What to do with Batman Inc post Morrison?

[Captain Jim]

Wow, it's amazing how some things never change. I'm hearing the same sort of comments here as when Morrison's end-time on Batman and Robin was approaching. "It's his story. DC will discontinue the book once he finishes his story." Yeah, right. The current incarnation of BI was announced as an ongoing title, not a limited series. And Burnham has said on this very forum that it's his understanding that the book will continue with different creators when he and Morrison leave.

They absolutely are not going to end a thriving series with Morrison. For the same reason that they didn't end Batman and Robin once Morrison moved on.

That Batman Inc will continue onward without him is a given, I think.

I agree.

In my mind, Batman Inc is a nice opportunity to cancel the struggling Batwing book and fold David into a "Batmen of All Nations" style book.

That would make a lot of sense.

[Captain Jim]

The truth is that it's no longer as much of a thriving series as it once was, though, it's been consistently in about 5th or 6th place in main Batbook sales for the past few months, and everyone knows it's only Morrison's name that sells it to those who want to read the end of his story.

This is another good point. Last month's issue was #36 on the Top 100 List. Wasn't BI #1 once upon a time? Without Morrison, sales will only fall. I think DC will try to continue it, but I don't see it having as bright a future as Batman & Robin did.

[ispacehead]

Wow, it's amazing how some things never change. I'm hearing the same sort of comments here as when Morrison's end-time on Batman and Robin was approaching.

I didn't think BAR would end, but I think Inc will. Makes more sense now. (To me anyhoo...)

I guess we'll know for sure in 3 months, when the solicits for 13 do or do not appear. Maybe less if a new creative team is announced sooner than that, assuming Morrison is done at issue 12 of course.

[zur en arrh]

It should just end. Though that's me speaking as someone that thinks DC has approximately zero other writers worth reading that aren't already writing books (Lemire, Azzarello), so I don't even want to imagine who would take over.

[prescribeddrone]

Once Morrison leaves, 95% chance I'm dropping it.

[Seattle Freeze]

I really don't see the B-listers of Inc. being able to carry a book. Why read about a series of second rate Batmen when you have a good number of options to read about the real deal? Batwing is struggling and he's the most high profile member of Inc. ouside of Bruce.

The "B-listers" can carry a book if they have the right creative team behind them. I find Knight and Beryl to be very interesting but their series was silly and lame. With a good writer, I would like to see Beryl hit her potential.

The real deal? Each character has his own story, style, and home city so each has different stories to tell.

As for Batwing being the highest profile member of Inc, that is because he is the only one with his own series. Is he really doing the best? I think Jason Todd's book is out-selling Batwing's.

[ViewtifulJC]

Just end it

and yeah, they kept Batman and Robin going, but when Morrison left at issue #15, it was 80,343 copies sold. Batman Inc #6 is at 52,636, and which is a not small drop percentage wise from last month's 58,172. How much do we expect it to be at #12? As much as I dislike the book, Snyder is clearly the engine running the Bat-books now, not Grant Morrison. When the rest of the Bat-books are doing crossovers and references to each other through the Court of Owls or Death in the Family, Inc is off in it's own little world, living only on Grant's name. And when he's gone and sales still dropping, what's left?

[DrSimonHurt]

I would like to see the book fold into a new series that continues some of the same themes. The "Incorporated" nature is tied directly to Morrison's narrative and really isn't something built for longevity.

I don't want to see the book just drop and disappear. It needs to evolve into something. Burnham should still be involved. I think Tomasi and Burnham could continue it, and coordinate it with Batman and Robin, as larger series dealing with his extended family members.

[CjP]

If Inc. was Morrison's vehicle intended to tell a specific story (remember when we called those maxi-series?), then by all means, let it end. Not knowing when a story is done is the cause of most of Hollywood's sequel dreck. If it was simply a cool idea to run with for a while, I don't see the harm in letting someone else take a swing at it.

[AJM]

This is another good point. Last month's issue was #36 on the Top 100 List. Wasn't BI #1 once upon a time? Without Morrison, sales will only fall. I think DC will try to continue it, but I don't see it having as bright a future as Batman & Robin did.

Yeah, I just saw your post on December sales – now 8th place in the Batbooks and selling a third of what Snyder's main book does. I know they announced it as ongoing, but times change and i really expect them to cancel it now and fill the space with something new.

Remember someone had that idea for a Batgirls book? I can dream!

[Whip Whirlwind]

I would like to see the book fold into a new series that continues some of the same themes. The "Incorporated" nature is tied directly to Morrison's narrative and really isn't something built for longevity.

