Comic Vine News

90 Comments

BATMAN #12 Delivers More on Scott Snyder's New Character: Harper Row

The mysterious new character gets some time in the spotlight in this 'Night of the Owls' epilogue.

How do you follow up the over-the-top action in the Night of the Owls story? How about a chance to catch our breath and find out more on Scott Snyder's new character Harper Row?

Who is Harper Row?

If we piece together what we know, Harper actually first appeared back in BATMAN #1.

No Caption Provided

In the panel above, it seemed odd that we had some nameless female character next to Jim Gordon, Lincoln March and Leslie Thompkins while Bruce was giving his speech. When asked back in September 2011, Snyder simply told us:

You'll have to wait and see, but I will say this, she is in a sequence of important characters, so… :-)

When issue #7 came out in March, it appeared we had Harper's first appearance. This was clearly a different looking character and we were given her name. With issue #7, Scott told us:

Harper Row is her name and she's a character I've been thinking about for some time. I don't want to give too much away, but you'll be seeing more of her in Gotham soon - she has an important role to play in upcoming stories.

But later, when talking about the crazy events in BATMAN #10, Scott exclusively revealed that Harper was the girl seen in issue #1. Here's what we can expect in issue #12:

You'll see things happen with Harper Row, who appeared earlier in the series in issue #7 and, as you guys pointed out as the only site that caught it, I think, in issue #1 as well. Through her eyes, we're going to see some stuff that you didn't get to see before that happened throughout the series.

This week, issue #12 is out, featuring art by the "first woman to ever illustrate the series," Becky Cloonan. Check out the preview posted over at DC's blog.

== TEASER ==
No Caption Provided

BATMAN #12

It’s the epilogue to “The Court of Owls”!

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Art by BECKY CLOONAN and ANDY CLARKE

Cover by GREG CAPULLO

Variant Cover by BRYAN HITCH

No Caption Provided
No Caption Provided
No Caption Provided
No Caption Provided

90 Comments

Avatar image for batmandemon23
Batmandemon23

139

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Batmandemon23

this is gonna be awesome

Avatar image for mattydenero
mattydeNero

536

Forum Posts

243

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By mattydeNero

This is my favorite cover thus far in this series. Firstly, when it was released two months ago I thought that Scott Snyder was going to do some one-shot involving Stormwatch with the "on/off" logo and whatnot. That is the old school logo, am I right? I am interested to see a Harper Row story nonetheless, however I wish it were my original inkling. Maybe she works for Stormwatch? I doubt it.

Avatar image for cacarl
cacarl

140

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By cacarl

Joker's sister.

Avatar image for gbrutality
GBrutality

207

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By GBrutality

wait, is greg capullo(sp?) leaving the series?

Avatar image for johnnywalker
JohnnyWalker

825

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By JohnnyWalker

@fodigg said:

@JohnnyWalker said:

ugh, leave the anime art to mangas.

This counts as "anime art"? I guess I can see some influences but come on. It's hardly chibi.

chibi drawings depict the characters really short (also what chibi means) and cartoony. this is not chibi this is an ugly hybrid of normal and manga.

Avatar image for ymcmb
YMCMB

161

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By YMCMB

I don't think she's anyone in the Bat family's long lost sister and Joker in disguise would be really weird......isn't she a bit short to be the Joker too lol?

Avatar image for nightfang3
NightFang3

12417

Forum Posts

399491

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By NightFang3

@JohnnyWalker said:

@NightFang said:

@JohnnyWalker said:

ugh, leave the anime art to mangas.

Stop hating.

stop pestering me with your opinnions. i dont care.

Avatar image for johnnywalker
JohnnyWalker

825

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By JohnnyWalker

@NightFang:

Avatar image for hairiel
hairiel

11

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By hairiel

why is greg capullo not doing art for this issue?

Avatar image for wessaari
wessaari

752

Forum Posts

61

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 62

User Lists: 7

Edited By wessaari

@hairiel: im guessing taking a well needed break, but i am not liking the fill-in artist. Seriously im glad he did the cover, because the variant looks like something crapped out of Detective Comics

Avatar image for miss_garrick
Miss_Garrick

1805

Forum Posts

6438

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 2

Edited By Miss_Garrick

I like Miss or Ms. Cloonan's work.

