Another powerful Chris Burnham image for the cover of this issue and one that features a variation on arguably THE most important quote in the history of Batman, "...He Shall Become A Bat!". Here is the original source of that line from Detective Comics #33 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane:
And here is another version of this scene from the seminal Year One story by Frank Miller & David Mazzucchelli:
It is THE defining line of dialogue in Batman history, the one that set up the future of Bruce Wayne's life and here, for this issue nearly 75 years after his debut, it is borrowed for the cover. That is putting some serious weight on the contents if you ask me (which you kind of did just by reading this blog).
The weight of Batman's history is again brought to bear as soon as you open up the cover and look at the first page. The very first text boxes you read also harken back to that historic 'Tec story from 1939:
In this case though, the disguise pictured is not the cape & cowl of Batman but rather the Suit of Sorrows worn by the Michael Lane version of Azrael. There is a lot of history wrapped up in these elements of the story so I will try to keep it as concise as possible.
The Suit of Sorrows was an armor gifted to Batman from Talia Al Ghul circa Detective Comics #838 that charts its origins to the 12th Century and The Crusades. It bestowed its wearer tremendous power but apparently also drove its original owner insane. The Order of Purity, a splinter sect of The Order of St. Dumas that spawned the Jean Paul Valley Azrael, retrieved the suit at some point and it would eventually fall into the hands of the Al Ghul's. Batman attempted to use it but felt the same pull as its original wearer so he sealed it up in the Batcave where it remained until its disappearance/theft during the chaos of the Batman:R.I.P section of this saga.
Michael Lane, the flagellated man spouting Nostradamus quotes, was one of the "3 Ghosts of Batman" (the one I referred to as Devil Bats in earlier blogs) but prior to that was a GCPD cop who was experimented on by Dr. Hurt/Thomas Wayne. Prior to the experiments though he suffered tremendous loss leading to a mental breakdown as his son died, his wife committed suicide, and his siblings were murdered in a satanic ritual. All this set him up to ultimately be picked by The Order of Purity to become their Azrael which led down a confusing path in which Lane at some point told he is a descendant of Christ and tries to burn down Gotham City. He discovers he's been manipulated by Ra's Al Ghul and goes off into hiding. That bring us to now...
Batman looks to Lane for assistance and finds the man, obviously
engaging in some flagellation looking at that back, and spewing a
reference to St. John and The Dark Night of the Soul
(in short a "spiritual crisis in a journey towards union with God").
Lane makes reference to his destiny to be the Devil's herald on Earth, a
potential future for Lane as told in Batman #666 that also included the now deceased Damian as Batman, his walls plastered with a series of pictures that are mostly nondescript except for one:
That image in the first panel is another allusion to Lane's potential future as Devil-Bats but for Bruce it serves as a reminder of his vision, the one that spawned the creation of Batman Incorporated in the first place. It calls back, presumably, to the end of Final Crisis and the beginning of Return of Bruce Wayne with Bruce's talk of dying in a cave. Saying that in that moment Bruce witnessed the end of the world at his son's hands could be interpreted as issue #666 being a look at that vision, of the reader seeing some of Bruce's experience post-FC many months before the story was even written.
Despite his own loose grasp on reality/sanity, Michael Lane's statement that "We're all your sons" is a dead-on perspective of the entire concept of Batman Incorporated (even though Bruce claims it's been liquidated). Whether it's Robin and Nightwing or Man-of-Bats and Red Raven, they are all spawned from the ideals that Batman put into play when he first donned the cape & cowl. He is father to them all but sadly it was only his genetic offspring that paid the ultimate price in this crusade...
Lane, in his quasi-religious ramblings, again nails some points home as he brings up the Number of the Beast (666), drops the assorted names which Damian's clone has been referred to (Heretic, Unborn, Fatherless), and caps it all off with the big bad of this piece: Leviathan. Now, in Lane's perspective, Leviathan is a sea monster from The Old Testament with a big reference point being "Job 41:1–34" but as we know, for Batman, it is the organization ran by Talia Al Ghul.
