I'd like to see him go out with just a bullet to the heart to prove he's a human. But it would have to be Bruce Wayne that bites it, out of costume.

Here is what I would like to see.

Bruce Wayne is killed. Not Batman. Bruce. Its a public assassination or something. Its planned by someone who would care less about revealing the identity than about doing the deed. It shocks all of Gothom.

A man can be destroyed (or locked up), but a symbol is invincible.

And the symbol is what has always been important. An organization is put into place to clean up Gothom. Shelters are put into place throughout the city by the Heirs of Wayne, each shelter with a Robin to protect it. Infultrating corrupt pieces of the cities woodwork are Nightwings. Dick Grayson becomes the Commisoner of the GCPD, as well as the head of the Nightwings. The streetwork is done by multiple Batmen, patroling the streets, and keeping the peace. Oracles work as dispatch and information officers, in direct contact with agents of the Bat at all times. But it is never revealed that the original Batman is dead. Instead, the legend of "The Batman" rules the streets. Any new recruits, after being vigorously being trained and screen, are eventually sworn in before a giant figure. The Batman. Shrouded in darkness, the recruit is sworn to loyalty. After the ceremony is done, and the recruit is lead away, the figure speaks in a differant voice.

"Alfred, get me out of this thing."

Alfred comes forward pushing a chair, unstraps Babs, and helps her back to her seat.

I'd love to see a huge organization held in the name of Batman, lead by Barbara Gordan.

Where is Tim in all of this? He never wanted to be Batman. Batman isn't the only hero to die in this space of time. Tim Drake takes John Stewarts place as Green Lantern of Earth.

Is this fanboy-y? It might be fanboy-y. Still, I like it. Maybe not for mainstream, but as one of the 52.

As it is, if Dick ends up as Batman, his Robin will end up being the son of The Raptor, the guy in the suit that died of radiation poisoning as a pawn of Lex Corp, the rest of his family being having been killed by Bride and Groom.

Killed by: Some new villain with equal to or greater skills and smarts than Bruce (i.e. A Doomsday equivelant).

Replaced by: Terry McGuinness.

Was that intentional?

:knockedou
LOL !!!
I actually missed that. Too funny.

It was not. At least not on a conscious level.


Based on recent issues of Batman, I'd say it's Ra's Al Ghul, with Damian taking over the mantle. I's also axpect that this would be set about 10 years into the future, and that at least the renumbering bit in that LitG rumour is erronous.

my hats off to Sharkbite. That was a spectacular answer! solid on all fronts, and it takes into consideration the personalities and character developments of the three robins.

personally i think the treatment in batman beyond is perfect - bruce wayne and his never ending, undying battle with crime. that he passed off the cowl to his biological son is quite fitting. and i think eventually he should simply die alone, of old age... but with the knowledge that the batman legacy lives on trough his successor.

But since this calls for batman dying, and a successor taking his place early on, i would have to agree with Sharkbite on this one. It has to be the Joker who kills him, and no one else. but in my version, the Joker has to die at the same time. Batman and Joker dead in one stroke, by each other's actions.

I looked around and found the quote that makes this double death consistent with the relationship of batman and the joker in the comics:

In "The Clown at Midnight" (featured in Batman #663), the Joker states to Batman, "You can't kill me without becoming like me. I can't kill you without losing the only human being who can keep up with me. Isn't it ironic?!" The Joker says later, "I could never kill you. Where would the act be without my straight man?"

So it's a Yin&Yang thing. Or a Neo&Smith thing, if you prefer. I think they should die at the same time. Now, as to how that will happen... i haven't come up with the details yet. a story like that -- killing off both batman and joker -- cannot be anything sort of perfect.

So who takes his place? My first instinct would be Grayson... but once i've had time to take a close look at all three robins... i would have to go for Tim Drake.

Why not Grayon? Well, Grayson quit being Robin and became Nightwing because he was tired of being under the shadow of the Batman. So, just because bruce died, he'll just come running back to the batman persona? I dunno, it sounds a little opportunistic to me (hey i don't want to serve under you, but if ever you croak someday, give me that cowl!!). And besides, the Nightwing character already has a life of its own, and while things have slowed down, that character will always have the potential to be great. i agree that Grayson is a bit rough and grim compared to Tim Drake, but i think there's a substantial difference in personality that would not make grayson right as the batman. the difference was spelled out during the Bruce Wayne: Fugitive series - Bruce leads through sheer authority and fear, but he alienates himself while doing so since he mistrusts anyone. Dick leads by being a team member first and foremost. He does not shy away from his team members... he immerses himself with them, hence leading them effectively. In this regard, Grayson is more of a Superman than a Batman in my opinion, sans the superpowers of course.

