TALON #0

STORY: James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder
ART: Guillem March

It's got to be his costume. For a while now, I've been inexplicably averse to Talon, a series that spins out of Scott Snyder's "Court of Owls" arc on Batman that quickly turned a large part of the Batman mythos - Gotham City itself - onto it's head. The Court represented everything Bruce doesn't know about his hometown, and that's a frightening venture for the man labeled Gotham's Son. Honestly, I don't know why I was so skeptical about Talon. Perhaps it was the fact that another series had been cancelled to make way for one more Batman-related title. Maybe it was the relative freshness of the Court of Owls as a concept that made me question it's ability to act as a premise for a stand-alone series. But like I mentioned above, I think it's just his costume. Like the other three "Third Wave" titles beginning this month, it's difficult to gauge Talon's effectiveness as an ongoing title because this "Issue Zero" is technically the series' first, meaning there's no 'issue one' to base a prequel story upon. It's a bit wonky, but the system worked for The Phantom Stranger, so why can't it work here too?

Talon #0 introduces Calvin Rose, the only person to ever escape the Court of Owls (besides Batman, I'm assuming we're meant to know). Rose is an escape artists, able to free himself from even the most binding of situations, which is an interesting way to make his escape from the Court all the more believable. Though a lot of information is given in the pages of this prequel issue, it's obvious that this series is going to be well-paced, balancing Rose's personal journey to use his abilities to protect people with a focus on the Court and it's many facets throughout. At the end of the issue, it's evident how well James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder have crafted this story. Snyder is just co-plotting, so his influence is only slightly felt while Tynion's impressive writing style shines through from the first page.

Predictably, the story of Talon #0, "The Long Run", takes place five years in the past, when Calvin Rose first escapes the Court and strikes out on his own, always on the run. Tynion does an admirable job conveying Calvin's growing uncomfortableness over the Court's violent methods and murderous ways. Of course, there are some points that could have been slowed down/sped up, but in the end, Tynion gets his point across. Calvin's personal ethics get in the way of the Court's desires, and he ends of saving the lives of a mother and daughter he was specifically assigned to kill. Talk about walking off the job, huh?

Talon #0 does an adequate job introducing readers the Calvin Rose and the world we'll be following each month going forward, and while this series is technically tied to Batman (who I'm sure we'll be seeing at some point soon), it's already created it's own mood and tone that differs from the Dark Knight's - while Batman is about the pain and the fear, Talon seems to be about hope and moving forward. Calvin Rose is already interesting and already has my sympathies. With a traumatic (but not too traumatic) childhood, a similar training regiment to Batman, and a conscience that beats out any Court of Owls brainwashing, Calvin might just be one of the more interesting characters in the 'New 52' so far.

GRADE

A

(NIGHT OF THE OWLS) CATWOMAN #9 & BIRDS OF PREY #9

STORY: Judd Winick
ART: Guillem March

I've never been a huge Catwoman fan, not as a villain or as an anti-hero. But I understand the appeal and I respect what the character has done for feminism (or anti-feminism, depending on who you ask) in the pages of Batman books over the years. I hesitated to read Catwoman when relaunched under the 'New 52', mostly because I was already reading a bunch of Batman-related titles and didn't want to overload myself on the Gotham Gloomies. I mean seriously, how many heroes can operate in a single city without running into each other on a regular basis? Apparently, at least eleven.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed Catwoman #9 because it wasn't a straightforward "Night of the Owls" tie-in that just pits a Talon against Selena Kyle. Instead, the Talon in question is fleshed out to an appropriate length. Ephraim Newhouse was once an oddly duty-bound Talon whom the Court retired early (and naked) to atone for murdering British soldiers and losing his sacred knives. Now, the current Court promises Newhouse his honor restored if he assassinates the Penguin.

Simultaneously, Catwoman and Spark (her partner? Again, I haven't read Catwoman, so I'm assuming their friends and they work together - JM) are waiting for Cobblepot to leave his bar so they can steal a dagger with an owl head on the handle. When the Talon shows up to 'off' the Penguin, Selena considers it an unfair fight and takes on the Talon with Spark close behind her.

After a bunch of fighting, Judd Winick gets down to the real meat of the story; Newhouse's honor. The blade of concern for all of these characters was one of Newhouse's lost daggers, of which he desperately wants back. Selena has the rest and after another round of fist-throwing, the Penguin finally blows out Newhouse's brains. Catwoman leaves the corpse at the Batsignal for Bruce to pick up, but leaves Newhouse with his lost daggers as a sign of respect - and of good storytelling.

GRADE:
A





STORY: Duane Swierczynski
ART: Travel Foreman and Jeff Huet

Much like Batwing and Detective Comics a few weeks ago, Birds of Prey #9 doesn't bring much to the table for "Night of the Owls". Sure, it's got a little backstory for the 'Talon of the Week', but other than that, this issue's villain could have been anybody else. What I've noticed so far is that "Night of the Owls" tie-ins are effective when they add more to the overall Court of Owls mythology. Unfortunately, the Birds of Prey simply get jammed into the foray with little reason. Hell, Black Canary still thinks Batman is 'mythical'. Seriously? She's a superhero in Gotham City and is not certain that Batman exists? Whatever.

This issue's Talon has a handlebar moustache that connects to his mutton chops. It's a very perplexing image, a major juxtaposition to the Talons trained in martial arts and the like. This man seems like he's out of the Civil War, not only in appearance, but also in mannerisms and behavior towards women. Yep, the Birds get the only sexist Talon in the bunch so far because of course the Birds get the only sexist Talon in the bunch so far. A lot of Birds of Prey #9 feels forced, and that never makes for good reading.

GRADE:
C+