Speaking of the she-devil...
...as Bruce takes the Suit of Sorrows off Lane's hand, Talia is shown in the Swiss Alps, with a specific reference to the Jungfrau summit (which apparently translates from German as virgin). The most interesting aspect of this page, aside from the wonderful landscape by Burnham, is the usage of the red/black chessboard. The color scheme calls back to aspects of R.I.P while the chessboard not only represents the "game" being played by Talia now but also make me think specifically to the panel from Batman & Son below, the panel that represents the true start of this entire Inc arc:
Although he isn't shown in full, it must be noted that (I believe) this issue of Batman Inc marks the New 52 debut of Ra's Al Ghul.
Visually, I love the addition of the black veil over Talia and from a story perspective, it is also important to note that Damian's death was NOT her intent but rather, in her mind, Batman's fault because he "refused to make a choice". The sequence on the above page also serves to illustrate that this "game" for Talia is about both of the primary men in her life: Batman and Ra's. It's like she is looking to make a point to both of them and, in the case of Ra's here, she is infuriated when it is implied she's overlooking something. The Knight taking The Queen, combined with the almost Joker-like "HAHAHAHAHAHA", serves a perfect close to this interaction...
Yet with the following page, in contrast to Ra's mockery of his daughter's quest, we see how much Leviathan has infiltrated Gotham City. The GCPD and National Guard are overwhelmed, Bruce Wayne and his Batman Incorporated are in the middle of a political nightmare, and Gotham's Mayor Hady has effectively outlawed Batman in the city. That ban provided this image, the top panel reminiscent of the end of The Dark Knight film if you ask me:
And in the vein of Dark Knight, to my eyes, Burnham's take on Lucius Fox is reminiscent of Morgan Freeman:
In the Lucius sequence, we are taken from a press conference in which Fox somewhat addresses the Batman Inc connections to Wayne Enterprises, we see the photonic crystals first introduced in Leviathan Strikes!, Bruce mentions how he needs to turn himself in (ish #1 of this volume), tells Lucius Damian is out of the country, and we get a moment purely in the vein of Lucius' movie role in the above page's unveiling of the massive prototype.
We then jump back to Talia, as if we are following our two leads in the steps to their inevitable confrontation, as she punishes the men responsible for opening fire on Damian during his battle with The Heretic by having her "son" murder them all. Her words, if taken at face value, speak to how highly she actually thought of Damian which stands in stark contrast to how she treated him once he picked Dad over Mom. We also see how Leviathan has its hooks in Mayor Hady and how it can manipulate the very basic necessities of the GCPD.
We join Nightwing & Red Robin as they meet up with The Knight (the former Squire) and Ranger as they track down Wingman/Jason Todd/Red Hood who was nabbed by The Hood and turned over to the Headmistress from Leviathan Strikes! all girls school. What we learn in this sequence though, likely to the surprise of the reader, is that this group is actually in opposition to Talia & Leviathan. In fact, they are attempting to remove a bug Talia has placed on JT.
Jump over to the man behind Talia's Ninja Man-Bat army, Kirk Langstrom, as members of the GCPD bust in on him in search of Batman. Kirk protests Batman's presence there but as we see in this amazing Burnham page...
...Bats was indeed there (I just love the depiction of the bullets on that page), as Kirk insists he was only producing an aerosol antidote to the Man-Bat serum.
We then jump back to Talia & Heretic in a sequence that gives us a look at just how much of a child this clone-monster truly is at heart:
He wants what he wants and he wants it now and will do whatever he has to in order to get it, even hurt his own mother apparently. Yet much like the way in which she wired up Damian in Batman & Robin Vol. 1 to be remote controlled by Deathstroke, she also has her clone-son wired up to prevent him from even engaging in the "disobedience" that Damian did. Talia herself must be disgusted with this creature she has created though because being called "mother" by the clone-beast only agitates her further while being called "Lady Talia" seems to be what draws the electroshock to an end.
