Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Face the Court is a portrait of a hero struggling in his darkest hour. The Dark Knight has been trapped in a labyrinth for a week. His body aches, his armor is shattered; he is beaten physically as well as mentally yet refuses to accept defeat. Sustained only by a poisoned fountain that he prays he could stop finding again and again… and again. An entire city is broken by his absence. It’s beautifully drawn and it has to be, it’s a story that hinges upon its visuals that utilize experimental techniques to give the reader the same sense of confusion, madness, and desperation as their hero. It is a kind of empathy that only comics can deliver. Emotional, action packed, psychological, and deeply compelling, Batman #5 is a comic deserving of a perfect 10/10. Not only does it entertain and provoke discussion, but it’s a book you’ll want to read again and again. It’s a book that you’ll want to share with friends be they comic fans or not. In fact, this is a book that could make a comic fan out of anyone. By all means, try it out. Buy an issue of Batman #5 and hand it to someone who neither knows nor cares about Batman comics and then write back to me with the results. We could do a whole article featuring everyone’s success stories.
SCORE: 10/10
