Batman: Due for a breakdown?

[darthneo64]

First, I am a HUGE Batman fan, my home office looks like I work for DC and Warner Brothers combined, Batman figures all over the place!

That being said, I was VERY disappointed in the ending of Death in the Family. I know the "psychological" part was pretty cool when Batman told Joker "I know who you are" but the overall...OOMPH...from the story just wasn't there...

And now, Damian is dead (this CAN'T be a spoiler as it was in USA TODAY 3 days before Batman Inc. #8 was even out)...

Now one reason we all love Batman is..................he is human.

Well after ALL he has been through, I don't care HOW WELL trained he is, he is due for a MAJOR breakdown.

Don't be afraid to show us how HUMAN Batman really is...

Maybe he kills a few people like he did in his very early years in comics (he used to carry pistols)...?

Maybe he doesn't kill anyone but he beats them into paralysis so they can't commit crimes any longer...?

SOMETHING!

But Batman needs to BREAK!

 

[Rodrigo90]

Im in the UK so Damian dying is a major spoiler to me lol

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

He had one in Infinite Crisis. One of the points of Grant Morrison's arc was that in terms of Batman's recent history, he had undergone "too much":

Barbara's paralysis
Jason's death
Back broken, paralysis and recovery
Earthquake and pushing Bruce to his physical limits
Death of Jack Drake
The betrayals of Hush
Return of Jason and believed death of Dick
The realisation that perhaps nobody he knows is good enough from Kal-L, driving him to a near suicidal mood

this all culminated with Dick, Bruce's hope for continuing, sacrificing himself for Bruce, believing him dead Bruce picked up a gun put it up against Alexander Luthor's head, but was stopped before he could pull the trigger.

When these memories were transplanted into Bruce's clones (so they were for all intents and purposes, Bruce) they all committed suicide. Bruce is driven in a near supernatural way, which he renewed through Thogal, and possibly Return of Bruce Wayne. He may handle this better than expected.

 

[Wolfwood]

Batman's "breakdowns" tend to look like this:
-Grow more stubble
-Act like a bigger dick to everyone

 

[darthneo64]

He had one in Infinite Crisis. One of the points of Grant Morrison's arc was that in terms of Batman's recent history, he had undergone "too much":

Barbara's paralysis
Jason's death
Back broken, paralysis and recovery
Earthquake and pushing Bruce to his physical limits
Death of Jack Drake
The betrayals of Hush
Return of Jason and believed death of Dick
The realisation that perhaps nobody he knows is good enough from Kal-L, driving him to a near suicidal mood

this all culminated with Dick, Bruce's hope for continuing, sacrificing himself for Bruce, believing him dead Bruce picked up a gun put it up against Alexander Luthor's head, but was stopped before he could pull the trigger.

When these memories were transplanted into Bruce's clones (so they were for all intents and purposes, Bruce) they all committed suicide. Bruce is driven in a near supernatural way, which he renewed through Thogal, and possibly Return of Bruce Wayne. He may handle this better than expected.

Great post!

I got out of comics for a while and only came back during the new 52...

All the events above happened in Infinite Crisis? Nightwing stopping him from killing Luthor and memories injected into clones?

If not, where can I find these stories...

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

They didn't all happen at once, they were an accumulation of events over what would be about 5-ish years comic time, the book for each event however, is:

Barbara's paralysis (The Killing Joke)
Jason's death (A Death In the Family)
Broken back, recovery (Knightfall Saga)
Earthquake (No Man's Land)
Death of Jack Drake (Identity Crisis)
Hush (Hush)
Jason's return, Dick's possible death (Under the Hood)
Manipulation from Kal-L (Infinite Crisis)
Dick's sacrifice (Infinite Crisis)
The clones (Batman: Last Rites (part of Final Crisis))

However, as long as you know about the events, you could just read Last Rites, as that story touches upon all the others. With Batman restrained physically and fighting a mental parasite that stole his memory, h had to turn his memories into a weapon and forced them upon the clones at once, which drove them to suicide.

 

[RoughNTumble]

my son is deeeeeaaad

 

[darthneo64]

They didn't all happen at once, they were an accumulation of events over what would be about 5-ish years comic time, the book for each event however, is:

Barbara's paralysis (The Killing Joke)
Jason's death (A Death In the Family)
Broken back, recovery (Knightfall Saga)
Earthquake (No Man's Land)
Death of Jack Drake (Identity Crisis)
Hush (Hush)
Jason's return, Dick's possible death (Under the Hood)
Manipulation from Kal-L (Infinite Crisis)
Dick's sacrifice (Infinite Crisis)
The clones (Batman: Last Rites (part of Final Crisis))

However, as long as you know about the events, you could just read Last Rites, as that story touches upon all the others. With Batman restrained physically and fighting a mental parasite that stole his memory, h had to turn his memories into a weapon and forced them upon the clones at once, which drove them to suicide.

