The Death of Batman?

[whitefox360]

I just saw DC's new promo poster 'and evil shall inherit the earth' or something like that. and they have an empty batman cowl laying in
the dirt.

The rumor around comic con was that bruce is going to die,
or at the very least retire...

Didio is infamous for his position on nightwing, and said a while back that steps were being taken to make him a bigger part of the DC universe.

Do you think Dick's going to be batman for a while?

[DonC]

No. Character limit

[Captain Jim]

I agree with Don.

[1_2_3[Kasady]]

Never. Not a chance in hell.

[mike626]

No,way is DC gonna allow anyone to kill off any member of the Trinity.

[Red Lotus]

No. In fact I think Dick Grayson is going to die.

You're right some what about what Didio thinks of Grayson. But he also said that he couldn't go back to Robin and he was never going to be Batman so he is stuck. He said that the only reason they let him live was to change him.

I like Niightwing alot(I get 2 DC books and Nightwing is the star of both) and I'm getting the feeling that the things they are doing to him haven't did anything to change the fact that he is stuck in the eyes of Didio.

[mattx110]

i'd read into that that jason todd was gonna become batman...

or jean-paul is coming back... tagline "evil" might be something more neutral, but evily.

or maybe ra's is gonna be a bigger deal when he comes back to life (if he does). or the joker is getting a bat-only type event?

it could mean anything really, and i don't think nightwing deserves to die. bruce wayne has been batman for how long? that doesn't mean he's stuck as a character... that kind of logic doesn't really make sense. especially when you've got grayson who has tricky relationships with barbara, kori, arsenal/red arrow whatever he's called now, the titans, the outsiders, what's left of the bludhaven police dept., the whole bat-team. there's alot you can do with him that doesn't involve changing his costume. i mean, when he cut off the pony-tail, that was a big deal.

[MichaelMogg]

If the multi-universe still exists then there must be one man enough to let Bruce die. :D I think it would be nice to see a bunch of ongoing series that take the DCU in different directions than the main universe is willing to go, such as the death of Bruce. I'd like to see how the world, unrestricted by necessity to fully maintain the "franchise characters", would develop its own unique reality. It could spawn something amazing, including great story telling and/or new characters.

[Bat_Fan2232]

no absolutely no , no way in hell, negative, ni, no in spanish. if this happens i will walk away from comics forever, because even if they decided to bring bruce back it would be tainted, he would have always been dead or retired or whatever...

the most logical thing i can hope to say is that

i hope they bury me before they bury bruce wayne

[Flash's Lightning]

At the rate Didio is going, probably Jason Todd will be Batman. :D

Can you imagine the controversy?

[Buried Alien]

Once upon a time not so very long ago, I would have said unequivocably "no," but now that Marvel has apparently killed off Captain America (and sounds serious about making it permanent), perhaps DC is thinking, "Hmmm. Marvel has killed off one of their icons; we have to match the move by killing off one of ours. Let's see, who on our roster is the closest equivalent to Captain America...ah, Batman."

I tell you, if you thought Marvel got alot of media buzz for killing Cap, it'll be nothing compared to the buzz if Batman really dies.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[whitefox360]

See that's what I'm saying...The media would swarm all over bruce
wayne dying. Now I'm not one to play 'business man/ writer' or anything else
but when you consider how powerful batman has become in the DCU,
it's seems possible...Especially when the final crisis line is:

'Heroes Die, Legend Lives Forever'

When has anyone other than batman been affiliated with the word legend?
Superman isn't legend. Nor is Wonder Woman. They speak out publically in
the books all the time. Hell that used to be why Wonder Woman was in
NewYork to begin with. I mean unless I'm mistaken the DCU's general public
has no clue Batman exists to the extent he does, do they?

Isn't batman supposed to be an urban legend for thugs and the like?

If the torch isn't being passed, why the empty cowl on the ground next to
supermans read 'death of' tattered cape? (with superman above it wearing
the black 'I just died' suit'

I Don't think Batman will die for the same reasons Captain America isn't dead.
Even though Steve Roberts(or rogers?) is gone, someone will become Captain
America. (I think Joe Q said it was going to be Punisher)

DC Will never Kill Batman (nor should they), but I can totally picture logic
behind Dick Grayson taking Bruce's place. I mean the conflict potential alone
would be awesome...

