The Return of Bruce Wayne

[Drz]

The World’s Greatest Detective is facing his toughest mystery.
Lost in the timestream, believed to be dead by his friends and enemies alike, Bruce Wayne must use every bit of intelligence, every ounce of strength and training he’s acquired over the years to find his way back to the city, and adopted family of vigilantes, he’d left behind.
Blasted by the mysterious and powerful Omega Effect in the pages of FINAL CRISIS during a deadly battle with the malevolent New God Darkseid, Bruce Wayne must battle back through the waves of time to reclaim what was his – his city, his life…his cowl?

From the kinetic and awe-inspiring imagination of writer Grant Morrison and an all-star cast of artists, including Chris Sprouse, who’ll handle art chores on the first issue, BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 (of 6) hits in April and will prove to be Bruce Wayne’s defining moment as a hero, and his toughest challenge yet.


But enough from me – what do the players have to say about this breaking news? Well, suffice to say, Morrison is calling the mini-series: “The latest chapter in the long-running, ‘definitive’ Batman epic.”
And how ’bout those amazing Andy Kubert design sketches?
For a bit more, swing byUSA TODAY, where John Geddes sits down with Morrison to get more insight on where Bruce Wayne – and the entire Bat-universe – is heading.

Also good news for all "Robin & Batman" fans. Grayson and Damian are confirmed to remain in their respected mantles throut the year 2010:

Q: Aside from Return, what new work can readers look forward to from Grant Morrison in 2010?

A: Mostly Batman work — I'm doing at least another year of stories with Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne in the Batman and Robin book before that book starts to dovetail with Return and we rush headlong and screaming into the next big, earth-shattering, game-changing twist in the life of Batman.

 

[The Sage]

Too soon, IMO. I'm loving Dick Grayson as Batman and he's growing into the role. If he returns, does he immediately take back the cowl?

 

[Drz]

Dan Didio already confirmed that one of the themes of 2010 would be about Dick handling the idea of two Batmen. Will he step down? Will he help Batman as the 2nd Batman? It all depends. Morrison surely has some plans.

Q: Aside from Return, what new work can readers look forward to from Grant Morrison in 2010?
A: Mostly Batman work — I'm doing at least another year of stories with Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne in the Batman and Robin book before that book starts to dovetail with Return and we rush headlong and screaming into the next big, earth-shattering, game-changing twist in the life of Batman.

Dick and Damian will be Batman & Robin till 2011 now atleast, stop crying about Bruce's return! You all know if the sales go well and Morrison doesn't wanna change things. We will have the Robin & Batman team up!

 

[The Sage]

True. But I wish it was longer.

 

[Drz]

Well DC has talked about wanting to keep Dick and Damian as Batman and Robin aslong as possible.. So if it doesn't interfere with Morrison's plans im all up for it.

 

[The Sage]

Then what would Bruce do once returning to modern Gotham?

 

[Drz]

Thats something we just need to wait to find out. #666 had a shot of Two Batmen and Damian's Robin costume, maybe that was a hint.

 

[The Joker]

This seems rather soon. Still it's great to hear Dick and Damien will be keeping their Batman and Robin mantles throughout next year.

 

[Cain]

I am torn on the one hand I wanted Bruce in the omega sanction stories from Morrison at some point but not this soon. DC editorial should've waited at least 3 years but if Morrison just can't contain himself it is what it is at least I'm guaranteed one more year of Batman's sons running around as Batman & Robin.

I think when Bruce does return to Gotham he should spend at least a year in real time as just Bruce Wayne, there's a novel thought. Have him undo any further damage Hush makes to his name and image as well as have him play in the cave to Batman & Robin Batman Beyond style. I don't know but there are a lot of possibilities and as sales have indicated a great portion of the fanbase is fine without Bruce.

21 years of reading Batman comics this is the freshest yet more natural progression I've yet seen in the books. Robin becomes Batman, like that's why Robin exists in the first place. So a little more of that is welcome especially now that they have Batman: Earth One to appeal to the Nolan fans & rookie readers and Confidential and other original mini's featuring Bruce as Bats. A lot of people also still got 70 years worth of Bruce Wayne Batman stories to look into so they shouldn't even be complaining.

 

[Motown Marvel]

geez, everyone complains when bruce disappears and dick takes over the mantle. now people complain that bruce is returning with dick eventually giving up the mantle. there are kids in africa who are so poor they dont even get to read comics! they're stuck reading donated encyclopedia's that arent written by grant morrison!

