Batman R.I.P.

[JoeCat]

I haven't had a chance to read this arc, I've been trying to follow but can somebody give me an overview of the story and where it stands now?

 

[Mike_D202]

^^^ me as well

 

[Saint]

Summarizing powers: activate!

The Black Glove is an organization composed of some of the richest and most powerful people in the world, who gather to observe contests orchestrated between good and evil. The guy in charge appears to be Dr. Hurt, who appeared in a Pre-Crisis story which saw Batman, earlier in his career, take part in a military isolation experiment, the effects of which he hoped would give him insight into the Joker's psyche.

At the time, of course, Hurt just appeared to be a run-of-the-mill scientist. Morrison's run has revealed him to be quite the nutbag. During this experiment, for reasons presently unknown, he used this opportunity to really mess with Batman. One of the things he did was attempt to create three replacement Batman, based on what he observed of the real Batman. For example, he determined that tragedy was a defining element of Batman, so he did some pretty awful stuff to these three replacement Batmen. The other thing he did was implant some psychological conditioning in the real Batman. He, of coursed, removed all memory of the incident from batman's mind, so as far as Batman ever knew, the experiment went as intended, and any weird things he experienced were just hallucinations induced as part of said experiment.

In RIP, Dr. Hurt puts in motion a plan to kill Batman, ostensibly for the enjoyment of the Black Glove. He uses a trigger that activates the psychological conditioning implanted years earlier. What this does is effectively turn "off" Batman. He drugs Bruce up and leaves him in the street. As the result of the "turning off,' Bruce has no memory of himself or Batman. As it turns out, though, Batman had planned for the possibility that someone might mount a psychological attack such as this. As he wanders the street, a backup personality activates in his psyche. This is effectively a second personality--a second version of Batman--designed to take over in an event like this. This personality calls itself the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, and is based on a halucination Batman once suffered that involved an alien Batman (the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh).

This personality isn't quite the same as the regular Batman. Because Bruce Wayne has been "turned off" in his head, this is effectively a version of batman without the balance Bruce Wayne brings to the equation. Furthermore--possibily the result of all the crazy drugs he was loaded up with--Batman is imagining that Bat-Mite is following him around, giving him advice.

Anyways, Batman has now gone to Wayne manor and confronted Dr. Hurt--who has enlisted the aid of the Joker, and Jezebel Jet, who has been a love interest for Bruce recently but now appears to be working with the Black Glove.

 

[Cain]

Your summarizing powers are off Batman didn't go to Wayne Manor to confront these fools he went to Arkham. Also Gordon was lured to a booby trapped Wayne Manor by the Black Glove and rescued by Talia Al Ghul and her son with the Batman, Damian. Now they're off the find Bats together.

 

[Saint]

Your summarizing powers are off Batman didn't go to Wayne Manor to confront these fools he went to Arkham. Also Gordon was lured to a booby trapped Wayne Manor by the Black Glove and rescued by Talia Al Ghul and her son with the Batman, Damian. Now they're off the find Bats together.

Oh, right. It was Arkham Batman went to. I omitted the Gordon bit because it hasn't become important yet.

 

[Drz]

26th is the day Batman R.I.P's newest issue comes, right?

 

[FCEEVIPER]

Reading it, and even having this arch summarized for me, it still stinks. imo

 

[CaptainClown]

Reading it, and even having this arch summarized for me, it still stinks. imo

I keep thinking "really?" when I read it

 

[MasterOgami]

26th is the day Batman R.I.P's newest issue comes, right?

Yep!

 

[MasterOgami]

Furthermore--possibily the result of all the crazy drugs he was loaded up with--Batman is imagining that Bat-Mite is following him around, giving him advice. .

Correct me if I'm wrong, but just for the sake of super nerdtacular clarity, I think Bat-Mite's been riding shotgun (off and on anyway) in Bruce's head since he was shot with that explosive shell by the "Third Batman", which is a lil bit before Dr. Hurt got Bruce all hopped up. Though that could maybe explain why he stuck around for so long!

 

[FCEEVIPER]

Yep!

Awesome user name MasterOgami!

 

[MasterOgami]

Awesome user name MasterOgami!

Why thank you sir!

 

[FCEEVIPER]

Why thank you sir!

The. Best. Story, Ever!!


Well maybe second to TDKR.

 

[Drz]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but just for the sake of super nerdtacular clarity, I think Bat-Mite's been riding shotgun (off and on anyway) in Bruce's head since he was shot with that explosive shell by the "Third Batman", which is a lil bit before Dr. Hurt got Bruce all hopped up. Though that could maybe explain why he stuck around for so long!

Bat-mite was somehwat part of Batman of Zurr err arrh, he was pretty much what was left of Bruce or how Bruce saw the world, assisting Batman with things like having a detector on his latest scar, which ended up being in his teeth. (This way the Black Glove always knew his location)

I'm really excited to find out who Dr. Hurt is, i can't really say is Jezebel evil or not since she magically changes her clothes instantly at the last page of Batman R.I.P Making me wonder is Bruce's mind so ****ed up or is the cloth thing a minor-plothole to make a greater story lol. :P

 

[Mike_D202]

Err..wait, let me get this straight:

Early in Batman's career, he was involved in a military psyche experiment run by a quack to try and see what its like being the joker to better understand him better. During the experiment, the quack messed with his brain and, at the same time, made 3 other batmen wanna-bees based off of the psych of the true batman. The quack woke the true batman up, but not before hiding what happend during the experimentation deep in his brain.

Flash forward to today, the quack "flips a switch" on in Batman's head and makes him forget who he is. BUT, Batman expected something like this would happen, so he programmed a personality in his own brain as a "back-up" personality...and for some reason, its an alien Batman that is being run by Bat Mite???