Not only would Nightwing have to learn the ropes to a real persona, but
picture Grayson out as Batman, with Bruce giving him instructions through a
headset or whatever, and Dick Arguing or just out-right ignoring him, for
example. The insuing fight back at the cave would rock.

Just a thought though.

And I SWEAR TO GOD if Final Crisis's big climax results in the Death of
Aquaman II and/or the return of Aquaman I (also affiliated to the word
legend... albeit very very very very loosely) I'm going to pick up one of those
Didio must die shirts ;)

[Choppa]

This is my guess, and it's a bit spoilerish-

Btw how do you do a spoiler tag? I tried [SPOILER] and [spoiler] with no success.

***Spoiler***

DiDio said that the picture of Batman with the sword marks the return of a deadly villian, who I'm guessing is Ra's Al Ghul (and going by other remarks in this thread I think most people believe he is coming back). And Batman really will die, but will be resurrected by a lazarus pit. I have no evidence to support that part, but I have a hunch since the pit and Clayface are always the two biggest "undo" buttons in Batman-world.

[Captain Jim]

I don't think there's anything that needs spoiler tags there. Everybody knows Ras is coming back, the issue has already been solicited. And most of the rest of what you say is speculation.

However, for future reference, it's [spoil ] [/spoil ].

[Captain Jim]

Once upon a time not so very long ago, I would have said unequivocably "no," but now that Marvel has apparently killed off Captain America (and sounds serious about making it permanent), perhaps DC is thinking, "Hmmm. Marvel has killed off one of their icons; we have to match the move by killing off one of ours. Let's see, who on our roster is the closest equivalent to Captain America...ah, Batman."

I tell you, if you thought Marvel got alot of media buzz for killing Cap, it'll be nothing compared to the buzz if Batman really dies.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

One of the problems with killing Bruce Wayne and replacing him with somebody else is that it's so very close to what already happened in the Knightfall, Knightquest and Prodigal storylines. There's a real "been there, done that" feel to it.

And for what it's worth, I don't think Steve Rogers is gone for good either.

[Choppa]

I don't think there's anything that needs spoiler tags there. Everybody knows Ras is coming back, the issue has already been solicited. And most of the rest of what you say is speculation.

However, for future reference, it's [spoil ] [/spoil ].

Didn't know that. Which issue is it? And has it defenitly been confirmed that that's why Batman is wearing that suit carrying the sword in the Countdown pic?

[Captain Jim]

Didn't know that. Which issue is it?

BATMAN #670
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Tony Daniel

The next chapter of Batman’s life starts here! The shadow of Batman’s archfoe Ra’s al Ghul still looms large over the head of the Dark Knight. Is Ra’s al Ghul destined to live again? Batman begins his quest for the truth in this special prelude to “The Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul,” guest-starring Talia al Ghul, Damian, the Sensei and I-Ching!

On sale October 31

[TheKerrMan]

Ok guys lets get real in acouple of years when DC is once again scrapping the bottom of the bucket for ideas there going to pull the same shit as they did in the 90's with Supes and kill Bruce off so then Dick Grayson can hold on to the reigns for 8 issues and "MAGICALY" have Bruce come back to stop the Joker from buying Canada.

[Ms. M]

Originally posted by Captain Jim
One of the problems with killing Bruce Wayne and replacing him is that it's so very close to what already happened in the Knightfall, Knightquest, and Prodigal storylines. There's a real "been there, done that" feel to it.


That is a valid issue, but I think there would be a lot of new stories that could be created now. There's all sorts of new factors that Bruce's death would impact - his place in the Justice League and the Outsiders, Jason, and Damian. And having Robin (who's already lost so much), Alfred, and Nightwing really think Bruce is dead would impact them much more deeply.

And let's face it, Marvel has been outselling DC in the last year or so and DC needs something big to get people talking. Killing Bruce, even if all the real fans know it won't last more than a year or two, would do that. I hate stunt storylines like this in theory, but the potential stories this would create in the short run are irresistable.

[Captain Jim]

And let's face it, Marvel has been outselling DC in the last year or so

The last year or so? How about since some time in the 1970's?

