Batman 702 Annotations

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BATMAN 702


Title: RIP: The Missing Chapter
Part 1: Batman's Last Case
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist and Cover: Tony Daniel
















Page 1

Days to Omega: 27
Location: The Hall of Justice

Superman declares “Condition Amber” to all the JLA members (Final Crisis #1 pg. 24).

Page 2-3

Batman takes the Radion Bullet and puts it in his utility belt to bring it to the Bat-Cave to further analyze it.

Note: Batman taking the Radion Bullet was first revealed in Batman #683 pg. 22 where he also began his recording regarding this event before his “death”.



Everything that Batman narrated in this issue is part of this recording which I suppose is addressed to Superman.

Page 4

Batman explains his theory (the Radion Bullet being the essence of all bullets) to Wally West, the Flash.

Note: We must remember that Wally West is the Flash from Grant’s JLA run so a chat between these two is not a surprise anymore.

This is also the theory that Wally mentioned to Jay Garrick in Final Crisis #2 pg. 28-29


Page 5

This scene, Superman talking to Batman outside the Hall of Justice first appeared in Final Crisis #2 pg. 20

“Essence of bullet” elaborated. Batman has this theory that the New Gods, their ways, and their artifacts are the essence of things rather than things themselves. For him, the New Gods are ideas that happen to interact with the real world. Just like Metron introducing fire to Anthro, thus born the discovery of fire to mankind. Darkseid’s Radion Bullet, the bullet that kills Orion, is the archetype of all bullets.

Note: In Final Crisis #6, Batman says “A gun and a bullet, Darkseid. It was your idea”.



At the time, it seemed that Batman was speaking only of Orion’s death, but here, he’s speaking of every such death. It is the origin of all the bullets that end many lives known to mankind, including his parents'.

Page 6-7

“that imprint on your palm”

Note: In Final Crisis #2, while investigating the crime scene (at Metropolis’ docks where Orion’s body was found) green lantern John Stewart was attacked by another green lantern, and was crucified by the attacker’s constructs to a shipping crate. Before he was put down, John tried to break free. He rips his arm from where it was pinned and punches his attacker’s hand.



Later it was revealed that John’s attacker is alpha lantern Kraken possessed by Granny Goodness, Batman discovered it when he saw the imprint of John’s ring in Kraken’s palm.

Batman calls for ‘Black Alert’. He tried to stop Kraken by killing the nerve cluster in her wrist but failed.

Kraken’s constructs are of giant centipedes. Batman says that her constructs felt like Joker Venom, Fear Gas, and Doctor Hurt’s smile all at once.



Note: Flowers in Arkham garden had these hideous centipedes crawling out of them in Joker’s fantasy of murdering Robin, Nightwing and Gordon using his Joker Venom, which he saw in the ink-blot test that Le Bossu gave him (Batman 676).






Batman believes that the New Gods are the essence of things. This suggests that Granny Goodness’ attack using Kraken’s constructs is the origin of all the things that Batman mentioned. Things that made him confront his worst fears.

“Too late I saw the shape of the trap that had been waiting for me since the day I was born.”

Batman blacked out after he vomited. The last panel is a black rectangle, the shape of an empty, deep grave. Death, his own mortality, is the ultimate trap, set for him since the day he was born.

Page 8

Days to Omega: 25
Location: Evil Factory, Bludhaven

Instead of Turpin, Batman is the one who said “there’s someone in my head”(Final Crisis #2 pg. 25).



Is this some kind of editorial error? Who knows?

Page 9

That “someone” inside Batman’s head is the Lump.

Note: The Lump is a powerful telepath and shape shifter from Apokolips.



In Final Crisis, Simyan and Mokkari used the Lump to help create an army of Batman Clones. The Lump toured in Batman’s mind for 25 days disguised as Alfred Pennyworth, His goal is taking Batman through his memories, to feed the clones with the determination and skill of Batman. However, Batman detected him which led to a mental battle between the two.

The emotional energy caused by this began killing the Batman Clones. To stop the mental link, Mokkari shot the Lump to death. Still inside Batman’s mind, the Lump feels he’s slowly dying. Batman swore if the Lump helped him, he would find the Lump's killers. From being an enemy, the Lump became Batman’s ally. Lump set Batman free before he disintegrates. Batman’s captors ran away when they saw him gets free, leaving Batman’s utility belt and the gun that they used to kill the Lump.

Lump’s tour inside Batman’s head is detailed in Batman #682-683.

Page 10-11


“There are HOLES in my awareness and they seem to be getting BIGGER”

As he breaks free, Batman sensed that he’s beginning to lose his memory, probably caused by the green syringes injected in his head.

“I can remember the smell of ANTISEPTIC, fear and human waste. It was as if I’d woken in a prison hell of BROKEN GLASS and chemicals where the dead men in the jars all had MY FACE.”


Note: This echoes the memories that the Clone-Batman repeats to Damian in Batman and Robin #9.















“I realized THEY hadn’t prepared for ANY of this.”

“That Hole in Things was EVERYWHERE. It was there in every BEST LAID PLAN.”

Batman remarks of his escape from the Evil Factory as what the Evil Gods hadn’t prepared for. Darkseid’s best laid plan succumbs in failure. Nothing’s perfect.

“They ran and left my belt behind…”

Note: Man, if you’re going to trap the Bat make sure that his utility belt is nowhere near him. With his mind and that belt combined, he’s invincible.

Batman found the Radion Bullet still inside his utility belt. Beside the belt is the gun Mokkari used to kill the Lump.