And now these 3 other fake Batmen are trying to kill the true Batman, even though they're psychy are programmed to be like the real Batman's personality (which is hard to swallow considering that Batman wouldnt do that).

Right?

 

[Saint]

and for some reason, its an alien Batman that is being run by Bat Mite???

The alien Batman originally appeared in another Pre-Crisis story where Batman was transported to another world and met an alien Batman. Morrison has retconned it so this experience was a hallucination Batman suffered in his early career, induced by a gas a villain had attacked him with. Batman used this imaginary Batman as the template for his back-up personality. I imagine that to be a distinct personality (and thus able to remain intact despite the "main" Batman being "turned off") this back-up Batman had to have a significantly different identity from the real Batman, hence the decision to use this imaginary alien Batman as template.

As for bat-mite, he isn't "running" anything, and he wasn't a part of the back up personality. He seems to be a product of the mental traumas Bruce has endured as of late--his near death experience and his current drug-addled condition.

Besides that, you've got it right so far.

And now these 3 other fake Batmen are trying to kill the true Batman, even though they're psychy are programmed to be like the real Batman's personality

We don't know if they're programmed to be like the real Batman. We do know that whatever Hurt did to them made them looney-tunes. As I said, he wanted to replicate the element of tragedy in Batman's life, and that led to some pretty unpleasant stuff for these three replacements. So they're fairly psychotic. We also don't know why Hurt bothered to "make" these guys in the first place, at present.

(which is hard to swallow considering that Batman wouldnt do that).

Batman wouldn't do what?

 

[Mike_D202]

Batman wouldn't do what?

I guess I just got confused because if Batman's personality was stamped into the brains of these 3 other batmen, then they shouldnt be out to kill.

I dunno I just thought this whole storyline would have been a bit more "realistic" than him talking to hallucinations of Batmite.

 

[Saint]

Hallucinations are unrealistic? Crazy people hear voices all the time. That said, Grant Morrison stories are rarely realistic.

As for the 3 Batmen, there's no indication they've been programmed with Batman's personality. They seem to be mostly failed attempts that have gone whacko. Since we don't know why they were really made, we can't really figure out what their deal is yet.

 

[Drz]

Also to add, Joker is helping Dr. Hurt after he found out who he truly is, and what Batman had done to him, then Joker says "oh you" in a way that Batman had done truly naughty things. It was awesome. :d

 

[Dirt Like Me]

As for the 3 Batmen, there's no indication they've been programmed with Batman's personality. They seem to be mostly failed attempts that have gone whacko. Since we don't know why they were really made, we can't really figure out what their deal is yet.

I thought the three "ghosts" were cops who had volunteered to take part a program to create a replacement Batman, to be called up if anything ever happened to the "real" one? Or are you saying that you think there was some ulterior motive by Hurt throughout the project?

Either way, I don't think we'll see them on Wednesday. The sharpshooter ghost who shot the Joker in the face hasn't been seen since the beginning of Morrison's run, the Bane ghost is dead, and the one who thinks he's the devil seems to have gotten away but fits back into things in the Issue 666 timeline.

Besides that, there's almost too many loose threads to tie up heading the final issue of the story: something bad is going to happen to Bruce; Hurt's identity has to be revealed; the Joker is still in the picture (although I feel like last issue was his showcase); Dick has to avoid the lobotomy he's slated for; Tim is still on the run; Gordon and the Al Ghuls might figure into things; and the Batmen of All Nations might be on their way to Gotham, too.

Like I've said earlier, there's a lot riding on this issue and I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

 

[Saint]

I thought the three "ghosts" were cops who had volunteered to take part a program to create a replacement Batman, to be called up if anything ever happened to the "real" one? Or are you saying that you think there was some ulterior motive by Hurt throughout the project?

I absolutely think that. Was that experiment sanctioned by anyone? I thought Hurt was doing it all on his own.

Edit: Er, nevermind. I had forgotten that this was all sanctioned by the police department, and then sealed up after it went bust. My mistake.

Either way, I don't think we'll see them on Wednesday. The sharpshooter ghost who shot the Joker in the face hasn't been seen since the beginning of Morrison's run, the Bane ghost is dead, and the one who thinks he's the devil seems to have gotten away but fits back into things in the Issue 666 timeline.

I think the one that shot the Joker died from his wounds. In any case, we don't need to see them for their existence to be explained.

Like I've said earlier, there's a lot riding on this issue and I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Indeed.

 

[Mike_D202]

I just think that whole plot is dissappointing. It might be the death of BATMAN, I think they could have done a little better than that.

 

[Drz]

Thats because the whole story will continue in Final Crisis and so on. Just like Hush's story will continue after Heart of Hush, its just 1 arc in a long storyline.

EDIT: http://dccomics.com/media/excerpts/10530_x.pdf

So who could this german guy be? :P

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

Reading that summary got me interested but I'll probably wait for the TPB and only if it has lasting repercussions on Batman, you don't really think Bruce Wayne is really quitting being Batman right?

Without Bruce there would be no Batman since he's the major driving force that has made Batman so popular with fans because of his obsession of watching his parents die, many others have doubled for Bats such as Dick Grayson and Azrael but they all have different personalities and don't have that determination that Bruce has.

Yeah Dick Grayson also watched his parents die but he's been able to remain a sense of sanity and Azrael was just some jerk brainwashed to kill.

 

[FCEEVIPER]

I see a future were the Batbooks sales dipping and dipping without Bruce, and eventually DC bringing Bruce coming back to helm the cape and cowl.