DC To Kill Off [REDACTED]? (SPOILERS!)

[buster00]

This is posted at Comic Book Resources, for whatever that's worth:

THE DEATH OF A BAT

In June/July, DC are killing off Batman. Or rather, Bruce Wayne. Robin will inherit the Batman cowl. One of the Robins anyway. Tim Drake. Jason Todd. Or possibly Red Hood. Hey, maybe Jean-Paul Valley, it has been ten years since Azrael.

Either way, the book will relaunch with a nice shiny #1.

Yes, didn't Captain America miss a trick there? I'm sure Marvel will do the same come 2009.

And what of Batwoman? Well, I'm told the launch of the Rucka/Williams series has been pushed back yet again because of the movie, and fears of "unacceptable media coverage." I'm told four issues are fully completed.

Apparently it's okay for Batman to be dead, and a new character take his place when there's a movie out. But not for Batwoman to be a lesbian. At least wait till it's gone to DVD for that brunette bombshell.

I'm reminded of the Warner Bros executive instruction to Grant Morrison and Dave McKean over "Arkham Asylum," that the Joker not be seen dressing up as Madonna in case the cinema audience believed that meant Jack Nicholson was a transvestite.

[Chairman Kaga]

Crap event ala Knightfall, Death of Supes, House of M, Infinite Crisis, Civil War, Spidey Clones etc etc ad nauseum.

[junesquad]

You aren't allowed to kill off Bruce Wayne... that's like a Seventh Level of Hell sin... I'm glad I have had to quit reading comic books during school.

[DennisMM]

Jason will be Batman. He has no other place in the DCU. Okay, if he survives Final Crisis he'll be Batman.

[burlivesleftnut]

I hope it's superman that kills him. Then I will be a happy man.

[Chairman Kaga]

But Superman can't kill him because Superman is a pussy.

[buster00]

I don't think anyone's too worried about whether or not Bruce will actually stay dead, but this part annoys me:

Either way, the book will relaunch with a nice shiny #1.

Batman is up to issue #670, dating back to 1940. Yet, DC would break that streak just so they can make the money from selling a Batman #1.

[bastard_robo]

Wonderful.

Fuck over one of the most Iconic charecters in comic history for a few bucks!

Woopee fucking shit...

So what, is this new batman going to use guns and be a complete one demionsal charecter just so non comic fans will pick up the book?


I dont even know anymore

[buster00]

So what, is this new batman going to use guns and be a complete one demionsal charecter just so non comic fans will pick up the book?

If Jason Todd becomes the new Batman, I'd bet that's exactly what we'll get.

It seems weird that DC would try this particular stunt so close to the new movie's release.

[Fievel]

I don't think anyone's too worried about whether or not Bruce will actually stay dead, but this part annoys me:

Either way, the book will relaunch with a nice shiny #1.

Batman is up to issue #670, dating back to 1940. Yet, DC would break that streak just so they can make the money from selling a Batman #1.

I have no vested interest in the Batman series. I had a few here or there back in the 80's. I have a few graphic novels as well.
But I FULLY AGREE with the point made above.

So much for history. Hello almighty dollar.

[Chairman Kaga]

I don't think anyone's too worried about whether or not Bruce will actually stay dead, but this part annoys me:

Either way, the book will relaunch with a nice shiny #1.

Batman is up to issue #670, dating back to 1940. Yet, DC would break that streak just so they can make the money from selling a Batman #1.

I have no vested interest in the Batman series. I had a few here or there back in the 80's. I have a few graphic novels as well.
But I FULLY AGREE with the point made above.

So much for history. Hello almighty dollar.

It's A NEW Coke style promotion. Rile up the fans with this supposed reboot and then in 12 months go back to the way things were and pretend it didn't happen including the original numbering.

[Leckomaniac]

Sigh

I was hoping to avoid publishing spoilers, but I guess the cat is out of the bag now. Hope no one wanted to be surprised!

[buster00]

Sigh

I was hoping to avoid publishing spoilers, but I guess the cat is out of the bag now. Hope no one wanted to be surprised!

