recommend it? Absolutely