[Choppa]

Didn't Ra's blow up Arkham in Batman #400 the same way Bane did in Batman #491? There's some recycling right there.

[Crimson]

To be honest, I think it would be a great storyline seeing how the three Robins try to take over from Batman... maybe not putting on his cotume but filling the void he would leave. Even now, when two of them haven't been his sidekicked for years they are still in his shadows.

I don't think it'd happen but it would be cool to see.

[Choppa]

^Three? Dick, Tim, and who else? Jason isn't Robin, unless you mean Red Robin.

[Captain Jim]

Jason's a former Robin, every bit as much as Dick. I'm sure that's what he meant.

[Choppa]

Yeah but why would he try to cover for Batman if he's a villian.

[pauwoo]

No,way is DC gonna allow anyone to kill off any member of the Trinity.


Just curious but why isn't Dick considered in the same way, he has been around longer than Wonder Woman, by almost 18 months, has probably appeared in more comics than her.

[HotRod_Tim]

ha...ha...NO!

[Nintendite]

Not only will he die... I secretly stole the ending to FINAL CRISIS from the very desk of Dan Didio.... and I will post it here first, for you!


Open to the REFLECTING POOL in WASHINGTON DC. Our big bad, the JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME, has just finished off the first wave of Heroes that opposed him, and we see the effects that he has wrought upon them: ARGENT has had her HEAD PLACED UPON A PIKE, the NEW BLUE BEETLE has been SQUISHED LIKE A BUG, GUY GARDNER has been BRAINWASHED INTO A DRONE of the villain. O, and Dan, if you want anyone else killed, I've attached a list of the surviving members of JLI and the lesser known Titans. Check all you want killed.


EARTH'S LAST HOPE ARRIVES.

Superman: Okay, here's the deal, if we are going to stop him from destroying all creation, we need to work together.
Batman (On radio): LIKE HELL KENT! OUTTA MY WAY!

Then, THE BATMOBILE comes up with IT'S ENGINE BLAZING ON FIRE. It's FLYING and it LAUNCHES A SMALL THERMONUCLEAR WARHEAD at JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME. The warhead EXPLODES, vaporizing GUY GARDNER and MOST OF DC. The various HEROES, however, are unaffected.

The smoke begins to clear.. and JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME still stands.

JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME: You will have to try better, fool!


Batman: I will.

BATMAN presses a BUTTON on the FLYING BATMOBILE OF DEATH that says "BAT-ANTI-JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME SPRAY".

Batman: EAT THIS!

The BAT-ANTI-JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME SPRAY is SHOT OUT OF THE FRONT of the FLYING BATMOBILE OF DEATH.

JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME: O, like that is going to hurt :COUGH: me... :COUGH:! ARRRRRGH... WHO DARES?!?!

The FLYING BATMOBILE OF DEATH spirals towards JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME. THE BATMAN pops out and SURFS the BATMOBILE OF DEATH down towards the JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME as he screams his final warcry.

Batman: I AM THE GODDAMN BATMAN, YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The FLYING BATMOBILE OF DEATH comes and CRASHES INTO JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME and, both because of the ATOMIC EXPLOSION OF FIRE and THE BAT-ANTI-JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME SPRAY, the JOKERIZED ANTI-MONARNEKKRONASEIDCLIPSOLARISERIEX EATER PRIME dies. But so does... THE BATMAN.



O wait... maybe I accidentally grabbed the end of All-Star Batman by mistake....

[Jkid099]

*Gets this weird sense of deja-vu in regard to this discussion* Didn't everyone have this same exact conversation in the build-up to Infinite Crisis? "It's going to be Batman" "Who's going to replace Batman" "Batman's going to end up in Arkham Asylum" "No, no, it's really going to be Dick dead" and so forth (although I think Nightwing came the closest to dying of the two, didn't he?)

[Crimson]

^Three? Dick, Tim, and who else? Jason isn't Robin, unless you mean Red Robin.

He was Robin.

What I mean is the fact that they are all different in personaility, all are at different periods on their life... too loose Batman (even if for a short time) would be interesting to see.

[mattx110]

Just curious but why isn't Dick considered in the same way, he has been around longer than Wonder Woman, by almost 18 months, has probably appeared in more comics than her.

