Batman: Battle for the Cowl #1

Batman is gone and the criminals of Gotham begin to exploit his absence. Someone posing as Batman is running around the city. Nightwing calls in reinforcements as they all desperately try and restore some type of order in Gotham.

This is the first story to take place after the death of Bruce Wayne. Tony S. Daniel assumes both writing and artwork responsibilities. He's been criticized for his writing skills but I actually enjoyed his writing in this book. I thought his characterization for all the characters was pretty solid. He begins by pulling you into the immediate problems that are occurring in Gotham. As a mass breakout of Arkham inmates happens, we see Gotham in a state of emergency. You can sense the urgency and fear from the citizens and the heroes in the writing. 

I loved the entire plot of the story. The battle for the cowl makes sense and unfolds beautifully. I love how Tony Daniel had Nightwing assert himself as leader when the reinforcements arrived. Seeing Nightwing refuse to wear the cape and cowl in the beginning and eventually come to accept it as a way to not only honor Bruce, but to shoulder that responsibility was great to read.

The showdown with Jason Todd was one of my favorite moments. It was definitely better than the last time Grayson and Todd met. I liked how Tony Daniel had Jason Todd running around Gotham as Batman. Jason Todd seems to be having personality changes as of late. He wasn't acting quite this way during Countdown To Final Crisis. Here he seemed borderline insane. I liked it, I'm just saying you can clearly tell his character has been written by different writers and not all of them share the same idea on who he truly is. When he demanded Drake and then later Grayson to be his Robin, a smile spread across my face. 

Daniel's art is always a sight to see. He's definitely one of my favorite artists to ever work on Batman. The way he draws all the characters os phenomenal. The splash page where Black Mask is standing on top of a building with the rest of Gotham burning to the ground behind him was simply menacing. The action sequences are drawn in such a poetic way but I also love how Daniel draws Gotham in the background of a lot of the panels. 

This is a must read and a must have in your comic collection. It serves as another testament to Batman's legacy. Compelling storytelling and tremendous artwork make this worth every penny.