While I still firmly believe Batman will prevail, winning this fight against the Court, this arc has certainly put a new perspective on his infallibility. So long have we been under theassumptionthat Batman knows all the inner workings of every major crime syndicate in the history of the world, and now we are faced with the realization, and a threat that even perplexes Batman, almost causing him to loose his mind. I know some people are getting tired of the Court of Owls, but I say bring them back often, they are definitely a team built on annoymity that I will always enjoy reading about. Read Full Review

I am in love with this series. Actually, I'm in love with every New 52 I'm reading right now. This is definitely making it hard to stay on top of my Marvel reads, but as of now, DC is doing some big time upstaging. Scott Snyder works his magic like always with the storytelling and Capullo's art is at it's best in this issue. This title just progresses more and more every issue and I know it is only getting better. Batman is a can't miss and is absolute comic perfection. This read most certainly gets a 10/10. Read Full Review

Thus far, this was my favorite issue of the Night of the Owls' event. It hit in all the right places and provided an excellent foundation to easily tie-in all of the other Bat Family members. With the writing, penciling, and inking in mind I give Batman #8 four-and-a-half out of five stars. Read Full Review

With fantastic art by Greg Capullo, a completely engaging narrative that ropes you in and never lets go, and a great lead-in to the main events in Gotham next month, Batman #8 is the best issue of the series to date, something Scott Snyder better stop doing soon before he can't outdo himself anymore! Read Full Review

And the back up, not so much a back up, as it was just a direct continuation of the main story, but still, great stuff on Tynion and Albuquerque's part. It'll be interesting to see how the "Fall of the House of Wayne" pans out next. Read Full Review

Greg Capullo keeps delivering phenomenal issue after phenomenal issue. Capullo gives Bruce the stature of a real fighter, and one that has fifteen plans if one of his plans doesn't go through. Even when panels start to zoom out to accommodate for all the acton, characters are expressive, with readers being able to read what the characters are thinking and feeling in each situation. Read Full Review

DCs best ongoing title continues by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo & a back up story entitled The Call written by Scott Snyder & illustraded by Rafael Alburquerque (American Vampire). Read Full Review

With Snyder, the presentation, storytelling and overall presentation has been varied from issue to issue. You might think you know where the story is going to go but Snyder manages to throw curve balls at you each time. Read Full Review

I really can't recommend this book enough so I'll stop here. I think I got my point across that this is a great bat-book, a great comic in general, and a fine example of what sort of value you should get from a $3.99 title. Read Full Review

Bruce fighting off the Court in just his night robe for the majority of the issue, shows you the fortitude this man possess. The Batcave is supposed to be his impenetrable fortress, but having the Court overwhelming Bruce, also displays their cunning and strength in numbers. With Snyder multitasking duties on books, you'd think he'd run thin eventually. Batman #8 proves that the best is yet to come. Read Full Review

Another reason why you shouldn't miss this issue is that it also contains a back-up called "The Call" written By Scott Snyder & James Tynon IV with art by (the most awesome) Rafael Albuquerque. This back-up is also available in Night of the Owls booklet which is available for free HERE. Read Full Review

The Court of Owls are the best new villains to be introduced into the world of DC Comics since the reboot. Others that have made their debut have been more or less cookie cutter variety but there are just layers upon layers of depth that you can sink your teeth into with the Owls. Read Full Review

Overall, because this is the climax of Night of the Owls there is little to no plot development. There's one scene where Bruce realizes he didn't know Gotham as well as he always thought he did, but overall it's just a bunch of fighting. Sndyer continues to do a good job of balancing Batman's awesome abilities with the fact that he just took a serious beating (and stabbing). I think he's doing the best he can do in a super hero comic and the story continues to excel. This is definitely NOT the issue to pick up if you haven't read the first seven issues. Wait for the trade. But you might want to make sure you start picking it up with issue #10. If you're already a Batman collector, this issue does NOT disappoint - make sure you don't miss it! Read Full Review

A great kick-off to the event that plays “Aliens” to the previous arc's “Alien”. Incredible art (again). Read Full Review

It's not as strong as previous Batman issues in terms of really providing some strong character moments of big time reveals that really connect, but at this point it's like saying you're getting gold instead of platinum with Snyder and Capullo. The backup works to elaborate on the story while setting up Alfred's future stories, and I feel much more comfortable with this event going forward. Read Full Review

Looks like I'll be sticking around for a while. Read Full Review

Helping Scott Snyder’s genius is art from Greg Capullo. I’ve been iffy with Capullo’s work in the past, but issue #8 is stellar across the board. Outside of Capullo’s original style with his pencils, he absolutely nails the motion of Batman #8. Snyder’s story never stops moving and Capullo does the same with the art. He also does some great work with tension by laying out the panels evenly and then blows the page up with a great splash page or action shot. With so many others of the reboot series failing by issue 8, Batman remains flawless. Read Full Review

