When will he hang it up?

[MGilhuly14]

Do you think this will ever happen? Obviously Batman Beyond is about Bruce Wayne hanging it up but I feel it does a poor job of telling this story. You think there will ever be a day in the current continuity when Bruce hangs it up for good and someone else stands in to take his place?

 

[Goddamn_Batman]

The idea that makes the most sense to me is that DC might do something like have Batman retire when we get to Batman #1000 or Tec #1000. We all know that day has to come eventually, and I doubt such a big event would happen in a random issue like Batman #1257. Just my thought. Whether they SHOULD do it or not is another question altogether...

 

[MGilhuly14]

Is it even possible for something like this to happen? Has this ever happened with other characters?

 

[baronghede]

NEVER. 100 years from now, there will still be Batman stories. Hell, DC could go belly up and the character's property rights would be bought up by someone else. It is a cash cow and an iconic piece of Americana. Whoever owns him at any time will never make a decision that precludes them from revisiting the character at any time they see fit.
We will all be in our 80s or 90s, in our deathbeds and our grandchildren will be talking about the latest issue of "Ultimate Crisis on Earth 7" that will once again re-jumpstart Batman again in modern time.
It will NEVER happen. He will outlive everyone alive on the planet at this time.

 

[CConn]

Honestly...I don't think any change would ever stick. Bruce Wayne as Batman is too iconic, too well known. They might try to give Dick or Tim or whoever the mantle for a while, but I would have to think it'd revert back to Bruce somehow.