DC likes the idea of the "the three most important DC heroes". they're mythological and all that. robin is part of batman's area, so dick didn't matter until he became nightwing for all this stuff.

and about jason being a bad guy, even if he hates batman, when he dies, he's going to the funeral and he's gonna be upset. he gave him a second chance and taught him everything he knows that's not stealing or being rude.

[Citizen V]

I don't think Steve Rogers is gone for good either.

I dont believe it.He will be back,its good to hear someone from DC saying that.

No.Batman is iconic,he will never go away.Even if some want that,progression..that`s what i think its called..

[Lorendiac]

One of the problems with killing Bruce Wayne and replacing him with somebody else is that it's so very close to what already happened in the Knightfall, Knightquest and Prodigal storylines. There's a real "been there, done that" feel to it.

Sure, but that all ended over a decade ago. Maybe it's about time to take that pitcher to the well again for a "new generation" of readers? After all, the fact that Superman lost his powers in "Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite" so that he was a "normal guy" when he proposed marriage to Lois didn't stop DC from having him lose his powers several years later (after "The Final Night," I believe) so that he was just a "normal guy" when he actually did marry Lois, and those events in turn did not prevent DC from starting out his OYL issues in 2006 by telling us he had once again lost his powers at the end of "Infinite Crisis" and lived as just a "normal guy" for a solid year before they kicked in again. There are only so many "really dramatic changes" you can make in a well-established superhero's lifestyle, including depowering or killing him, so they all tend to get recycled as the years roll past! :)

And for what it's worth, I don't think Steve Rogers is gone for good either.

Neither do I. Never seriously crossed my mind that he'd still be dead ten or twenty years from now. Of course, I speak as the guy who, back in the mid-90s, bought "Emerald Twilight" as it came out in the "Green Lantern" title and took it for granted the whole thing was some sort of Temporary Stunt to make Hal Jordan seem to have forfeited his heroic role as Green Lantern -- just so that an unimpressive emergency pinch-hitter (Kyle Rayner) could be dragged in to temporarily replace him. Years went by before I finally realized that at the time, the replacement of Hal with Kyle had been meant to be a pretty "permanent" shake-up in the Green Lantern concept! (And I got the last laugh when Hal eventually was rehabilitated and took back the name of Green Lantern anyway! :))

[Choppa]

He was Robin.

What I mean is the fact that they are all different in personaility, all are at different periods on their life... too loose Batman (even if for a short time) would be interesting to see.

I see. It sounded like you were saying that they would continue fighting crime in his absense.

[Servo]

Ok, I've been hearing a few disconcerting rumours today (mostly stemming from the DC boards) concerning a the possibility of DC killing off Bruce Wayne/Batman at the end of Countdown/Final Crisis.

Some of it apparently comes from the similarity between these two pictures...

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/comicbookfan78/Batman-LastSupperJLAmeeting.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/comicbookfan78/LastSupper.jpg

...but also Chris Chow's article here (http://www.batman-on-film.com/opinion_the-death-of-batman_c-clow_8-30-07.html) at Batman On Film highlights a few possible "omens" from past issues.

Personally, I think the evidence is a little flimsy, but these rumours must start somewhere.

So what do you think? Should they kill of Bats (or at least the Bruce Wayne incarnation)? Who should take his place? Nightwing? Tim Drake? Terry McGinnis? Damien?
How do you think the death of Batman would affect the larger DC Universe, and even DC's redership?

Many people have been holding up the recent death of Captain America as an example of a title doing well without its main character, but I have a hard time believing that Cap is as popular or read as Batman is.

I personally think that, while killing him is a good way to create some instant drama and sell a few more issues, it would be a bad idea in the long run, and I can't see it taking them too long to bring him back.

[Captain Jim]

Y'know, I never noticed the similarity of these two pictures, but it's undeniable. Not sure it means a thing, though.

I really don't think DC would kill Bruce, and I certainly hope they don't. But then again, Didio & company have done some strange things.

[vazel]

Wow, even if he comes back within a couple issues after his 'death' I think this would be the straw that broke the camel's back in making me say goodbye to DC comics(excluding Vertigo).