He loads the God-bullet in the gun then walks to find and confront Darkseid. He remembers his chat with Jim Gordon asking him “Why did you have to choose an enemy that’s…bigger than all of us Batman?” (Batman #665 pg. 18)

“I figured I could take him” Batman replied.

Page 12

Seconds to Omega: 00.53
Location: Depths of Command D-Bunker, Bludhaven

Batman came face to face with Darkseid. (Final Crisis #6 pg. 26-27)

“He might have been a WOLF once, a DRAGON or a TYRANT.”

“How MANY TIMES in human history had his moment played out?”

“The MONSTER…and the MAN standing in his way?”

How many times indeed? Whether real life or fictional? A brave knight fighting a dragon, a lone hunter face to face with a fierce wolf, and stories of people who stood up against tyranny.

Page 13

“He knew I WOULDN”T kill his human host but he didn’t knew I had the RADION bullet.”

“And a NEW MYTH of my own”

As Batman fires the gun, Darkseid’s Omega Sanction came out.

“A myth where Ultimate Evil turns its gaze on humanity and humanity gazes right back and says…”

GOTCHA.

Darkseid is the archetype of all terrible beings/ things that have plagued mankind. Batman stood up and fights the Ultimate Evil in front of him. Thus, his counterattack becomes an archetype, too. He now became humanity’s representative to stare down evil and strike fear into it. Batman altered the myth of evil and gave birth to that well known myth titled "Miracle in Crime Alley", Where a young boy gazed back at evil and vows to fight it. ^_^



Page 14-15

Darkseid’s Omega Sanction struck Batman. (Final Crisis #6 pg. 28-29)



And that brings us to this issue's biggest revelation. The Ancestor Box, unlike the “ping ping ping” sound of the Mother Box, this box creates this bell-like sound “domm domm domm”. Perhaps this is the “Bells of the All-Over” that people throughout history hear when they open the Bat-Casket (Return of Bruce Wayne). In addition to that, this box has a many tentacle thing creeping from it. Perhaps the hyper-adapter which the box contains creates the hyperfauna (Return of Bruce Wayne #2). It is likely that of which Jack Valor cannot speak (Return of Bruce Wayne #3) and that which Alan Wayne calls "sickening" (Return of Bruce Wayne #4).







“Then I GOT it.”

“Somehow I knew WHAT he was turning in his hands…”

Page 16-17

“It was TIME”

“time is PLIABLE”

“As I stayed IN PLACE, he manipulated whole CENTURIES around me”.

As the Omega Sanction struck Batman we can see his life flashes before our eyes as time bends and the coincidences and events became a conspiracy meant to trap and bring him Death.

Darkseid described the Omega Sanction as a trap that uses your history and your timeline that will bring you death over and over. It brings its victim in a series of alternate realities, each worse than the previous one.

Being struck by it, Batman’s reality is trapped (e.g, his various death and funeral in Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader - pg.16 panel 4) and his entire history is manipulated (e.g. Willowood Asylum – pg. 17 panel 1).

Trivia: Willowood Asylum is the place in a Pre-Crisis(1) story where Bruce's brain-damaged evil brother Thomas Jr.(2) was sent.

(1) Because of the extensive and substantial changes that the storyline Crisis on Infinite Earths implemented on many titles published by DC Comics, the series became a defining and critical moment in DC Comics' long-standing continuity. Characters and other elements established before the series, especially those eliminated by it, were referred to as pre-Crisis, while revised ones were considered post-Crisis.

(2) Thomas Wayne Jr.

The second son of Thomas and Martha Wayne, and the elder brother of Bruce/Batman. As an infant, Thomas Jr. had suffered head injuries in a car accident, and had been confined to Willowood Asylum for life. Upon his escape, he was manipulated into becoming the assassin known as the "Boomerang Killer" until Batman learned of his existence. In World's Finest #227, Thomas Wayne, Jr. appears to die, sacrificing himself to save his brother's life.



Question: By opening the gates of the said pre-Crisis asylum, could Morrison be opening the door to Thomas Jr. being Doctor Hurt?

Answer: Definitely, NO.

Thomas Wayne Jr. was only three years older than Bruce, Doctor Hurt on the other hand was already an adult in 1980's, clearly too old to be the son of Thomas and Martha.

And we flash to Superman, Tim Drake and Rip Hunter at the JLA Watchtower listening to Batman’s recording device. Somehow Batman’s buddies found his utility belt and listened to these notes, and that might be how they know that Darkseid turned Batman into a Doomsday Weapon. And now they’re (Superman, Hal Jordan, Booster Gold, Rip Hunter) doing all they can to stop him returning to the current timeline, for his return indicates his and humanity’s end.

Page 18

We can see Bruce’s funeral (first seen in Batman #673 and was detailed in Batman #687), and his gravestone beside his parents’.

During his heart attack and his near death experience in Batman #673, did Bruce saw his future? That we don’t know. What we know is, that wasn’t him they buried. It was the Clone-Batman which Dick resurrected using the Lazarus Pit in Batman and Robin #8

“I’m not dead”.

“I know you’ll search for me”.

We can also see Bruce plunges deeper into Darkseid’s trap with his cape and cowl glowing with Omega Radiation indicating that it’s the Doomsday Weapon.

