To The Batcave!

We’re twelve days away from October, which means we’re only 720 hours away from my birthday. Don’t worry, that should give you plenty of time to get me a present. DC’s already thinking ahead and told me what they’re getting me for my birthday: Bruce Wayne back and ready to go. Just what I always wanted right up there with world peace and a pony! Of course, there’s a logical reason why Bruce hasn’t been in the cave for the past year.

Not only will October see the final two issues of Return of Bruce Wayne, but DC is also releasing another event called Bruce Wayne - The Road Home. Basically, none of the regular Bat-books (Batman, Detective, Batgirl, Red Robin, etc) are being run, instead there will be eight special books dealing with the impact of Bruce’s return on those he left behind. What’s most interesting about the books is who they decided to feature. Of course you’re going to feature all of his various protégés. I also understand having both his close friend and his greatest enemy. I’d be disappointed if they left out the closest thing that Bruce has to a real lover.

The one I don’t understand is why they included the Outsiders. Yes, Batman’s been their leader, but he was also a big part of the JLA and they don’t have their own book. I don’t see that they had such a huge impact on Bruce. Plus, since Blackest Night, they haven’t even been working with Alfred so they’re as far removed from the rest of the Bat-universe that you could get. Granted, they’ve been pretty rudderless and screwed up since Batman died, so maybe this is going to be more of a “daddy’s home and he wants to talk to you about your report card” moment.

All eight books fit together into one pretty awesome poster image. It’ll look very cool on one of Kris’s comic shelves.

The climax of this story line is Morrison’s Batman: The Return where we’ll learn the “surprising new status quo that’s just on the horizon.” Of course, if you’ve been reading any comic news or looking at any of the solicitations for November, then you know that the new status quo is that both Dick and Bruce will be Batman, and that the whole Bat-family is getting organized as Batman, Inc. It sounds like Bruce has been reading Ecocomics while he’s been on vacation.