Sorry, Lecko. I missed that post.

Either way, though, you know that Time Warner is going to absolutely inundate us with this. From the Lifestyle section of your local newspaper, to the time-wasting Showbiz segment on your local news, it'll be just like Death of Robin, Death of Superman, Death of Captain America, etc.

Sooner or later, everyone's going to know about it. That's why they do these publicity stunts in the first place.

[Leckomaniac]

Sigh

I was hoping to avoid publishing spoilers, but I guess the cat is out of the bag now. Hope no one wanted to be surprised!

Sorry, Lecko. I missed that post.

Either way, though, you know that Time Warner is going to absolutely inundate us with this. From the Lifestyle section of your local newspaper, to the time-wasting Showbiz segment on your local news, it'll be just like Death of Robin, Death of Superman, Death of Captain America, etc.

Sooner or later, everyone's going to know about it. That's why they do these publicity stunts in the first place.

Sadly, you are 100% correct. Killing off Bruce Wayne...right when Mr. Al Ghul, king of the Lazarus Pit, is being brought back...hmmmm...I wonder when Bruce will be returned using the pit.

What is so sad is that the end result is so obvious...we literally KNOW how they will bring him back. Just a matter of when and why.

[Fried Gold]

One would think it'd either be Dick Grayson or Tim Drake, as they all went on that "voyage of discovery" thing during the 52-year.

[junesquad]

But Superman can't kill him because Superman is a pussy.

Superman has a pussy?

No, really, I think it's just all around annoying. I hate it when they fuck with your childhood icons for a few dollars. Oh well...

[unikrunk]

OMFG! OH NOES!

Yeah, he will be so dead that upon his return the world will be stunned and awed.

More stunned than awed, actually.

/can anyone turn my sarcasm dial down to a 7? It’s stuck at 11 and I can't reach the switch.

[Nordling]

I'd care if superhero comics mattered.

[ONeillSG1]

Sadly, you are 100% correct. Killing off Bruce Wayne...right when Mr. Al Ghul, king of the Lazarus Pit, is being brought back...hmmmm...I wonder when Bruce will be returned using the pit.

What is so sad is that the end result is so obvious...we literally KNOW how they will bring him back. Just a matter of when and why.

I was just thinking the same thing.

Al Ghul has too much "respect" for "the Detective" not to have him around as his one true equal adversary.

The League of Shadows will resurrect him, he'll go through some sort of amnesia thing, and face off against Jason Todd in order to reclaim the mantle.

Last page will be Bruce/Batman swinging off with Jason Todd in some sort of new alternative identity, swinging with Robin and Batgirl behind them. Game over.

Just a horrible idea.

[The Vicar]

This sucks.
And all for a few cheap & easy dollars.

[Leckomaniac]

This sucks.
And all for a few cheap & easy dollars.

Sucking for cheap & easy dollars...


...is Havoc involved in this equation somehow?

[The Vicar]

This sucks.
And all for a few cheap & easy dollars.

Sucking for cheap & easy dollars...


...is Havoc involved in this equation somehow?

Yup, I left the door wiiiiide open......

[burlivesleftnut]

I'd care if superhero comics mattered.

And yet you venture into a thread that should not matter to you. You should change your name to Quizling.

[minstrel]

It seems weird that DC would try this particular stunt so close to the new movie's release.

This is the thing that struck me, too. Why kill of Bruce in the comics when you've got a very successful movie franchise going? And a Justice League movie in the works?

They're basically telling the audience "Don't bother going to see the films, because we're killing off the character anyway."

[Nordling]

You're all getting sweaty over a marketing ploy. It's like a Pavlov experiment, except NERD.

It shouldn't matter.

[Nordling]

And if you honestly think Bruce Wayne is forever dead, I got some stock to sell you and some land as well. I have pictures that I took of both, so obviously, I'm on the up and up.

[Leckomaniac]

You're all getting sweaty over a marketing ploy. It's like a Pavlov experiment, except NERD.

It shouldn't matter.

