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Description
nuna triv next car seat and stroller Nuna® TRIV Next™ + PIPA Aire / PIPA RX / PIPA Aire RX Travel SystemNuna TRIV Next + PIPA Aire PIPA RX PIPA Aire RX Travel System Nuna has designed multiple products that can be bundled to create flexible travel systems as your family's needs change. This particular Nuna Travel System Bundle includes the versatile Nuna TRIV Next stroller and your choice of either the Nuna PIPA Aire RX or the Nuna PIPA RX Series Infant Car Seat. Both of these choices offer unsurpassed safety standards, lightweight and stylish design
Nuna® TRIV Next™ + PIPA Aire / PIPA RX / PIPA Aire RX Travel System
Nuna has designed multiple products that can be bundled to create flexible travel systems as your family's needs change. This particular Nuna Travel System Bundle includes the versatile Nuna TRIV Next stroller and your choice of either the Nuna PIPA Aire RX or the Nuna PIPA RX Series Infant Car Seat. Both of these choices offer unsurpassed safety standards, lightweight and stylish design and premium materials that are free of chemical flame retardants, and both car seats come included with the new Nuna RELX base.
What's Included:
- Nuna TRIV Next stroller
- Nuna PIPA infant car seat of your choice, either PIPA Aire, PIPA RX or PIPA Aire RX
- Nuna PIPA Series car seat base (RELX Base for PIPA RX or PIPA Aire RX)
- Ring car seat adapter
- Car Seat LATCH guides
- Nuna's Manufacturer Warranty from defects: 2 years
Nuna® TRIV™ Next Stroller:
Designed with convenience and comfort for the family on the go, the fully-featured Nuna TRIV Next stroller is the perfect travel companion for your everyday adventures. Weighing in at less than 19 pounds, the TRIV Next is compact, but cleverly designed, with all-wheel suspension, one-touch braking, and an updated stroller frame that boasts a wider wheel base and larger rear wheels for the ultimate stroll.
Easy to lift and maneuver, the TRIV Next packs up easily and quickly converts to a convenient travel system without sacrificing features like a reversible seat, one-handed recline and adjustable footrest. Updated features on the TRIV Next include the magnetic harness buckle, a convenient zip off sun canopy, and a wider, more stable wheel base with a built-in footrest to accommodate taller travelers.
The TRIV Next folds with one hand, with the seat facing either direction, and stands when folded to allow for easy storage and transport. With an all-season seat that will keep your little one snug in winter, and breathable mesh to let the summertime breeze in, the TRIV Next is the perfect companion for your everyday adventures.
Key Features Nuna TRIV Next Stroller:
- Red Dot Product Design Winner 2022
- Travel system ready - simply attach a Nuna PIPA™ series infant car seat to the included ring adapter
- Ring adapter folds with the stroller—no need to remove with the car seat
- Quick, one-handed fold means less time packing and more time relaxing
- Seat faces both ways and stroller folds flat no matter what direction baby’s been facing
- Durable footrest for a more comfortable ride
- MagneTech secure snap™ is a self-guiding magnetic buckle that automatically locks into place
- Stands alone when folded
- Spring suspension technology under the seat for smooth rides
- Water-repellent UPF 50+ canopy is extendable and features a flip out eyeshade and window
- Easy access zippered storage pocket and oversized shopping basket for all the essentials
- One-hand on-the-go recline and height adjustable pushbar
- Quick-release, five-point no-rethread harness converts to a three-point harness
- All-wheel suspension and one-touch rear brake allows for easy stop and go with just a simple top tap
- Swivel-lock front wheels
- 3-position recline and adjustable calf support for customized comfort
- All-season seat keeps baby cozy in winter and easily converts to mesh in summer
- Luxe leatherette accented pushbar and removable armbar lend style to your stroll
- Removable insert is lightweight and lightly textured with Merino wool and TENCEL* lyocell
- (*TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG)
- Rubber tires are tough, foam-filled and ready for any terrain
Choose the Car Seat That's Right For You:
The Nuna TRIV Next stroller can be quickly converted into a convenient travel system. The travel system on this listing includes the versatile and multifunctional TRIV Next stroller plus your choice of either the Nuna Aire, the Nuna PIPA RX or the Nuna PIPA Aire RX infant car seat. All three of these car seats offer unsurpassed safety standards, lightweight and stylish design and premium materials that are free of chemical flame retardants. The chart below provides a snapshot of the key differences between the three PIPA car seats available for this travel bundle:
Key Features Nuna® PIPA™ Aire Infant Car Seat:
- The PIPA aire is both ultra-portable and seriously protective
- PIPA aire is the lightest in the PIPA series infant car seat lineup
- One-handed vehicle and stroller release for easy in an outs
- Fabrics and inserts are conveniently machine washable
- Belt path for vehicle belt installation
- FAA certified for aircraft use with or without a base
- Connects with all Nuna strollers (and their adapters as appropriate) to create a stylish travel system
- Features Aeroflex™ foam that is cleverly lightweight, resilient, and minimizes force transferred to baby
- Steel-reinforced True lock™ base installation makes set up swift, simple, and safe
- Side Impact Protection (SIP) for ultimate baby safe keeping
- The deep seat design creates a cocoon-like space, ensuring a better fit and comfortable car seat for your baby.
