Comic Book Review: Batman #701

I remember when I read the final pages of Batman #681 in November of 2008. They were exciting, mysterious, and provided a satisfying ending to Batman RIP story. But of course, as always, there were still lingering questions, as Batman seemingly died in the helicopter explosion, yet he appears alive and well in the first issue of Final Crisis, before "dying" again in the sixth issue of that series. So how did Batman end up saving the world in Final Crisis, and what about Dr. Hurt becoming El Penitente in Batman and Robin? Well in this weeks issue of Batman, the RIP team of Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel return of bridge the gap, all while revealing a few tricks hidden up their sleeves.


This issue picks up immediately after Batman RIP, with Bruce fighting the roughs waters of Gotham to emerge at the Harbor. While he exits the waters, he can't help but wonder about Hurt, and how his escape from a wrecked helicopter at the bottom of the sea would be next to impossible, yet a quick panel shows the evil Doctor pressing his way out of the ruins.

Upon returning home to Wayne Manor, a battered Alfred greets him, and Bruce begins to recount his experience that almost led him to death. Even though he's suffered wounds tough, his inner detective won't allow him to stay still, so he fires up the Bat-Sub, and races to the helicopter ruins underneath the harbor. He finds nothing amongst the ruins, which bothers him immensely as he tells Alfred upon his return home. Alfred attempts to encourage him, highlighting the fact that Batman was able to escape all the traps set for him, and make it out alive. But in Bruce's mind, he should have never fallen in the traps to begins with, he could, and should be dead now.

As Alfred exits the Bat-Cave behind Bruce, he takes note that the clock has mysteriously stopped working, right a 1:15. I'm not sure if that's relevant or not, but knowing Grant and his love of clues, I feel like it is.

Bruce informs Alfred that he's going to sleep for the rest of the day, yet he just tosses uncomfortably in bed still feeling the aftereffects of the drugs issued to him by Hurt. He begins to enter a state of hallucination and memory, thinking about Hurt, and his parents. He's baffled by the fact that Hurt found the Mansion's secret room, the same room that Dick discovered in Batman and Robin #10. He explains that his parents made him vow to never enter the room, and he silently apologizes to them as he enters it to find "Barbatos" and Thomas messily painted on a wall. More questions abound to him, and he wonders if maybe there is a sick family secret, perhaps insanity or something of the like that has been buried under the rug. And why would Hurt go trough such length to destroy the good name of Wayne?

Bruce retreats back to the Cave once again, pondering of all his info, trying to connect the dots. He's interrupted by Alfred, who says that there is something urgent to be seen. Alfred takes Bruce outside, to see that the sky is turning red, the beginning of Final Crisis. In the Bat-Cave once more, Superman appears on the computer to recruit Batman for investigating the murder of a god, Orion. Before Bruce leaves, Alfred once again tries to comfort him about the recent lies and allegations thrown at the Wayne family, saying that the real truth can be proven. Bruce again relates the atrocities the Black Glove put him though, but he says the worst part was losing his fathers Bat-Costume to the Gotham River. He's still concerned about the supposed "curse" put on him by Hurt, and as he flies out to the Orion crime seen, he notes that he can feel a larger trap enclosing around him.


It's incredible to me, that even though Dr. Hurt was beaten this round, Batman is still very much in his trap. Bruce is flooded with much uncertainty, even about his own family and their potential secrets. Even the whole "curse" is troubling him, giving us a look at a Batman with much less confidence than usual.

Grant also threw us for a spin with the secret room in Wayne Manor, which is part of the caves included in Return of Bruce Wayne. It's looking like the Wayne's had secrets of their own, maybe not quite the messiahs we thought them to be.

And then as always, more speculation on the true identity of Dr. Hurt. While some maintain that he's obviously the embodiment of all evil, I'm not sure certain, but either way we'll most likely get the fuller picture within the coming months of Batman and Robin.

Tony Daniel continued his hot streak with great pencils, added with Morrison's story and we get an overall great issue. Glad the band got back together even if it just may be briefly.

With this short story line, there's only one issue left in the missing chapter of RIP, which is to be entitled Batman's Last Case. So check back next month a recap of that.

Comic Book Review: Batman and Robin #13

We all know the story. Little Bruce Wayne was leaving the theatre with his parents, when they were mugged by a thug named Joe Chill. Chill killed Thomas and Martha Wayne in cold blood, leaving a distraught Bruce to mourn the loss of his family, forever changing him. Of course, Bruce would go on to train around the world, becoming the vigilante known as Batman that we've loved for years. But what if that wasn't the real story. What if there's a secret, a secret so shocking and sick, it could change the entire mythology of Batman as we know it.

Batman and Robin are back this week, kicking off a new story arc that promises to change the status quo of Batman forever, and it waste no time bringing in the awesomeness. Spoilers galore:


The issue kicks off with the familiar scenario. Bruce exiting the theatre with his parents, right before a certain Joe Chill approaches them wielding a gun. Chill shoots Martha dead, and Thomas lingers over her body stating: "Now You'll Never Tell!"
He then goes on to her funeral, and follows that up with some kind of strange orgy while wearing his old Bat mask. In the present, he's walking out of a courthouse with a lawyer, officially announcing his return to Gotham. Of course, it's Dr. Hurt/El Penitente, and whether he actually is Thomas Wayne remains to be seen. This is an interesting development, as this possibility was initially introduced in Batman RIP, but it was quickly dropped out of mind.