No one is getting anywhere close to "sweaty". We are all discussing it in a very laid back manner...discussing how much of a publicity stunt it is.

If you think superhero comics do not matter (first off...you are either stupid or naive) and that we are all overreacting...do not enter the thread. Leave us to our silly emotions. I dont get what you were hoping to accomplish by posting the two posts you have made in this thread. It was clearly meant to put down those of us that HAVE posted in this thread and that is something I think is in direct contradiction to the reason why the Zone exists. Take that shit to the TalkBacks.

[Pacino86845]

I'll give you five bucks for all your land.

[Leckomaniac]

And if you honestly think Bruce Wayne is forever dead, I got some stock to sell you and some land as well. I have pictures that I took of both, so obviously, I'm on the up and up.

Show me one, ONE, post in this thread that suggests anyone here believes that Bruce Wayne will be dead forever.

Seriously.

Show me one.

[minstrel]

You're all getting sweaty over a marketing ploy. It's like a Pavlov experiment, except NERD.

This is an inadequate statement.

We are getting sweaty over a STUPID marketing ploy. It's not like we all love Bruce (everybody knows he's coming back, anyway). It's that we're shocked at the dumbassness of DC.

[DennisMM]

That's Quisling.

Over in News and Previews, removing the tiny text as people are discussing it openly here.

I can believe it. The current Earth-1 universe is getting cut to pieces in Countdown to Final Crisis, and the Final Crisis is still six months away! The latest teaser shows Batman's cape on the ground, which Didio says indicates death. Also, when Donna, Jason and Kyle visited the one very peaceful Earth, Jason was Batman and much was made of Earth-1 Jason's failure to get past sidekick.

It makes sense to me. The signs are there, though I didn't do too well with the first round of signs. However, the first round of signs also suggested Batman (whoever was in the suit) would be wearing vaguely middle-eastern garb, which suggests Bruce and Talia's son Damian may take on the Batman identity.

It seems weird that DC would try this particular stunt so close to the new movie's release.

This is the thing that struck me, too. Why kill of Bruce in the comics when you've got a very successful movie franchise going? And a Justice League movie in the works?

They're basically telling the audience "Don't bother going to see the films, because we're killing off the character anyway."

It's just the Death of Superman again, folks. That big event coincided with the early days of Lois and Clark and coverage of either helped promote both. Clark was gone for months, with the four "replacement Supermen" in his place.

In either case, the movie-going/TV watching public continues to follow normal patterns. They don't care about the comic books and what's happening in them, at least not for more than a few minutes. They say, "Killing Batman is pretty stupid," then head for the googleplex and lay down their money.

Doing this so close to The Dark Knight is good for Warner Bros. and the associated products. The media will pick up on the storyline and there will be more Batman in the "news."It'll all shake out quickly enough - more quickly than the spider-clones, I hope - and Bruce will be back in place if they have any sense.

Why not a new Batman #1? They gave John Byrne a #1 when he took over Superman and rolled the old numbering over into The Adventures of Superman. It was stupid and they finally fixed the mistake a few years back, but it's precedent and garnered still more press.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

No one is getting anywhere close to "sweaty".

O RLY?

first off...you are either stupid or naive

[The Todd]

I can't believe they're going to kill off Bruce Wayne FOREVER!!!!!

[Peven]

I'll give you five bucks for all your land.

i'll give you 5 bucks, a shiny necklace and a bottle of firewater.

[Pacino86845]

I'll give you five bucks for all your land.

i'll give you 5 bucks, a shiny necklace and a bottle of firewater.

Damn it, how do you top THAT!!??

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

I'll give you five bucks for all your land.

i'll give you 5 bucks, a shiny necklace and a bottle of firewater.

Damn it, how do you top THAT!!??

CASINO!

[Leckomaniac]

first off...you are either stupid or naive

But what Nordling doesnt know is that my sweat glands do not work. So score 1 for Lecko.

But seriously, I do stand by my comment.