Page 19

Bruce is now inside his pre-historic Bat-Cave. He takes off the cape and the cowl. He has to, because if being Batman is going to lead him to being Darkseid’s greatest doomsday weapon, he’ll have to be just Bruce Wayne to get through and survive. We should know that there’s no such thing as Batman and Bruce Wayne, because both are one man. With or without the cape and the cowl, there’s no doubt that Bruce Wayne IS Batman.

“I can’t remember my NAME anymore”.

Bruce slowly loses his memories as he leaves everything about him being the Batman.

Page 20-22

(Final Crisis #7, Epilogue)

As Bruce goes deeper in the cave he found Anthro who died peacefully upon sensing his arrival.

“I have to crack this maze. Before I forget EVERYTHING.”

“Like Theseus…leave a trail…And mark it with a BAT”.

“My last case…my ultimate trial…”

“Don’t FORGET. SURVIVE”

Bruce takes off his utility belt, and takes out his recording device (which shows us exactly when he last recorded all this information as he lost his memory).

“I should have known when I CHOSE to walk this path”.

“IT NEVER ENDS”.

Note: The path he is referring to is his decision on that very day when he dons the cape and the cowl and vows to fight evil.

Bruce draws the bat on the cavern wall. Now with his memory all gone, he steps out of the cave into the red dawn/dusk which is the very beginning of Return of Bruce Wayne #1.

"Bahala Na Si Batman" - Exploring one of Filipino's famous expression

One famous characteristic trait of Filipinos is the ‘come what may’ attitude, and we have this odd but famous saying/expression “bahala na si Batman” which is “leave it all to batman” or “it’s all up to batman” when translated in English. But what does this saying really means?

"Bahala na" is usually said in a difficult maybe hopeless situation when things are left to fate. It's like when you have to take an exam and you didn't review, you're gonna say "bahala na si Batman" because you wanna take the exam and you know you have to but you don't care anymore whether to passed it or not.

Batman in this context is taken to be a super persona of some sort who decides one's unchangeable destiny. It’s as if you don’t have any choice and you have to put all your hopes to a certain someone, in this case it’s Batman.

So why Batman? Of all the superheroes, why him?

Maybe, it’s because at one point an old geezer can’t think of any superhero when he invented this saying.

Maybe, it’s just because “Batman” and “Bahala na” starts with the same letter and its sounds nice to the ear.

Maybe, it’s because Batman’s an inspiration for he always finds a way to survive in any given situation because he's greatest weapon is his mind and his incomparable resolve .

Maybe, it’s because Batman is a superhero without any super powers. Thus, he can be looked up upon by any man because he’s a superhero that can actually exist.

Or maybe I just made this whole “why batman” stuff.

But we really do have that kind of saying. ^_^

"Batman Is NOT Nothing Without His Utility Belt" - Bart Simpson

I watched The Simpson's 22nd episode of its 21st season titled 'The Bob Next Door' awhile ago, and I was surprised when I saw what Bart wrote on the black board.



Well, that just made my day. Truly, Batman is NOT nothing without his utility belt.


Well said Bart, well said.

Batman Titles this November

DC has released the November solicitations for its "Batman" titles. Below are the list of the main Bat-titles which are also part of the current continuity (Tie-ins and titles which are out of continuity are not included):


BATMAN, INC. #1
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
1:25 Variant cover by ANDY KUBERT
1:200 Sketch variant cover by YANICK PAQUETTE














Grant Morrison continues his earth-shattering run on the Batman titles with this exciting, new ongoing series! Featuring art by the remarkable Yanick Paquette (SEVEN SOLDIERS: BULLETEER), BATMAN, INC. marks the next stage of evolution for The Dark Knight. This can’t-miss series will star not just Bruce Wayne as Batman, but also a huge number of guest-stars! Don’t miss out on this all-new start to a stunning direction for Batman!


BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1
Written by DAVID FINCH
Art by DAVID FINCH & SCOTT WILLIAMS
Cover by DAVID FINCH
1:25 Variant cover by ANDY CLARKE
1:200 Sketch variant cover by DAVID FINCH














Comics superstar David Finch takes full creative control (both writing and illustrating!) on this brand-new Batman monthly series! Joined by the best of the best – Scott Williams – on inks, this new series is sure to be on everyone’s must-read pile! Delving into the more supernatural and esoteric areas of Gotham City, the 6-part storyline explores the horrific murder of one of Bruce Wayne’s childhood friends…and the terrible ramifications the brutal crime has on Batman’s life!


BATMAN #704
Written by TONY DANIEL
Art and cover by TONY DANIEL

















Welcome back Tony Daniel as regular writer/artist on BATMAN!
When an aging but wealthy technology developer comes to Gotham with his beautiful daughter, it turns out he’s in search of a joint project with WayneTech. DNA tracking is the name of his game, and there are others interested in his proposal. But when the developer goes missing, Batman finds that his tracks stop in the city’s violent Chinatown neighborhood, where a new deadly Triad gang has taken root. Guest-starring I-Ching!


DETECTIVE COMICS #871
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art and cover by JOCK
Co-feature art by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
















Up-and-coming writer Scott Snyder (AMERICAN VAMPIRE) and acclaimed artist Jock (THE LOSERS) make their debut as the new ONGOING creative team of DETECTIVE COMICS!
In “The Black Mirror” part 1 of 3, a series of brutal murders pushes Batman’s detective skills to the limit and forces him to confront one of Gotham City’s oldest evils.


