Batman Incorporated v2 #9 Annotations

• The fallout from last month’s shocking turn of events has Batman on the run!

• Is The Dark Knight a murderer?

Commentary

This issue of Batman Incorporated is an Easter Egg-lite but thematically heavy requiem for Damian Wayne following his death last issue, and once again Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham (with able assistance from Jason Masters and Nathan Fairbairn) deliver the goods.

Word on the streets is that Batman Incorporated v2 will now run to 13 issues, with a Chris Burnham penned fill-in for issue #11 and the conclusion proper coming in #12 and (a likely extra-sized) #13. Also to come once this roller coaster ride grinds to a halt is a Batman Incorporated Special with contributions from Burnham, Fairbairn, Joe Keatinge and, in an unlikely turn, a Dan Didio/Ethan Van Sciver Bat Cow story. But for now? Annotations-ho!

Annotations

Cover - The 'Requiem' tagline appeared on all of the Bat-books in May, specifically Detective Comics #18, Batman #18, Batman and Robin #18, Batgirl #18, Nightwing #18, Red Hood and The Outlaws #18, Teen Titans #18, Catwoman #18 and World's Finest #10. As with the earlier 'R.I.P.' tie-ins, engagement with the aftermath of Damian's death ranges all the way from single panel lip service to a full-issue meditation, depending on the writer involved.

Damian's Robin 'R' logo first appeared on Frank Quitely's cover to Batman and Robin #1, a combination of the original Robin 'R' and the version that appeared on the Neal Adams-designed early 90's Tim Drake Robin costume (though that logo was apparently appropriated from a rejected Norm Breyfogle design from the same period).

Page 1 -We saw Bruce standing in front of two obelisk gravestones in a scene that post-dates this issue on the first page of Batman Incorporated v2 #1. Clearly one of them is Damian's as we see here, but the other? The Heritic - technically just as much the 'Son of Batman' as Damian - maybe?

Damian's pall-bearers, from left to right, Red Robin Tim Drake, Damian's father Bruce Wayne, Nightwing Dick Grayson and Alfred Pennyworth.

Page 2 -Chris Burnham returns to the angular panel layout from the Wayne Enterprises scenes last issue (mostly drawn in that issue by Jason Masters)

As we mentioned last issue, the sword that The Heretic is branding belonged to Bruce Wayne's crusading ancestor Sir Gaweyne De Weyne, from Alan Grant and Frank Quitely's Batman: The Scottish Connection. The irony of Damian's death being caused by this ancient Wayne family heirloom feeds into the "whole twisted loss that's at the heart of the Batman myth", as noted by Morrison in this Huffington Post interview.

Underneath The Heretic's robes is a heavily-armoured Anti-Batman costume, with the seal of Leviathan replacing Batman's traditional chest emblem.

Page 3 - Batman's still missing his gloves and boots after being sealed in the safe by Talia last issue. His fighting style over the next couple of pages is suitably brutal given the circumstances.

Page 5 - The bewildered expressions on faces of the Leviathan's henchmen are a neat little flourish from Burnham.

As in Christopher Nolan's recent Dark Knight Rises and in previous issues of Morrison's Bat-run, the threat of paralysis, specifically a broken back - calling back to Bane's 'Breaking of the Bat' in the 90's 'Knightfall' storyline - is invoked as the ultimate ignoble defeat for Batman.

Our POV makes the transition in the last panel from Bruce to Nightwing, flowing into the action on the next page.

Page 6 - More great page design work from Burnham - the regular rectangular panels of the 'present day' funeral scenes overlaid over the angular layout of the flashback. Like Bruce in the transition from page 1 to page 2, Dick's thoughts at the gravesite are consumed by his actions in the Wayne Enterprises lobby.

No sign of the second obelisk in the cemetery at Wayne Manor. We see Cyril's funeral back in England later in the issue, so whoever's in that second grave from issue #1 isn't dead yet...

Page 7 -The tragedy of the Batman legacy, and the accompanying endlessly unfulfilled mission for vengeance, continues. Fittingly, the rain continues to pour down, as it has since virtually the beginning of this volume of Batman Incorporated.

I'm not sure if it's meant to be significant that Tim adds the 'Amen' at the end there, but I'm sure the folks over at this site, discussing the religious affiliations of various comic book characters, will make a lot of it.

Page 8 - The Mall is the processional stretch of road leading up to Buckingham Palace in London, it's use for funeral processions is usually reserved for State Funerals like those of royalty, or former almost universally-reviled Prime Ministers like Margaret Thatcher. The coffin being carried by a horse-drawn cart, flanked by soldiers and draped in the Union Flag is another hallmark of a State funeral. Yes, we still do that in the UK...

The Commonwealth is a loose collective of countries like Canada and Australia that used to be in the British Empire but are now independent, though the Queen is still 'officially' (in a largely meaningless sense) the Head of State. Princes Harry and William are the sons of the Queen's eldest son Prince Charles, and respectively third and second in line for the throne. The Knight's adventure alongside his dad against Spring Heeled Jack hasn't been chronicled anywhere and is most likely another detail drawn from Morrison's unpublished The Knight & Squire mini-series pitch.

Once again, Jason Masters fills in on art for the next couple of pages.

Page 9 -Continuing the legacy theme that's run throughout Morrison's Batman run, Beryl takes up the mantle of The Knight and teams up with another sidekick-turned-hero, Johnny Riley, former Scout and now The Ranger.

Presumably the Prime Minister in the last panel is David Cameron. You didn't come hear to read how loathesome I find the man so I'll say no more...