But as always, things continue to get more interesting. Dr. Hurt casually walks into a building, where inside Batman and Robin are tied up, surrounded by a small group of villains. Dr. Hurt appears to have won the battle vs Batman, as well as taken over Wayne Manor (again), and he now plans to capture the city. As he pulls out a gun, Dick tries to tell him that he doesn't get it, that the evil Dr. is finished. But Hurt isn't listening, he just aims the gun a Dick, and much to Damian's horror, shoots Batman in the back of the head.

The issue then takes us three days prior to the events we just witnessed. Damian is arriving at a hotel surrounded by police cars, the hotel where Oberon Sexton/The Joker has been staying at. Batman is already in the room, questioning The Joker, all while explaining his deduction process which led to the discover of Oberon's identity. Everything was a detail, the dominos, the name he chose, and his disguise, all of which The Joker used perfectly to conceal himself. As Robin walks inside the room, he reveals that Oberon Sexton was a real writer, and Batman had The Knight confirm that. The Knight had the grave of Oberon's wife dug up, which revealed both Oberon and his wife inside the same coffin filled with chattering teeth. The Joker explains that Oberon Sexton killed his wife, so he just brought karma full circle and murdered the writer. What's strange though, is that The Joker is trying to convince Batman to trust him. I Quote: "I'm Too Late To Stop The Chain Reaction I Started With the First Little Domino of Death. And Now It's All Fall Down Time."

The Commissioner now bursts in the room, demanding that The Joker be taken into custody. The Joker further tries to be a strange kind of helpful, saying that he came back to warn Batman, which he didn't have to do. He goes on to say that he hopes everyone remembers that he tried to help, because it looks like everyone will die in the upcoming crossfire unless "You're As Good As He Was." Once again he hints that he knows Batman real identity, and recognizes that a new one is now in place. As The Joker is removed from his room, Batman ask Robin to stay with the police, as he plans on taking the Commissioner for a drive.

Dick has the Commissioner blindfolded, as they make their way to the Bat-Bunker while discussing the drug that Mr. Toad was pushing in the first story arc. Gordon briefly acknowledges that he also recognizes a new Batman is in place, but also adds that the police seem to like the new one better. As the duo arrive at the Bat-Bunker, Gordon is briefly amazed at the resources Batman has amassed. Dick begins to vaguely explain that The Jokers return is the start of something much bigger, yet he's still in the process of making all the connections. He does briefly mention though, that a total solar eclipse is set to happen in three days, which is sure to bring the crazy out in people. This note is important, because by now, we know from the pages of Return of Bruce Wayne that a solar eclipse appears right before Bruce is transferred into a different era of time. Also, Dick mentions that the eclipse is set to happen in three days, which would put Dick being shot, and Bruce returning, happening at the same time.

Batman begins to lay out everything he knows to Gordon, from El Penitente, to The Black Glove. He correctly assumes that everything connects with Professor Pyg's viral addiction, and begins to expect that the antidote he found at the carnival in the third issue is actually the virus itself, just waiting to be activated by another viral trigger. Even with all this going on, Batman still demands all eyes remain glued to The Joker, since he hasn't played his hand yet. Right as the words leave Dick's mouth, the Commissioner gets a text from HQ, saying The Joker requested to speak to Robin. Batman immediately heads for the car, shouting: "HE COULD KILL HIM!"
THe Commissioner is startled as well, worried that another dead Robin is due up. But Batman clarifies, he's not worried about Robin, he's worried about The Joker.

At Police HQ, Robin has locked himself inside The Joker's cell, where Joker is chained up, smiling unrepentantly. Damian is not amused by The Joker's smile, and very out of character, The Joker tries to explain that his face is stuck that way, and he's sorry for the things he's done. He buries his face into his hands, and begins to cry. Damian is no more sympathetic than he was amused, pulling out a crowbar from behind his back. He violently whacks The Joker, very similarly to Joker beating down a helpless Jason Todd in the classic story twenty years ago. Damian is becoming more aggressive, saying that he doesn't believe The Joker to be insane, and asks for straight honesty. The Joker can only beg for help on the cell floor, but none will be given as the police are ignoring his cries from outside the cell.

Batman and the Commissioner are making their way to the police station, when suddenly, they are struck by rockets. They fall from the sky, and crash into pieces in a dark alley. As they exit the wrecked Batmobile, they discover that they're surrounded by Dollotrons, Pyg's mindless drones. Speaking of Pyg, Hurt's men work their way through Blackgate, to release the oinking villain from his captivity.

This was easily the most exciting issue of Batman and Robin to date, with Grant great as usual, and Frazer Irving proving his unique art phenomenal. This issue besides from being awesome, also helps us establish a timeline with Return of Bruce Wayne, as Bruce should return by the end of this arc, maybe just in time to save day. Of course, he could also arrive only to watch Dick be killed, or Damian make his deal with Hurt to save the city.

On a side note, I can't imagine Dick being killed already, but you never know. If Dick is able to get out of this very compromising position and defeat Hurt, a debate is then in order. Who should continue to wear the cowl? Interesting questions to ponder, and their gonna bother for a while. But don't forget, Batman #701 next week, with the first part of gap between RIP and Final Crisis. A lot of different books, all connected in some masterful way. Great time to be a Bats fan.

Comic Book Review: Batman - The Return of Bruce Wayne #3

Many have wondered, including me, how it all was going to connect. How Bruce Wayne's travels though time would coincide with one another, and eventually with the future. Well today, we get The Return of Bruce Wayne #3, which takes place almost one hundred after the second issue. This issue is filled with pirates, secret treasure, and bat mythology, and this is where we will begin to see the barely visible threads that linger across time itself.