Here, as in the Year One version of the "I shall become a Bat" story (which Morrison also used in other parts of his opus), we have a bruised and battered Bruce seated in a chair, only now he is already Batman. So what does this mean? It means its time to step-up his game with an altered Suit of Sorrows and a needle of the Man-Bat serum jabbed into his neck.
Back to Talia as she prepares for the endgame at 11pm:
On top of the roof with the very pool in which she trapped her "beloved" while her son died, this daughter of Al Ghul continues to play her part in this drama, even going so far as to once again don the Leviathan skull mask. It completes her transformation into a stereotypical villain for Batman to fight. Unfortunately for her, this Batman barreling at her is far from typical!
We left Batman being tossed a window towards the Gotham pavement below and we return with a cover for issue #7 that is possibly more terrifying than anything that could be contained within. Children, psychotic Leviathan brainwashed children with the masks of Batman, Man of Bats, Wingman, El Gaucho, and the rest of Batman Inc. on pikes...it's like the scene in Natural Born Killers or Game of Thrones minus the gore:
Open the pages and we pick up immediately where the previous left off as Batman plummets to his potential demise only to be saved by one of Talia's Ninja Man-Bat soldiers right before the very eyes of three of his four "children". In this case his adopted ones: Red Robin, Nightwing, and Wingman.
The Man-Bat severs the head off a Robo-Bat as he departs and the trio of Boy Wonders are totally helpless on the ground below. Jason Todd's "circus boy" comment towards Dick Grayson I think encapsulates the relationship between these individuals pretty nicely just as Tim Drake staying on point ("I'm tracking the signal from Batman's belt") captures his essence as well.
Now even though I summed up the page quite sufficiently above, I felt it necessary to include so as to address one of the major points of contention I had with Jim Gordon's revisions for the New 52, one in particular. As a long-time reader I experienced, via back issues I must admit, the story of Commissioner Gordon nearly dying back in #459 as a direct result of his smoking and who can forget these house ads:
So when the reboot/relaunch/reset went down and Gordon was a smoker once again, suffice it to say that I wasn't the happiest camper. It was a long journey in the Old DCU that led to Gordon quitting smoking so it is my hope that perhaps this is a tale that will play out once again.
Off the tiny soapbox and back to the story itself....
That final panel of the page with Smokin' Jim also depicts Halo and Freight Train being loaded into ambulances while a third gurney, likely Looker, is close behind. Cute how Train is on two different gurneys; he's a big guy after all.
Alongside Traktir and Spydra we revisit the location from Batman: The Return where we, and Damian, first met The Heretic/Fatherless as well as Traktir & Spydra. It was there her larynx was crushed during the Super Collective's fight with Heretic and the decaying carcass was the whale from which he was apparently "born". Damian confirms as much from the images Traktir passes to Batwing which he sends to the Batcave: "Damage to the whale's pelvic region is exactly what we'd expect. Mother made a monster."
Talia's troops hit the Yemen factory to take out Traktir, Spydra, and to remove all evidence of what happened there. Batwing verbally confirms the death of The Knight to Commissioner Gordon as Squire breaks down in Nightwing's arms and an all-too familiar image of death is presented:
Familiar right?
I doubt the similarities are accidental, whether it be due to Morrison's script or Burnham's own artistic choice, and it is far from the last echo we will see throughout the close of Morrison's Bat-Opus.
Also on the page that features the image of Knight's death we get an idea of how overworked Gordon is ("My shift ended three hours ago, Nightwing") as well as how high the stakes are getting ("The hostages are dead. Your people are dead...and Batman.."). In addition, in a nod to the Leviathan-affiliated cop who was established a few issues ago, Gordon orders the new guy to call in back-up.
