Pink reader Neptune gave me the head’s up that a beloved character in pop culture lore has passed away this week. In a new comic book series titled Batman R.I.P. the famed caped crusader is shot and killed — bringing to an end the long life of billionaire playboy/superhero Bruce Wayne/Batman! I, for one, am not only shocked at this sad news but am also aghast that this is the way that my fave fictional hero of all time has, apparently, met his end:
Batman’s alter ego Bruce Wayne has apparently been killed off in the latest issue of the superhero comic. Scottish writer Grant Morrison revealed earlier this year that Wayne would either retire or be killed in a clash with crime syndicate Black Glove. The story – Batman RIP – sees Batman shot by villain Simon Hurt, who claims to be Wayne’s father Dr Thomas Wayne. Morrison told BBC News there would be “a lot more twists and turns to come” before the story was finally resolved. “It’s great that it stirs up such passion,” he said. “Nobody loves Bruce Wayne more than me, and I hope everybody understands that this is part of the great ongoing adventure of Batman.” The caped crusader first appeared in comics in 1939, and has spawned a 1960s TV series and a host of films. The “death” of Wayne’s father – shot alongside his mother by a robber when he was a boy – was the catalyst for the young industrialist to become the vigilante crime fighter Batman. In the final scene, Hurt tries to escape in a helicopter after shooting Batman. But the wounded superhero throws himself at the helicopter, causing it to crash. The comic story ends without a frame showing Wayne’s body, however. Morrison, from Glasgow, told BBC News on Friday that the next two issues of the Batman comic would see a “summing up” of the superhero’s career before “the absolute, final fate” of Bruce Wayne was revealed in a sister publication, Final Crisis, in January. “It’s the end of a story that goes back to 2005, a story to tell the definitive story of Batman,” he explained. “We wanted to see what would happen if the most evil, richest people in the world decided they didn’t like Batman, and decided to take him apart piece by piece and destroy him. “And then have Batman come back, and we could see why he’s so great,” added Morrison. The storyline included clues which dated back to Batman comics from 40 years ago, he added. Wayne may be dead, but publisher DC Comics shows no sign of bringing to an end the Batman franchise. Frontrunners to take over as Batman include Tim Drake, who has been Robin since 1991, and Dick Grayson – the original Boy Wonder – who now protects Gotham City as Nightwing.
Insane! I cannot believe that anyone would want to kill Bruce Wayne :( You may recall that in the late 80’s, Batman’s sidekick Robin — Jason Todd (who took over for Dick Grayson when he retired as Robin) — was killed in the comic book series, only to be replaced by Tim Drake (the current Robin). Back then I thought that was taking things too far. In the mid-90’s, right around the time that Superman was “killed” in the comic books (only to return to life, since Superman can’t really ever die), Batman was almost killed when he had his back broken by Bane (Batman was temporarily replaced by Azrael while he recuperated from his injuries). It seems that time has finally run out for Bruce Wayne this time, tho. Even tho Batman will live on (with the mantle falling to either Dick Grayson [the original Robin] or Tim Drake [the current Robin]) no one will ever be able to replace Bruce Wayne as the Batman. It’s a sad day in comic book lore, y’all … let’s pour one out for the dearly departed Bruce Wayne.
[Source, thanks Neptune]
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