Bruce exhaustedly stumbles out of the ocean, right at the feet of Blackbeard and his fellow pirates. The exhaustion is physical, and mental, as he begins to get flashes of his life, finally remembering the who he was, and how he got in this position. Blackbeard believes Bruce to be The Black Pirate, a legendary captain, and pilot of The Black Rose. Blackbeard is also convinced that The Black Pirate is the only person who can locate the hidden treasure that is buried deep within the caves in Gotham. Bruce makes it clear that they have the wrong man, but Blackbeard is not one to be negotiated with, so he grabs a young boy on the shore, and threatens to kill the boy if The Black Pirate does not help. Not wanting anyone to get hurt, Bruce agrees to use his skills to find the treasure, as long as the boy is safe, and no one else gets hurt. The boy now begins to stand up for himself, sweet talking Blackbeard, who he calls Commodore Thatch, a legendary sailor that inspired the boy himself to set to sea. The boy also reveals his own name, Jack Loggins, but take note that the boy is narrating the story in the form of a diary, where he calls himself Jack Valor.

So Bruce leads the pirates to the caves, all while Jack does a little more explaining. In narration, Jack reveals that Bruce couldn't possibly be The Black Pirate, but out loud, Jack talks about the local lore of the deer-people joining the bat-people in the caves. Clearly Jack is knowledgeable, and once the pirates notice that, he goes back to the charade of being a clueless boy.

As Bruce leads the pirates though the Miagani cave, Jack marvels at his ability to avoid the traps set by the bat-people. The bat people are true to the name, hanging from the ceiling, and fashioning their hair like bat ears, and never letting themselves be seen. Their traps have unique triggers, but are predictable, especially the bat-arrows.

After Bruce leads the pirates through the first wave of traps, they approach a room that is filled with rotting bodies. Here, Jack begins to talk of another folk-tale, that of the ghost of Jon Valor, the original Black Pirate, but Blackbeard immediately dismisses the idea.

Bruce pauses in front of the room, and realizes that it was the methane gas that killed the men, and not a rumored ghost. He orders that all torches be extinguished before they move one, and also adds to not step on any raised stones. Of course, some of the men fail to pay attention and step on the rigged stones, causing a blue energy to attack them. They men that were not effected rush out the room, and come out behind a waterfall into a different area.

In the present, Batman and Robin are in Blüdhaven, namely Command-D where Darkseid was stationed in Final Crisis, and where Batman's body was found. They're in contact with Wonder Woman, who is at the Justice League headquarters as they discuss how to stop a rogue Batman. That's an interesting thought, as we know Batman was somehow tainted by Darkseid, but the mention of corruption is somewhat new. Back with the Justice League, Wonder Woman puts the League on Black Alert, due to the fact that Superman and the others that left with him have not reported since their trip to the end of time. With that, she turns the mic to Red Robin, as they lay out a strategy for stopping Batman. Tim doesn't really have a strategy though, instead he talks about the relic Batman and Robin found in the secret Batcave under Wayne Manor, the cowl that was draped over the elk antlers. The cowl has highly advanced technology in it, yet it is part of a relic 11,000 years old. Dick chimes in from Command-D, saying that the holes in the cowl match the spikes stemming from the machine that Bruce was connected to in Final Crisis. A new theory is agreed upon: Bruce escaped the machine, shot Darkseid, and was struck with the Omega Effect sending him back in time.

Back to the caves, the pirates are breathing in the sweat, fresh air of this area, as opposed to the methane from the previous room. While Blackbeard's crew is catching their breath, Jack slips away to have a private word with Bruce. Jack says that his real surname is Valor, revealing himself to be the real Black Pirate and captain of The Black Rose. He pulls a cowl from his vest, which looks just like Batman's cowl, except that it has no ears, similar to Red Robin's cowl. Jack says that the cowl belonged to his grandfather, Jon Valor, and the original Black Pirate. Blackbeard, who has attached wicks to his hat and lighting them, giving his head the appearance of being on fire, now notices Bruce and Jack conversing amongst themselves, and demands to know the details of the secret meeting. The pirates corner Bruce off the rock cliff and into the water below with only the cowl in hand. Blackbeard realizes that Bruce is the only man who knew how to maneuver around the traps, so he sets off to follow the trail of the river to find Bruce.

Blackbeard and his men now come to the Bridge of Bones, which confirms to them that there is treasure inside the cave. As the approach the bridge, a batarang hits one of the pirates in the chest, and another receives an arrow in the throat. The pirates are on edge now, and are even further spooked when they look across the bridge and see what they believe to be a ghost, but is actually Bruce wearing the cowl. Bruce/Batman, now pulls his usual awesomeness, and engages the pirates before finally taking them down with the help of a few bat-people.

Bruce and Jack throw Blackbeard and crew into the River of Night, and Jack then takes Bruce to meet the Miagani people. Jack is quite familiar with the bat-people, as he has been allowed to hide in their caves for years. He shows Bruce the carving that the bat-people worship, which is the same statue that Dick discovered in Batman and Robin, Barbatos. Bruce is allowed to see the sacred part of the cave, part of a great mystery that the bat-people claim to hold a great power.

Bruce is led to another cave, where he sees the cowl held to the stone by antlers, as well as his boots and utility belt. He knows these were his items, and he begins to make a connection to the man-of-bat, the Miagani, and Annie...

