WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Batman #101, by James Tynion IV, Guillem March, Tomeu Morey and Clayton Cowles, available now.
After months of conflict, the Joker War has finally come to an end and now Gotham City can finally start recovering. With the fight now over, Batman has time to reflect, look at his past failures and come to the realization that the Joker, despite his twisted villainy, was right. For a long time now, Batman has operated with an established status quo that has very rarely changed: he lives in Wayne Manor, he travels with his Batmobile, he fights crime in Gotham, and so on.
But in Batman #101, Bruce comes to the realization that he needs to make some big changes going forward. And Batman kicks off those changes by deciding to leave Wayne Manor behind and to move into Gotham City itself.
Wayne Manor has been Bruce Wayne's base of operations ever since he first put on the cape and cowl of Batman. Located on the outskirts of Gotham City, the manor is a part of his family history -- it's where he's always lived and where he built his Batcave. It's been home to not only himself but several members of the Bat-Family, at one time or another. But now, after all these years, he's choosing to leave it behind.
The decision comes as a direct fallout from the "Joker War." At the start of the event, the Clown Prince of Crime had succeeded in stealing the Wayne family fortune. But later, Catwoman was able to steal it back, entrusting it to Bruce's closest ally, Lucius Fox. Now, in Batman #101, Lucius and Bruce discuss the possibility of him reclaiming his fortune. However, it's decided that it's best to keep the money in Lucius' hand, for the time being, to avoid scrutiny and for the benefit of Wayne Enterprises and its place in Gotham going forward.
As a result, Batman's crusade is changing: without money, he won't have his usual endless supply of weapons and vehicles. Now, he'll have to be more careful, and a lot more discreet.
And to do that, he decides it's best to operate from within the city itself, without his usual more comings and goings to and from the Manor. From now on, he will live in a brownstone he already owns in the city, which will allow him to get a better feel for his city, and its constant evolution.
The move is also further fueled by the recent death of Alfred Pennyworth. Alfred was a fixture inside Wayne Manor and without him, the mansion now feels empty. And with Batman and Robin also on the outs, Bruce is truly alone in his Manor. Instead of remaining the lone guardian who lives in melancholic solitude outside of the city, he is making this move in an effort to become a better Batman.
As of right now, everything is changing: Gotham, its people, its villains, Bruce's status quo and even his relationships. But what isn't changing is his resolve, his crusade. While it's not an entirely unprecedented move, Batman is letting go of one of the oldest elements from his history, and he'll be closer to the streets of Gotham than he's been in a very long time.
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