Batman Incorporated

About a year or so ago (I think) I commented in this blog about thinking it was only a matter of time before they brought Bruce Wayne back. Characters very rarely stay dead in the DC Universe. And besides the fact it was later revealed that Bruce Wayne wasn't dead but thrown back in time. Or something along those lines.

But that's besides the point.

Around the time Bruce Wayne was missing, dead or both I had made a comment how much I was actually enjoying the Dick Grayson Batman in Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin series and if they were to eventually bring Bruce Wayne back I thought they should do like they have done with the Flash and Green Lantern and have Grayson remain Batman. Sort of the way Wally West has remained the Flash even though Barry Allen has returned.

As much as I doubt either Grant Morrison or the head honcho's at DC Comics read my blog religiously I was very pleased with the return of Bruce Wayne, my off the cuff blog comment seems to be coming to fruition.

Both Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are now becoming dual Batmen the same way Barry Allen and Wally West have become the Flash. I figured it would be Wayne Batman teaming up with Tim Drake's Red Robin while Grayson remained a team with Damian Wayne's Robin.

Speaking of which, are Oliver Queen and Conner Hawke sharing Green Arrow duties? Oh, never mind ;-)

However Grant Morrison seems to be going a step further than I would have imagined by having Bruce Wayne pretty much turn Batman into a global franchise called Batman Incorporated! And to show the distinction between the two Batmen, they have once again given Wayne's Batman costume a different look as seen below.

One comment online mentioned it seems very inspired by the costume design for the Arkham Asylum game. To me it seems like a slight cross between the Arkham costume with the Christian Bale costume from the movies. But slightly lighter. Which kind of gives it a very James Bond international adventurer sort of look.

One blogger pretty much described Bruce Wayne's Batman pretty much becoming a cross between Nick Fury and Tony Stark.

I imagine the messageboards will start buzzing with debates, arguments and all out hockey style cage match fisticuffs's between people who either love the new look and the whole idea of a global Batman police force.

Personally, I don't mind the idea.

I don't see myself keeping up with the series. But the idea intrigues me and I may sneak a peek at a few issues when I'm nosing around my local comic book shop from time to time.

Okay!! I'm sold on the new Batman and Robin series!!

I probably haven't bought a comic book since 1999. And I couldn't tell you which one it was. Possibly Strangers in Paradise or the Green Arrow relaunch. But I can't remember. I've bought a lot of graphic novels but there just hasn't been that real desire to spend $2.99 for an issue.

Well, I finally bit the bullet today and bought issues one and two of the new Batman and Robin series. After a month or so of thumbing through issue one on the shelf everytime I stopped into That's Enterainment I decided to finally pick it up.

Well, I waited long enough to have issue two sitting right next to it.

I still don't see myself buying every single issue but I am officially sold on the new Batman series. I really enjoy it! I've really liked Grant Morrison's writing since the Invisibles and I find Frank Quitely's artwork really good as well. It really fits the surreal feel of the stories Morrison is writing.

And that's the other thing I'm really enjoying. Grant Morrison has brought a slightly light feel back to the Batman comic books. But in a way that doesn't scream Joel Schumacher. As much as it has a slight feel of the more Adam West Batman, there's this really disturbingly surreal quality to both the feel of the setting and to some of the new characters.

From what I heard in an interview with him, he wanted to bring back more of the unused more silly villains like the Mad Hatter and Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee. But in a more disturbing sort of way.

I like the Mr. Toad villain in the first issue because of that mix of somewhat silly with somewhat disturbing the way the character looks.

The only thing I'm NOT sold on is the new Robin. He just looks like a smug little brat. And his crummy little grin on the front cover of issue one just makes me wish Batman would give him a bat bitchslap.

But we'll see how that goes. I don't hate the whole idea of introducing a new Robin. I like how they graduated the Tim Drake character from Robin to Red Robin. I'm kind of glad they went that route with him instead of having him taking over as Nightwing.

I'm glad when they were going to replace Batman they went with Dick (Robin I) Grayson instead of doing what they did back in 1993 with that whole Azrael/Batman mess when they tried to replace Batman the first time.

It's not the first time they experimented with Bruce Wayne's former sidekick taking on the (dramatic pause) mantle of the bat. Shortly after the whole Knightfall, Knightquest and KnightwhatevercameafterthatIcan'tremember they had Dick Grayson fill in for Batman for a little while.

They also hinted at the idea of Dick Grayson being paired with Bruce Wayne's son as Robin at the end of an Elseworld Batman/Captain America crossover. Although Bruce was still alive and retired at the end of that one.

I was skeptical at first about getting rid of Bruce Wayne at first but after seeing the first couple of issues I think this experiment can work. And will hopefully continue to be very enjoyable. And maybe the new Robin will get a Bat bitch slap yet. Heh heh!!