Bruce exits the cave, right as an eclipse is starting. He realizes that the eclipse triggers his transportation, so he hands Jack the cowl, and tells him to never stop fighting.

Jack tells us some of the events that transpired after Bruce left: Blackbeard/Thatch, was taken to the gallows shortly after the events in the cave, ending most of the piracy in the area. For the pirates that didn't stop, Jack took to using the cowl and stopping them, meeting a girl along the way that he would eventually marry. Jack also wrote down the story of Bruce, including the past places, and people of Bruce's former life. Note that this was at the instruction of Bruce himself, who told Jack all about his former life, maybe in order to leave clues for the future. After the story was completed, Jack met a wealthy brother and sister who instructed him to lock the papers inside a small casket baring a Bat-symbol. Jack never forgot the words that Bruce had spoken, and even as an old man, he still feels a presence when he holds the old cowl.

The last pages take place in a different time: The old west. Two men ride to an abandoned building where they meet a man playing cards to propose a business offer. They offer gold, if only their problem can be taken care of. The man holds up a Joker card, as he reveals himself to be Jonah Hex. The men need the greatest bounty hunter in the west, to take down a new stranger: The Batman of the old west.

Only half way through, and this series is already captivating every bit of my imagination. I can't stop thinking about what will happen once Bruce returns to the present, or what Darkseid has done to make that event disastrous. That casket that holds secrets to Bruce's past lives is the same one that was stolen from the mansion in Batman and Robin. So hopefully we'll find out why El Penitente's men wanted it. Two weeks from the next issue of Batman and Robin, and five weeks until the next issue of Return of Bruce Wayne. That sucks, but it will give plenty of time for us dorks to theorize how all of this connects. Please feel free to leave any theories in the comments.

Comic Book Review: Batman - The Return of Bruce Wayne #2

Only two weeks removed from the prehistoric Batman story, DC has released the second issue of Return of Bruce Wayne today, an issue where Bruce tackles the Puritan age. This chapter picks up immediately where we left off, and shines a little more light on the mystery that permeates Grant Morrison's Bat titles.

Bruce awakens by the unnamed woman, and quickly springs up as the large octopus monster is about to attack. As he grabs a sword, he tells her to run, and then bravely and foolishly attacks the monster. The monster though, is way more powerful than him, and knocks him unconscious, leaving the girl to rescue Bruce. Bruce once again awakens, this time to the sound of an unknown tongue, and he sees that he's in cave. The woman, and her pet ferret, have been nursing Bruce back to health, and her attempts appear to have been fruitful. Bruce opens his eyes, and notices some familiar charms hanging from the woman's neckless: The symbols of Superman and Wonder Woman. He attempts to speak, but he's still disoriented though, so the woman tells him to quiet, as she says something almost prophetic: "A Great Dark God has set his hand upon you. But stay with me and I'll love you. Until the end of time..."

Booster Gold, Skeets, Rip Hunter, Hal Jordan, and Superman arrive at Vanishing Point, the end of time, where they are attempting to learn any evidence as to Bruce's whereabouts, but they are limited to ten minutes there, ten minutes before the station is lost in the end of time itself. Their guide at Vanishing Point is biorganic archivist, a mysterious creature with long ears coming from it's head, a glowing left eye, and whose body appears to be covered in a curly fur. Superman asks the archivist if he can continue to trace Bruce's omega trail, so they can locate the lost hero. The archivist tries to explain the difficulty of this feat, going on to talk about time's ability to move forward and backwards, creating multiple vibrations of time. Rip chimes in about a track of time that is perpendicular to theirs: Cube Time. Archivist detects an infestation of something called hyperfauna, and a picture of the octopus monster appears on his screen. Superman realizes that then are essentially playing hide and seek with Bruce, who is a needle in a cosmic haystack as he puts it.

Back is the Puritan timeline, Bruce has taken the identity of a man named Mordecai, a devout man of God, and an ivestigator of sorts for the small village of Gotham. He's currently visiting upon a Mistress Tyler, who had a bat nailed to her door with a large knitting needle. Miss Tyler believes the bat was an omen put on her by a woman named Annie, who she believes works for the devil in the woods. Bruce isn't so sure though, and begins to take notice of random clues, such as Miss Tyler's large needles that she uses, her missing iron ladle, and her missing husband's clothes which have been mended. All of this points to Miss Tyler murdering her husband, and as Bruce says these things, a man named Malleus appears, and demands that Miss Tyler be taken away for her crimes as a which, only problem being that he has no evidence of witchcraft.

Miss Tyler is being tortured by the Malleus, drowning in a small lake. But Bruce/Mordecai storms in, and demands she is released for with crimes, saying that if she must be prosecuted, prosecute her for murdering her husband. Malleus is not happy about this, and says that Mordecai was sent to them to help rid them of witches, yet he won't let any executions take place. Bruce says that he has saved his fire for foes who've earned it, and he heads off into the woods.

In the woods, Bruce meets Annie, the woman that previously saved him, who lives all alone due to being shunned by the community for thinking she's a witch. She says that Malleus is terrified of "witches" since they can discover his true name, an identity who he wants no one to know. Bruce tries to rationalize their fears, explaining that when people are scared, they turn to explanations that are hard to be explained. Bruce becomes distracted though, as he begins to wonder why his memories only stretch back ten days, but Annie tells him not to ponder it, and kisses him.