- 5-point harness keeps baby’s travels secure
- Tailor tech™ memory foam headrest provides a comfortable custom fit
- Removable infant head and body inserts nestle baby in comfort and security
- UPF 50+ canopy with flip-out eyeshade protects from sun exposure
- The iconic Sky drape™ provides baby with ultimate privacy for quiet moments
- Luxe leatherette carry handle for more secure gripping
- Exposed aerospace aluminum handle adds a contemporary aesthetic and enhances the seat's intuitive functionality
- Soft yet durable micro-knit fabric for refined style and casual warmth
- From fabric to foam and beyond each element is smartly sourced to be both flame resistant and contain no added fire-retardant chemicals making it safer for baby
Key Features Nuna® PIPA™ RX Infant Car Seat:
- From fabric to foam and beyond, each element is smartly sourced to be both flame resistant and contain no added fire retardant chemicals
- Side impact protection for ultimate baby safe keeping
- Comfy organic jersey insert is removable for growing babies
- Integrated harness holders help when buckling baby in
- Luxe leatherette accented carry handle. Tote elegantly with ease
- Five point harness keeps little ones in place
- Two-piece removable infant insert + head support. Customize to their individual shape and get a perfect fit right from birth
- Mesh peek-a-boo window in canopy
- Heavy duty shell is super resilient yet lightweight
- Lightweight carry handle is ergonomically designed to tote with ease
- FAA certified for aircraft use
- True lock™ installation makes set up swift, simple and above all – safe
- 5 second install
- Crumple zone within the stability leg absorbs impact and minimizes force transferred to baby
- Colored installation indicators confirm correct connections to the vehicle
- Bubble free recline angle guides clearly confirm the perfect riding angle
- Low profile base for easier loading of infant seat
- Open belt path for easier install
- Belt guides
- Anti-rebound panel
- Automatic rigid latch storage
- Extra convenient stability leg storage with lock
- Steel reinforced true lock™ rigid latch
- Lock off with easy access belt path
- Indicators on rigid latch turn green when clicked to vehicle anchor points
- Indicators on stability leg turn green when in proper contact with vehicle floor
- GREENGUARD Gold Certified: Products that have achieved GREENGUARD Gold Certification are scientifically proven to meet some of the world's most rigorous third-party chemical emissions standards, and certified to not contribute to indoor air pollution or chemical exposure
Key Features Nuna® PIPA™ Aire RX Infant Car Seat:
- FAA certified for aircraft use with or without a base
- Connects with all Nuna strollers to create a stylish travel system*
- 5-second steel-reinforced True lock™ installation makes set up swift, simple, and safe**
- Side Impact Protection (SIP) for ultimate baby safekeeping
- Open belt path with lock off secures lap and shoulder belt
- Features Aeroflex™ foam that is cleverly lightweight, resilient, and minimizes force transferred to baby
- The deep seat design creates a cocoon-like space, ensuring a better fit and comfortable car seat for your baby.