BATMAN & ROBIN #17
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by PATRICK GLEASON & MARK IRWIN
Cover by PATRICK GLEASON
1:10 Variant cover by GENE HA















From the pages of the best-selling BRIGHTEST DAY and GREEN LANTERN CORPS comes the new regular creative team of writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Patrick Gleason! Kicking off the action is “Dark Knight, White Knight” part 1 of 3, as Bruce Wayne returns from the dead, and Gotham City finds itself locked in the grip of chaos! Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne come face-to-face with what could possibly be the strangest Bat Villain yet. Who is the White Knight, and why is he hell-bent on making Gotham City into Heaven on Earth?


BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #17
Written by PAUL DINI
Co-feature written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art by DUSTIN NGUYEN & DEREK FRIDOLFS
Co-feature art by TBD
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN














With Bruce Wayne soon to return to Gotham City, the secret past lives of his parents Thomas and Martha have come back to haunt the family legacy! What bizarre experience in their past is connected to the horrible plan that Tommy Elliot has set in motion? Find out here in part 2 of the 5-part sequel to the best-selling “Heart of Hush”!


Guess Dustin Nguyen will work both on Streets of Gotham and Batgirl, now that's a relief. That Batman and Robin #17 cover above looks like Frazer Irving's work doesn't it? Anyway, See DC's full 'Batman' November solicitation HERE.

White Lantern Batman

What The!!!

Take a look at the cover of Brightest Day #13 made by David Finch featuring a White Lantern Batman.



Looks like another crap from that crap title (Brightest Day). I used to read this one but stopped at Issue #3...well, because...its full of crap. period.

Just like a good friend of mine told me "Brightest Day which supposed to be bright, doesn't look bright afterall".

Dustin Nguyen leaves Batman for Batgirl

Yup! You heard the title right. DC announced that Dustin Nguyen, artist of Batman: Streets of Gotham will leave the said title to be the regular artist for Batgirl starting this November with its 15th issue. The move pairs him with series writer Bryan Q. Miller.

Dustin:

“This is definitely going to be an exciting venture for me, besides the outline Bryan has for us, I’m just plain excited to be drawing Batgirl,” Nguyen said. “This latest incarnation of her has lots of the aesthetics of the original Babs that I love and some new ones. It’ll take me some getting used to drawing a female in horns, but I’m looking forward to putting away the “mean and moody” for a while and kick in the ‘fun and sexy.’”

Below is Dustin's first Batgirl cover.



What's the reason behind the move? That we don't know. Now, the question is: Who will take over the art duty for Streets of Gotham? I looked at DC's website and saw that the last featured issue for Streets of Gotham is #16 which is on sale on September, but it also says there that Dustin is still the artist on this issue, which contradicts this announcement if he'll move as the regular artist for Batgirl this November. Anyways, I hope whoever replaced Dustin in Streets of Gotham is as good as him.

Until then.

Batman 702 Preview

BATMAN #702

Title: BATMAN'S LAST CASE
Part: 2
Writer: GRANT MORRISON
Artist: TONY DANIEL













From DC:

Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel continue their captivating untold tale of Bruce Wayne and his adventures between BATMAN R.I.P. and FINAL CRISIS. Discover the shocking secrets that point toward THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE that we couldn’t show you until now.




See more images HERE

BATMAN #702 hits on August 25

More Game Infos For Batman: Arkham City

One of my previous post revealed some leaked game infos about Batman: Arkham City, but why stopped there when there’s more?



- Sharp took credit for getting the Joker situation under control

- Sharp used that incident to help win the election

- He then declares Blackgate and Arkham unfit

- Sharp buys off a portion of the slums of Gotham

- He walls off the area, calls it Arkham City

- Sharp contracts a mercenary group named Tyger into defending the walls

- Prisoners given one rule: “Don’t try to escape”

- Penalty is death

- Prisoners free to do anything besides that within

- People who look into Hugo Strange disappear

- A year has taken place

- Two-Face is admitted into Arkham City

- Two-Face realizes he needs to make a move to assert himself in the prison so that
he won’t be eaten alive

- He captures Catwoman, thinking that a public execution would help out his situation

- Devs. want a highly detailed city

- Can use gadgets while fighting

- Example of this: Putting explosive gel on the back of an enemy

- A lot of the super villains have formed gangs, have control of different areas in
the city

- Devs hoping to use more of the “forensics” angle from the first title, incorporate
puzzles in them that will get more complex as you progress

- Most of the key gadgets unlocked late in the original are immediately available,
but it seems it hasn’t been confirmed that all of them will

- Explosive gel, line launcher confirmed to be available by default

- Interrogations instead of Riddler maps now

- Press a button and Batman will taunt enemies

- Optional sidestories for some characters, including Zsasz

- New costume for Harley

- Broadcast analyzer: Mainly used so that Batman can listen to a message from the
Joker

- There are several broadcasts Bats can listen to, including the GCPD dispatch and
Gotham FM

- Orcacle is missing

- Because of this, Alfred is the one in Bruce’s ear

- Rocksteady not talking about multiplayer plans yet

Batman: ARKHAM CITY will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC next fall.

Chaykin On Batman And Catwoman

DC announced a one-shot tale about Batman and Catwoman (teaming up against the villain Cavalier) coming this November by writer/artist Howard Chaykin.


From DC:

This November, writer/artist Howard Chaykin presents a one-shot tale of the Cavalier. You remember him, right? The Z-lister with the swords? How’d someone like that manage to frame the femme fatale known as Catwoman for a string of burglaries? Doubly impressive? Framing rich playboy Bruce Wayne for cleaning out the Wayne Enterprises vault.
Impressive, indeed. But once Catwoman and Batman are on his tail, the Cavalier will learn that frame-ups like that cut both ways, as both Catwoman and Batman begin to track the rogue in this unique one-shot, written and drawn by the legendary Chaykin.