Later, Bruce is getting his portrait drawn by an artist named Martin Van Derm, whose job is to document the Gotham community in illustrations. Bruce instructs Martin to pay close attention to every detail, highlighting the sketchbook Mordecai was holding in the pages of Batman and Robin #10. As the two make small talk, Malleus storms in, and begins to inquire of Bruce/Mordecai, asking why he talks so strange, and why he feels the need to have a portrait made. Bruce brushes off the verbal jabs, but Mordecai was there for a more important reason: The Dragon, or devil they believe, has been spotted in the woods, so Bruce, Mordecai, and two others run off into the woods.

In the woods, a man relates his sighting: A dragon with seven heads and ten horns, similar to the picture painted in the book of Daniel and Revelations. Malleus sees this as evidence of the devil, but Bruce is still not convinced, saying that the creature probably has descended from Earth, and not from Hell. This infuriates Malleus, who sees it his duty to protect Gotham from the devil. He begins to rant about a supposed eclipse that is set to occur, an eclipse that will let the devil walk in the day. The word eclipse seems to strike a chord with Bruce, as he vaguely recounts the eclipse that occurred in his last life, leading him to the present.

Bruce runs off to find Annie, and tells her that the woods are not safe, as the creature he encountered when he appeared is stalking the area. He then is struck with another revelation: He realizes that he's not Mordecai, Mordecai was the man that was killed when he appeared; Annie just dressed Bruce in his clothes. Annie confesses that Bruce is not from the church, and says that she "called," and Bruce came. He demands to be taken to the location where he was found, and Annie leads him to some ancient caves, caves that were once inhabited by people called Miagani, which means Bat-People. Bruce comes to realize the bats as a theme of sorts, and he also recognizes the caves, "from another life" he puts it. He now understands that Annie somehow summoned him and the dragon, which made them both appear, killing Mordecai. She says that she asked the heavens to send her an "angel" to rescue the native people from the settlers, so she wouldn't have to fight alone. Bruce once again warns her that they must leave, since the creature is running amok. As the words leave his mouth, the octopus monster emerges from the bottom of the cave, and attacks again. He tells Annie to once again flee, saying that monster is his responsibility since he brought it there.

Annie runs back into the village, to warn that the dragon is attacking. Malleus though, sees this as an opportunity to capture Annie, alleging that she used the lord's name in vain, and deeming her a witch. Him and his men begin to take a frantic Annie to the burning post, as she tries to warn them of Bruce/Mordecai's danger.

In the cave, Bruce is fighting off the monster, cutting off a few tentacles, and then throwing a flaming torch into it's mouth. With the creature down, Bruce goes for the kill shot, and then yells to Annie that something is wrong.

At Vanishing Point, there is three minutes left until the end of time, an event that even Superman couldn't survive. Just at this crucial moment, The Archivist shuts off, and begins to speak of the point in time Annie died at. Archivist then apologizes to Rip Hunter, saying though, that he can't be stopped after what he's been though to get there. He touches his head with a wirey finger, revealing the face of Bruce. "It's not over yet." he says, "So you'll all just have to trust me."
Superman begins to yell back at him: "You've been booby-trapped! Darkseid turned you into a doomsday weapon and aimed you at the 21st century.If you go back, you'll kill everyone."
He warnings are fruitless though, as Bruce takes control of the time sphere, and leaves them stranded.

Back at the village of Gotham, Annie is being hung by Malleus, citing her crimes as a witch. She tells him he'll pay though, as she knows his real name: Nathaniel Wayne. She curses him and all his kin until the end of time, and is then dropped to her death.

A last scene of the Puritan age reveals that Gotham was fruitful after Mordecai killed the monster, and he became somewhat of a legend in the community. But it gives the ominous warning that the devil was not done with Gotham...

Bruce emerges from a large body of water, loudly yelling Annie's name. He stumbles onto the sand of a beach, right under the boot of Blackbeard the pirate.

The second chapter of this Bruce Wayne mystery brings a lot of new points and questions. How is Annie connected to the larger picture of events? Why did he have those charms of Superman and Wonder Woman? Why was Nathaniel Wayne so desperate to conceal his identity from the village of Gotham? How is Bruce at Vanishing Point, and why did he leaves his friends there? I'm sure these questions will be lingering throughout the whole series.

Another interesting note is that we now know Darkseid will have Bruce destroy the world somehow, which is why Superman and co are so desperate to stop him, yet we don't how Bruce can destroy an entire world on his own.

It seemed though, at Vanishing Point, Bruce already knew the situation, and he told his friends to trust him. So whatever craziness ensues within the next four issues of the game changing series, I'm going to do just that. Trust Batman.

Comic Book Review: Batman - The Return of Bruce Wayne #1

Last January, in the pages of Final Crisis #6, Batman was seemingly killed by Darkseid. The Caped Crusader went down a hero though, weakening the villain with a bullet made of radian, so he could be defeated. Skeptics weren't sure weather Batman actually died though, with him arguable being the most popular character in comics. The skeptics were rewarded, with the last pages of Final Crisis #7, where we see a Bruce Wayne writing on a cave, a cave that is supposedly from the beginning of time. Over the next couple months, DC told us that Bruce would be coming back though, but they didn't tell us how. WIth the current Batman and Robin, Dick and Damian, discovering clues about the whereabouts of Bruce, they realize that he is stuck somewhere in time, and it's up to them to find and rescue him.

Today the first issue of The Return of Bruce Wayne was released, the first of six chronicling the adventures of Bruce as he works his way through time, and supposedly, to the present. But first, he must conquer the past itself, starting with the caveman era. I'm going to attempt to give an accurate summary of the issue, with the plot being mysterious and brilliant, but the caveman talk being hard to follow.