- 3-position height-adjustable headrest and 5-point harness keeps little ones in place
- Removable infant head and body inserts nestle baby in comfort and security
- Tailor tech™ memory foam seat panel and headrest provides a comfortable custom fit
- UPF 50+ canopy with 2 positions and a flip-out eyeshade protects from sun exposure
- The iconic Sky drape™ provides baby with ultimate privacy for quiet moments
- Soft yet durable micro-knit fabric for refined style and casual warmth
- Super-resilient top-of-the-line plastics for a heavy-duty secure shell
- Exposed aerospace aluminum handle adds a contemporary aesthetic and enhances the seat's intuitive functionality
- Luxe leatherette carry handle for more secure gripping
- From fabric to foam and beyond each element is smartly sourced to be both flame-resistant and contain no added fire-retardant chemicals making it safer for baby
- Infant head and body inserts are made of environmentally friendly Merino wool and TENCEL™ lyocell fiber blend that is soft, naturally controls moisture, and is environmentally friendly
- GREENGUARD Gold Certified to meet some of the world's most rigorous third-party chemical emissions standards, and certified to not contribute to indoor air pollution or chemical exposure
- Additional GOTS organic cotton infant insert and harness cover set
Upon selecting a specific car seat on the order page, your corresponding car seat base will be identified and automatically included with your travel bundle.
- Nuna® PIPA™ Aire Infant Car Seat + PIPA Series Base
- Nuna® PIPA™ RX Infant Car Seat + RELX base
- Nuna® PIPA™ Aire RX Infant Car Seat + RELX base
To help you make an informed choice, we have also outlined the key differences between the PIPA Series base and the RELX base in the comparison chart below:
Key Features Nuna® PIPA™ Series Base:
- 5-second install with two easy and instant steps. Please note to always refer to the product instruction manual. Under no circumstances should this information be used to replace the car seat instruction booklet
- True lock™ rigid latch is 50% stronger than a typical belt latch
- Steel stability leg helps minimize forward rotation during impact by up to 90% when compared to a system that is not using a stability leg
- Colored installation indicators confirm correct connections to the vehicle and car seat to base
- Bubble level indicators help to minimize user error
- Super-resilient top-of-the-line plastics for a heavy duty, secure shell
- Anchor latch guides make it easy to locate and install on lower anchor bars
Key Features Nuna® PIPA™ RELX Base:
- Crumple zone within the stability leg absorbs impact and minimizes force transferred to baby
- Colored installation indicators confirm correct connections
- Low profile base for super easy loading
- Easy vehicle seat belt install provides options
- Latch and stability leg neatly store away when not in use
- Anchor latch guides make it easy to locate and install on lower anchor bars
Specifications:
Nuna TRIV Next Stroller:
- Weight limit: 50 pounds
- Product weight: 18.5 pounds (excluding seat insert, bumper bar and canopy)
- Dimensions: 37"L x 22.5"W x 42-43.5"H
- Folded dimensions: 24"L x 22.5"W x 15"H
- Wheel size: 7" front, 9" rear
- Nuna's Manufacturer Warranty from defects: 2 years for stroller, 1 year for car seat
PIPA Aire Infant Car Seat:
Recommended Use:
4 to 30 lbs, and 16 to 30 in.
Car seat dimensions L 27.25 in W 17.5 in H 23 in
Weight: 6 lbs (without canopy and inserts - canopy and inserts approx. 1.8 lb)
PIPA RX Infant Car Seat:
Recommended Use:
4 to 32 lbs, and 16 to 32 in.
Car seat dimensions: L 25.2 in W 17.5 in H 23 in
Weight: 7.6 lbs (without canopy and inserts - canopy and insert approx. 1 lb)
PIPA Aire RX Infant Car Seat:
Recommended Use:
4 to 30 lbs, and 16 to 30 in.
Car seat dimensions: L 27.25 in W 17.5 in H 23 in
Weight: 6.2 lbs (without canopy and inserts - canopy and inserts approx. 2.2 lb)
Shipping Notes
- Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
- Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
- Delivery to the USA:
- Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
- If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
- We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
- Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
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4.3 ★★★★★
Based on 17 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
The Robin Origin Tale We Needed
Format: Paperback
Hot off The Long Halloween Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale return for another murder mystery. This is a direct sequel and follows the aftermath of The Long Halloween. The art is stellar and the story is deep and dark. The trinity of Batman, Dent and Gordon is gone and the isolation is real. At the heart of it, life goes on. Sofia Falcone is back and ready to get revenge. Meanwhile, Dick Grayson's about to go through the darkest chapter of his life. There's a surprise villain who makes a chilling introduction and much more. If you wanted more after Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween, this is the book for you.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2025
★★★★★ 5
The Best BATMAN Tale since YEAR ONE.
