Getting a comic delivered by mail rules! A couple of days ago, “Batman: Court of Owls,” the graphic novel, flew straight into my snail-mail inbox hot off the reprint press of comic book land—perfect timing for this week’s column. Shout-out to Jon M. from Connecticut for sending it my way—and for getting me back into comics. It all started when he began sending me daily photos of his action figures raiding his icebox, which we both found humorous.Now, this big kid may not be tucked under a midnight blanket dome with a flashlight, a Zagnut in one hand, and a comic in the other—but thanks to Jon’s encouragement, I’m there in my mind.
This 2011 Batman graphic novel, written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Capullo, shines bright with its gripping, dark-themed glow and precise craftsmanship. The cover is ferocious and at full gloss as Batman violently attacks the page. Its interior is equally remarkable. Intricate line work offers up a bristled, moody tone. The color palette—blues, blacks, and reds—anchors the drama. The stark black serves as white space, giving the detailed compositions and intense action room to breathe, adding vivid tension throughout the book.
The comic’s story hinges on the Court of Owls—an ancient, secret society of Gotham’s most powerful elites. For over a century, the court has controlled Gotham from beyond the curtained veil of the underground. Muscle and fear are the Owls’ chief diplomats. These agents of control reach out from the shadows. When Batman discovers the society, he is extended into a larger world where he uncovers corrupt, hidden powers that have lurked for ages.
Enter the real world. Starting from Battery Park, head northward on Broadway, passing the Charging Bull statue, and continue toward the Financial District to Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange. Keep going north to reach Zuccotti Park, where Occupy Wall Street was held. Here’s where the pencil leaves the page, and the mind re-engages—taking the story to a whole new level. I wouldn’t have recognized it as a kid, but now it redefines what comics mean in adulthood, intersecting the line between fiction and reality, revealing common threads while adding a new layer of depth.
Hang a mirror image of “Bateman: Court of Owls” upside down and let it dangle in the back of the mind. It becomes a symbolic placekeeper of the real-world corruption of the 2008 financial collapse, Occupy Wall Street, and the resulting turmoil. As I made the connection, the narrative’s contours elevated the story beyond elementary comic structure into a legitimate work of visual art and compelling narrative—more than just a superhero tale.
“Court of Owls,” reflective of The Wall St. financial crisis, which had been fueled by shady mortgage deals and an array of deceptive tactics used by Goldman Sachs and other financial giants to profit off ordinary people. The reminiscent similarities echoed in the Court of Owls’ control over Gotham were strikingly similar. Both operated in secret, playing the part of master of puppets, pulling strings while the public paid the price.
During the peak of its tension, the book reveals Batman’s struggle as he is trapped in the Court’s underground labyrinth. He is disoriented and panicked, a situation echoing the confusion felt by many during the financial crisis and its maze of disdain. As the Bat fights to reclaim Gotham, so too did Zuccotti Park occupiers push back against elite systems and the shady dealings of Wall Street’s immoral money machine.
The book’s pacing twists the dial from slow boil to rising tension and resolution. There’s a measured setup in Act One, disorientation in Act Two, a crescendo surge in Act Three, and a climax in Act Four. Through this arc, each beat reflects the frenzied period of societal unrest in 2011, reminding us of the fight against hidden elites. Snyder and Capullo capture deep issues of power and control.
As a kid shining a flashlight at the pages underneath that old blanket dome comic fort, the light revealed the masked vigilantes’ majestic flapping cape and flying fists. But as an adult, that same light reveals a larger world. The Zagnut wrapper remains—alongside the thrill of discovery and the unraveling of truths—transforming this story into something far more powerful.
This Week’s Claws