I love Burnham's portrayal of the Bat-Cave as well as the image of Damian's pet family over on the far right in the first panel. On top of that, this entire page perfectly nails Damian's character for me. From the words Morrison has pouring out of his mouth regarding Alfred and Jason Todd to the face Burnham draws as the vegetarian Damian feeds Alfred the Cat chicken, it nails the essence of the youngest member of the Bat-Family. The change in Damian since his introduction is just so evident between this page and the next, particularly this image:
He says it only took him a few hours to tame Alfred but in reality, what we are watching, it really is the taming of Damian Wayne. Perhaps taming isn't the proper word though in this case, perhaps GROWTH is a more accurate choice of verbiage. It also shows a particular kind of growth as Damian address Bruce's fears about his son's future in a very straight-forward fashion before detailing for all of us the origin of The Heretic. It's one amazing page of Burnham work with nods to earlier work in the Morrison Bat-Opus...
Remember last blog when I said something about seeking out Burnham for a sketch at NYCC? I essentially told him to draw anything Batman-related that he wanted and it seems appropriate, given the subject matter of the above image, to include that thing right here:
A thing of beauty isn't it?
Jason Todd has arrived at Batcave East (which Wikipedia tells me is an abandoned oil refinery owned by Wayne Enterprises) and communicates back to Alfred & Damian at Central (Wiki says this is located under Robinson Park but that does not seem to be the case in the New 52, Central seems to be under Wayne Manor). Damian, rather logically, questions the loyalties of Jason given his prior connection to Talia Al Ghul (she is essentially the reason he didn't die at the Joker's hands) to which Alfred expresses his belief in second chances. Damian's own distrust of JT stems from two things I'd say, the first being how Jason is responsible for Damian being temporarily paralyzed which led to his mother using spare parts to fix him up which led to Talia using Deathstroke to hijack Damian's body which led to Damian nearly killing Dick (an all too brief summary of Batman & Robin Vol. 1). The second would be how much Jason's own story reflects that of Damian...
Unfortunately for Jason we next see The Hood expose his true colors as an agent of Spyral, the spy organization ran by the late Otto Netz that also included Kathy Kane and El Guacho/Agent 33. Netz is also the genius who created the Oroboro and who wreaked hell on our Bat-Family in the Leviathan Strikes! one-shot. Talia reminds us of the essential function of the box, "One touch activates a ring of death, a choke chain around the world", and tells Heretic (left eye still bloodied from Squire's slingshot and utility belt in tow) to bring the empty safe for some nefarious purpose. Also we again see the Kali/Shiva images that have become part of Talia's motif throughout Batman Incorporated.
Red Robin finds the belt inside the building, and led like a lamb to slaughter, it explodes just as he makes the leap out the window. We see Nightwing and Gordon with a bus full of kids beginning to unload behind them while Tim pleads for everyone to head to Wayne Tower. The kids pour off the bus with weapons in tow, chanting "Leviathan", as Gordon realizes how boxed in they truly are...
As we saw in Volume 1 of Inc when Batman and Nightrunner fought together in France, this is far from the first-time Leviathan has used kids:
The scene cuts to Wayne Tower where we are reintroduced to a woman named Ellie who we first saw way back in #664:
Again in #701:
And once more in Vol. 1 #6:
She seems to be a favorite of Grant's doesn't she? Then again she ends up trapped under gunfire as Talia and The Heretic take over the building, which has the same decorative appeal of the Batcave, and leave her hiding behind a desk. How much of a favorite would that make you feel like?
We also learn just why Talia wanted Heretic to bring the safe:
It is an element that feels pulled straight out of some much older Batman tale, or perhaps the Adam West show, with Bats locked in a safe and tossed in the water while the enemy details their plan, but in Morrison's hands it feels...greater. Maybe because with this page Burnham pulls the red/black motif of The Black Glove back into the picture and we see just how much Talia has planned this out. The gauntlet from last issue was designed to monitor every aspect of Bruce's conditioning while he was drugged with just enough to keep him under until now. She wants Bruce to know how much effort has gone into this, Talia wants him to look at her as his greatest villain (perhaps since she can't be his great love)! Or, perhaps, she is simply mocking Bruce, Batman, and all of the tropes of the superhero life, "...know that I've beaten you at your own stupid, childish games of clues and traps, masks and toys". Even her parting question, "If I'm especially evil, will I be your number one arch-enemy?" seems just as much a taunt to me as a genuine question. That's the beauty of the printed word sometimes, the context is pretty much left in the reader's mind.
