I think many of us were wondering what would happen to Dick Grayson when Bruce Wayne finally reappeared on the scene screaming incoherently about time travel, Jackie Chan, and Billy Pilgrm and wanting his job back. The New York Times broke the answer today with the news that we won’t have one, but TWO Batmen running around the DCU.
Starting in November, DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN and BATMAN AND ROBIN will feature the ongoing adventures of Dick Grayson as Batman, with Damian as Robin. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne will take center stage in the pages of Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette’s BATMAN INC. and writer/artist David Finch’s BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT.
While it is an interesting concept, it isn’t the first time we’ve seen multiple people beneath the cowl. But if this is really an ongoing, it will be quite a different world for the citizens of Gotham and those that deal with Batman and don’t know his secret identity. These characters will instantly recognize there are two different people under the cowl (this is going to cause Jim Gordon no end of headaches), or there are going to be those that think Batman is bi-polar – one moment he’s bashing in your teeth and screaming that he’s the God Damned Batman, and the next he’s slapping you on the back and spouting flippantly while doing acrobatics from the rooftops.
I’m sure this will come up in some discussion this week on the Major Spoilers Podcast, but for now, we’ll leave it up to you, Dear Reader, to spout your thoughts on the news.
20 Comments
As with majority of the decisions made in the Batman camp in the last few years, I believe Mr. Horse said it best with “No, Sir. I don’t like it.”
Stop it with the Bizarro speak, it’s giving me a headache.
I am surprised in the fact that it makes me want to start reading Batman on a regular basis. I do like the concept, and intend on giving Batman Inc. a try when it drops.
With the supposed changes that have been made to Bruce with the events of Batman RIP and on and the “full circle” of using a gun and bullet to “kill” Darkseid then this would be a progression toward Bruce Wayne “growing” out of the Batman persona rather than becoming the bitter, hardened Bruce Wayne seen in Kingdom Come, Miller’s Dark Knight and Batman Beyond. Do I think it will last? No, but I do think it has some interesting possibilities.
Batman is really giving to to Robin in that cover.
First thing I thought when I saw this cover was also that it kinda looks like an all male three-way. Not what I want when I’m already picking up a title with a buncha dudes in spandex. Might as well throw the Gimp over in one corner.
Um…wow.
So, DC will now have…five human Green Lanterns, three Flashes, two Batmen…
…and yet they decided against having two Green Arrows. GRRR.
Geez. I don’t like this at all. I mean, the change is almost too much to take.
Two Batmen? Sure. That’s fine.
But the NY Times breaking comic book news? I don’t think I can handle it.
;)
LOL — good one!
I’m excited for this idea. Totally makes sense- Bruce comes back, sees that Batman kept continuity. The key would be for no one to know theres a Batman, Inc- unlike the GLC.
However, this cover is totally weird- totally looks like something inappropriate to Robin (HE’S 14!!) is happening.
I don’t like it. I am all for change, but if you bring back Bruce, Dick needs to go back to being Nightwing. I am a big proponent of one person per identity. This is DC trying to have their cake and eat it too. They are trying to give people who don’t like Greyson as Batman their Bruce Wayne Batman, while simultaneously giving the people who like Batman and Robin what they want as well. Pick a character and commit GD you DC!
The only way I can see this being a positive move is if they establish that the events of the Greyson Batman only take place during the period where Bruce Wayne is missing. It doesn’t sound like that is what they’re doing though. The entire reason I read Batman is because I always know who they’re talking about when they put that title on the comic. Give him whatever trappings you want he is always the same guy dressing up as a bat for the same reasons.
Greyson Batman is a good character, and I wouldn’t mind reading his adventures from now on if they decided to completely get rid of Bruce Wayne. It just seems out of character for Greyson to keep being Batman once Wayne is back. He would step down out of respect for the man he considers his better. I also can’t imagine Damian sticking around with Dick with the real Batman back in town.
DC commiting to anything is not going to happen. St. Barry is the one true Flash, Hal is the one true GL.
I like the Adam West-ish Dick Grayson Batman, but also the Bruce under the cowl. I think there are times when they have cake, they should not just eat it, they should stuff themselves. For a character who couldn’t even “die” in his own book, having two Batmen around isn’t that big of a deal.
Don’t agree too much that DG’s Batman is Adam West-ish, however, for years since Miller helped ignite and inspire a more ‘goddamn’ Batman or at least less socialable more obsessive (in regular continuity) one; a Dark Knight working in tandem with the JLA, leading the Outsiders or just having a sit down with Superman became harder to accept.
Not with DG under the cowl. He ‘plays well with others’ and let’s not underestimate him – he CAN go dark too – but has to be really pushed in that direction.
I really like the idea. Sure, it’s been done before, but never to this degree. I like that it’s something new and fresh (for Batman), and, frankly, it makes sense. If Batman (Bruce Wayne) wanted to bring an end to crime, or at least sully it, then he would need an organization that worked similar to himself.
So, I look forward to it.
Personally I’m looking forward to the execution, the concept could work very well or it could fail. We don’t know, but it’s all very doable and I trust Morrison with Batman, I’m looking forward to seeing how this will be done exactly. And I’m kinda expecting it to be awesome.. What can I say, the crazy Scotsman hasn’t let me down yet.
No, no, no.
PS
No
It makes sense to me. Bruce has always said that Batman is a legacy and a symbol more than a man. Why shouldn’t there be two Batmen?
I’m willing to give it a try because the idea is challenging the (frankly bipolar) notion that Bruce thinks he can do it all by himself AND that he’s just training people to take over for him.
I look forward to their inevitable team-up.
To the knee-jerk nay sayers, give good reasons why it can’t work… you know, other than falling on the ground, pounding the floor, screaming “do not want!” Good stories have change and evolution… not status quo. I don’t want to see a million more stories of Bruce going through his perfected routine. I want to see him embrace a new challenge–running an organization dedicated to his mission. That’s new. That’s interesting. Having two Batmen shakes up things in a way that doesn’t disrupt the way of the world (like Jean Paul did) but gives us the ability to be surprised by stories once again. I’m looking forward to that.
As for Grayson wanting to step down when Bruce returns, I agree. I think he will… which is why I’m looking forward to Bruce saying, “No, son. You’ve earned this.” That will be such an important moment for them, looking back through their relationship.
“Bruce has always said that Batman is a legacy and a symbol more than a man. Why shouldn’t there be two Batmen?”
Because a legacy is something you leave behind when you’re finished and Bruce isn’t finished yet. That’s why few objected to Grayson being Batsyman while Bruce was doing the Captain America act, but now that he’s back it’s time for the sidekick to go back to NightWinging it.
You don’t have to be finished to pass down a legacy (That’s called an inheritance)… And Captain America was doing The Bruce-act ;) Just to set that clear, Brubaker’s plans are younger than Morrison’s.
I like Dick Grayson as Batman, but I guess I’m just still of the mindset that I’d like to have seen Jason Todd as the new Batman, and I may be the only one. The main reason for that is that I think Dick Grayson as a character has fought pretty hard to get out of Bruce’s shadow and to establish himself as a new character, a la Nightwing. Jason Todd just seems to bob around in limbo, I’ve never found him as Red Hood to be very interesting and the only time of late that I’ve actually liked him was during the Search for Ray Palmer stuff. I just don’t particularly care for the fact that Nightwing had to lose his individual identity to take up Bruce’s mantle. That being said, I do like the idea of Dick as Batman and think that he’s earned it and makes a good Batman.