The Good
I think the characterization of Jim Gordon is great in this issue, as it really gives you the sense of the strength of character he has. The Gotham police seem to be a bit more "in your face" with their justice - I also like how Harvey Bullock has somehow become a bastion of leadership on the force.
The Bad
I really don't like the Dollmaker character, as it seems like it's an obvious stand-in for the Joker. It almost seems like the famous "Bat embargo" that barred Justice League from using any of Batman's villains in the cartoon - why not start out the new series with a bang?
Instead, we have a weak villain who's causing Bruce to do some of his most cringe-worthy detective work ("He likes to strip away identity. You know, by cutting up faces and reassembling them!") where I really do not care about the outcome. The only interesting thing I've found about this issue is the Olivia character, and her sudden propensity for violence.
I think I'd like this issue a bit more if the villain wasn't a weird amalgam of Ragdoll, the Joker and Mr. Pyg; it just seems like lazy character design, and besides some bigger-than-average cronies, it doesn't pose a huge threat to the Bat. The fact that the main villain will mix it up with Batman is nice, but it seems really out of place: why have a crapload of minions when you're a capable fighter yourself? Where did you get those skills? Does your background allow you to have them?
We never find out, and that irks me.
The Verdict
Detective Comics struck me as a title that was a bit different than "just another Bat book"; the continuity was usually lighter, and we got to see a more introspective side of Bruce. While the issues I've always read are very Bat-centric, I think we need that inner dialog while seeing Batman in action.
This issue, however, just kind of rolls along with no major point; it's formulaic to the point of dullness. Batman ends up in a giant death trap in the end surrounded by puppet Jokers, and I can't help but think "this is the best they could come up with? This is what's supposed to be leading the New 52 revolution?"
What I think is trying to be conveyed is an establishing of roots without a heavy emphasis on continuity: it's a nice easing into "how things will be" without giving Batman anything too dramatic to deal with. However, stories can do that without being heavily formulaic: you can write a "classic" Batman story without relying on the same boring "Gordon's been kidnapped!" tropes.
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