I don't want to see the book just drop and disappear. It needs to evolve into something. Burnham should still be involved. I think Tomasi and Burnham could continue it, and coordinate it with Batman and Robin, as larger series dealing with his extended family members.

I'd like to see Tomasi on INC, but personally I'd also like to see him off Batman and Robin. IMO BQM writes a better damian, who is really the star of the book.

[Desaad]

The things that make BQM a perfect choice for Batman and Robin (I agree) are the same things that make him a great choice for Batman Inc, IMHO.

But if I had my druthers we'd have BQM on Batman and Robin and Matt Kindt on Batman Inc.

[Whip Whirlwind]

The things that make BQM a perfect choice for Batman and Robin (I agree) are the same things that make him a great choice for Batman Inc, IMHO.

But if I had my druthers we'd have BQM on Batman and Robin and Matt Kindt on Batman Inc.

From nearly everything I've read of yours if you had your druthers I'd be much happier with the DCU.

I agree that Kindt would be a great choice for INC, he'd be able to keep up that wacky weird energy the series has (if paired with the right artist) that distinguishes it from other bat titles.

Honestly now that I think of it, if higgins doesn't wow with his next arc they should put Tomasi on Nightwing. His last run was great, and I'm 95% sure that's what made GM want him on B&R after he left.

BQM on B&R is really a no brainer though.

[manduck37]

The "B-listers" can carry a book if they have the right creative team behind them. I find Knight and Beryl to be very interesting but their series was silly and lame. With a good writer, I would like to see Beryl hit her potential.

The real deal? Each character has his own story, style, and home city so each has different stories to tell.

As for Batwing being the highest profile member of Inc, that is because he is the only one with his own series. Is he really doing the best? I think Jason Todd's book is out-selling Batwing's.

Sure, any character can be good with a good creative team. That's nothing new. Though what do the members of Inc. bring to the table that you don't already get with Batman? It's nice that they have a different city or something minor like that. Though really you're just switching the name "Gotham" out for "Paris" or "Berlin". So you put a good creative team on the book and see if you can make them different and interesting. Ok, then you have another bat themed or bat inspired vigilantes with techy gadgets to add to the list of Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Red Hood, Red Robin, Batgirl and Batwoman. That's seven characters in the Batverse and you have to cram in an entire Incorporated list to that. Ultimately, it would be more of the same.

Yes, Red Hood is selling better that Batwing. Red Hood isn't in Inc. as a member though. He just shows up to help out Bruce from time to time. It seems to me that Batwing is struggling because he's not very unique or interestings. He's essentially Bruce in a different setting. Does he battle a corrupt system like Bruce in Gotham? Yes. Does he have an Alfred to patch him up and give him advice? Yes. Does he have endless resources and tech courtesy to Wayne? Yes. And the list goes on and on. He's not unique. So if I want to read about a character who is exactly like Batman, I'll just read Batman.

So really, what can an incorporated book do that you can't do in one of the other 4 or 5 Batman books out there? What purpose does it serve? You can feature the other members of incorporated in the back-ups of Detective if you want to. The Detective back-ups have needed some help. Detective is also good for spy/conspiracy style stories like Leviathan really. Want to explore Damian? That's what Batman and Robin does. How about weird, out of continuity stories? Well the digital and newly in print Legends handles that one. It seems to me that Inc would be better served being folded into the other titles and explored there. DC is stretched a little thin with their talent these days. They can't keep piling books on their good creative teams. It doesn't seem like DC is making any friends in the industry to bring back good talent or pick up new talent.

Now, should they cancel Inc after Morrison? I obviously think so. Will they? Not a chance. It's a title with their most popular character created by a writer with a huge following. So if there is even a chance it will make money, they'll take that chance. It is a business after all. Bat books sell. So I think they'll give it a shot. From their perspective, why wouldn't they? If they think it will sell, they'll do it. Plain and simple. They can always cancel it later. Likely, by virtue of being a Bat book, it will sell well enough to keep going. If Batman the Dark Knight can hang on, I'm guessing Inc can as well.

[Seattle Freeze]

If you go back to when Bruce Wayne announced the founding of BAtman Inc, he didn't start it to specificially fight Leviathan, but world-wide crime. Does Morrison leaving the title and his story with Leviathan mean the end of what Inc is meant to do:? No. Did the CIA pack it up when the Soviet Union fell?

There will still be massive crime organizations beyond those centering on a vendetta between the Wayne and al Ghul families. That has made for a great long arc, but even with the Bruce v Talia dtory over, Bruce won't end Inc will he? All cells and members of Leviathan itself won't be cleaned up, will they?

There is still much work to do for the organization and opportunities to develop some great characters and to do so with the same Morrison feel and intent if so desired.