When I first started reading Scott Snyder's run on DETECTIVE COMICS, I was unfamiliar with his work. It seemed like they had just grabbed a new name after arcs done by distinguished writers such as Grant Morrison (which I actually thought was terrible during his RIP arc), Greg Rucka (who did a brilliant job with bringing the character of Batwoman into the fold), and Paul Dini (whose work ranged from not great to just about perfect). Snyder just seemed like a Johnny-Come-Lately, and the previous arc on DETECTIVE had been particularly disappointing, but alas I had faith that another solid arc was due for the Darkknight Detective, so I kept collecting.
Nothing could have made me happier, since Snyder and his partners in crime, artists Jock and Francesco Francavilla had crafted the most solid, unified and smartest Batman tale since Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's eponymous BATMAN: YEAR ONE.
Not to get too bogged down in plot detail, but essentially, the "Black Mirror" arc begins with Dick Grayson as The Batman (since Bruce Wayne was too busy fighting his way through time... argh...) and he's closing in on a secret auction where 'collectibles' of Gotham's most notorious villains are being sold to an elite crowd of wealthy degenerates, such as Scarecrow's fear gas and the crowbar actually used to beat Jason Todd almost to death. The main villain of the piece is hardly Batman's most powerful enemy, but it does leave some psychic scars on Dick. Next Dick is forced to deal with a dead woman found in an office building. Hardly worth Batman's specific attention, but what is is that the woman's body was found inside a dead killer whale's mouth in an office building. Making matters more complicated is that the woman this murder is sending a message to is actually the daughter of Tony Zucco, the gangster responsible for the death of Dick's parents.
While these stories are exciting, well-crafted and beautifully rendered by Jock, we enter a much more personal tale of Commissioner Gordon: the return of his son James Jr., who we haven't seen much of at all in his life. Apparently, James Jr. is a psychotic who is taking a new anti-psychotic medication and hopes to return back to society in some way. This becomes a very personal tale for the Gordon family, including Gordon's ex-wife Barbara and of course his daughter Barbara, formerly Batgirl and now the wheelchair-confined information gatherer Oracle. These interludes are illustrated by the brilliant Francavilla, whose every page looks like it's suitable for framing. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Jr. is not exactly what he seems to be and this leads to a small-scale but highly emotionally charged finale.
Scott Snyder did several things in this book that very few before him were able to do successfully. First and foremost, he captured the essence of Dick Grayson bearing the responsibility of being Batman. It's not something he shirks from, but he does feel out of place living in Bruce's penthouse and basically taking the mantle of Batman is no small matter. He is more emotional than Bruce and has more issues with his own fears. Second is that he's one of the few writers to really get the essence of Batman being a detective. While Dick is not as brilliant as Bruce, he was trained by the best, and Batman is not just a machine of brute force dispensing justice with his fists and cool gadgets; he's also considered the world's greatest detective and it's always exciting to see an author with a good handle on that aspect of Batman. Third is Snyder's awareness of Gotham not just being a city, but as being an integral character in the adventures of Batman. There's a darkness to the city that the good people strive to rise above, which is why the partnership of Batman and Jim Gordon has been the lifeline of Gotham's survival. Also on wonderful display here is Snyder's understanding of the supporting cast. He gives all of them equal and necessary life in the story, and has a superb handle on their individual characters.
In the few years since Snyder started in this business, first gaining prominence on AMERICAN VAMPIRE (which is another breath of fresh air to a dying genre) and then his work on DETECTIVE gaining him even greater accolades, he has become possibly the best writer currently at DC. Several people, including myself have heralded him as the next Alan Moore. He has an understanding of character, dialogue and structure that is unusual and continually striking. He's been the standout star of DC's "New 52", continuing his work on Batman with
as well as bringing back one of DC's greatest horror titles,
. He has also continued to establish himself as one of comic's premier horror writers by doing the best horror comic in years over at Image Comics called
(you can find my review of that book via that link), as well as doing a mini-event that explores the beginnings of Gotham City in
.
