The New, New Batmen!

(Spoiler alert for the new Batman identities)

There is always a new Batman isn't there?  Pictured above is the new Jim Gordon Batman from

Batman #42.  He's the one in the blue armor.

The other "Bat-being" is a street crud manifestation created to combat Gordon by a thug called Gee Gee Heung.  I loved the frame so much I had to include it in this post.

So, you heard that right, Jim Gordon is the new Batman while the old Batman is purportedly dead.

Of course Batman isn't really dead.  As Bruce Wayne, he is volunteering at a center for disadvantaged youth.   And he really doesn't want to be bothered anymore.

(There's a great preview of Batman #43 over at io9 if you want to see how very reluctant Wayne is.)

As for the Gordon Batman, he a sanctioned vigilante working with the Gotham City police force.  Pity that could have never happened with the old Batman.  Too rough for their tastes?  Gordon has trimmed the trademark mustache and cropped the hair to look more battle ready.  He does a team working with him consisting of Alfred the butler's long lost daughter, Julia, and tech guy named Daryl.  The team is pretty new and the are still working out the kinks.

I'll guess we'll have to see how long it will be before the Bruce Wayne Batman will be back.  No doubt it will take some great misfortune to force him back into the cape and cowl.

Our second Batman is Dick Grayson only he is not of this world.

We all know Dick Grayson as the original Robin.  I've always loved the iterations of the Grayson Batman.  He's abley filled the cape and cowl and bemused his allies with a sense of humor the Wayne Batman never had.

This Grayson is the Earth 2 Dick Grayson.  He was married to Barbara Gordon who tragically died when Earth 2 was attacked by Apokolips.  They did have a son however, John.

Grayson was severely injured during the Convergence story line losing the use of his legs.  A being named Telos restored the use of Grayson's legs by covering them with a metallic like film.

Now Grayson patrols the streets of New Gotham City on the newly restored Earth 2.

The costume isn't bad but it isn't as threatening as the Thomas Wayne Batman that preceded Grayson.

Now this guy was a tough SOB.  Sadly he died foiling the Earth 2 Joker's master plan.  I suppose Grayson wanted to look a little less evil than his predecessor.

I saved the best Batman for last.

What, you haven't heard Batman is a God now?

Or should we say "Bat-God."

This is the Justice League of America version of Batman.  He's still the Bruce Wayne Batman.  Apparently the "Darkseid War" story line for the JLA book is happening just outside the narrative that is going on in the Batman issue I started this review with.

That's the comics for you.

Batman made the mistake of touching the chair of Metron (an other worldly being that drifts between New Genesis and Apokolips observing the Universe.)  Now he sits astride the chair in command of great power and knowledge.

What does one do with great knowledge?

Learn the Joker's real name.

I don't know what I am looking forward to in the next edition of JLA, Batman as a God or finding out who the Joker really is!

Batman has gone through a lot of changes through the ages.  He's taken on many roles and many identities.  If there is one constant to the Dark Knight he can never be said to be boring.

Bat -God!

The New Earth 2 Batman Is In The House!

And he knows how to make a grand entrance!

The new Earth 2 Batman made his appearance in the recent Earth 2 annual and if there are any comic detectives out there they have figured out who he is.

But not me.

Not to sell myself short but all I can think of is the Thomas Wayne Batman from the incredible "Flashpoint" series. 

There are similarities, particularly the glowing red eyes and propensity for meting out justice with "extreme prejudice".  (That's an Apocalypse Now reference people.)  The Bat logo is different on the chest but both utility belts are tinged in red.

The Flashpoint Batman lost his son in Crime Alley and took up the mantle of the Bat so who is to say that the Earth 2 Thomas Wayne, upon learning of his son's demise, didn't do the same thing?  I know what you're thinking, "Too easy".  You may be right.  It does seem a little too easy but it would be a wonderful way to revisit the character and take a new spin on his vicious application for crime fighting.  It would be difficult to top the twist of the Joker reveal in that series but I am game if they are.

Any other candidates?  (Apparently, we still don't know who E2 Batman is after the publication of Earth 2 #13 although he does make a cameo.)

I had a theory that it would be Jason Todd after the tease came out in the form of the cover of "Red Hood and the Outlaws" #17.  I figured Jason Todd would die in one universe and be "resurrected" in Earth 2.  There was poetry in that.

But Jason Todd didn't die in "Earth 1".

That doesn't mean he can't be the Earth 2 Batman it only means that the poetic symmetry is lost.  I can live with that.

The new Earth 2 Batman seems to be incredibly fit and obviously fearless.  He even has the ability to travel the world at will, has the best tech and knows all about the new Earth 2 heroes.

That's not something you pick up overnight.  You need some serious cash to pull that off.  So is it Thomas Wayne?  He should've been able to access his son's fortune.  (Did his son have a fortune?)  If the original E2 Batman was a billionaire wouldn't it be easy for his heir to inherit that fortune.  Does Earth 2 have a Dick Grayson?  How about this, Damien Wayne dies in the original universe and his doppelganger takes up the reins in the E2 universe.

Now that makes sense.  Damien was no stranger to violence and was trained in a world of assassins.  He was even a killer.  We witnessed that when he took out the character of "Nobody".

 

So, the poetic justice I wished upon Jason Todd may come true in the form of Damien Wayne.  At one time Damien Wayne was seen as the future Batman as depicted in this image taken from Batman #666.

 This future version of Batman was a ruthless killer and he even used Gotham City as weapon rigging all the buildings with explosives.  We don't know the E2 Batman very well but it doesn't seem as though he is willing to let Gotham burn, let alone the world, to see an end to his means.  Still, if we were to transfer these attributes to the Earth 2 Batman then we may have deduced his identity as Damien Wayne.  

Something is holding me back on this.  The maturity of this E2 Batman for one.  The Damien Wayne we knew was a child of ten years this new Batman is obviously way beyond that.  Anything is possible in the comics yes but something just doesn't feel right.  I can't put my finger on it but I'm going to lean towards Thomas Wayne or Jason Todd as the new E2 Batman.

Or it's their Azrael.

No, wait, it's Alfred.

Who Is The Earth 2 Batman?

DC comics recently announced that the Earth 2 annual will hit the stands on May 29th.  The biggest reveal about ts announcement is that a new Batman will enter that universe!  Anyone that has been reading the "Earth 2" comic knows that Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman of that world, died when the saved that planet from destruction  The issue will be written James Robinson and the art will be provided by Yildiray Cinar, Cafu and Julius Gopez. (Earth 2 is an alternate universe or reality concept that DC publishes to bring fresh perspective to their heroes.)

So who will Robinson choose to follow in the footsteps of that world's original Batman?  Even money is on Dick Grayson but the above illustration is decidedly dark in tone.  So does that mean that world also had a Damien that we didn't know about?

My money would be on the Jason Todd of that planet.  Why?  Well, *spoiler alert* thanks to the recent solicit for "Red Hood and the Outlaws" due February 20th, if one Jason Todd dies in this universe then wouldn't it be fitting to resurrect that character in the Earth 2 universe? 

Below is the cover to "Red Hood and the Outlaws #17.

DC loves the concept of Jason Todd and they may be more in love with the idea of killing him off which has been done several times.  Hopefully if the Earth 2 version turns out to be Jason Todd he'll get a little longer shelf life to further explore his character.  He is usually characterized as harder edged with a propensity for breaking the rules.  Maybe the Earth 2 version will be a nice guy.  But I doubt it and I doubt he will be allowed live past a whole year.

Goodbye in advance Earth 2 Jason Todd, we hardly knew ye.