Detective Comics Has Rewritten Batman's DCU Legacy

WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Detective Comics #981 by James Tynion IV, Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira, on sale now.

With Detective Comics #981, James Tynion IV ends his course-altering run on the title with the conclusion of his "Batmen Eternal" arc. During his reign, Tynion increased the range of Batman's reach by establishing the Bat-family as a formal organization closer to the heart of Gotham. The Gotham Knights, and their Belfry headquarters, also held the potential to extend Batman's legacy, and for a time, seemed poised to do exactly that.

Both external and internal conflicts have, for now, all but doomed that notion. While these tensions have largely been resolved with the conclusion of Tynion's run, the idea of Batman's acolytes carrying on his legacy with any immediacy now seem slim. Most notably, the Dark Knight's own desire to have his work carried on now seems in doubt – if one's to believe his future self. Two years' worth of stories have gone a long way towards cementing the place of the Bat-family within the overall fabric of Batman's world, but the final issue leaves some uncertainty.

A Tale of Two Futures

In Detective Comics #977, Brother Eye had shown Tim Drake a dire near-future. In this scenario, Batman was making a failed last stand against the forces of the government-sanctioned Colony, and faced his demise at the hands of Batwoman. The government had come to see Batman as an enemy after he activated Brother Eye and tried to put it into service – an action that he had faced repercussions for already in the pre-Rebirth era. In issue #981, though, Spoiler has hacked into Brother Eye and shown Tim that the above vision was simply a fabrication to try and win Tim over to his side.

Spoiler goes on to show Tim what actually happened – that is, what actually will happen, at least in one timeline. While the outcome is no different – Bruce Wayne is still killed by Kate Kane – the reasons behind it are diametrically opposite.

In this revised scenario, Bruce is dying already from radiation poisoning resulting from his construction of the Brother Eye satellite. He's also realized the grievous mistake he's made with the whole Brother Eye idea, and has set the satellite to self-destruct, taking all his technology with it. The government is still after Batman, though, and Kate still follows through on her orders by taking him out. Only now, her shooting of Bruce is more along the lines of mercy killing, and Brother Eye is still stopped – only by Bruce's own actions this time.

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Bruce is openly ready for Batman's legacy to die with him in this "actual" situation, and in fact expresses that's exactly what he wants to happen. This doesn't really align with his goal behind the Gotham Knights, though – a team rife with his disciples who stand to not only extend his influence, but to continue it. Is this future incarnation of Batman so different from his past self that he would make a total about-face regarding his vision for the Bat-family?

Not necessarily. Most notably, despite how it's been presented in recent months, this isn't the definitive future – only "a" future. It's a timeline that gives birth to Tim Drake's dark future as Batman – one that has especially now been acknowledged as an alternate reality, and the events of issue #981 point towards a brighter future for Tim. Ironically, the altered future shown in issue #977 shows a Batman trying to preserve his legacy at all costs – even after it's been tainted.

Are Batmen Eternal?

Perhaps that is ultimately the difference between the two scenarios. The earlier one features a driven Batman whose legacy has been darkened and should be destroyed, but fights to keep alive. The latter shows a Batman who wants his legacy to die, but ultimately in his self-redemption, demonstrates reasons why it shouldn't.

By issue's end, the present-day Batman is a curious amalgamation of these two future incarnations. While recognizing that Brother Eye was a nearly cataclysmic mistake, he doesn't equate this as a failure of Batman's legacy. He's not giving up on being Batman, obviously, and while most of his proteges are moving on, he's not giving up on the idea of a next-generation Gotham Knights, either – and says as much to Alfred.

The idea of Batmen Eternal might be tabled, sure, but it isn't dead. It's up to Tynion's successors to decide where it goes next. Bryan Hill and Miguel Mendonça will be the first of those successors when their Detective Comics #982 goes on sale June 13.

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