Batman: Hidden Treasures

Title: BATMAN: HIDDEN TREASURES #1

Writer(s): RON MARZ and LEN WEIN

Art: BERNIE WRIGHTSON & KEVIN NOWLAN

Cover: BERNIE WRIGHTSON









Batman: Hidden Treasures is a one-shot 56 pages Batman/Solomon Grundy tale that features 2 stories:



First is Wein and Wrightson's well-known story “Night of the Bat” which originally appeared in Swamp Thing #7, re-colored by Alex Sinclair.












Second is a uniquely told “lost” Batman story by Marz that Wrightson completed 15 years ago, and which was previously unpublished. This story is also colored by Sinclair and inked by Kevin Nowlan.

(or vice versa)




Batman: Hidden Treasures is on sale on OCTOBER 6

Leaked - Batman: Arkham City Game Info

Last time t'was announced that the name for the sequel to the award winning and critically acclaimed video game Batman: Arkham Asylum was Batman: Arkham City






This time, we have here some leaked game infos regarding this much awaited game.

Story info:

- Quincy Sharp is now running for mayor.
- Arkham Asylum and Black Gate Prison are unfit to hold inmates.
- Quincy Sharp buys off part of the slums and walls it off, creating Arkham City.
- Hugo Strange is in charge of Arkham City.
- Two-Face plans to execute Catwoman to gain respect of inmates.
- The overdose of venom may not be what's wrong with the Joker.

Gameplay info:

- You are now able to counter two attacks at once.
- More puzzles.
- All gadgets included in the first game are available from the start.
- Side missions now feature in the game.
- Gangs roam Arkham City, these are recorded in Batman's criminal database.
- You find people who work for Ridler to find Ridler challenges.
- Batman has his smoke bomb.

That's not all, so make sure to come back later for more game infos.

Batman: ARKHAM CITY will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC next fall.

Yanick Paquette's 1st Cover to Batman INC.

DC previewed the first cover of BATMAN INC. by artist Yanick Paquette.



Simply…simply…amazing!

First Look - Batman: The Return and Batman’s New Suit

Geoff Boucher of the LA TIMES had an interview with writer Grant Morrison not only about Grant’s upcoming plans, but his entire run on Batman, including the finales to THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE and his tenure on BATMAN AND ROBIN. Read the interview HERE

Below is the first look at the new Batman suit made by David Finch.


Batman: The Dark Knight #1 cover by David Finch


Batman: The Return #1 cover by David Finch

Cool eh?

Jock Is The New Artist of Detective Comics

It’s been almost a month since DC unveiled the new writer of DETECTIVE COMICS and it’s no other than AMERICAN VAMPIRE writer Scott Snyder. Monday, 9th of August 2010. DC announced the artist that will be paired with Snyder on the book, and it’s Jock.

Jock contributes several covers and layouts for Batman books, so he should be no stranger to Batman fans in particular, and comic fans in general.



What does this mean for Detective Comics readers? Well, in addition to a hard-hitting, noir story from Snyder, fans will be getting a gritty, dynamic and edgy visual representation every months.

















Let’s hear it from the writer and the artist themselves.

Scott:

“I could not be more excited about working with Jock. Over the last couple months, I’ve spoken to some artists whose work I love, but Jock was always my top choice for this run on Detective Comics. I’ve been a huge fan of his work for a long time. His style is bold and dynamic - perfect for the kind of big, twisted Batman story we’re going to tell together and with David Baron on colors, I can’t wait for November! And please, let us know what you think, DC Nation!”

Jock:

“Scott and I got the chance to talk a number of times over Comic-Con weekend in San Diego and his original and striking hook for the story took me completely by surprise...I couldn’t believe it hadn’t been done before and I was instantly hooked…I’m thrilled to be working with him on this and along with David Baron on colors can’t wait to get this story out there.”

Batman: Arkham City

Thursday, 5th of August 2010. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment announced BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY as the title for the sequel to the award winning and critically acclaimed BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM video game developed by Rocksteady Studios.



What to expect in ARKHAM CITY?

1. Brand new story
2. New characters as well as new villains
3. Improved graphic designs
4. Enhanced game play, and
5. Ultra-realistic Dark Knight experience

also, visit GameInformer's ARKHAM CITY hub for more game infos

ARKHAM CITY will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC next fall.

Batman The Return and Batman INC

Like what we mentioned on our previous blog. Another one-shot bat-title that’ll hit this October is BATMAN: THE RETURN, Written by Grant Morrison with art by David Finch and inker Scott Williams, giving us hints on what’s coming up next for the original Dark Knight after his return.

From DC:

BATMAN: THE RETURN #1
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by DAVID FINCH & SCOTT WILLIAMS
Cover by DAVID FINCH
1:25 Variant cover by TBD
1:200 Variant cover by TBD

The event of the year is here! Bruce Wayne made his long journey back through the time stream in RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, Dick Grayson and Damian uncovered important secrets in BATMAN & ROBIN, Gotham City’s bravest heroes made their mark in BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME…and now it’s time for BATMAN to return! What happens to Dick Grayson now that the “real” Batman is back? How will Bruce Wayne handle a reunion with his son, Damian? This special one-shot bridges two exciting eras of The Dark Knight and sets up a surprising new status quo that’s just on the horizon.

