Scott Snyder has once again that he understands Batman better than any other writer working in Gotham now, or in recent memory.

Batman #1 breathes a fresh start into Bruce Wayne and Gotham, beginning with Batman’s return from the events of Batman, Inc. (though it’s only implies and not necessary to know for the book.) It’s a very refreshing, classic take on the Bat. It’s back to basics and it suits the book perfectly after so many years of increasingly outlandish situations. This is the Batman I know and love and, while it seems familiar, there are still surprises to be had. In fact, the ending has such a fresh twist and take, that Batman #2 has skyrocketed to the top of my must-read list for next month.

An interview I did with Scott (being published here and on Huffington Post tomorrow) seems to shed even more light on potential directions this story might go and the possibilities are beyond exciting.

Take this snippet:

I know a lot of people think that Clark will bring down Bruce if Bruce ever went too far they’d wind up on different sides of the fence. I really feel that Bruce would beat Clark and the person that would wind up bringing him down would actually be Dick Grayson, almost his figurative son, so that relationship is one of the richest veins in all of comics and I’m very, very interested in it in terms of the stories being very different. Detective was really about Dick facing a Gotham that was changing and adapting so it could be a more vicious enemy to him.  Gotham was trying hard to convince him that his strengths were weaknesses and why he’d never be a good superhero, that’s what it does.  Bruce is a really different creature.  The things that scare Dick don’t scare Bruce. 

As soon as you read the book, come back and read this again and I guarantee you’ll get the chills.

There are hints of all the best eras of Batman in the book. There are recent villains, classic Batmobiles, modern gadgets, and a great feeling for the character. One important aspect of Bruce that I think lesser writers gloss over is his preposterous optimism about Gotham and its future and it’s on display in fine form during a society party. And the whole scene reminded me (in the best ways possible) of Tim Burton’s first Batman film, with Bruce having to duck out of the party after eavesdropping on Commissioner Gordon getting a police call in the middle of the festivities.

Aside from the simple, startling set-up, sharp writing, and decisive command of the character, there are plenty of other talents on display. Greg Capullo’s art has never looked better and his sequential storytelling has taken a quantum leap forward. His level of detail is a complete contradiction to how clean the art looks, all a testament to the solid inking on display by Jonathan Glapion. To top off the art team is the colorist FCO Plascencia (who most of you know as the regular colorist on Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley’s Invincible) and you have probably the finest looking book of DC’s new 52.

Some might complain that Dick Grayson looks like a young, wiry teenager no older than 17 years of age, but I have little frame of reference for when and where this book takes place. Aging Dick down can breathe an interesting dynamic into relationships with Bruce, Tim, and Damian (all present in the book) and I’m dying to see where it all goes from here.

Batman #1 comes out 9/21 and it’s $2.99.

I recommend you get in to the comic shop as early as you can. Batman is, arguably, DC’s most popular character and, when word gets around that the relaunch of the book bearing his name is incredibly well-written, gorgeous to look at, and accesible to new readers, it will be selling out like crazy.

This MIGHT be my favorite book of the new 52. Animal Man #1 was fantastic and Swamp Thing #1 was, too, but there’s something to be said about the Batman. He’s my favorite character in comics and, since this is such a damn fine book, that might make it my favorite of the relaunch.