The issue begins with a group of cavemen inspecting a rocket that is jammed in the ground. There are three main cavemen here, who are main characters though out the story. There is one with black hair and a full beard, there is a blond one, and the dark-haired one's son, a red-headed boy. The group walk towards a cave, and when they approach the entrance, a large number of bats fly out. The dark-haired caveman throws a rock inside, and a shirtless Bruce Wayne, holding his utility belt emerges out. He speaks in muddled words, and is not quite sure what is going on. The cavemen explain why they are there: The dark haired man is there to meet his father, who will teach the red-headed boy about being a man. Bruce seems to be able to understand them, but they can't seem to make out his speech, so they begin to make fun of him, and laugh. After a hearty growl from Bruce, they apologize as he works his way to the rocket.

The cavemen walk inside the cave, where they see the wall that Bruce was inscribing symbols of himself and other heroes. The dark haired man finds his father, who is the old man that Bruce laid to rest during the final pages of FInal Crisis. They carry him out, and take off a white necklace his was holding to his chest.

Bruce is opening the rocket, where he finds what looks to be a broken bat spotlight, and Superman's cape. As he walks back towards the cavemen, a rival tribe is preparing to attack from above...

As night comes, a fire is lit, dinner is made, and the cavemen once again discuss where the mysterious Bruce could have come from. They decide that he is from over the ocean, and name him, the Man of Bats. As the cavemen continue their discussion, it is interrupted by an attack from the rival tribe of cavemen. Arrows begin to fly, headed right towards the red-headed boy, but Bruce dives in front, taking the shots upon himself. He drags the boy into the bushes, and they watch as the rival tribe brutally attacks the family, killing the dark-haired man. Bruce jumps out to help in the battle, where he attack the tribal leader, who is revealed to be Vandal Savage. Savage is first baffled by the attacker, deeming him a man-god, but he soon comes to his senses and has his tribe knock Bruce around, rendering him unconscious.

Savage has Bruce on top of a hill, right next to a giant bat that has been skinned and posted in the soil. Vandal addresses his followers as they eat member of the tribe they just murdered, saying that he will fight the man-god tomorrow in the presence of the light, where after defeating them, he will eat Bruce's brain. He has his tribe use stakes to rope Bruce to the ground, where he will await his fight.

After Bruce falls asleep, he begins to have a strange dream, but is soon awoken by the red-headed boy. The boy has made himself a shield with a bat symbol on it, as well as a domino mask of sorts, a prehistoric Robin. He cuts Bruce loose, so they can warn other tribes of Savage's attacks.

Savage wakes up from his tent, where he immediately wants to begin his fight. He goes over to where Bruce was tied down, only to see that he is missing. Savage gets angry, and is quickly startled when Bruce, wearing the large bat skin, jumps out and attacks. Using his array of utility belt tricks, Bruce easily defeats Savage as a solar eclipse occurs. The new/old Robin finds the neckless his father died in, but is terrified, along with all the other cavemen, of the eclipse, thinking that they have angered the sun. The few remaining members of Savage's tribe attack the new Batman and Robin, forcing them to run away, and then jump into a large waterfall. As Bruce and the boy hit the water, the briefly sink, the boy then comes up shortly thereafter. He waits by the water for "the man of bat" but Bruce never emerges, so the boy leaves.

The evil tribe kick Vandal out, having been defeated by the Bat, he is no longer a worthy leader. As soon as he's gone, a bright flash occurs, and Superman, Booster Gold, Hal Jordan, appear along with a time sphere. Superman says that he knows Bruce was there, but he is gone now. He has a ominous warning though: If Bruce makes it back to the 21st century on his own, everyone dies.

Bruce opens his eyes under water, where he is pulled up by a woman wearing old fashioned clothing. He can now speak in phrases, as he asks the woman what is going on, and where the boy is. The woman doesn't know, but she refers to him as "Master Demon" as she asks what kind of horse he rode there. Bruce turns around and grabs a sword, as he sees a large octopus like creature with very sharp teeth behind him.

With one of six chapters in the book, I may have more questions than I did going in. How is Bruce traveling from era to era? Why is Superman and the other looking for him? And how can Bruce returning to the present kill everyone? Only time will tell.

Comic Book Review: Batman and Robin #12

We were promised an Oberon Sexton reveal, and a reveal we got. I hope you sitting down for this one.

Slade is still controlling Damian, using him to attack Dick violently with a shovel. At first Dick is confused by Damian's attacks, but after the new boy wonder yells SLADE, Dick soon realizes that Damian can't control his actions, yet he fights back stunning Slade on the other side of the spinal link. Oberon once again warns the Dynamic Duo of the villains in the cemetery, but Alfred flies down in the Batmobile, and offers help. Still ignoring the villains, Batman realizes that Damian and Slade's nervous systems are linked, and he uses a form of electric knuckles to shock Damian, which disrupts the link.

In Talia's lair, Slade begins to feel the pain Damian is, causing him to tear off the link, releasing Damian from their control.

In the cemetery, the villains are once again attacking, but announce that they got what they came for, a stone tablet with a bat insignia on it. The villains run away, as Alfred shoots the water cannon from the Batmobile. Batman notes that everyone got hurt, and insists that Oberon should visit a hospital. But Oberon declines, saying that he needs to speak with Batman in his hotel, because it is just the beginning.