Avatar image for fodigg
fodigg

6244

Forum Posts

2603

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 7

Edited By fodigg

@JohnnyWalker said:

@fodigg said:

@JohnnyWalker said:

ugh, leave the anime art to mangas.

This counts as "anime art"? I guess I can see some influences but come on. It's hardly chibi.

chibi drawings depict the characters really short (also what chibi means) and cartoony. this is not chibi this is an ugly hybrid of normal and manga.

Your tolerance for "manga" must be really really low. This is hardly that influenced by it compared to, for example, most mainstream Western cartoons these days.

Avatar image for fatesgambler
FatesGambler

43

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By FatesGambler

Who else thinks she's a key member of the Court and only helped Bats in order to get her brother free from the Court?

Avatar image for cavemold
Cavemold

1818

Forum Posts

19

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 87

User Lists: 2

Edited By Cavemold

The blue cover is awesome , not big drop off from Greg.

Avatar image for jayjaycaw
JayJayCAW

371

Forum Posts

7131

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By JayJayCAW

....so based on the cover......The Wizard chooses Batman as the New Captain Marvel right lol

Avatar image for gmanfromheck
gmanfromheck

42524

Forum Posts

259238

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 472

User Lists: 2

Edited By gmanfromheck
Avatar image for johnnywalker
JohnnyWalker

825

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By JohnnyWalker

@fodigg: my tolerance is not low. i read manga. but i dont like it where it doesnt belong.

Avatar image for htb106
htb106

1724

Forum Posts

2337

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 2

Edited By htb106

I'm really excited to find out more about Harper Row, the art for this issue looks absoloutely amazing.

Avatar image for mucklefluga
Mucklefluga

2653

Forum Posts

3678

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 5

Edited By Mucklefluga

@RedheadedAtrocitus: What's your current pull list?

Avatar image for shadowinfinite
KRYPTON

2425

Forum Posts

67099

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 3

Edited By KRYPTON

So it's a prequel to the Night of Owls story/Court of Owls, but it all gets interwoven with both story arcs. Cool.

Avatar image for batwatch
BatWatch

5487

Forum Posts

274

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 238

User Lists: 1

Edited By BatWatch

I love the lightning strike cover. Amazing. I have no idea what it symbolizes since I haven't been following the series, but I saved it anyway. Really like the Batman logo in that cover especially.

Avatar image for fodigg
fodigg

6244

Forum Posts

2603

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 7

Edited By fodigg

@JohnnyWalker said:

@fodigg: my tolerance is not low. i read manga. but i dont like it where it doesnt belong.

I guess I don't understand why you have to partition like that. Comics are comics. Good art is good art. Or at least, such is my opinion.

Avatar image for orange_pork
Orange_Pork

5

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Orange_Pork

Hells yeah, Becky Cloonan is now officially Hollywood Status.

Avatar image for necrotic_lycanthrope
Necrotic_Lycanthrope

2501

Forum Posts

11364

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 11

@Red Rum:

Electricity makes the world go round.

Or at least that's what DC wants us to believe.

Avatar image for wessaari
wessaari

752

Forum Posts

61

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 62

User Lists: 7

Edited By wessaari

@G-Man: oh ya i know, Capullo has done alot of great work and needs sometime to work on the new arc but eh im just not feeling the fill-in artist. I figured she didnt do the cover, in comparison to her art in the preview, it looks nothing alike. but im glad its a variant and Capullo was able to have at least some input on this issue. still looking forward to it, even if i dont prefer the art.

Avatar image for supermanfan1234
supermanfan1234

231

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By supermanfan1234

another person in gotham with medium skin tone black hair and blue eyes,is there somthing we havent been told about bruces early years before he was batman

Avatar image for suprman
Suprman

458

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 11

User Lists: 2

Edited By Suprman

sounds good, Miss Capullo's art though.

Avatar image for ymcmb
YMCMB

161

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By YMCMB

@supermanfan1234: Ya I always thought it was kinda weird how almost every young person Bruce comes into contact with looks exactly like him....

