The phrases "will the real Bruce Wayne please stand up" and "and where is the BAT MAN" come to mind lately in the bat books, but they may all soon be titled "The Adventures of Robin". I've made the comment on the show that through the recent R.I.P. storyline it seems that ole bats is taking a back seat to the development of those around him. While its clear that Batman is not in fact dead he is in fact dead to many people around him, those that don't have the benefit of seeing the panels in the comic books we do. I'm talking about people like Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, and Jason Todd in particular but less not forget people like Commissioner Gordon, Damien Wayne, Tommy Elliot (Hush) and of course Alfred. These are a group of people who are trying to carry on without Batman and to a degree Bruce Wayne. Yet while its easy to concoct a story as to where Bruce may be its a hole left that's hard to fill when Batman is not around.
While the higher ups (or at least Grant Morrison) may know what the future holds for Batman and the payoff it may bring, we as readers will be left with the challenge of reading the bat books and also dealing with a hole left without Batman. The question in the upcoming months will be how hard that hole will be to fill. Lets face it, we read Batman for Batman which is why Nightwing and Robin have their own books and there is no lack of additional books centering around additional stories and the Batman universe, including Detective Comics. Perhaps now more than ever its good that such comics as Nightwing and Robin have seemed to step up their stories and development, but wait, thier being cancelled!
Now I'm not going to say that DC is crazy or anything, these books sell well and I'm sure they know what they are doing. There is a lot of word on one shots and miniseries but I've never been a big fan of having to read many many comics to understand what's going on in the big picture. Hopefully in the coming months DC won't get too crazy in the telling of the "Batte for the Cowl" story, and an interesting story it will be.
I'm a little hesitant to get too excited about the outcome of this storyline, its not like this is the first time someone else has been tasked with being Batman in Batmans abcense. I would be completely amazed if DC pulled Batman off the streets for good, a little disapointed but amazed. Alas our heroes never die, in some form or way they always return to carry on thier roles for future generations. So what in fact do we have to look forward too in the coming months? My guess is the many adventures of the many Robin's.
Even this early on it seems that none of the Robin's will become Batman but they may all very well become Batman for awhile and maybe that's whats needed. Nightwing would seem the most likely candidate but he doesn't want to be Batman, however at this point he seems most likely to take up the detective and fatherly role, and the leadership role of Batman in his abcense. Tim will take to the streets as Batman, he'll have the job of earning the trust of people like Commisioner Gordon and trying to make the right decisions as well as his own decisions. Jason Todd will have the role of making the tough decisions, he's the only one willing to kill and my question is could he finally end the career of at least one of Batman's greatest foes along the way. Damien is way to young to fill in for bats but he may well be tasked to carry on the role of Robin in the interim. Tommy Elliot may actually have to become Bruce Wayne for awhile in what could be his greatest struggle of all and perhaps it will be he and Jason Todd who will eventually have to meet.
Eventually Batman and Bruce Wayne will return, its what happens in the meantime that I feel won't change Batman but will in fact change those around him.
Once and for all we are going to learn just what it takes to be Batman, shoes that no one either can or want to fill.