Alfred is tending the Dick and Damian's wounds, as Dick tries to explain what he saw in the tunnel that led from the mansion. He explains that he followed a length a railroad tracks to an underground river, and there was a statue with a tunnel behind it, which is where he found a casket. It is here he encountered a GIANT BAT, but the most peculiar detail, is that all the evidence has disappeared with the villains that attacked in the cemetery. As they think about their next move, Damian expresses disbelief that his mother would be so cruel to him, and says that he must return and confront her at the base. But Dick won't let Damian go alone, and says he will tag along after they analyze evidence of Bruce's return. Alfred points out that the mansion was built for Darius Wayne, by a designer named Nathan Van Derm, and when looked at from above, the building makes a W. But what's even stranger, is that when you connect the line segments of the past and present Wayne property, a Bat is formed. Dick insists that they need to retrieve the casket stolen from the underground tunnel, and with that, they set off for Talia's.

Batman and Robin punch their way through Talia's assassins, and make their way into the control chamber. It is here they meet Talia, and a shouting match begins between her and DIck. But Damian calmly insist that he must to speak to his mother alone, so they take a walk, while Dick visits a recovering Slade.

Slade is in a hospital bed, when Dick shows up to slap him around. He warns Slade to leave the Bats alone, threatening to take him down with minimal effort if needed.

Damian and Talia are walking down a hall, and Talia once again tries to convince Robin to leave Batman, and begin to accept his destiny to rule the world. But Damien declines again, admitting that becoming Robin is the best thing he's ever done. Talia says she anticipated a similar response, and takes him to a room that will supposedly change his decision. What Damian sees next shocks him, as he gazes at a baby being grown in a tube. Talia reveals that the baby is another Damian, one that will be ten years younger than the current one. She threatens to click a proverbial reset on Damian, saying that if he does not accept his destiny, she will start over with a new clone. It is here we see Damian for who he really is: just a little boy, wanting to be loved by his mother. He asks if his mother can just love him for who he is, to which Talia replies no. She banishes her son from her lair, declaring him an enemy of the House of Ghul, and a sad Damian accepts his new fate.

Back in Gotham, the villains from the Wayne Cemetery fight are discussing El Penitente's plans, while waiting for the train. On the incoming train, El Penitente, who we're pretty sure is Dr. Hurt, is sitting across from the sole remaining member of The Black Glove who is terribly nervous about the murder of the other members. They seem to know who the killer is, and as El Penitente slips on a Black Glove, he says he always finishes what he started.

Alfred, Batman, and Robin are exploring the underground tunnel, and Dick is startled to find no evidence of his previous trip down there. But they do discover something that confirms their theories: A rock with a crude painting of a sun on it, with a tattered cowl hanging from two deer antlers. Dick tells Alfred to alert the Justice League, as he realizes that all this craziness is leading to head, one that will take every ounce of brilliance to beat.

Back in Oberon Sexton's hotel, Batman and him are discussing the events that occurred, and Dick begins to push for Oberon's identity. He says that both he and Damian know something familiar about Oberon, to which Oberon once again denies being Bruce, while saying that Damien is not the detective his predecessors were. Dick agrees, and then reveals the clues he discovered about the domino killers murders. "It's all a routine, isn't it?" he asks. "They're all jokes." he declares, as Oberon pulls off his mask to reveal a smiling Joker.

This issue couldn't have been much better, as Grant brought his fourth story arc to a close with a incredible creative revelation. As we now know the identity of Oberon, we still don't know all his motives, and what his next move will be after his identity is compromised. It looks like the next arc will be pivotal in Dick's career as Batman, as it looks like we're headed for Batman vs. the Black Glove, round two.

Comic Book Review: Batman and Robin#11

Wow. So over the last couple of weeks, there's been alot of questions in Batman and Robin. Why wouldn't have Bruce known about the secret cave after the earthquake? Who is El Penitente? Is Oberon Sexton actually Bruce Wayne? So with all these in mind, let's dive into spoilers.

So in Mexico, El Penitente is fresh off whipping himself. Of course, El Penitente is spanish for The Penitent One, one who punishes them self. So he's getting dressed, while asking a father to bless him so he will be clean, so Christ will protect him. Outside, DEA agents are raiding El Penitente's home, shooting his henchmen. He walks through the gunfire, not very concerned at the shots, even as the priest gets killed. We now see his face, while not confirmed, he definitely appears to be Dr. Hurt, as he says the mask of El Penitente has served it's purpose, and it's time to go home to Gotham.

Dick is still in the secret cave, examining the painting on the wall, which appears to be new within a year. He's tell Alfred he's going to step on the bat symbol in the middle of the floor, which revels a door, but Alfred tells him to proceed with caution as he takes note of a commotion taking place in the Wayne Cemetery.

In the cemetery, Oberon and Damian are being confronted by El Penitente's men. They introduce themselves, and attack, which Oberon takes them all down, except one. Damian, still not entirely in control of his actions attack the remaining one, still worried that something is wrong with him.

Talia is now shown, wearing some kind of helmet contraption to which a team of doctors are using to link Damian's spine with Talia's movements. She begins to mention that this was just a demonstration, and the an old enemy of Dick's should administer the "Death Stroke," as a shadowy man in the back replies.

Alfred is still com-linked to Dick, and tells him about the scuffle going on inside the cemetery. Dick is now in some kind of underground railroad, no joke. He notes that Bruce must have known about all theses passages, especially after the earthquake. Alfred says that not all of the mansion suffered severe damage, but that he needs to intervene on the cemetery quickly. Dick discovers a large half man-half bat statue, which Alfred points out is called Barbatos, which is the name of the creature supposedly summoned by Thomas Wayne in 1765. Alfred begins to lose his connection though, as something is blocking out the signal. Dick finds a gate, and goes in...

