10 Reasons Why New 52 Batman Was The Best Ever

Plenty of creators approach superhero titles with vaguely hostile intent. They use comics to talk down to their readers, or they just churn out dumb stories. By contrast, the New 52 Batman team never lost sight of one thing: on the receiving end of their labor is a human reader, a customer, who deserves a great experience.

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo always close their interviews with a thank-you to their readers. They’re aware that their series has been untraditional, and they write and draw from a place of gratitude.

There's also a satisfying dose of fourth-wall-breaking in Snyder’s most adventurous writing. He’s used his characters to voice readers’ concerns about unusual story directions, opening up a dialogue with fans.

Think of the Gotham National Bank scene in issue #0 that opened the controversial “Zero Year" arc. The manager welcomes his team to the newly renovated bank with the assurance that “it’s modern and fresh, but it honors the rich history of Gotham National.” Or like in “Superheavy” with those kids badmouthing the bunny-eared mechanized Batman action figure, refusing to accept Jim Gordon as any kind of Batman. Time and again, Snyder acknowledged fanboy fears.