THE BLACK MIRROR is a Batman classic that people will still be discussing in years to come, as well as his other work in the field. I couldn't suggest more highly picking up any of his books. It doesn't get much better.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2012
★★★★★ 5
Dark, Brooding and 100% Batman
This review is super-spoilery. If you haven't read The Black Mirror yet, do yourself a favor and go grab a copy ASAP. You won't regret it.
No matter who we are, we can't escape our past. Where we've come from and who we've been leave indelible marks on us. Nowhere is this more true than Gotham City, and in Batman: The Black Mirror, Scott Snyder gives us a glimpse into the Darkness that lies at the core of the city.
If you're not a regular Batman reader, you may not know that everyone in the DC Comics universe thought Bruce Wayne was dead for a while. While he was gone, Dick Grayson - the original Robin - took up the mantle of the Batman. After Bruce Wayne's return, he kept Dick as the new Gotham City Batman.* Black Mirror is actually a story featuring Dick Grayson - not Bruce Wayne - as the Batman.
Snyder's story is one of the best Batman stories I've ever read. It's a dark, brooding and good, old-fashioned detective story. And it actually works better with Dick instead of Bruce under the cowl. That's a writing feat nothing short of miraculous.
Snyder's Gotham is a monstrous city that seeks to poison everyone in it. It turned both Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson into masked vigilantes. Dick was the child of circus acrobats who were murdered in Gotham. He was taken in by Bruce Wayne, who lost his own parents to Gotham criminals and trained Dick to become Robin. Eventually Dick outgrew the Robin persona and became Nightwing, working in a city near Gotham.
Joining Dick in the spotlight of Black Mirror is Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon, who's no less a victim of Gotham's darkness than Dick. He and his first wife Barbara have a son named James, Jr., who left with Barbara when she and Jim divorced. Jim also has a niece named Barbara who came to live with him after her parents died. Barbara dated Dick in high school, and she became the first Batgirl. In Alan Moore's epic The Killing Joke, the Joker shoots Barbara in the stomach, paralyzing her. In a wheelchair, she's now the Oracle. She serves as the information hub for Batman, Robin and their allies.
The Black Mirror introduces us for the first time to the adult James, Jr., who has returned to Gotham searching for a second chance. We learn from his suspicious father that James, Jr. is a clinical psychopath: he doesn't feel typical human emotion (yes, just like Dexter). But he comes claiming to be on a new medication that stimulates the brain to produce the chemicals psychopaths lack. He reveals that he's volunteering at Dr. Leslie Thompkins' free clinic.
Jim Gordon is suspicious, distrustful. But he can't stop himself from being hopeful, too. Is it possible that his son has found peace and even redemption?
Snyder keeps us guessing about James, Jr.'s true nature through the whole book. We feel the tension Jim Gordon feels, torn as he is between Oracle's pessimism and Dick's optimism. Barbara is convinced that James, Jr. is a monster who can and will never change, while Dick is hopeful.
And so with this tension established, Snyder asks us a most basic question: can we be anything other than what we have been?
We meet Sonja Branch, the estranged daughter of the mobster who killed Dick's parents. A wealthy, successful executive, Dick wonders to Jim Gordon if she's as upstanding as she seems. Dick muses that "it's nice to know that maybe, once in a blue moon, the apple does fall far from the tree in Gotham."
The expression on Jim Gordon's face as he echoes, "Once in a blue moon," reveals that he's still wondering about James, Jr. An old case has led Jim to reflect on his son to wonder yet again what made him the way he is. To wonder what he could've done differently. He concludes that Gotham is fundamentally sick. He wonders to Dick:
Do you ever feel like... like the more good you do or try to do for people out there, for strangers, the more the ones close to you, the ones you love, get hurt? ...I don't mean in general. I mean here. In Gotham... I'm talking about the damn bedrock. There are times I feel a dark heart down there, Dick. A dark, malformed heart.
