(DC Comics Zero Year contains: Detective Comics #25, Batgirl #25, Batwing #25, Batwoman #25, Birds of Prey #25, Catwoman #25, The Flash #25, Green Arrow #25, Green Lantern Corps #25, Nightwing #25, Red Hood and The Outlaws #25 and Action Comics #25.)
When DC Comics rebooted its entire line-up in 2011's New 52 campaign, almost all of the major players seemed to be retooled. That is with the exception of the Batman. For one reason or another, most of the Bat-Family history was the same as before the change which occurred on August 31st. Making drastic changes to Batman, the publisher's most popular character, might have destroyed DC's loyal fan base. Another reason for keeping Batman's history from being completely rewritten as opposed to the newer, grittier version of Superman, was the need to keep some of the established DC characters from looking too different. Regardless, the ultimate decision was all about money.
Batman writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV both noticed the need to incorporate a little bit of New 52 backstory into the Batman Family. Not wanting to erase any of the amazing lore crafted about the legend of the Dark Knight, especially Frank Miller's Batman: Year One, the writing duo went even further back with Zero Year!
DC Comics had already explored this 'zero year' in 2012 in commemoration of the 1-year anniversary of the New 52 in which all existing series were given an issue #0 that delved into the origins of these rebooted characters. In follow-up, Snyder and Tynion crafted an entire storyline based around the 'zero month' concept.
Batman #21 would see Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham City after years of a self-imposed exile. This occurs 5 years before the beginning of the storylines of the New 52 lineup. Many believe Wayne is dead and Bruce wants to keep it that way. That is until the billionaire discovers that a menacing force known as the Red Hood Gang has infiltrated the Wayne family business and is using Wayne Enterprises technology and funds to organize a criminal vice over the city.
Bruce Wayne attempts to stop the Red Hood Gang by acting as a standard ski-mask wearing vigilante. But his early attempts don't do much to intimidate crooks. Building upon his childhood phobia of bats, Bruce Wayne creates a high-tech suit resembling a giant chiropteran and begins to strike fear into Gotham's criminal element.
As Bruce Wayne/Batman fights the Red Hood Gang, another player is working in the shadows. Edward Nygma has positioned himself as a trusted advisor to current Wayne Enterprises CEO, Philip Kane. This gives Nygma not only access to a vast enterprise of advanced technology, but also the ability to manipulate the Red Hood Gang after Batman seemingly kills their leader.
With Gotham in a power vacuum and a deadly super storm hurricane zeroing in on Gotham, Nygma makes his play. Now touting himself as the Riddler, Nygma detonates scores of bombs, shutting off the metropolitan area's power. Effectively Gotham is cut off from the rest of the world.
It is at this point that a dozen New 52 series take a brief pause in their current storylines and revert back to Zero Year. Clark Kent learns that despite having god-like powers, he's nothing compared to an act of God. Rookie Keystone City policeman Barry Allen volunteers to beef up Gotham's depleted police force and learns that all saints are sinners and vice versa. Marine John Stewart assists in the evacuation of citizens that have flocked to the Gotham coliseum. These are all episodes that will define these heroes years later.
Meanwhile, the members of the Bat-Family are also learning important lessons on the eve of Zero Year. Barbara Gordon gets a first hand look at mob mentality and displaced trust when the public shelter she has fled to begins to flood. Dick Grayson learns about bravery and to never trust someone with the last name Falcone. Cassandra Cain gets her first taste of vigilantism while making a chance encounter with a member of the Metropolis police department. But most perplexing of all is the back story of Jason Todd. His story sees him infiltrating the Red Hood Gang and running afoul of an alluring member of the League of Assassins all for the chance at cheap thrills!
After the Zero Year one-shots, the regular storyline commences. It sees Gotham isolated with the Riddler ruling the megalopolis through the use of deadly drones and the only power source in town. Batman comes to grips with his past distrust of Jim Gordon and along with Lucius Fox, seeks to restore power and order to Gotham.
Zero Year was a unique crossover event. To only have to purchase 12 single issues, each comprised of a stand alone story that occurs with such devastation in a major location in the DC Universe was actually a rare thing. For example, if one wanted to read all of the material of 1988-86's Crisis on Infinite Earths, the first major multi-issue crossover event, they'd have to buy the 12 issues of the maxi-series plus an astounding 38 supplemental issues. Compare that to Marvel's 2015 Secret Wars event where fans had to purchase nearly 100 issues in order to complete their wish list.
Though fans' pockets weren't as assaulted with Zero Year as with other in-house crossovers, the story itself was a bit jarring. There are flashbacks splattered all throughout the series, many of which don't get addressed properly, if not at all. The final issue takes place in 3 simultaneous perspectives; one of which is at least 5 years (or more) in the past, just as Batman seeks to finally wrestle control of Gotham from the Riddler while a team of Air Force jets approach with warheads armed and ready.
Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV do manage to create a Batman origin story that does not contradict Batman: Year One. The whole idea of the coming super storm and Riddler's role in the crippling of Gotham City were plot devices used in 2022's The Batman. 2012's Batman: Death of The Family and other previous works might have established the Joker as the Dark Knight's most deadliest foe. But, a lot of that is personal vendetta type stuff. Batman: Zero Year establishes the Riddler as Batman's most destructive enemy, willing to sacrifice millions at the cost of saving face in order to prove just who is the smartest man in Gotham City!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
Completing this review completes Task #35 (An Entire In-house Crossover Event like Civil War or Final Crisis) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.
