WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Batman #100-#102, by James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey and Clayton Cowles, and Batgirl #50, by Cecil Castellucci, Emanuela Lupacchino, Mick Gray, Scott Hanna, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey, on sale now.
In the aftermath of Joker War, Batman made a truly shocking confession: "Joker was right." One can only imagine the pain such words caused him given that the Joker is his greatest enemy.
But there is a profound reason behind Bruce Wayne's admission. During Joker War, the Clown Prince stole Batman's weapons, tech, and fortune to conquer Gotham--all with the city government's support. And the tragic punchline of it all was that Batman made this possible, something his old nemesis was quick to point out.
Bruce's confession came in Batman #101 by James Tynion IV, Guillen March, and Tomeu Morey. Social consciousness has been a prevalent theme throughout Tynion's work as he examines the real-world consequences of superheroes--something the writers of other Bat-titles have also explored. Superheroes are supposed to save people. The entire reason they beat up villains is to help the ordinary citizens those villains threaten. Unfortunately, Batman is responsible for much of the suffering in Gotham, as he has prioritized his war on crime over the actual needs of real people.
This was laid bare when the Joker seized the Wayne fortune for himself and used Batman's arsenal to attack Gotham. Many citizens joined his gang, dressing as clowns and tormenting the city with Jokerized Bat-gadgets. During the climax, the Joker even wore a Batsuit, one that Bruce had specifically made to inspire hope for Gotham's future. Additionally, the Joker animatronically manipulated Alfred Pennyworth's corpse and bought out the movie theater where Bruce Wayne enjoyed his last happy memory with his parents. But the real attack was that Joker had revealed that every supposed symbol of hope in Gotham--Batman, Wayne Enterprises, the police, and the city government--were all forces actively contributing to people's suffering.
All the hardware Batman used in his war on crime was turned against civilians. Much of that equipment had been used to militarize Gotham police--police actively working for the Joker under orders from the mayor. The people who joined Joker's gang did so out of desperation because they lived in a city where millions suffered in abject squalor with few opportunities and less power. Whole neighborhoods were destroyed by weapons Wayne Enterprises built. While Batman never personally attacked the people, by spending his money on weapons instead of helping people, he helped create a climate where desperate people got access to his weapons and could easily be exploited by Joker.
Other titles have maintained these themes, notably Cecil Castellucci's Batgirl #50, where Barbara Gordon accused Bruce of personally failing the city. The people of her neighborhood were turned out of their damaged homes. When they peacefully protested, they were violently suppressed by the very police who Barbara's father used to lead and who Bruce had militarized. She pointed out that this violence suppressed the people's dissent so Bruce's rich friends could buy up the properties at good rates. In the Batcave, Barbara begged Bruce to use his influence with his rich friends to dissuade them from exploiting the tragedy, but he ignored her pleas.
Joker succinctly summarized the problems in Batman #100, the last issue of Joker War: "This city does not want you. This city is sick of you, and sick of all the ways you failed it...Now everyone knows that Wayne Enterprises...[is] the same sort of corrupt corporate terror as all the other big companies of the world. The Wayne Family is a broken system. Like Gotham City Hall. Like the GCPD. Nobody has faith in anything anymore. And why should they?"
The two continued to fight in a savage brawl as chemical fires exploded all around them. As Batman was pinned to the ground, the Joker loomed over him, driving the point home: "Bruce, you don't understand Gotham. You don't even live in the city. You're out in the fancy suburbs in your broody castle. Batman was a stupid little kid's stupid idea. And now this city sees it for how hollow it is." Harley Quinn intervened, shooting Joker and handcuffing Joker within the burning building. Batman followed her out, leaving the Clown behind. Finally, he realized that he needed to change his approach and stop repeating old mistakes.
Everything that Joker did to hurt the city, Batman made possible. Heroes save people. Joker's speech revealed just how wrong Bruce Wayne had been. Finally beginning to understand this, Bruce decided not to reclaim his fortune, nor did he return to Wayne Manor. Instead, he moved into a small apartment in the heart of the city where he could live among ordinary Gothamites to actually begin to understand their plight.