WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Batman #101, by James Tynion IV, Guillem March, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles, on sale now.

Before the start of the Joker War, the Clown Prince of Crime succeeded in stealing the Wayne family fortune. With the villain now in possession of Bruce's company and Batman's arsenal, the vigilante had, essentially, nothing to depend on and nowhere to turn to as the Joker transformed Gotham City into a warzone. Now that the war is finally over, it's become more clear that this was actually a preview of what was to come.

In Batman #101, Bruce Wayne is dealing with the aftermath of the battle. Gotham City has begun to rebuild, but he already realizes that the Joker was successful in changing it once more and as it changes, then he must as well. This time around, Batman isn't going bigger and better -- instead, he's going smaller, quieter, and possibly meaner.

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When the "Joker War" was nearing its end, Catwoman was successful in stealing back the Wayne fortune and, with little options on her side, she chose to funnel it to Bruce's closest ally, Lucius Fox. In Batman #101, the Dark Knight pays a visit to Lucius, and the two discuss him getting his money back. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the right time for Batman to get his vast wealth back because there is currently a lot of public focus on Bruce Wayne, which makes a money transfer, coupled with Batman's antics, a big risk, and that's nothing to say of Wayne Enterprises' current position.

It's decided that, for the time being, Lucius will keep the money. However, he is quick to explain to Bruce what that means: Batman will no longer have an endless supply of new gadgets, suits, weapons, and vehicles. This is a huge turn, especially considering that ever since Batman #86, a great focus has been made on Lucius and the Dark Knight's new gadgets, like the Nightclimber and the Echo. It seems like the book was intent on showing as many new inventions as possible, knowing full well that the rug would soon be pulled out from under Batman's feet.

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It looks like Bruce will only have access to the bare minimum. Moreover, if something of his breaks, if the Batmobile has issues, or if his suit tears, he will have to fix it himself. This is definitely a big change for Batman, especially since he's upped his game for the last several years. For a long time now, the Caped Crusader has broken out new suit after new suit, and pilot either powerful robotic armors or sleek new vehicles, but now Batman is going back to square one, with what little he has at his disposal. What's more, his crusade will change even more because he's just decided to move out of Wayne Manor. Now, Bruce will start operating out of a brownstone located in the heart of the city, which means he will be closer to strike.

This is a new beginning for Batman, and it's one that is truly exciting. For years now, the Dark Knight was at the top of his game with all the gadgets his infinite wealth could afford him, but now he's going back to basics. His mission will become dirtier, grittier, and more difficult, and that's a perfect new direction for the character who usually has the solution for everything.

KEEP READING: Future State: A Transformation for Two Key Characters Has Already Happened