As kickoffs to events go, "Batman" #8 delivers a good set-up and sincere motivation for extending the story beyond the pages of one title. "Night of Owls" takes shape organically, and given the trouble Batman has had with the Court of Owls and their Talons to this point, it's a good thing he has his own crimefighting network to call upon. How the various members of the Bat-Family handle the Talons is certain to be central to the story moving forward, but in this issue it is clearly established to be a cafeteria-style option, allowing the reader to determine their own level of comfort and involvement in the event that Snyder has meticulously crafted. Read Full Review

This issue may not have a lot plot movement or even that much violence. However, what Snyder does do is present Bruce Wayne in a state of weakness that is believable and presents a situation where you can see Batman getting taken down. When you consider the villains are literally no-names I found this to be a great strength to the overall story that Snyder is telling. The big crossover is here so if you plan to sample the books then you need this as a primer. Even if you just like Batman getting his house invaded I recommend picking this up. This book was a ton of fun and visually perfect. Don't let the price increase scare you off. Read Full Review

Regardless, Night of the Owls has launched in fine fashion, piling on the action to the already established intrigue, leaving us truly wondering about the fate of the Bat-family. Read Full Review

As Batman #8 is the best issue of this largely great series it deserves the highest grade, and I'm beyond excited for where Snyder and Capullo will lead Batman next. Read Full Review

Batman #8 was a fantastic comic book. Pure and simple, Scott Snyder knocked it out of the park with the beginning of the Night of the Owls. This opening chapter set up the chess piece for this war between the Batman Family and Court of Owls to be big. There are a lot of things to get excited for and the final page with Batman showing up with an armor suit reminiscent of the Dark Knight Returns suit just cemented the fact that this was a home run. Read Full Review

The structure of the book is a little odd as the first half is written by Snyder with art by regular Greg Capullo. However, the second-half of the story, drawn by Rafael Albuquerque, has a completely different look (which still works, although not quite as well). Worth a look. Read Full Review

Enough nitpicking though;, complaining about this issue doesn't do it justice, it was an intense and beautifully drawn beginning to one of the most exciting Bat-events in a long time and the New 52′s first crossover event. Snyder and his crew have more than proven their ability to impress and I'd be willing to bet we haven't even seen the best to come. Read Full Review

This was a very strong comic. Sure, the Hulkbuster armor was a bit much(when did Bruce Wayne become Tony Stark?!), and I have no clue why Damian wasn't in the Manor but was in Gotham, alone, in his Robin attire... Besides those two very minor points though? No complaints here. Oh, and this comic had 30 pages, so it DID have a few more than usual, thus explaining the cover price, so kudos to DC for giving us some extra bang for our extra buck... Unlike a certain OTHER comic book company... Read Full Review

The Night of the Owls has begun, and the crossover shows no sign of hindering the quality that Snyder, Capullo and their team have been putting out so far. Both the main story and back-up are well executed, with some excellently planned set pieces and even a mystery or two for you to wonder about as the month wait between issues ticks away. Batman may be facing his toughest foes yet, but it is nothing but a treat for the readers. Read Full Review

There have been horror elements scattered throughout the previous issues of Batman volume two, but not to the extent as they are in issue eight. Here we are given the beats of typical horror stories. And while the parallels to that narrative movement is a time-tested formula, the waking nightmare created for Batman has that feeling of someone needing to just wake up. The blind spot Bruce has developed in relation to the Court of Owls may be disappearing; the effect seems to stymie his growth as a character. We know he has a fatal flaw. We know the Court cuts at his ego. Now we must see his development beyond it. Batman has to stop the slasher(s), like a screaming teenager at a deserted sleep away camp, but most of all he needs to just wake up. Read Full Review

Given the frenetic pace of the action throughout the issue, pencillers Greg Capullo is definitely in his comfort zone. This is the sort of material at which he excels. The Batman's secret weapon revealed later in the issue looks more than a little ridiculous, though. More impressive is Rafael Albuquerque's work in the second half of the comic. It's quite unconventional in tone, reminding me a fair bit of the style of Nathan (Haunt, DMZ) Fox. I particularly appreciated his incorporation of characters with real body types, rather than the multitude of impossibly buff and/or lean paragons of physical prowess presented in the main part of the issue. Read Full Review

Nothing solidifies a villain as a real, deadly threat to the hero as attacking him on his own territory, where he's the most vulnerable. Talons arrive at Wayne manor, with one and only order - kill Bruce Wayne. They soon discover his secret identity, complicating the story even more.

It's one of the most fast paced issues from the run, very action oriented. It's a quick read, mostly due to the fact once you start, you can't put the book down, you speedrun through its pages holding your breath all the time.

Great beginning of Batman's second New 52 story arc.

This story involving the Court of Owls remains to be good quality just not quite as awesome as the first few books were. Bruce Wayne is forced to make a stand in his own house. There is more action and not as much depth but there seems to be even more drama coming later on in this book with a lot of Batman's allies appearing to get involved.

Cover-**
Writing-****
Art-**
Story-****

at this point the comic series gets thinned out with less actual story and a back-up story as filler. probably just so they could spread out this already overdrawn arc?

...and look! ...now we have a set up for a cross-over event and tie-ins!!!! don't miss a single issue of this cash grab cross-over event kids! the stories won't be completely superfluous and unnecessary to the main series!