[Wind-Breaker]

I don't know though, they kinda of touched on the idea of Bruce no longer being Batman in Knightfall, and the books having been selling so well for so long. Bruce would leave such a huge void in the Batman mythos that such a change could only be temporary due to fan outcry. As popular as his supporting characters are, none of them no matter how interesting the story could satisfy fans. It didn't work with Hal Jordan, and it’s not likely to work with a more popular character in Bruce Wayne.

[The Zapper]

If he dies, it wont be permanent. Just like Cap.

[David Atkins]

See that's what I'm saying...The media would swarm all over bruce
wayne dying. Now I'm not one to play 'business man/ writer' or anything else
but when you consider how powerful batman has become in the DCU,
it's seems possible...Especially when the final crisis line is:

'Heroes Die, Legend Lives Forever'

When has anyone other than batman been affiliated with the word legend?
Superman isn't legend. Nor is Wonder Woman. They speak out publically in
the books all the time. Hell that used to be why Wonder Woman was in
NewYork to begin with. I mean unless I'm mistaken the DCU's general public
has no clue Batman exists to the extent he does, do they?

You're stretching a bit there.

Batman is (depending on the writer, I believe) supposed to be viewed by the general populace as either a myth or an urban legend.

But all of the major heroes (Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, etc, etc, etc...) are legends/legendary in their own right, to both readers and the average DC Earth citizen.

Ok, I've been hearing a few disconcerting rumours today (mostly stemming from the DC boards) concerning a the possibility of DC killing off Bruce Wayne/Batman at the end of Countdown/Final Crisis.

Some of it apparently comes from the similarity between these two pictures...

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/comicbookfan78/Batman-LastSupperJLAmeeting.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/comicbookfan78/LastSupper.jpg

That's... interesting. Doesn't that make two Countdown-related images that hearken back to that one (to varying degrees)?

[Paul Dee]

Batman's not seen as an urban myth anymore though.


The more I think about this the more I think it could happen, in a sensationalist "lets get everyone to buy this comic" Death of Superman kind of way.

Another 'clue' was that Final Crisis is gearing up for a 4th (presumably important) death and Didio mentioned what outrageous fortunes that death causes. Could fit really.

Side-note - I always found it interesting that Countdown To.. and Final Crisis are both the responsibility of the 2 people on the main Batman books at present.

[CMBMOOL]

Didn't they already kill off Batman once ? :(

And by Batman, I mean the Earth-2 one ? :(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_(Earth-Two)

[CMBMOOL]

Ok, I've been hearing a few disconcerting rumours today (mostly stemming from the DC boards) concerning a the possibility of DC killing off Bruce Wayne/Batman at the end of Countdown/Final Crisis.

Some of it apparently comes from the similarity between these two pictures...

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/comicbookfan78/Batman-LastSupperJLAmeeting.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m75/comicbookfan78/LastSupper.jpg



Freaky comparision. :eek:

[Captain Jim]

Batman's not seen as an urban myth anymore though.

True. That was officially put to rest in War Games.

Side-note - I always found it interesting that Countdown To.. and Final Crisis are both the responsibility of the 2 people on the main Batman books at present.

Hadn't ever thought about that. I think a shiver just went down my spine.

[Captain Jim]

Didn't they already kill off Batman once ? :(

And by Batman, I mean the Earth-2 one ? :(

True, but that was long, long after he had been replaced by the Earth 1 Batman. It was really no big deal when it happened.

[4thHorseman]

Hmm...it would somewhat make a little sense tying that picture in with the Villains teaser. Batman being Jesus...and anyone remember seeing Martian Manhunter with a knife in the villain teaser? Possibilities....


but I take these rumours with a grain of salt. Didn't they have the same rumor going with Infinite Crisis? Than saying he would be put in Arkham? Neither of which occurred...

[Mr.50]

I doubt they will kill him off aroiund final crisis since that is about the same time as the new movie will be coming out. It seems like it would be a huge conflict for promotion.

Mr.50

[Pete26]

I have been a Batman fan since I was 5 Years old. I'm 46 now, so that's a lot of years. That sounds arrogant, but it's not meant to be, since these characters are timeless and we did not create them but enjoy their impacts on our lives as an image of our past and future.