Avatar image for supermanfan1234
supermanfan1234

231

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By supermanfan1234

@YMCMB: i know....maybe scott will reveal somthing about the reason behind that in the joker arc.

Avatar image for jcbart
jcbart

346

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By jcbart

Interesting. Will look forward as to what new perspective she can offer! Hopefully she isn't Snyder's reaction to Lisbeth Salander though, judging by the look and skill set.

@JohnnyWalker: Massive difference between manga and stylised.

Avatar image for johnnywalker
JohnnyWalker

825

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By JohnnyWalker

@jcbart: alfred looks stoned out of his mind.

Avatar image for kingdomenic
kingdomenic

217

Forum Posts

7083

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 25

User Lists: 4

Edited By kingdomenic

@GBrutality: He is just working on the Joker story art. No worries.

Avatar image for mordecaix7
mordecaix7

35

Forum Posts

8

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By mordecaix7

I like Becky's art style, but it feels too light-hearted for Batman. I'd have to see how she draws the dark knight before I could make a complete judgement, but I would definitely like to see her art elsewhere.

EDIT: Seeing some of the artwork the other posters showed (especially the Conan panel) of Becky, I'm confident this issue will be fantastic.

Avatar image for jaredbright
jaredbright

205

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By jaredbright

Yes, they used to do fill-in issues in comics when a comic artist got over-worked. It wasn't all bad, especially if the writing was there. Ofcourse, Capullo used to do Spawn monthly and his style was 'draw every little detail before McFarlane inks over it'. I can't believe he put that book out on time. His simpler stuff in Batman is actually even better in my book.

Avatar image for rosefairchild
RoseFairchild

63

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By RoseFairchild

I really kinda doubt she'll be killed by the Joker in his return, I mean, I really hope not anyway, I really really hope not, oh god I hope not, after reading this issue I love her far too much.

But my reason for hoping this is, well she's not exactly a major character, she's hardly had any effect on the Bat Family, hell, the only one's she's met were Bruce and Alfred, so I highly doubt her death would shake them so greatly that everything would come apart. Unless her death causes something to happen with Cullen.

And then there's the fact that Snyder said in one interview that she'd be appearing alot more in the future, I doubt he'd say that if she was gonna die.

Avatar image for 137
Om1kron

1224

Forum Posts

63

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

Edited By Om1kron

@JohnnyWalker said:

ugh, leave the anime art to mangas.

yes, leave what you don't know unwritten on public message boards. It makes you sound stupid.

Avatar image for luigibat
LuigiBat

231

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By LuigiBat

I could be wrong, but I reckon they're going to use Harper Row as a new 'Oracle' type figure in the future. They've confirmed that they will continue to use the character, and I doubt they'll just keep her as she is when the Oracle role is now vacant, she's displayed that she is willing to help Batman at all times and she seems to be quite intelligent despite coming from a rough background.

Avatar image for johnnywalker
JohnnyWalker

825

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By JohnnyWalker

@Om1kron: my opinion. you dont like it, i dont give a f.

Avatar image for 137
Om1kron

1224

Forum Posts

63

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

Edited By Om1kron

@JohnnyWalker said:

@Om1kron: my opinion. you dont like it, i dont give a f.

That's great, I implore more people to have an opinion and willingly state such on their computers to share with all of us on the internet to read. But if you don't know the difference between anime and manga you probably shouldn't use them to describe things. Kind of like using big words that you don't know what they mean to sound smart. But it seems I'm not the only person who has pointed out you have no idea what in the hell you're talking about so I'll leave you to your trolling.

Avatar image for johnnywalker
JohnnyWalker

825

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By JohnnyWalker

@Om1kron: anime and manga use the exact same art style. because all most every anime is made after a manga book and they copy the art to the letter (even those not based on mangas have a very similar style). but you dont really care because from the get go you boast intelligence and have yet to prove it resorting to childish insults. look at the big brain on you. you're feeble attempt at sounding intelligent has left you sounding like a bitter moron. please dont speak to me again.

  • 90 results
  • 1
  • 2