[Nordling]

You know, if the comics community responded to these dumb plot contrivances with the "Eh" that they all deserve, maybe they wouldn't come up with these dumb plot contrivances. Don't think for a second that DC isn't monitoring threads like this one, feeling out responses. This is AICN, after all, one of the most trafficked entertainment sites on the Internet.

I read threads like these because most of them do the comic publisher's job for me - keep me up to date on the storylines going on in the comics world, and I don't have to buy issue one of their books. It's win for me, lose for them.

[Fried Gold]

For someone who doesn't care...you seem to care quite a bit.

[Pacino86845]

Nordling doesn't care about Batman comics, but he DOES care about OUR opinions of Batman comics!

And who are we? Why, we're INTERNAUTS!!!!

[DennisMM]

I'd appreciate it if we could keep the thread about the even and reactions, not whether someone prefers news releases to reading comics. We already have too many of those pseudo-meta threads, don't we?

[Chairman Kaga]

So what if they are monitoring this discussion (adjusts tin foil hat)? What's the benefit to them...

WB Zone Spy: Sir people think we are stupid and know the whole gimmick already.

WB Exec: GREAT!

?

[Leckomaniac]

What I think will hurt DC more than anything is people inevitably claiming that DC pulled this stunt because they saw the reaction the Captain America death got. I mean two of the most SIGNIFICANT characters in the history of comics are "killed" off within a year or so. This will NOT turn out well for DC.

[DennisMM]

Because you shiftless fanboys will buy it anyway! I haven't bought a Batman comic in years and I'm not starting now!

I did buy the Death of Superman, but I had been buying most of the Superman comics until shortly before that point, anyway. I only stopped because they became tedious. Death perked them up a good bit.

I think you're wrong, Leck, I really do, but I don't know how to argue it beyond what was said. Most Marvelites still don't read the "classic" DC characters in my experience, so there won't be cross-company ill will on the part of the readers.

But WTF do I know?

[Pacino86845]

Ok to get back somewhat on topic, the connection of Batman's death to the "Breaking of the Batman" event is pretty obvious... but why is DC repeating history?

I have to admit, I am of the right age such that when Azrael was around (pre-Batman replacement), I was young enough to be totally into gimmicks and scary, seemingly-permanent things happening to my favorite comic character at the time.

Bane smacking the crap outta Bats really had an impact on me, it was a harrowing thing to see on the comics page. When Azrael took over the new suit looked kinda cool at first, and it was such a glorious time to see him rip into Bane. But very soon thereafter I quit following the Bat-titles altogether, and I've never gone back, even though I later learned that Bruce was back in the "classic" suit.

Point is, I don't think I'm the only one who dropped out of Batman because of the gimmicky fucking-around-with that DC pulled. I don't really care if he dies temporarily or whatever, but wouldn't this do more harm to comics' sales than good?

[Chairman Kaga]

Because you shiftless fanboys will buy it anyway!

I haven't bought a main continuity superhero comic in years. I stick to Elseworlds and What If sorts of stories.

[DennisMM]

That means you're not a fanboy.

[Chairman Kaga]

Good to know.

Back on topic I think Pacino is right this willl hurt the comic in the long run.

[Leckomaniac]

Because you shiftless fanboys will buy it anyway! I haven't bought a Batman comic in years and I'm not starting now!

I did buy the Death of Superman, but I had been buying most of the Superman comics until shortly before that point, anyway. I only stopped because they became tedious. Death perked them up a good bit.

I think you're wrong, Leck, I really do, but I don't know how to argue it beyond what was said. Most Marvelites still don't read the "classic" DC characters in my experience, so there won't be cross-company ill will on the part of the readers.

But WTF do I know?

But the thing is people dont NEED to read both companies to have knowledge of Batmans death and Caps death. The average Marvel reader is going to hear about this and go:

"WTF? DC are just trying to capture the same press Marvel got when they killed Cap."

They know the outcome and not the circumstances, but that is enough in this era of message boards. I have a feeling that this criticism/debate will dominate the message boards.

[Chairman Kaga]

What they should do in an attempt to shake things up in Batman's world would be to kill off a major adversary. Perhaps leave a mystery to be explored as to if Batman was responsible.