The following article contains spoilers from Nubia and the Justice League #1, on sale now from DC Comics.

Batman is considered the most serious hero in the DCU. Not just because of how grim his heroic persona is, but also because he devotes everything to his career. It has reached the point where most fans would assume that Batman would forget to eat if there weren't others around him who reminded him to do so. However, Nubia and the Justice League #1 (by Michael W. Conrad, Becky Cloonan, Amancay Nahuelpan, Tamra Bonvillain, and Pat Brosseau) disproved that theory when it was revealed that Batman was taking a personal day.

This story shows that Batman does have the capacity to take a step back and relax. It's a surprisingly healthy choice he has made for himself, but one that raises a number of questions. The effort he puts into his job often goes too far, often to the detriment of his own life, so his decision to take a vacation might have been motivated by the recent changes in his life.

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Batman Seems to Have an Aversion Toward Relaxation

Batman Is On Vacation

Nubia was asked to help Green Arrow and Black Canary patrol Gotham while Batman was out of town. The exact reason was never specified, but as Green Arrow put it, Batman was taking a "personal day" In a normal workplace environment, this would mean that he was on vacation. There aren't many heroes more in need of a break than Batman, but it is stunning to think that he would willingly do so.

Historically, Batman hates devoting time to anything that would distract from his mission. This sometimes extends to basic needs like sleeping, eating, or sunshine. The joke that Batman is a creature of the night did not come out of nowhere. More importantly, though, it often took someone close to Batman to persuade him to relax, typically Alfred Pennyworth. Unfortunately, the Wayne family's loyal butler is no longer alive and therefore cannot make sure his surrogate son tends to his needs. However, that might explain why Batman suddenly took a vacation out of the blue.

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Batman is Still Reeling From the Loss of Alfred Pennyworth

Nubia in Gotham

Batman's life has gone through several major shifts over the last few years. Between losing his fortune, Gotham's perception of heroes changing, and his family striking out, he has had to adjust to a rapidly changing world. The biggest shift from his status quo by far though comes from the absence of Alfred. The emotional center of the Bat-Family is gone, and without that warmth, Batman must make do as best he can.

This might explain why he's taking a vacation. It's probably the last thing he wants to do, but Alfred isn't there to nag him into taking care of himself anymore. It now falls on Bruce to listen to the voice inside his head that represents Alfred and heed its sensible advice. So, by putting aside his mission to tend to his own needs, Batman is actually honoring Alfred. He wants to make sure that Alfred doesn't have to rest uneasily, thinking that his boy is working himself into the ground.