Featuring the talents of Batman mastermind Grant Morrison and superstar artist David Finch providing interior art, this issue is a can’t-miss for comics’ fans!

Retailers please note: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.

ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 27 • 56 pg, FC $4.99 US



But that’s not all, as revealed on the BATMAN panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Grant Morrison will be helming a new, ongoing Batman series: BATMAN INC. (You heard it right. GM will incorporate the bat in a major way), featuring art by Yanick Paquette (we saw this guy’s great work in The Retrun of Bruce Wayne #3).

So what’s in store for us in THE RETURN and BATMAN INC., better hear it from the man himself.

Grant Morrison:

“The notion is really about bringing back Bruce Wayne into the mix in a big way because people over the years said ‘there’s no real Bruce Wayne it’s just a persona, the real man is Batman’. And we know that’s not true, there’s only one guy there, sometime he wears hat, sometimes a suit. It’s the same man, and that’s the whole idea behind RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE series; to bring him (Batman) back to that guy (Bruce), cut him loose from the cape and the cowl and see him still function as Batman. Back in R.I.P we showed what would happen to Batman if we took Bruce over him and the result is the Batman of Zur En Arrh…this where INC enters, so what happens if you put Bruce back, big-time; As he comes back from a very bad experience, he’s been really messed over…he faced an enemy which he can’t quite figure out. His normal methods didn’t work with Dr. Hurt. So we’ve seen batman in this insane time travel adventure, something that he’s not really equipped with normally but he got to survive it…and now he’s back and he’s looking at his mission in a much wider perspective…and think ‘I can be more effective in this’…so we want to take that aspect to batman, corporatize it, franchise the idea of batman as he goes global and see how it’ll affect his allies

In The first 12 issue of INC, he’s going to team up with someone; it’s kind of the brave and the bold like the current animated version which I really love. I was looking at that team-up aspect at batman’s life and I thought I can play that in a new way. So basically we’ll see him travelling around the world dealing with characters from the club of heroes and other allies that he’s had and try bringing them under the structure. Yes’ there’s going to be friction with some character because although these guys are influenced by batman they have their own mind. So that’s when the adventure begins”.

Bruce Wayne: The Road Home

From Batman Group Editor Mike Marts:

“Bruce Wayne’s journey back home has been a long and dangerous road, but before he can assume the mantle of the Bat again, he must first figure out how things have changed in the world around him, how relationships have changed and how those changes will affect his decisions moving forward as the protector of Gotham City.”








We all know that Bruce Wayne is coming back and as the Return of Bruce Wayne comes to an end, questions on how would the bat-family adapt to Bruce’s apparent return are left hanging.



Leave your worries behind because in October comes BRUCE WAYNE: THE ROAD HOME, eight one-shots that will answer all those questions that trouble you. Every title consists of 32 awesome pages with all 8 covers as connected image, featuring characters that reside on the Bat-universe, made by none other than artist Shane Davis.











Here’s the complete solicitation of ‘Bruce Wayne: The Road Home’ titles hitting in October:


BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: BATMAN & ROBIN #1
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art by CLIFF RICHARDS
ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 6

From DC:

BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME kicks off here as Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne rush to quash a damaging news item that could threaten the secret identities of the entire Bat-family! And as if that weren’t enough to occupy their time, their father figure, Bruce Wayne, has returned…


BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: RED ROBIN #1
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art by RAMON BACHS & JOHN LUCAS
ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 6

From DC:

Master detective Tim Drake takes center stage in this one-shot as the one person who continued to have faith that Bruce Wayne was alive. But now that Tim’s belief is proven accurate, how will that affect the important changes about to bombard the life of Red Robin?


BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: BATGIRL #1
Written by BRYAN Q. MILLER
Art by PERE PEREZ
ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 6

From DC:

Batgirl no more? Is Stephanie Brown’s brief tenure as Batgirl in jeopardy now that Bruce Wayne has returned? Or will Bruce’s homecoming mean bigger and better things for Gotham City’s premier heroine?


BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: OUTSIDERS #1
Written by MIKE BARR
Art by TBD
ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 6

From DC:

Bruce Wayne’s former team of heroes star in this issue penned by longtime OUTSIDERS writer Mike Barr. How will everybody react to the return of their former leader? Featuring Black Lightning, Owlman, Metamorpho and more!


BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: CATWOMAN #1
Written by DEREK FRIDOLFS
Art by PETER NGUYEN
ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 6

From DC:

The last time Selina Kyle saw Bruce Wayne, she was lying in a hospital bed, her life having just been saved by the man she loved. Can Catwoman handle Bruce’s return after having mourned his death?


BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: COMMISSIONER GORDON #1
Written by ADAM BEECHEN
Art by SZYMON KUDRANSKI
ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 6

From DC:

For several months now, Commissioner Jim Gordon has known he’s been working alongside a “different” Batman. But with Bruce Wayne now returned, what will that mean for the future of Gotham City and their own crime fighting chemistry?


BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: ORACLE #1
Written by MARC ANDREYKO
Art by AGUSTIN PADILLA
ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 6

From DC:

Barbara Gordon and Bruce Wayne have long been allies and friends, acting as Gotham City’s primary defenders. Their reunion is sure to have lasting effects on Barbara’s role as Oracle and the other Birds of Prey.


BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: RA’S AL GHUL #1
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art by TBD
ONE-SHOT • On sale OCTOBER 6

From DC:

When Ra’s al Ghul first heard that Bruce Wayne had died, he refused to believe it. Now The Demon’s Head is proven right as his longtime arch enemy returns and the villain’s master plan can continue in earnest…


Click to enlarge the image

Batman...Batman...and more Batman

More Batman news is coming right up in just a short while. while waiting, look at this artwork from Tony Daniel...i believe this is a page from Batman #702.

The Return of Bruce Wayne #4 - Annotations

BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE 4

Title: Dark Knight, Dark Rider
Part: 4
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Georges Jeanty


Page 1-4: Opening scene took place at a ranch. Goons are messing up a family (Two of them are named later as Chuck and Lucky).They hang the father in a tree and left to die, fired a shot on a young lad, and killed the family dog. They got what they wanted: A casket marked by a bat (which tells us that this family is the Van Derms for they are the only family entrusted in keeping that casket). Upon leaving they took the daughter, Catherine "Katie" with them. Seeing what happened to her family the mother while weeping, prayed and asked God for an avenging angel.

Page 5: And her prayer was answered.



Note: This scene took place before the last pages of Issue #3

Page 6-9: Someone narrates this whole event and supposedly this someone is committing suicide on Gotham bridge. We’ll know who he is later.

Gotham City, late 1800’s.



After hiring Hex, Chuck and Lucky brought him to the boss’ place. The boss works out on a saloon which is also a gambling establishment. He is no other than Vandal Savage now known as Monsewer Sauvage.

The Indian we saw is not Miagani, but he seems like he knew something about them, maybe one of the last shamans to be able to read or speak the Miagani Language. He’s scared of the Bat-People, and as he relays Miagani legends about “end of the world”; Hex’s fee just went up.

Note 1: I don’t know if Savage remembers his encounter with Bruce in Issue #1, but right now he is much consumed with memories of a more recent encounter at the side of Napoleon a few decades earlier. Aside from Bonaparte, Savage’s line "They ALL betray me" may also refer to the blood mob that vanished him after he was defeated by Bruce, also in Issue #1.



Note 2: Savage's “Cut yourself shaving?” seems like taken from the Jonah Hex movie.


Page 10-12: Bruce followed Chuck and Lucky from the Van Derm ranch to Gotham. And we see Cowboy Dark Knight in action!



Note: Bruce doesn't say a word…in this entire issue.

Page 13-14: All this talk about the Miagani has got our superstitious Indian, “Midnight Horse” rattled. Savage’s motives for opening the casket seem pretty simple. He’s an immortal, he's been alive for so long, and he’s bored. The end of the world will be a relief for his boredom.


Page 15: An introduction of another villain, who shares Savage's gift of extended life, The Thomas Wayne earlier referred to as a devil-worshiper in Batman and Robin #10. We also found out that this Thomas Wayne, like Bruce’s father, is a doctor. And he tremendously imposes Catherine Van Derm to open the box when suddenly, Catherine heard bells ringing.





Page 16-17: There is nothing to tell us whether or not this Thomas Wayne is Doctor Hurt aside from these clues:

1. He’s a doctor.

2. He confirmed that he’s one of the devil worshipers from the story "Dark Knight, Dark City" that happened a decade ago from this timeline.

3. He's a "gambler" associating gambling with Doctor Hurt, who's whole Black Glove is a gambling society that gambles on good vs. evil.

4. Hurt, as El Penitente, followed Vandal Savage's suggestion to build an empire in Mexico as a base from which to attack America.

5. And like Hurt, he likes using dynamites.

Page 18-21: After defeating every goon inside the saloon including Chuck and Lucky. Bruce went after Savage and Thomas, who still held Catherine as captive.

Note: We can say that this is the second time Chuck and Lucky meets Cowboy Batman, the first is before they hired Hex in Issue #3 when they are followed someplace else near Gotham City after they slaughtered the Van Derms at the beginning of this issue. Unfortunately, Cowboy Bats can’t rescue Catherine in both of these meetings because she was already taken somewhere.

Page 22: Thomas continues to force Catherine to open the casket while they are being chase by Cowboy Batman.

This time we’re sure that Savage remembers his first encounter with Bruce in Issue #1.



Hex enters the scene and fired a couple of shots at Bruce. Cowboy Dark Knight answered by throwing a batarang at Hex.


Page 23: The batarang flew and went straight to Hex’s arm and the bounty hunter fell from his horse.

Round 1 goes to Cowboy Batman. (Applause!)




The battle continues at the wagon’s rooftop between Bruce and Thomas as the wagon approaches Gotham bridge.

Now we can see our narrator who is about to commit suicide by jumping off the bridge. He is Alan Wayne. Judge Solomon’s son, and Bruce’s great great-grandfather.


Note: The architect that Alan was referring in the note is Cyrus Pinkney. Solomon Wayne commissioned Pinkney to design and to build the first "Gotham Style" structures in what became the center of the city's financial district (Batman: The Destroyer, Part 2).















Page 24-25: Just as Alan is ready to jump off the bridge the wagon fell down behind him. At the moment he saw Catherine he was love-struck.



Note: Joshua Wayne (Judge Solomon’s brother) was mentioned in the last pages of Issue #3. According to Gotham’s history Joshua’s “rumored” death occurred on 1860 (Batman: Secret Files and Origins, 1997). Here, Alan looks like in his 20’s, so basically this event took place around 1880 or 1890.

For reasons that are not stated, it seems like Alan is escaping his family legacy that he considers ‘haunted’. Maybe it has something to do with his father and Pinkney’s “Future Gotham” project because during that time many criticized that Pinkney’s edifices (which are under Solomon Wayne’s patronage) only further tarnished the image of Gotham (Batman: Secret Files and Origins, 1997).