In these two pages it is demonstrated just how much of a family affair this all is and how strongly it revolves first around Bruce's final rejection of Talia in Batman & Son then Damian's subsequent rejection of his mother during Batman & Robin V1. This page also shows us just how much trust Alfred has in the youngest Wayne to do what needs to be done here. Yes Damian pulls the the "you did it for Grayson" card but still, this just shows how far their relationship has come given that not so long ago Damian knocked Alfred out to get away from the Wayne Mansion. It demonstrates how capable this Robin is as well as shows his care for the animals that have come under his care in recent months (or days in the case of Alfred the Cat & Bat-Cow).
And while this is going on in the cave, that first panel on the right page shows just how bad things have gotten in Gotham, particularly if Gordon is shooting a hole through a fellow cop (safe to say this is the Leviathan Cop mentioned earlier).
What a final page huh? Nightwing falling under a mob of psychotic children as Jason Todd is laid out before the heels of some woman courtesy of The Hood. Looking back over his earlier appearances, Hood made reference to a person known as "Matron" which is defined a couple of ways that fit into the Morrison Bat-Opus:
- a woman in charge of domestic and medical arrangements at a boarding school or other establishment - a married woman, esp. a dignified and sober middle-aged one
The first definition fits into the Stephanie Brown story included in Leviathan Strikes! while the second definition fits into the depiction of Kathy Kane in V1 of Batman Incorporated. All I can say is that I predicted her involvement way back on April 3, 2012 so we shall see if it pans out.
On top of the fate of Nightwing and JT, let's not forget about Red Robin preparing to storm the Leviathan-controlled Wayne Tower while Damian Wayne comes to save the day! It's a hell of a cliffhanger and next up is in one of the most important issues of Morrison's entire run with Batman and family!
To Be Continued....
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JASON TODD stands in
the street lamp illumination of a Gotham City avenue, only a few minutes
removed from leaving TOMMY ELLIOT’S underground lair. The remnants of a
slight snowfall linger on the concrete as newspapers and trash blow
against his legs. The look on his face is one of a man set free…
JASON
(Caption)
So
this is what freedom feels like. For the first time in…hell…in forever
I feel…free…to follow my destiny. The one I choose. Not Bruce’s plan
or Elliot’s, but the one I want, the one I was destined to embrace.
Funny I guess I can thank Tommy for opening my eyes…
Page 2
1- The headlights of a limousine beam across Jason’s face
JASON
The Hell?
2
– The figure of a woman is visible in the glare of the lights as well
as that of a smaller child, obviously it’s TALIA and DAMIAN.
TALIA
We have been looking all over for you Jason. I should have figured you wouldn’t wander far from Gotham. My mistake.
DAMIAN
Waste of time if you ask me…
3
– The Al Ghul family steps out of the glare and closer to Jason who, a
bit unsteady on his feet, is starting to show the effects of his fight
with Tommy.
JASON
What do you want Talia? Can’t have the father so you come for the son? Didn’t you already try that one on Dick?
TALIA
Cute, but no, we did not travel the road when I saved you after your…return…and we are not going to do it now.
DAMIAN
(Interrupting)
You and Grayson?
TALIA
A story for another time darling.
4
– Jason balls his hand into a fist as Talia places a hand on his cheek,
a gently almost motherly caress. Damian is noticeably perturbed in the
background.
TALIA
I have come to enlist your
services Jason. You do owe me after all. More than you can possibly
pay back, but this small task will have to suffice.
JASON
Cut to the chase. I’ve had enough games tonight.
5 – Talia steps back as Damian steps in between her and Jason. The boy is obviously sizing up Jason in case of a fight.
DAMIAN
This one seems different than Grayson and Drake mother. He reminds me of Grandfather.
TALIA
He
is different Damian. Jason has been exposed to the Pit, but that is not
the only thing that makes him different. Is it Jason?
