Batman #23

It's easy to forget that the "New 52" means we're reading about a new world, where even the most familiar events can unfold differently.

That's how it's playing out as Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo tell their "Year Zero" version of Batman's origin, taking us back to Bruce's childhood and his attempts to fight crime after spending many years honing his skills as a fighter and a detective.

He struggles at first, especially when faced with the seemingly unstoppable army known as the Red Mask. As Bruce Wayne faces a terrible beating - and possibly death - he realizes his plan is not sufficient to get the job done.

To say more would spoil a powerful tale - both in words and visuals - so I'll simply say that this is an outstanding story and highly recommended.

I suspect it'll "read" better as a collection, because the story keeps stepping back and forth along Bruce's timeline, and it's not easy to keep track of things on a month-to-month basis.

But the creative team is putting an interesting and original spin on a well-trod story - not an easy task.

Grade: A

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