So why Tim Drake? I agree with Sharkbite... Tim as he is now cannot be Batman. But what would happen to him once Bruce Wayne is killed? By this point, Bruce has already adopted Tim Drake as his own son, so for all intents and purposes, Bruce is Tim's father now. So.... what indeed would happen to Tim if he sees Bruce gunned down in front of him... and by one of the most evil supervillains in the universe, no less. sounds familiar right? haha. the Batman reborn. through tragedy again, sadly. Batman cannot be born any other way, as Amanda Waller pointed out in that wonderful JLU episode.
So Tim Drake... a detective before anything else... the only one who could possibly be worthy of inheriting the title of "World's Greatest Detective". Trained by Bruce, Shiva and countless others in the skill of combat (as Grayson was trained more in acrobatics), and with the blind purpose to live under the cowl of the batman for the rest of his life.
I see Grayson as taking over for Batman immediately after his death, just so the criminals will not know he died. But eventually, when Tim is ready, the mantle will be given to the true next Batman... by this time, the one who wants to be Batman, and trained specifically to be Batman. soon enough Tim Drake as Batman and Dick Grayson as Nightwing would become co-equals in the fight against crime.

and besides, if you have a hottie like Starfire waiting for you to go to bed already... you GO! Gotham be damned! hahahaha.

Long post, let me start off by saying, I am not a Batman fan persay, I appreciate the character, but the way he is written at times kind of annoys me, that being said.....here we gooo.


If we are talking dead dead, not like Batman dies but Bruce Wayne lives just to pass on the mantle, then I would have to say it grab some Dark Knight Returns, mix in some Kingdom Come, add a bit of the back story from Batman Beyond and just a dash Breaking of the Bat, shake well, blend for an hour. By this I mean lets look at some of the future stories that pertain to Batman and how it has been handled as well as how his career was brought to an end one time...all be it a short time.

I am sure many will disagree with siting these titles for this subject, but for the purposes of this thread I thought it a good idea. Just keep in mind I am simple using these titles for the relationship to the topic at hand.

I can see Bruce refusing to give up the mantle, his body wracked with damage after years and years of his crusade, along the lines of a simple exoskeleton or more high tech armored suit to aid not only in his fight but also now to maintain his day to day life, heroes have come and gone, and as Bruce sees more and more heroes and villians come and go as well as die off it makes him colder than he's ever been, putting a divide between himself and the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, Nightwing, Robin...even Alfred in his elderly near death age has somewhat pulled himself away from Bruce. Barely ever leaving the cave anymore, almost losing all touch with Bruce Wayne, his level of dedication to his quest leads to an almost razor sharp type of paranoia, trust shattered by so many encounters with friends turning against him, dead enemies returning, and watching the world change around him while he almost desperatly holds on to his convictions. Crime still exists but not as he knew it, now is he exactly able to combat it like before, technology overwhelms the planet, Gotham itself changes, as if big brother is watching, Batman finds himself once again being called a "monster", a mindless, uneeded vigilante.

Now here is where I am suuuure I am going to get savagedly cyber beaten.

With everything going the way it is for Batman, he snaps, killing a simple mugger, or something along those lines. The world as a whole is outraged, Batman is no longer just a boogeyman, no longer a vigilante, he truly becomes the monster people view him as. The life he takes ignites former heroes into a rage and villians crawl from the woodwork, spurred on by seeing a once well known hero stepping over that line. For as dark as he has been in the past, crossing that line is something earth shattering, not only for everyone else, but for Batman himself. A downward spiral occurs, it is revealed by an unknown source that Bruce Wayne is Batman, the cave, wayne manor, anything that still remains of Wayne enterprizes is dissolved, Batman himself vanishes, and the hunt is on. He is given sanctuary by a hero that crossed the same line he did, Wonder Woman.

His body unable to sustain the damage he has taken, the limitless resources and money gone, Bruce Wayne has no choice but to let the mantle of the Batman fade away into non-existance........or so he thinks. With the world now crawling with new much harsher villians, the Batman is needed more so than ever. Batman appears again, but no one has a clue who it is.....one things for sure it's not Bruce.

A huuge manhunt begins, villians, heroes, and the government scour the world. This new Batman seemingly able to appear and vanish without a trace, mixing technology with magic and various methods taught to him by his grandfather and his mother the son of Talia, grandson of Ra's Al Ghul has chosen to taken up the mantle of the Batman for himself. Agreeing in some ways with what his grandfather stood for as well as his birth father, this new Batman is far beyond what any other hero or villian could imagine.

Apologies for the super long post, just one comic book readers idea of a cool story.

The New Batman will be ...

I'd like to see Ted Cord as Batman

and Booster gold as robin.

I'd vote for Dick, although he'd have to go through a serious growing up transformation to be ready. He's not ready now, but I think could do a great story about his first year as the Bat, becoming that man.


Tim Drake can do better than being Batman, he's got the potential for much more.

Bah. If anyone actually believes DC Comics is going to kill off Bruce Wayne, especially with a new movie coming out soon, I have a Yugo I want to sell them. Runs great.