The New 52 Robbed Us of What Should Have Been the Greatest Batman Story of All Time

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Batman is famous for having a fantastic collection of villains – many, like the Joker and Mister Freeze, are instantly recognizable. These villains aren’t just enemies; they each highlight a different side of Batman’s personality while also being incredibly entertaining, with designs and personalities that range from comical to frightening. The older villains have earned a special place due to their long history and countless appearances. It’s tough for new villains to stand out, as they’re always measured against these established legends. While most newcomers don’t quite catch on, there’s one notable exception.

The Court of Owls debuted as the primary antagonists in Scott Snyder’s acclaimed Batman series, beginning in 2011. This secret society, comprised of Gotham’s most powerful families, had secretly manipulated the city’s history since its earliest days. They were so effective at hiding their influence that Batman himself believed they were just a legend—until he encountered them directly. While the Court quickly established itself as a formidable threat worthy of being recurring Batman villains, it was originally conceived not for Bruce Wayne’s Batman, but for his successor, Dick Grayson.

The Court That Haunted the Graysons

Before DC’s New 52 relaunch, Dick Grayson, formerly the original Robin, became Nightwing and worked with Bruce Wayne as Batman. Bruce broadened his operation globally with Batman Incorporated, while Dick continued to protect Gotham City as the primary Batman. During this period, Scott Snyder became a highly acclaimed Batman writer. He’d previously written Detective Comics and crafted two well-regarded stories featuring Dick Grayson as Batman: “Black Mirror” and “Gates of Gotham.” Snyder has since revealed that he initially intended the Court of Owls to be adversaries for Dick Grayson during his run on Detective Comics.

In a 2020 interview with GamesRadar, Zack Snyder revealed his initial concept for the Court of Owls was significantly different. Originally, instead of being a powerful, city-wide organization, they were a smaller group who preyed on children in the circus for mysterious reasons. Dick Grayson, with his ties to Haly’s Circus, would have been a specific target. While the final version evolved, the connection to Haly’s Circus remained – the Court was first shown using the circus to train their deadly assassins, the Talons. Over time, the Court became as much an enemy of Nightwing as it was of Batman, actively trying to recruit him in storylines from the 2016 Nightwing series and even orchestrating the events of the Ric Grayson arc.

A Different Court, Still Filled With Owls

It’s impossible to say exactly how the Court of Owls story would have unfolded if Dick Grayson had remained the central figure, but we can make some educated guesses based on the version we got. If it had stayed a smaller Batman story—rather than the major relaunch it became—the Court would probably have been a more limited threat. They’d likely have been a smaller group of assassins and a cult that mainly recruited from circuses, possibly even just Haly’s. The Court would have likely targeted Dick Grayson, since he’d escaped them after Bruce Wayne took him in, and that conflict would naturally have drawn Batman into the fight.

The Talons would probably function similarly, particularly with William Cobb, Dick’s great-grandfather, potentially playing an even bigger part. The Court could still be made up of Gotham’s powerful figures, motivated by the belief that Batman was overstepping and needed to be stopped—a motivation that makes sense given Dick’s more visible approach as Batman. However, this conflict with the Court would likely shift focus away from their extensive history in Gotham and instead emphasize their ties to the circus and their practice of recruiting children, connecting to both Dick’s time as Robin and his partnership with Damian Wayne.

Even with a smaller story, the Court of Owls would still have been captivating and mysterious. The concept of Dick Grayson discovering this hidden, ancient cult that even Batman hadn’t found would have challenged him to prove he’s worthy of the Batman mantle, forcing him to confront a completely unknown danger. A key theme would likely have explored the ethics of child soldiers, drawing parallels between the Court’s Talons and Dick and Damian’s experiences as Robins. While the version we got was great, it’s a shame we didn’t get to see how this alternate take on the Court of Owls would have played out.

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2025-12-29 02:43