The bit about the Lazarus Pits must be setting something up for the final two issues. The last Lazarus Pit we saw (in Morrison's Batman comics at least) was at the bottom of Rendle Colliery, where Dick and Damian resurrected an insane Batman clone (and Batwoman) in Batman and Robin v1 #7-#9. Historically the Lazarus Pits can only be used once (though the Rendle pit was used twice in one story), so presumably that one's out of action now. Looks like the man from the Ministry might have the skinny on another though. We'll see...

Page 10 - In the month's prior to this issue's publication, all of the Bat-titles (except Inc.) were wrapped up in the 'Death of a Family' crossover, leading off from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman run. There was a lot of speculation that Alfred would be killed off at the end of that crossover, something which ultimately didn't happen. The breakdown of his relationship with Bruce here reflects much more what Snyder was trying to achieve with 'Death of...', a sort of anti-Morrison ideal of a loner Batman who isn't propped up by an extensive Bat-family. No doubt Morrison will address once again what a folly that is before the end of his run.

Page 11 - Great page from Burnham here. The rain is symbolic of a Bruce's grief - the torrent of tears for the loss of his son that he cannot bring himself to shed while his mind fixes itself on vengeance. The external world is Bruce's grief; he remains still inside, affixed on the mission at hand - Revenge on Talia.

Once again, Bruce's mind wanders back to the events of previous days, invading the stillness of the cemetery at oblique, violent angles.

Page 12 -Two more Jason Masters pages, showing us what's happening on in the wider world following last issue.

That's the Leviathan cop from v2 #3 with the wavy blond hair and his back to us.

"Address me as Lady Talia unless I instruct you otherwise." Brrr. That's cold...

"Is Gotham City the beginning of the end for the American Empire?" Morrison has been pressed on the politics of Batman Incorporated in interviews recently and highlighted in his responses that he sees it all as window dressing to the conflict between Talia and Bruce - grown adults hiding behind ideologies rather than addressing their (very) personal issues. Talia isn't especially interested in toppling the 'American Empire', she's externalising her rage against Bruce into a crusade against everything he stands for. And he in turn does the same - organizing an international army of crime-fighters to pit against her. As Morrison has said, this is a story about bad parents and what happens when they lose sight of the small things that matter the most, like the well-being of their children - and not about proposing solutions to the world's political quandaries.

Page 13 -The Mutants gang make another appearance as the news talks up the politics once again.

Talia begins to realise that, like Damian, The Heretic is not a mindless drone who will follow her orders without question. She's becoming her worst nightmare - her father - whilst her "son" can do nothing but follow in his own fiercely independent parent's footsteps. The Heretic, like Damian, like every little boy, just wants to be Batman...

Page 14 - ...Something he feels especially beholden to prove to his father, the actual Batman. And the only way he knows how to do that? The way he's been shown in the gladiatorial arena by his mother. By smashing and breaking Bruce to prove his superiority.

Page 15 -Batman and company uncharacteristically turn tail and run, ensuring that they recover Damian's body (or rather Robin's body, as Bruce tellingly refers to him as).

Page 16 -The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act is an actual piece of legislation, introduced to ensure the actions of private military contractors (or mercenaries as they used to be called) in Iraq could be held accountable under US law.

The Gotham City seal on the mayor's pedastal is from a voter card sent out as part of the viral marketing campaign for Christopher Nolan's 2008 film The Dark Knight. It's essentially a simplified version of the actual official seal of New York City. A different Gotham seal was seen on the J.H Williams' cover to Batman Incorporated v1 #5.

The flag on the right of the mayor is also probably from The Dark Knight (here's a picture of it in the film), though there isn't that much of it visible to confirm.

Batman gave Gordon the 'Bat device' pin back in v1 #6. As per the status quo set up at the end of The Dark Knight movie (whch Morrison has called his favourite superhero movie), Batman is now an enemy of Gotham law enforcement.

Page 17 - The agents of the Bat reconvene in Batcave East, where Jason was snatched by The Hood back in issue seven. Nightwing, Ranger, the new Knight and Red Robin are in the cave; El Gaucho, Man of Bats and Raven Red, Mister Unknown (sporting his Frazer Irving-designed Batman Incorporated #0 duds for the second and last time) and Nightrunner are on the TV screens. "Everywhere the standard of the Bat rises, it will be chopped down." was said by Red Ripper in Batman Incorporated v1 #7.

I love the implication that Jason peed himself on purpose so the rest of the team could follow his trail...

...All the way to where Kathy Kane (presumably) and the School of Night (who we haven't seen since the Leviathan Strikes special) have got him trussed up.

"It could be heaven, it could be hell" - They've taken him to the Hotel California?!

Page 19 -Right back to action for Bruce, after a bit of an I.T. clear-up.

Heartbreaking that it's probably the most willfully ridiculous turn in Morrison's Batman run - Bat-Cow - that finally brings it all home to Bruce. I like to think that the little extra speech bubble around the words are Bruce doing a (probably uncannily accurate) impression of Damian's voice.

Page 20 -The final splash is a counter-point to Andy Kubert's cover for Batman #655, the first issue in Grant's run. There he was coiled and ready for action, here he's splayed in a release of all of the rage and emotion - an impotent cry to the menagerie of bats...

Superb Batman '66 / 'New Look' Infantino stylings on the next issue blurb. See you soon for 'Gotham's Most Wanted'

(As usual, any comments, corrections, additions or anything else - let me know.)

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