Is DC going to Kill Batman?

[MIB41]

I could not agree with you more. Marvel is killing the industry single handedly. If fans don't feel like they have a character they can invest in, why bother? The stories become meaningless and the art of creating a clever plot no longer serves a purpose. Great point Boris.

[mitchedwards]

I was thinking about this, and if DC really wanted to make a creative change, they could have Bruce realize he's getting to old to go out and fight crime.

So Bruce could retire as Batman, and let Dick Grayson take the mantle of the Bat. Bruce could then work behind the scene.

That would have been a better idea, rather than kill Batman and bring him back in a few months.

[SoulSinger]

I have a book of Batman comics my dad gave me. It's called "Batman: From the 30's to the 70's". It had Batman comics inside from parts of those decades. There is a similar story in there. Robin grows up and becomes Batman with a Roman numeral II on his costume. In the story, it turned out to be someone's fiction they were writing, but it's a good idea. You and Mr. Kane thought alike!

Bob

[Earth 2 Chris]

I was thinking about this, and if DC really wanted to make a creative change, they could have Bruce realize he's getting to old to go out and fight crime.

So Bruce could retire as Batman, and let Dick Grayson take the mantle of the Bat. Bruce could then work behind the scene.

That would have been a better idea, rather than kill Batman and bring him back in a few months.

At the end of Knightfall/Knightquest/Knightsend, Bruce did indeed hand the mantle of Batman over to Dick. Honestly, I could have lived with that if it stuck. As you say, Bruce behind the scenes, much like on Batman Beyond, but he wouldn't be as old and bitter.

That story is in the "Prodigal" trade paperback if you can find it. Good stuff.

CHris

[phil]

Yawn..............DC is going to "kill" a cash cow like Batman the same way they
"killed" their Kryptonian cash cow years ago.

I hate this cynical kind of crap and it helped drive me away from comic books.

[ctc]

>the idea of "killing" off superheroes has grown tired to say the least.

I can remember a "Munden's Bar" story from, oh, almost twenty years ago that showed comic book heaven has a rotating door. So it was old twenty years ago.

>if DC really wanted to make a creative change, they could have Bruce realize he's getting to old to go out and fight crime

Didn't they DO something like that a LONG time ago... with the Silver Age Batman? (Or was it the Golden Age one?) Where he retires and gets married?

When you've done a character for 60+ years it's safe to say you've probably done EVERY permutation of that character. (I can't wait for them to bring back the space-faring Batman, who solved interstellar crimes on planets where everyone mysteriously speaks English....)

Don C.

[Earth 2 Chris]

The Earth 2 Batman married his Catwoman and went into semi-retirment. He accidentally had a hand in her death, and gave up being Batman all together and became Gotham's Police Commisioner. Their daughter became the Huntress to avenge her mother's death. Bruce was forced to become Batman one last time, and died in battle.

This was all on Earth 2, so no harm done to the "current" Batman over in Batman, 'Tec, Brave and the Bold, JLA, WF, etc.

With 52 Earths now, couldn't DC have told this story on one of those?

Chris

[Airdave817]

I have a book of Batman comics my dad gave me. It's called "Batman: From the 30's to the 70's". It had Batman comics inside from parts of those decades. There is a similar story in there. Robin grows up and becomes Batman with a Roman numeral II on his costume. In the story, it turned out to be someone's fiction they were writing, but it's a good idea. You and Mr. Kane thought alike!

Bob

I still have that book! It's near falling apart 'cuz I've worn it out - it was Alfred writing some fan fiction. He, Bruce and Dick realized that it could never be published...

Bruce Wayne married Selins Kyle, I think if I remember it right. Their son was Robin II with the "II" on his costume, like Batman II.

The story probably inspired a sequence in John Byrne's Superman & Batman: Generations I & II...

[SoulSinger]

That's the one! I still have mine as well.

Bob

I still have that book! It's near falling apart 'cuz I've worn it out - it was Alfred writing some fan fiction. He, Bruce and Dick realized that it could never be published...

Bruce Wayne married Selins Kyle, I think if I remember it right. Their son was Robin II with the "II" on his costume, like Batman II.

The story probably inspired a sequence in John Byrne's Superman & Batman: Generations I & II...