Since Alan Moore's The Killing Joke, the Batman mythology has suggested that Gotham's villains arise as a response to the Batman's presence. The Joker of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns is comatose, awaking only when news breaks that the Batman has returned to Gotham. And Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight laughs that Batman thinks Joker wants him dead - the Batman completes Ledger's Joker.
But Snyder dares to step beyond this to suggest that it's Gotham, the city itself that creates both the heroes and the monsters. Gotham created the Batman just as it created the Joker. Gotham created Robin by murdering Dick's parents. And now that Dick is the Batman, we learn that Gotham has been creating a new nightmare just for him.
Dick's opposite, his dark mirror, isn't the Joker. That surprise comes when we finally meet the newly-escaped Clown Prince of Crime after Batman tracks him down. The Joker knows instantly, chastising Batman:
Do you even know what Gotham means, little bird? ...It means a safe place for goats! And do you know what preys on goats? Bats. The bat makes the goat sick. But every bat does this in its own way. And you, you're not my bat!
So what sickness has arisen as a response to Dick's new Batman? By the time we reach Snyder's gut-wrenching, perfectly, agonizingly timed reveal, we realize it could have been no one else but James, Jr.
James, Jr. is a pure, true psychopath. He's reversed his medications - instead of stimulating the brain to produce more of the drugs that give us emotions, James, Jr.'s drug suppresses them. His master plan - an eerie successor to the Joker's inaugural caper - is to drug a factory in Gotham that manufactures infant formula. James, Jr.'s goal is to create a generation of psychopaths, to remake Gotham's children in his own image.
He calmly explains as much to Dick as he tortures his cousin, Barbara:
Gotham is a city of nightmares... in the truest sense because what's a nightmare if it isn't a warning? A vision of yourself at your weakest... Batman - the real one - he shapes Gotham out of an obsession... but you new crop, you do it out of compassion. Out of empathy. Out of weakness... And out of all of them, Dick, you're the weakest.
[Gotham] is a city of nightmares, and I'm yours. I'm the face you see in the glass. A man with no conscience. No empathy. Gotham made me to challenge you... I am Gotham's son. And the city made me so I could help usher in a new generation of children.
Dick proves that his compassion is more a weapon than a weakness, thwarting James, Jr. (probably). But Black Mirror leaves us with an unsettled, uneasy sense that this fight is darker and longer than we thought. We start to wonder if the Batman's quest is actually winnable, in the end.
But Dick Grayson never wonders. That's what separates him from the James, Jrs. of the world. That's what separates him even from Bruce. This is a different Batman. Full of optimism. Playful - he makes jokes and teases his teammates.
Dick's Batman is at once totally different from Bruce's and at the same time wholly Batman.
Most importantly, Dick is hopeful. And it's ultimately that hope that lifts us up over even a surprisingly ambiguous ending. Dick said it perfectly early in the book:
I couldn't understand why Bruce... always chose to drive through the streets, moving on the ground... when he could've just soared above it all. But I get it now. Because even back then he understood that Gotham is a place you can never get above, a place you can never see clearly... I can't help it, though. I'm built differently. Because there's something about seeing Gotham from the sky that energizes me, gives me hope, if only for a moment before I come back down to earth.
Dick hopes that Gotham can be better. It's a hope that transcends anything even Bruce has. And it's that hope that draws him and those around him - like Jim and Barbara to fight the good fight.
Bottom Line: Whether you're a long-time fan of the Batman or only know The Dark Knight, Snyder's book is a must read. The characters are amazing. The plot is fantastic. The art is breathtaking. From start to finish, The Black Mirror is a sterling example of the literary power of comics you'll want to read over and over again.
*Since DC Comics has rebooted their entire franchise, none of this is the case anymore. Bruce is back to being the Batman and Dick Grayson has returned to his role as Nightwing.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2011
★★★★★ 4
Reflections of the Dark Knight
A new Batman, a new villain, an old city, and lots of familiar faces. 'The Black Mirror' is a potent formula, and for the most part very effective.
But, I have to say at the outset, it's difficult to read a Batman story without Bruce Wayne. Scott Snyder brings all his considerable skill to bear in writing this multifaceted tale of a Gotham City finding its way, Dick Grayson trying so hard to fill the cowl of Bruce Wayne with new partners, and a long-forgotten piece of Commissioner Jim Gordon's past come back to haunt him.