Ok, Well I've read Killing Joke, Death in the Family, Knightfall, No Man's Land, and Hush. Guess I need to read Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, and Last Rites...

But still I think a breakdown in the New 52 should be shown...

But no, they are going to do Batman, Zero Year, ANOTHER look into Batman's origins....REALLY???????????????

 

[JewishHobbit]

Ok, Well I've read Killing Joke, Death in the Family, Knightfall, No Man's Land, and Hush. Guess I need to read Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, and Last Rites...

But still I think a breakdown in the New 52 should be shown...

But no, they are going to do Batman, Zero Year, ANOTHER look into Batman's origins....REALLY???????????????

My recommendation... if you're reading Identity Crisis and Infinite Crisis, and especially if you're reading it for Batman, read The Omac Project and then JLA: Crisis of Conscience between Identity Crisis and Infinite Crisis. Both are big deals regarding Batman's story.

 

[darthneo64]

My recommendation... if you're reading Identity Crisis and Infinite Crisis, and especially if you're reading it for Batman, read The Omac Project and then JLA: Crisis of Conscience between Identity Crisis and Infinite Crisis. Both are big deals regarding Batman's story.

Will do, thanks for the input!

 

[JewishHobbit]

And I'd recommend reading them in that order as well:

Identity Crisis
The Omac Project
JLA: Crisis of Conscience
Infinite Crisis

In addition to those:

I believe the trade for Omac includes the oneshot that starts the whole thing off (Countdown to Infinite Crisis I think it's called) but I don't think it includes the Sacrefice mini... or at least, it includes the last issue of it. Basically, Omac Project runs 3 issues, then it's interupted by a 4-part crossover in Wonder Woman and the Superman titles, and then it continues in Omac Project for 3 more issues where it concludes. If you're reading Omac and there's a bit of a jarring in the center, don't fret it. The Sacrefice arc isn't really important until the last page of part 3 and then part 4 (Wonder Woman). The trade will hopefully explain all that.

Also, it's not in the trade but there's an Omac Project oneshot that takes place during Infinite Crisis. It's not necessary but it's a nice add-on to the Omac Project story and better connects it to Infinite Crisis.

 

[storyteller]

Batman's "breakdowns" tend to look like this:
-Grow more stubble
-Act like a bigger dick to everyone

-Probably think up a new way to bring down the justice league.
-Listen to Kent ramble
-Sleep with a chick is not bat**** insane
-Find a new robin

 

[Lead Cenobite]

When these memories were transplanted into Bruce's clones (so they were for all intents and purposes, Bruce) they all committed suicide. Bruce is driven in a near supernatural way, which he renewed through Thogal, and possibly Return of Bruce Wayne. He may handle this better than expected.

Wouldn't it have to be? Souls exist in the DCU and clones of Bruce wouldn't really BE Bruce. They're new humans who just happen to have all of his physical and mental traits, but not his soul.

 

[Baramos]

It's not like

Spoiler

Damian

is going to stay dead, so any breakdown is just going to be yet another breakdown added onto Batman's history of mental duress.

 

[3dman27]

i think batman will snap soon
ether that or try to boss around the wrong person and get whats coming to him for his control freak routine

 

[ThePhantasm]

Hasn't Batman gone through enough emotional turmoil in the comics? I know he's a dark and brooding character but surely new things can be done besides "another person close to Bruce has tragically died."

 

[Manic]

Seriously, Bruce has been hanging onto his sanity by his fingernails for damn near his entire life. Losing his own son should reduce him to a shell of a man, but not a single writer will do more than make him brood a little more than usual.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

When it really comes down to it, all long-running comic book characters should be insane from having 30/60 or so years worth of life experiences all compressed into the span of a decade or less.

 

[ericadawn16]

I agree, I think what happened to Wanda Maximoff and others makes a lot more sense.

 

[BLACKVULCAN]

Hahahaha! Mannnnnnnnn! that dude is waaaaaayyyy past due for a stint in Arkham!
not too many Jokers( not the pasty faced kind!) grow up to dress as a rodent and want to beat the &^%$ outta bad guys unless you were already unhinged from the start! I understand the motivation, but that dude is a batarang short of a strait jacket himself!... and dont even get me started on the kid thing! That dude is way overdue for losing his mind!

 

[Batfan1]

Batman's "breakdowns" tend to look like this:
-Grow more stubble
-Act like a bigger dick to everyone

A lot of truth there...