“And thus my resolution: our line, the line of Wayne, would forever be a house unfinished…Better a house unfinished than one forever haunted.” Alan said in the note.

Bruce gave Catherine an ancient necklace that belongs to Anthro’s wife, White Fawn. Then Catherine uttered “My Momma wouldn’t ever have parted with this. Not ‘less she sent you. This is from the Olden Days.”

Note: Back in Issue #1 Anthro’s son, “Man”, said that the necklace would never leave their family and would be passed down their family line, forever and ever (Now, imagine that told in cave man language). This suggests that the Van Derms are the descendants of Anthro.



Catherine whistles and the casket opens. Bruce’s eyes go wide as he looked inside the casket.










Note: Whistle-activated traps were a trick used by the Miagani back in the cave in Issue #3. Thus, the Van Derms indeed must be descended from the Miagani.

Page 26: Savage hit Thomas' head with a pistol while the Doctor proclaims what’s inside the box belongs to him. Savage seems to see Bruce Wayne as a giant bat (Barbatos) due to hallucination (caused by opium overdosed. Basically he’s high.) But what's weird is he sees Alan and Catherine as nothing but mortal bones.


Thomas told Bruce “Are you one too? I’ll get you all in the end!” before yelling for Hex’s help. He might be referring to Bruce as being “one of the Waynes and he swear to destroy them all in the end”. Another clue for him being Hurt. This also suggests that he’s not a real Wayne but a pretender. Whether a biological Wayne or not, This Thomas truly is a black sheep in the Wayne family just like what Alfred told Damian in Batman and Robin #10.



Page 27-28: Round 2, Jonah Hex vs. Cowboy Batman. Hex asked Bruce to draw.

Unfortunately for Cowboy Bats, Hex’s gun is drawn already. Hex fired a shot throwing Bruce unto Gotham river, at that moment Bruce already disappeared, jumped into another timeline.

Round 2 goes to the greatest bounty hunter of all time. (Boo!)



Sometime, after that incident Alan and Catherine were wed. They had a son, named Kenneth (Bruce’s great grandfather). Unfortunately, Catherine died while giving birth to him.

Note 1: Alan refers to Kenneth as a "dark son" Is this only because his birth killed his mother? Is Kenneth another bad Wayne like this Thomas? That we do not know. All we know is that Kenneth started Wayne Chemicals and apparently died early leaving the Wayne legacy to his widow, Laura and his son, Patrick(Batman: Secret Files and Origins 1997).



Note 2: As Alan’s life hangs in the balance that night. Fate in the form of Bruce Wayne intervenes who doesn't just saved his great great-grandfather’s life; he also introduced him to his great great-grandmother. Awhile ago, we learned that the Van Derms descended from the Miagani. This Van Derm/Wayne union means that Bruce is part Miagani. It’s in his blood.

Page 29: Back in the Old West, Alan wrote about how Hex is probably the lucky one in the whole affair for he took Bonaparte’s gold with him. But Hex only keeps Bruce’s batarang and rides off into the sunset, leaving Bonaparte’s gold behind.

Page 30: Alan Wayne doesn't exactly confirmed that he knows Thomas Wayne was a ‘Wayne’. But we learned that Thomas has been alive for 150 years. If this event took place around 1880, He then was born around 1730 and approximately 35 years old when Barbatos ritual occurred in 1765(Batman:Dark Knight, Dark City).

Note: Alan said that Thomas sought the secret of life eternal, which is something that someone who lived over a century with a youthful appearance might seem already have. Maybe he has only extended his life through evil means, giving him a really long life, but not eternal.

Thomas flees Gotham for England, with passage on the S.S. Orion (the name of the constellation as well as the new god who died at the beginning of Final Crisis) for Liverpool.



Note: Alan hints that Thomas uses blood to achieve his goal. Given the timing, there are speculations that Thomas became Jack the Ripper in England, but that was too far fetched.

As Thomas departed from Gotham, Alan and Catherine seem to continue finishing the Wayne Manor. Before her death, Catherine instructed him to keep the casket safe and mark it with a bat. “He must return” says Catherine. Alan proceed to design the bat shaped “Garden of Death”, with his own crypt in the middle of it.

Note: It is more likely that Alan constructed the secret room at Wayne Manor. He also seem to have been quite well informed about the Wayne/Van Derm family secrets: The Satanic Church on the estate grounds, the Underground Railroad, and the Hidden Room connecting to the old Miagani cave which is meant to hide the Bruce's casket that Dick found in Batman and Robin #11 but got stolen by the 99 fiends.

Page 31: Now we see Bruce time jumped to what seems like 1980’s Gotham City (notice the X-rated theaters all over the place). Basically, He is a child in this time period where the adult him has arrived.

We don't see what Bruce saw inside the casket, but he removes his book from the 1640’s (Issue #2) and took it with him. The items of the casket are thus separated for now. Injured, he tried to cross the street but got hit by a truck.


Page 32: Bruce is bathing in his own blood with the book in his hand. Other pages of the book flew out. A tabloid apparently swept by the wind shows the headline “Broken Gotham: Crime, Corruption, and Chaos…What’s next for fallen city?” suggesting that the next issue will show us the events leading up to the Wayne murders, and more likely about Hurt.

But right now, if not given immediate medical attention, Bruce might die. He already lost too much blood from his gun wound.

He surely needs the help…of the City Doctor.