I personally think that Bruce Wayne/Batman is the one, true Batman. Been there done that. Bruce was the one traumatized by his parents death and deals with the stuff everyday. Any other person filling in would not be Batman but pretenders. Unlike other characters, Batman is defined by his past, which is as unique as a fingerprint. I know that comics can change, but some characters are too defined by their past to replace with another. This is only my opinion.


.:evilsmile

Thanks for a great forum

[Jmacq1]

No way. Batman is Bruce Wayne. Not only in the comics, but in the minds of pretty much anybody that knows of Batman.

In other words Bruce Wayne is just as "iconic" as Batman himself. Any replacement will be purely temporary.

You don't have Batman without Bruce Wayne, Superman without Clark Kent, or Spider-Man without Peter Parker. Pretty much anyone else borders on negotiable.

Of course, with the whole multiple earths thing, they could kill off a Batman. Just not "the" Batman.

[Servo]

Batman is (depending on the writer, I believe) supposed to be viewed by the general populace as either a myth or an urban legend.

Batman's not seen as an urban myth anymore though.

Exactly. Batman is no longer an urban legend, he's a world renowned hero and member of the JLA.
I think this might be a good opportunity to reboot Batman in a way. I think it would be cool if they publicly killed him off, only for him to slowly return as the thing in the shadows again. Build up the rumour of his return - criminals becoming frightened again and seeing things in the shadows, rumours of the giant bat returning to Gotham circulating in the underworld. Something like that would be quite cool, if done properly.

[Paul Dee]

I think this might be a good opportunity to reboot Batman in a way. I think it would be cool if they publicly killed him off, only for him to slowly return as the thing in the shadows again. Build up the rumour of his return - criminals becoming frightened again and seeing things in the shadows, rumours of the giant bat returning to Gotham circulating in the underworld. Something like that would be quite cool, if done properly.


Yeah, I see what you mean actually. It's a nice idea but not at the expense of killing him off, in my opinion

I wish they'd elaborated more on your idea at the start of the OYL story actually, that would have been interesting. There was an element of that but it was quickly disgarded so that the story could go on.

[Buried Alien]

Exactly. Batman is no longer an urban legend, he's a world renowned hero and member of the JLA.
I think this might be a good opportunity to reboot Batman in a way. I think it would be cool if they publicly killed him off, only for him to slowly return as the thing in the shadows again. Build up the rumour of his return - criminals becoming frightened again and seeing things in the shadows, rumours of the giant bat returning to Gotham circulating in the underworld. Something like that would be quite cool, if done properly.

I liked "Batman as an urban myth" as an aspect of the character early in his career, when he was largely an unknown. Now that Batman is a veteran adventurer who has been through so much (publicly and otherwise) over the years, maintaining that status is untenable...and too limiting. I prefer a Batman who is capable of being effective both night AND day; who can operate in the shadows when necessary, and in broad daylight when it's called for. Constraining him within the status of "urban myth" limits the variety of stories that can be told with the character.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Servo]

Yeah, I see what you mean actually. It's a nice idea but not at the expense of killing him off, in my opinion.

I think killing him would be the only way to achieve such a comprehensive reeboot of the character. I don't think it would have the same impact if the current Batman simply decided to just leave the JLA and return to the shadows of Gotham voluntarily.

I think if he was publicly killed and then slowly but surely crept back into the shadows, it would boost his "urban legend" status to a massive degree.

[Magneto_X]

Batman being Jesus...

Bats isn't DC's Jesus. That's Superman.

[Captain Jim]

I have been a Batman fan since I was 5 Years old. I'm 46 now, so that's a lot of years. That sounds arrogant, but it's not meant to be, since these characters are timeless and we did not create them but enjoy their impacts on our lives as an image of our past and future.

I personally think that Bruce Wayne/Batman is the one, true Batman. Been there done that. Bruce was the one traumatized by his parents death and deals with the stuff everyday. Any other person filling in would not be Batman but pretenders. Unlike other characters, Batman is defined by his past, which is as unique as a fingerprint. I know that comics can change, but some characters are too defined by their past to replace with another. This is only my opinion.