JASON
The point…Talia…get to it.
Page 3
1 – Talia pulls a picture from her coat pocket and shows it to Jason.
JASON
What is…
TALIA
The
Suit of Sorrows. Something I bequeathed to Bruce when my father
returned, and something that was stolen during that mess with The Black
Glove. I want it back.
2 – Jason looks at the picture
3 – Damian rips it out of his hand and stands defiantly
DAMIAN
You aren’t capable of doing this. Leave it to me mother if you want results.
4 – Talia watches Damian with a smile on her face, proud of her son, and slightly amused. Jason less so…
TALIA
This
isn’t a task meant for you Damian. The likelihood of death is quite
certain and I am not looking to end the Al Ghul-Wayne bloodline quite
yet.
DAMIAN
Understandable. In the unlikely
event of my death, all that would be left of father’s legacy would be
three pretenders…three false…
5 – CLOSE: Jason swiftly
grips Damian by his collar, causing him to drop the photo, and pulls
Damian nice and close so they’re nose to nose
JASON
I would choose your next words carefully runt. I am NOT that man’s son.
DAMIAN
(Smirking)
No you’re not. Only I am Bruce Wayne’s son. The rest of you are…shams.
PAGE 3
1 – Jason lifts Damian off the ground, his fist cocked to deliver a blow to the face.
TALIA
(Off-panel)
JASON…ENOUGH! Put my son down.
2 – Jason drops him, Damian lands on his feet with a smile on his face.
JASON
Afraid I’ll break your boy Talia?
TALIA
No, actually I am afraid he would kill you where he stands and I do not
believe my beloved could stomach his sons killing one another.
JASON
I am not…forget it.
3 – Damian dusts himself off as he returns to his mothers’ side.
DAMIAN
(Mumbles to himself)
I should have slit your throat on sight…
4 – Talia picking up the photo Damian dropped
5 – Talia extends her hand, attempting to hand the photo to Jason
TALIA
I
shall give you twenty four hours to gather yourself before you depart
on your mission Jason. What did happen to you tonight? You seem
rather…disheveled.
JASON
None of your business
lady. And as for your mission, well…to be blunt…shove it. What
happened tonight has opened my eyes to what road my life is taking from
here on out, and despite the debt YOU think I owe, that road has nothing
to do with you…
6 – Close on Jason’s hand pointing at Damian
JASON
…that test tube baby…
DAMIAN
How dare you!
PAGE 4
1 – Shot of Jason, Talia, and Damian as Jason throws the picture into the mud
JASON
…or
this god forsaken suit of yours. Time for me to blaze my own trail
Talia. And if I see your brat again, I will put him in traction…you can
count on that.
DAMIAN
You are welcome to try your hand Todd. I am not afraid of your betters, so why should I fear you?
2 – Shot on Jason as he smiles rather wickedly at the Al Ghul’s.
JASON
Because I’m the heir…the true successor…and I will do for Gotham what Bruce should have done a long time ago.
3 – Talia and Damian watch Jason walk off into the night
TALIA
It is quite a shame Damian.
DAMIAN
What’s that mother?
TALIA
No
matter what that child thinks, he will forever follow in the footsteps
of those who came before him. Be it Robin, Red Hood, or Batman…Jason
Todd will always put himself in the shadow of another.
4 – Overhead shot of Jason walking through the streets of Gotham City
TALIA
(Caption)
He is a truly lost soul…
5 – Tighter shot on Jason’s smiling face…
TALIA
(Caption)
…and I will forever bear some responsibility for his action…
PAGE 5
1 – Jason wakes up inside a posh hotel room with someone pounding on the door.
VOICE
Open the door sir! SIR! OPEN THIS DOOR IMMEDIATELY!
2
– Jason lethargically opens the door to find a wiry mid-40s HOTEL
MANAGER with a credit card in hand and an angry scowl on his face.
JASON
What do you want?
HOTEL MANAGER
Sir,
not only has it been two days since you checked in, in the middle of
the night I may add, but you only paid for a single night up front. I
gave you the courtesy of not disturbing you because of the name on this
account.