Back in the cemetery, the henchmen are quoting things from some sort of mythology, particularly, Barbatos. Oberon takes the main one down again, and Damian begins to notice something peculiar about Mr. Sexton. Damian notes that Oberon claims to be a writer from England, but says that Talia's headquarters are in England, which means that Damian is quite familiar with accents. He says that Oberon's is fake, and is not who he says he is. He asks a question that we've all been wondering: Are you Bruce Wayne? Oberon doesn't respond, only saying that he's there to investigate the Domino Killer. But Damian won't give. "Who are you?" Again deflecting, Oberon asks for help opening this vault, saying that the henchmen are looking for something long buried inside of it.

Talia is still watching, and now has the shadowy man from before connected to the machine controlling Damian, which he then uses to attack Mr. Sexton.

Suddenly, Dick explodes from the vault, his costume in rags, while exclaiming that he found "it." Damian begins to attack Dick, all while asking for help realizing that his mother is controlling him.

The last scene is Slade Wilson shown connected to Talia's machine, controlling Damian, and asking for permission to terminate Dick.

Now that was a crazy ending. The mystery continues to deepen and more questions arise, such as: What is Deathstroke's role in this story?, and Who, Who , Who is Oberon Sexton? Yes I put triple who for emphasis, because that one is just puzzling. So the last question is What did Dick find in the vault?

The story is getting better, and the conclusion is sure to be spectacular, hopefully answering all our questions.

Comic Book Review: Batman and Robin #10

In short Batman and Robin #10 was phenomenal. Why? Well, if you've been reading Batman and Robin you know a couple of things already:
1) Bruce Wayne is lost in time, but he is coming back
2) That Dr. Hurt would return to finish what he started in R.I.P
3) We know about the mysterious Domino Killer who is being tracked by the equally if not more mysterious Oberon Sexton
4) The main bad guy calling the shots is someone we only know as El Penitente who is leaving clues in the form of dominos.

But with these things comes some crazy questions. Like, how will Bruce Wayne make his way to the present, and will he be the same? Who is the Domino Killer? Who is Oberon Sexton? Are El Penitente and Dr. Hurt the same guy? And what is Dr. Hurt's identity and ultimate goal? Some many questions.

So the issue starts pretty quick with Damian addressing the Wayne Enterprises board members pointing out some interesting irregularities in the numbers. Dick and Oberon are elsewhere comparing notes on the Domino Killer. Dick is called back to Wayne Manor by Alfred who explains that while examining the Family portraits he notices that when hung in the correct order, that they seem to tell a story. They notice though, that one portrait is missing. That of Thomas Wayne, who lived in the 1760s, and is regarded as the "black sheep" of the family. Batman, Robin and Alfred conclude that Bruce (who is stuck in the past) is trying to leave them clues throughout the manor as to his whereabouts. Dick assigns Alfred to looking up historical records of the Waynes, while he and Robin search through the pictures which leads them to the library.

Meanwhile, Oberon Sexton is contacted by El Penitente, who tells him that since he did not strike at Batman while he had the chance, he would now have a price to pay. "The Mexican Train is on it's way." he warns. Four oddly dressed assassins make the way to Mr. Sexton's room, but it's too late, as Oberon is already out the window.

Back at the Wayne Manor, Batman and Robin are exploring the library, while Alfred, in the Batmobile, gives them info about the Wayne's is the portraits. Damian begins to ponder his place in the Bat-Family if his father comes back. But Dick, who say he can just go back to Nightwing, discover a secret passage behind the fireplace that leads to a room lined with suits or armor.

We get a flashback sequence showing Damian talking to his mother while recovering from his spine replacement. She tells him that he must abandon crime fighting so he can live up to his destiny and conquer the world. She claims that Alfred and Dick are trying to brainwash him, not letting him live up to his full potential. He begins to defend the former boy wonder, but is interrupted by Talia saying that it is time to obey his mother's commands and end Grayson, "I will not be your weapon against them, mother.' says Damian. And the scene ends with Talia responding with a very cryptic "We'll see."

Back to the present, and Batman and Robin are exploring the secret passage. Dick goes to the middle of the hall, and kneels. The floor has bat painted on it, with a rose in the center. Suddenly, Damian, not in control of his actions, grabs a sword and swings at Dick. But Dick falls through the center of the rose, which is a secret tunnel as well. Damian realizes his mother can control him whenever she wants and runs out of the mansion. Dick, underneath the manor, discovers a "secret Batcave." The name Thomas is scribbled multiple times on the wall, with the larger word "Barbatos" running through it. Damian, now outside, is running through what appears to be a Wayne cemetary. He is snatched by Oberon Sexton who appears suddenly and exclaims "They're everywhere!" , referring to the group of villains that attempted to murder him earlier, who are now moving toward Wayne Manor. The issue ends with Oberon saying "I'm here to help."

The issue overall is great, as it begins to unravel the mystery surrounding Bruce Wayne's whereabouts. But it's also frustrating as so many new questions arise. That's the brilliant thing about Morrison. He can gives us answers without giving us the solution. His entire run on Batman has been one long epic, that probably won't stop with the mystery until Mr. Morrison stops writing the caped crusader for good. Also want to mention how great Andy Clarke's pencils were. While not a memorable as Quitely's, I definitely think there an upgrade from Tan's if not Stewart. Can't wait until April 7 for #11.