Is DC going to Kill Batman?

[Wee67]

I don't frequent this forum as much as perhaps I should, but is this for real? I assume this discussion has been going on for a while, but I'm pretty out of touch with modern story arcs.

Comics: Batman Probably Dying This Summer

I realize the publicity Marvel got with Captain America's death, but I think Bruce is the one character whose never died (for any length of time). I wold also think that, although Marvel did enjoy a lot of attention, a lot of people seemed to express how they saw through the gimmick and were just waiting for Steve Rogers' reappearance in a year or two. It seems I can't get through a modern comic anymore without at least one hero dying in an issue.

[The Toyroom]

From DCs June solicitations:

Batman's mysterious adversary has won. All is lost for the Dark Knight. Bruce Wayne is now deranged and dissociated, wandering homeless in the alleys of Gotham City. Is there a chance that Bruce can rebuild his Batman identity from scratch, or is this truly the end for one of the world's finest heroes?

Not a physical death persay but the Batman identity appears to be temporarily "dead" until Bruce Wayne regains his memory and figures out he's Batman. At least that's my interpretation...

[Earth 2 Chris]

I'm leary of this. I REALLY dislike the Damian character, and I don't think that's going to change. Rumor is, he's going to take over as Batman for awhile.

Anyone remember this when it was Knightfall 15 years ago?

Chris

[Wee67]

Who is this "mysterious adversary?"

[Airdave817]

I stopped reading after The Death of Superman. I haven't read Batman consistently since well before Knightfall. I guess that was when I realized that it wasn't about storytelling but about gimmicks. I still read comics, but I try to be really more selective as far as storytelling.

Here's the scary part of that story -
(emphasis mine)

Incidentally, this sort of stunt may feel like a cheap grab for readership in a dying industry, and it is, but it's also part of a long tradition in superhero comics of violating all traditional rules of literature. Superheroes have always died, resurrected, and revealed their identities without consequence. Why doesn't this ruin the brand? Well, when's the last time you bought a comic book? Modern film audiences don't need to actually read the comic to get the Batman brand, so DC can do what they like with comic-book Batman while film Batman keeps raking in money.

Wow.

[BlackKnight]

I hated Damian when he was 1st introduced... However with the recent events in the "Rise of Ras Al Ghul" Story arc,.. I have grown to like the character somewhat. He is such a Pain in the Arse,.. & it's interesting to see Batman Half to deal with his Brat son ,.. who is the Grandson of his Most Powerful Adversary imo.

[mitchedwards]

I hate this garbage

[SoulSinger]

I seem to recall he faked his death somewhere along the timeline already so he could accomplish things anonymously.

Bob

[jwyblejr]

Cripes,Frank Miller "killed off" Batman long ago. Why do something that has already been done? Oh that's right,they'll tell you The Dark Knight Returns is just an Elseworlds story and doesn't count.

[SoulSinger]

Here's a fix: Robin was just dreaming.

Bob

[mitchedwards]

Here's a fix: Robin was just dreaming.

Bob

I can see it now, Robin wakes up and hears the shower running, he walks in to find Batman stepping out of the shower.

That would be an original story

[jwyblejr]

As long as he's not dreaming about Family Guy.

[The Toyroom]

I'm leary of this. I REALLY dislike the Damian character, and I don't think that's going to change. Rumor is, he's going to take over as Batman for awhile.

I gotta agree...when the idea was presented ages ago in "Batman:Son of the Demon" it was treated as outside of continuity and I was cool with that...now not so much.

[MIB41]

Yeah, the idea of "killing" off superheroes has grown tired to say the least. I've quit collecting anything having to do with the Civil War or Captain America until they quit farting around and bring back Steve Rogers. If everyone would did that for a month or two, the real Cap would return right away! It's just a gimmick to revitalize interest and, of course, sale comics that have deadend storylines until the real hero returns. I think Marvel has been the greatest offender of this gimmick with the Captian America story. Even worse I deplored how they "erased" Spiderman's history to fix his identity/fugitive problem. From a writer's perspective that was a complete cop out.

[Boris71]

IMO DC has done a far better job of killing off batman and superman than any villian could ever do. and DC and Marvel are not far off killimg comics period. Don't get me wrong I'm a huge comic fan but all these crossovers and "gimick" story lines are slowly killing off comics and characters, and the "big" crossover events are so common now that they IMO have become a here we go again DC/Marvel need to make some more monmey off of comic sales, and when it doesn't work out they just rewrite history to fix the mistake they made and ignore what just happened, heroes rebon is a classic example of this IMO