3 –Shot of the Wayne Corp. name on the declined bill in the guy’s hand
4 – Back to Jason, looking angrier as he wakes up, with the manager in his face.
HOTEL MANAGER
Only
now, when my desk attempted to process your card, it was declined and
marked to pick up. Now that generally only happens in the event of a
stolen card…
JASON
Well that because it is stolen. So let me get my stuff and I’ll be out of your hair…
5 – The Manager grabs Jason by the shoulder as he turns around to…
HOTEL MANAGER
I don’t think so sir. I must report this, and given whom the card was stolen from, I must detain you until the police arrive.
6
– Jason pivots quickly, slamming the Manager against the wall with
Jason’s forearm grinding against the poor guys windpipe. His name tag
reading “Lewis” is visible…
JASON
(Snarling)
You
will let me get my things. You will look the other way as I leave, and
you will NOT report this to anyone. Unless you want me to come back
and put you into an early retirement…Lewis.
PAGE 6
1 – Jason, walking out the front door of the hotel, his eyes squinted in the sunlight
JASON
(Caption)
Two days. Damn I must have been exhausted. Between Elliot, Talia, and that damn…
2 – Jason’s train of thought is interrupted as a limo slowly comes to a halt in front of him and the rear door swings open.
VOICE
Step inside Mr. Todd. We have much to talk about.
3 – Jason, one hand on the open door, leans in, trying to see who is in the darkened limo
JASON
How do you know who I am?
VOICE
Step inside Mr. Todd and I will answer that question, and possibly any others you may have as a result of the answer.
4 – Jason turns his back to the limo, his face not betraying a hint of thought or feeling as he scans the street around him.
5 – Jason slides into the limo, door not yet closed
JASON
Well what the hell else do I have to do today?
PAGE 7
FULL PAGE
Inside the limo it is dark, as expected, but the face belonging to the
voice is none other than DR. HURT, whole and intact following the
explosion at the end of RIP.
HURT
What a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Todd.
PAGE 8
1 – Jason ignores the extended gloved hand of Hurt as his eyes scan the interior of the vehicle.
HURT
Why is it that, despite your best efforts, you can never quite shake his training?
JASON
What? What did you say
2 – Hurt sips from a wine glass in his other hand.
I have had nothing but run-around and games for like a week now. Who are you and how do you know my name?
3 – Hurt licks his lips, eyes closed…
HURT
My
name is Simon, and I have a…history…with your family Jason. Once upon I
timed I helped your erstwhile father figure take a deep look inside
himself and it pains me to hear news of his demise.
4 – Jason, shocked look on his face…
JASON
How do you know about that?
5 – Hurt attempts to hand Jason an envelope with the initials JT on it which Jason refuses to take
HURT
Understandable.
You don’t know me, why would you trust I didn’t poison the envelope to
the touch, or put some chemical inside either? Given your training and
chosen occupation, I expected suspicion. Allow me…
6 – Hurt removes the glove on his hand and rips open the envelope, shaking out the letter inside…
HURT
Batman…Bruce…entrusted
me to deliver a letter to certain key people in his life upon his
death. I was also instructed to see to you first.
JASON
(Distrustful)
Me? Really? Why?
7 – Close on Hurt’s very sincere face…
HURT
Because you are the one Jason, you are the inheritor of his legacy…
PAGE 9
1 – Jason takes the letter from Hurt and quickly scans it over, the following panels each flash one word from the content
2 – “Apologize”
3 – “Son”
4 – “Mantle”
5 – “Cowl”
6 – “Batman”
7 – Jason looks at Hurt, stone-faced…
JASON
This is Bruce’s handwriting. I only know…
HURT
…Four
people on this planet capable of forging that? Yes I am aware. That’s what he
told me: only you, Richard, Timothy, and Alfred can mock it. Obviously
given your history none of those three men would forge something like
that.
