The following contains spoilers for Detective Comics #1064, on sale now from DC Comics.
Detective Comics #1064 (by Ram V, Simon Spurrier, Rafael Albuquerque and Ariana Maher) suggests that Bruce Wayne’s career as Batman is coming to an end. The issue repeatedly shows that even great men can be defeated, and emphasizes the physical and mental toll that the vigilante life has taken on the hero. Bruce’s retirement would certainly be unexpected, but perhaps it’s time to let someone else take up the mantle.
Detective Comics #1064 shows Bruce at Gotham City General Hospital, being treated by a doctor. The concerned doctor lists over a dozen improperly healed bone fractures, wondering how Bruce’s body hasn’t simply fallen apart yet. The past few years have been extremely hard on Batman physically, with him taking beatings from villains such as Joker and Bane. He has been increasingly portrayed as an older man, slower and more prone to injury. The danger, of course, isn’t just to Bruce himself. His diminishing strength and agility are also putting citizens in danger. He is relied upon as Gotham’s protector, and if he isn’t physically strong enough to do this job, someone else needs to take over.
Batman is Becoming a Liability
Even more pressing than his physical health, however, is his mental health. The emotional toll that recent events have taken on Bruce should not be underestimated. Losing his parental figure, Alfred, at the hands of his alternate-reality father would’ve been enough on its own to do significant damage. But this traumatic incident was immediately followed by many more, like a showdown with Barbatos and the Batman Who Laughs, not giving Bruce a chance to take a break or mourn properly.
Aside from external influences, the Dark Knight isn’t willing to help himself either. When his doctor suggests that he might be suffering from panic attacks, a reasonable suggestion, given the nightmarish visions that have been haunting him, Bruce laughs it off as ridiculous. Recently, the unhinged persona known as the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh made a reappearance in Batman #126 (by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jiménez, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles). This emotionless backup personality is not only dangerous in his own right but also shows how far Bruce is willing to go to compartmentalize his emotions and refuse to deal with them. His unwillingness to take care of himself could end very badly for Gotham.
One symptom of Bruce’s declining mental health is his ability to control his anger. This rears its head in Detective Comics #1064, in which he brutally beats a petty criminal who is in police custody. This is not only a sign of his deteriorating mental state, but it’s also an example of Batman’s outdated approach. While his younger allies in the DC Universe are starting to come up with more thoughtful solutions to systemic problems, the Dark Knight still leads with his fists. As his mental and physical health diminish, and his resources dwindle, this divide between the two generations of heroes is going to get wider, and the violence dolled out is only going to get worse.
Batman Refuses To Help Himself
It is not merely an unwillingness to change that prevents Bruce from improving the city. His status as Batman and as Gotham’s most eligible billionaire prevent him from seeing the changes that are needed. Batman is so embroiled in grand conspiracies or multiverse-spanning schemes that the street-level problems he used to solve fly below his radar. Similarly, Bruce Wayne is so busy making plays in the corporate world that the lives of everyday citizens have become foreign to him. As an icon himself, he will be forever distant, with no ability to relate to the kinds of problems that Nightwing and Jace Fox are trying to solve. Passing the cowl to one of these younger heroes would not only give Batman a break but could result in improvements in Gotham that are impossible under Batman’s reign.
An interesting choice for Bruce’s replacement is his son, Damian Wayne. He is the current Robin and Batman’s son. Unfortunately, Damian is probably the only candidate for the role who’d be worse than Bruce himself. His conflicted emotions about his dark past, his self-imposed exile and his guilt over Alfred’s death have put him in a terrible place emotionally. He has decided that Batman’s style of justice is not brutal enough. This belief has not only led the young Robin to make some terrible choices but also led his father to disavow him as a teammate. Given the way Batman vs Robin started, reconciliation doesn’t seem to be in the cards anytime soon, and even if it happens, Bruce will not trust Damian with the cowl for a long time.
Who Will Take Over When Bruce Retires?
A more suitable candidate would be Dick Grayson. He has the skills, knowledge and maturity to be a successful hero. His more compassionate methods have done wonders for Blüdhaven and could easily do the same for Gotham. His relationship with Bruce has had its problems but is in a good place right now. Unfortunately, Grayson is completely unable to leave Blüdhaven. His commitment to the city aside, he knows that the kind of long-term goals he’s working to accomplish requires his presence. He’s attempting to build something that lasts, and he’s not going to abandon that for anything. The same is true of Jace Fox, who, while currently occupying the role of Batman, has given too much of himself to New York to consider giving it up.
There are two candidates who are currently in Gotham, however, Tim Drake and Barbara Gordon. Both are operating in the city and are well-established heroes. Tim just set up a new base of operations in Gotham Marina, forging his own path after living in the shadow of others. Barbara is the leader of the Batgirls, one of the most effective teams in the DC Universe right now. Both have a wealth of experience and a long history of heroism. Tim has proved himself to be as skilled a detective as Batman, and Barbara as Oracle is one of the most knowledgeable operators in the world.
While they both have experience leading teams, the former Batgirl is the more competent leader. She has a longer history with the Bat-family and more experience overall. Barbara is also currently without her own superhero identity, having handed “Batgirl” over to Cass and Stephanie, and given up Oracle. Tim has had a contentious relationship with the title of Robin, it’s something he’s fought hard for and is unlikely to want to give it up. No matter who replaces Bruce Wayne as Batman, his retirement would send waves through the DC Universe. However, not all of those repercussions would be negative. A younger, more modern Dark Knight could have an incredibly positive impact on Gotham and the DC Universe.