 

[Drz]

Who wants to guess Mordecai Wayne will be referenced or he *is* Bruce?

 

[Cain]

Who wants to guess Mordecai Wayne will be referenced or he *is* Bruce?

it's beyond obvious

oh and I never complained when Bruce was killed off, the exact opposite, I celebrated that they decided to have the balls to get rid of him as Bats for a while and promote Dick but under a more compelling scenario now (teaming him with Bruce's biological son) not only that but to see Bruce face great & different challenges from the norm in the omega sanction. It's just that it seems so sudden that it's almost abrupt.

 

[Batman]

Seems a bit too similar to what's being done with Captain America. Hero dies, allies mourn, sidekick takes over the mantle to fill the void. Then right as said sidekick begins cultivating enough of a following in the role to warrant the change, the original is revealed to not only be alive, but trapped in the past while trying to make it back to the present, bringing up the question of whether or not the sidekick will remain in the role he adopted, or the original will take it back.

Normally, I'd be more than annoyed at the obvious parallel. But, it's Morrison, so I guess it'll at least be crazy and entertaining enough to read.

 

[Cain]

I don't read marvel comics so I honestly don't care a bit besides from what the zombies tell me outside of the basic description the executions are greatly different (for one thing Bucky did not preserve the ideals of Steve but became his OWN type of Cap and Steve was stuck in reliving portions of his own actual life and not numerous different lives throughout time.)

 

[CrimsonMist]

If Andy Kubert is the guy drawing Batman on a monthly basis for this, i'll start picking Batman up again.

 

[Red Mask]

This lost in time story sounds better suited for Superman. Wasn't there already a story where Superman had to keep jumping through different periods to get home?

 

[Mace Dolex]

I never had a doubt that Bruce Wayne wasn't returning, this is simply another rehash of KnightQuest/Prodigal Son for 2010.

 

[mothy]

I never had a doubt that Bruce Wayne wasn't returning, this is simply another rehash of KnightQuest/Prodigal Son for 2010.

ditto.

 

[WolfCypher]

As said earlier, too soon. Yes, I want Bruce back, but its just too damn early. Well, at least we can get an explaination sooner than later as to how the hell does an Omega Beam send a person into the abyss of time while leaving their dead body in the present?

 

[Nivek]

Seems a bit too similar to what's being done with Captain America. Hero dies, allies mourn, sidekick takes over the mantle to fill the void. Then right as said sidekick begins cultivating enough of a following in the role to warrant the change, the original is revealed to not only be alive, but trapped in the past while trying to make it back to the present, bringing up the question of whether or not the sidekick will remain in the role he adopted, or the original will take it back.

Normally, I'd be more than annoyed at the obvious parallel. But, it's Morrison, so I guess it'll at least be crazy and entertaining enough to read.

True, it is a very obvious rip o... parallel. We will have to see how it plays out.

 

[Motown Marvel]

rip off? because morrison is a writer who is so desperate for ideas that he'd have to blatantly rip off brubaker? please. morrison/DC has had this planned out for years.

 

[Venom 1988]

^^^
That and Brubaker and co decided to change the aftermath (Rebirth mini) of Cap's death much later. IIRC Brubaker originally didn't plan on killing Cap and when it was decided, it was only going to last 6 issues.

 

[The Caped Knight]

I'm glad Bruce is returning I can't wait let the countdown begin . Dick performance as Batman IMO is more of an act (to keep the Legacy Of Batman alive in Gotham City) But Dick truly hasn't embraced being The Bat like for example Terry McGinnis did in Batman Beyond. I've enjoyed to a certain degree Dick as the Caped Crusader . But I think it's time the Master return and more importantly with the return of Bruce , Tim can take his rightful place back as Robin . Damian needs to go .

 

[WolfCypher]

Damain won't go. At least I doutb it. To be honest, I look at Tim as being out of Bruce's shadow. Has been for a while. Like when Dick became Nightwing, Tim has been his own hero for quite some time. If we ever had a Robin, that Robin should be the right hand man to Batman. Tim has grown far from being Bat's 2nd. But Damian? He still has a looooong time before he can be his own...anything, in the Bat family. Let Damian stay Robin, and keep Tim his own (well, own in a techinal sense, since technically, the Red Robin ID was used by others before Tim).

 

[Robin91939]

I'll pass. I hate stories like this- especially in Batman. Time travel and all of this silly stuff....no. I'll pass.

Batman is about reality and magical realism...not simple magic.

-R