.:evilsmile

Thanks for a great forum

Welcome to CBR, Pete. :)

[Mongoose mcCloud]

Batman as Jesus sort of works if you squint at the whole "he dies when Ra's Al Ghul comes back and then gets revived in the Lazarus Pit" angle. Just because it happened to Superman is no reason to assume DC aren't so short of ideas and desperate for the attention Marvel have laid claim to for the last few years that they won't go that way.
DC's main strategy seems one of short-term thinking - the death of Bruce Wayne would be a prime example of that, but not a permanent situation, what with all the movies and merchandise associated with the character.

I think Bruce Wayne should run for president. He's the president of the free world AND Batman - anyone who doesn't want to buy that book is a madman.

[Craig T. Nelson]

I certainly would. President Batman is a fantastic idea.

[Mongoose mcCloud]

Should have happened at the end of Lex Luthor's first term in office, though. Bruce Wayne could have run against him, won, and then had to fit being prez around kicking people's faces off in a sewer every night.

[Captain Jim]

As I recall, the last time Bruce tried to get involved in Washington, it didn't work out too well.

[Lorendiac]

I doubt they will kill him off aroiund final crisis since that is about the same time as the new movie will be coming out. It seems like it would be a huge conflict for promotion.

Mr.50

Well, I thought it was a silly idea to kill off Ra's al Ghul in "Death and the Maidens" shortly before he would finally make his big-screen debut in "Batman Begins" -- but that didn't stop DC from doing it anyway!

Of course, if Batman does get killed off, or otherwise "retires" to let someone else take over the mantle of the Bat for awhile, I'll immediately start up a Poll asking people how long they expect that situation to last this time around. Six months? A year? Maybe even two years? :)

I take it for granted that the whole thing would never last in the long run, though. (I mean, did any regular readers of the comics seriously believe there was any remote chance that Superman, when he died in 1992, would still be dead ten years later?)

[pariah-1972]

It would be interesting to see how Nightwing could handle it since he is so tied to Batman more than any other sidekick out there,
would he take over the mantle as bats? or would he just let his legacy live in peace?
would the justice league accept someone who is basically Batman light?
these are questions i've always wondered about myself.

[yourverysilly]

see I like the way there are just one word answers. no discussion. no explanation. just the no to let everyone no that DC wouldn't dare. and if they're even thinking about it...nah. no. they just aren't that stupid to enrage every geek and nerd on earth prime are they? ARE THEY?

[Maestro]

You don't really have to kill Batman. Just paralyze him every once and a while

[Valhalla]

What if Batman does die, only to be revived by Ras as a world without his greatest foe jsut doesn't seem the same. :confused:

[bw38]

if batman dies just to be revived it still wouldn't be the same. i've always liked that aside from all the crazy things that happen in Gotham that just about everyone invovled (heroes and villains) are humans and if they die they stay dead (Ra's and Jason Todd being the exceptions I know of). Batman shouldn't be killed just for publicity. Now if they wanted to kill Batman out of continuity I wouldn't have a problem with them.

[HotRod_Tim]

Killing off Bruce Wayne would be the biggest mistake that DC could ever make. He is THE hero of the DCU to more fans than anyone else I could think of. Even though Superman was built to be the icon of DC and Batman was meant to be more underground, and I do belive it's that more underground, human vibe that attracts a majority of readers. This normal guy (as in no powers) with extensive martial arts training, who also happens to be one of the richest guys in the world, and perhaps the greatest detective in the world. There are just too many great aspects to the character that they cannot kill him off. Batman is a man amongst gods. He does what he does because he can. He will always be there to protect.

[The Batman]

With the multiverse in place they can get away with killing A Batman, just not THE Batman. It might even be interesting to see what spins out of that and how people react.

[Blue Boy]

I don't care if they kill him at all because...

[Spoiler] [Spoiler] [Spoiler]



They'll bring him back before he hits the Public Domain!:D

No,way is DC gonna allow anyone to kill off any member of the Trinity.

That's what they said about Captain America. "They'll never do it. No one would allow it."
"What?!?! Kill off a Robin??? Jason Todd's is too iconic...
"Roger Stern the biggest Superman fan ever try to kill off Superman but no one would ever..."

Also I wouldn't care if they killed off WW seeing how nothing has happened to her that matter since Rucka was writing the book. I hope Gail Simone changes that though.