There's a lot to this story, and Snyder spins it with the same wit, the same grasp of history and literature, and the same subtleties of craft as he has evidenced with the excellent 'American Vampire.' For all its newness, it's clear that Snyder "gets" the Batman, gets the importance of Gotham City as a place and as a character in its own right, gets the history of those who've come before him, and pumps all of this into the overall arc of 'The Black Mirror.'
And yet part of me can't let go - where's the Batman I know?
Similarly, artists Jock and Francesco Francavilla get the look and feel of Batman. Despite pretty dramatically different styles - Jock's harsh and jagged and nearly monochromatic, Francavilla's more colorful and less edgy - they both show well here, and the material they illustrate is well-suited to their talents. Jock expresses the drama and the darkness of the Batman, Francavilla expresses the more human side of both heroes and villains alike. For a story this complex - a story of drugs and madmen and broken families and long-held grudges - both have their piece to contribute, and they do it well.
And something still feels like it's missing.
It's a little like reading 'The Hound of the Baskervilles,' in the parts where Holmes is absent from the story. Watson is a fine investigator, and pushes the story forward in his own way, and it's still a good story. But it feels less driven, less exciting, less complete, until Holmes' return, with all his fire and fervor, to wrap the case up with his signature panache.
I kept waiting, in 'The Black Mirror,' for that moment. When Bruce Wayne returned and righted that world and brought it all back into sharp perspective. Though there were many satisfying moments to be experienced...that moment never came.
'The Black Mirror' is aptly named. It reflects aspects of Gotham City and its denizens, both those who fight for it and those who would bring it crashing down, in new and original ways. It makes us see things we haven't seen before. Scott Snyder and Jock and Francavilla represent well here, and have created a finely-crafted addition to the ongoing story of Batman.
But a reflection of a thing is not the thing itself, and that difference was felt here. A slight warping of the glass, or a flaw in its surface gave it away. Though his reflection was seen in the black mirror, the Batman was not to be found here. And that was hard to get past.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2012
★★★★★ 5
The Greatest Batman Story Ever Written by Scott Snyder
Format: Paperback, Format: Paperback
Known about this volume for a long time, but I kept putting it off and just managed to finally read it a few days ago. And the first thing that came to my mind after I finished the last page and closed the comic was "Wow, that was a really good story". And I really think that sums it up perfectly, but i'll expand to give a more thorough review.
Scott Snyder is the current writer of the main Batman comic book series (Though his run is nearly at an end now), which is where the brunt of my experience with him comes from. I've read another comic by him set around the same time period that this one takes place in (Batman Gates of Gotham) and I honestly wasn't impressed with it. Definitely one of his weaker showings. This one makes up for that and then some however. The Batman featured in this, and the previous, story is Dick Grayson (Robin #1, Nightwing, and currently Agent 13 over in Grayson). Naturally, you'd expect Dick Grayson to be a different character than Bruce Wayne, and Snyder gets this. The entire story really deals with the idea that it is Dick wearing the cape and cowl and crafts an adventure that is made for him and how he would personally deal with it. He makes some mistakes here and there, but also has a lot of success specifically because of who he is. I think the stories told in this work are exciting and full of a good amount of action and character development.
Snyder has a tendency in my opinion to only focus on one overarching story, which I don't personally prefer. He avoids that here. There is one massive story being told, with one main villain at its core who is responsible for pulling our heroe's strings, but between that and the start of the story are numerous other adventures as well, with different characters and villains, who have their own motivations. I appreciate this because it's just nice to see our hero fighting against so many different people throughout the story. This also isnt' solely Dick's story. I'd say that it's as much Jim Gordon's as it is Batman's this time around, with the major villain striking really close to home. This adds a sense of emotion and tragedy to the story which you don't often see. Further more, this story is creepy. That's actually something that I don't think can be said about the majority of Batman stories out there. It's dark, depressing, and genuinely creepy at points, capable of chilling you to the bone. It's a solid change of pace and I loved it.
Despite the fact that we don't get our traditional Batman in this I would honestly rate this as one of the greatst Batman stories of all time and highly recommend it.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2016