[Kieralinn]

This is such a moot point. They will NOT kill off Bruce Wayne when "The Dark Knight" is coming out next summer. That would be the stupidest thing they could do. Just my opinion

[Servo]

This is such a moot point. They will NOT kill off Bruce Wayne when "The Dark Knight" is coming out next summer. That would be the stupidest thing they could do. Just my opinion

Yeah, but the movie comes out in July. Assuming they're going to kill Batman off at the end of Final Crisis (which starts in May and runs for 7 issues), that means that he wont die until the end of 2008. - some 5 months after the film comes out.

[Lorendiac]

This is such a moot point. They will NOT kill off Bruce Wayne when "The Dark Knight" is coming out next summer. That would be the stupidest thing they could do. Just my opinion

Well, I don't think a significant percentage of the moviegoing public, in this day and age, really knows or cares if a superhero is "supposed to be dead just now, until further notice" in the comic books being published at the same time the movie is released. A few hundred thousand comic book fans would actually sit up and take notice if Batman died and stayed dead for a year or so, but the rest of the human race probably wouldn't be affected by it at all!

Look at it this way: Cyclops was in the X-Men in the movie that came out in 2000. I believe he was still supposed to be dead in the comic books at that point -- absorbed into Apocalypse in a comic book story in 1999. He didn't come back to life (in the comics) until a bit later. Who knew? Who cared? It didn't stop the movie from being a hit!

A few years later, summer of 2003, X2 came out. I think Magneto was still supposed to be dead in the comics (in Grant Morrison's run) at that point, and for that matter, Colossus was still dead too. Magneto got plenty of dialogue in X2 and Colossus got at least a little screen time. Again, who knew? Who cared?

P.S. I've said before that I thought it was very silly for DC to kill off Ra's al Ghul in the comics shortly before his own big-screen debut in "Batman Begins" -- but that didn't stop them from having him "officially be dead" in the comics during the time that movie was in theaters, and "Batman Begins" still did pretty well, didn't it? :) That was probably what forced me to reassess whether or not what's happening in the comics really has any meaning at all from the viewpoint of the average citizen in the real world who's deciding whether or not to go watch a superhero film tonight . . .

[Spiffy]

That's what they said about Captain America. "They'll never do it. No one would allow it."

With respect to Cap, Batman is more of a cornerstone for his company than Cap ever was to Marvel. A better comparison would be killing Spider-Man.

[HotRod_Tim]

I'd have to pretty much agree with Lorendiac about how many comic book characters are dead around the time they get their cinematic debut, it's been a real trend lately. I mean my most recent memory of this was the Death of the Maidens which was the story of Ra's Al Ghul's death right before Batman Begins came out, but after thinking about it there are also many more, more than I'd rather list that is.

[Otringal]

well let me share my point of view here : at first, batman seemed kind of gay, being in the 40's costumes and stuff, robin with naked legs, etc. the period I enjoyed the most was the one in the 80's-90's, around the Batman Animated Series ... now THOSE CARTOONS reflected what Batman always meant and will always represent for me ... I mean my entire childhood revolved around that particular image/feeling of the Batman/Gotham universe ... nowadays, Batman tends to approach a more sci-fi aspect, Batman using military equipment for his suit/costume/pack/gear as we see in Batman Begins, and I really hate the image of Batman we see depicted in all these new comics like Batman secrets, Dark Knight, etc. ... I DON'T WANT A REAL AND DARK BATMAN !!! we have plenty of sadistic 'heroes' ... just keep the good ones untouched ok ??? I want the cartoony Batman we all enjoyed with all the cartoony characters like the classic Joker, Clayface, Scarecrow, etc.

[Captain Jim]

I'm still not anywhere near convinced that this supposed death is really in the plans. It's one thing for Marvel to "kill" Captain America and continue his single title with supporting characters. It would be something totally different for DC to have to continue all of the multiple Batman titles without his presence. Again, the timing with the movie makes it seem unlikely. I don't think the Ra's or Cyclops parallels are a fair comparison. They weren't Cyclops and Ra's movies, they were X-Men and Batman movies.

Besides, the supposed evidence for such a plan seems very skimpy.

[Mr.50]

Well how about in the reviews for Batman #669 it says on the back of his cape (or something like that) "The Dark Knight must die." Any chance that is a foreshadowing of "Batman" dying in the near future but it being the Dark Knight Batman rather then continuity Batman.

Mr.50