8 – Jason looks back down at the letter as Hurt pours himself another glass of wine…
JASON
Certainly right about that but…why you? Who the hell are you that Bruce would trust you with…everything?
HURT
A
friend who was there when Batman needed it most, and who made Bruce
comfortable enough to open up. He told me a great deal yes, but
everything…no, not everything.
PAGE 10
1 – The limo comes to a halt and a smile comes to Hurt’s face…
HURT
I do believe we have reached our destination Jason. After you…
2 – A stockier, ugly man recognizable as LA BOSSU opens the limo door and Jason steps out
JASON
And where the hell are we?
3
– A wider shot from behind Jason and the emerging Dr. Hurt reveals a
large mansion, looking very similar to that of Wayne Manor.
HURT
Welcome
to my humble abode as the saying goes. Thank you Monsieur Bossu,
please park the car when you are able. I imagine myself and Mr. Todd
will be here for some time to come.
4 – Cut to the
interior of the mansion which reveals the same area that the Club of
Villains met in Batman #676 as Jason and Dr. Hurt step into the room.
JASON
It’s a nice house Simon but why are we here?
HURT
To pass on the legacy Jason, to officially make you…
5
– Dr. Hurt throws open a double closet door in a grand, theatrical
gesture to reveal the Bat-Costume of the 3rd man, the one who
accompanied Dr. Hurt in the final moments of RIP
HURT
…BATMAN!
PAGE 11
1 – Interior of the Bat Cave where ALFRED and DICK stand flanking a seated TIM in front of the Bat Computer.
DICK
So you’re saying Jason was here, you guys fought, and then…poof…he disappeared?
TIM
Well, someone did shoot me up with tranquilizer Dick. It wasn’t like he just vanished into thin air.
ALFRED
With no evidence to point the way nor a clue as to his whereabouts, it is hard to say who would have assisted Jason…
2 – Closer on Tim’s face as he pushes keys on the keyboard…
TIM
Or who would even want to help that psycho.
VOICE
I believe I can assist you in that…
3
– None of the Bat-family members even bother to look at the source of
the voice, instead keeping their eyes on the computer monitor…
DICK
And what do you have Talia?
ALFRED
Mistress Talia…Master Damian.
4 – Talia steps into the frame, Damian at her side.
DAMIAN
How did you know I was here? I made no noise, none of you even looked away from the screen!
DICK
The smell…
TIM
Kinda like a dog on a leash really…
DICK
Wet dog…
TIM
Old wet dog…
5
– Damian, noticeably perturbed, stomps off into the shadows of the cave
in the background as the other four discuss the fate of Jason Todd.
ALFRED
What have you managed to discover Mistress Talia?
TALIA
Jason is lost…
TIM
That’s like saying the Joker is crazy…
ALFRED
Master Timothy…
TIM
Am I wrong?
PAGE 12
1 – Talia punches a few buttons on the computer and a picture of Jason pops up.
TALIA
No
you are not wrong, but you also did not let me finish. Jason is lost
to your cause and mine. He refused to help me in my search for the Suit
of Sorrows…
DICK
I think Jason was lost to our “cause” quite a long time ago…
2 – Talia hits a few more buttons, a blinking red dot pops up on a map…
TIM
You want to be the new computer geek?
TALIA
He
told us that he was the rightful heir, that he would do for Gotham what
Bruce should have done, and then he walked off into the city.
DICK
What the hell did Bruce’s message say to him?
3 – Talia looks at the three men…
DICK
What?
Me, Tim, Alfred…we each got those little holographic messages from him,
and Tim said Jason did too. So what the hell did Jason’s say?
ALFRED
We will likely never know. Master Bruce set it up so each was erased as soon as the recipient viewed it.
4 – Tim stands up, an angry fire in his face…
TIM
There is no way in hell that Bruce would even suggest to Jason he should step up to the plate. That job is yours Dick…
DICK
We’ll see about that…
5 – Tim is right in Dick’s face, Alfred stepping between them…
TIM
What are you afraid of Dick?
ALFRED
This
is not the time for that particular argument young man! Master
Richard, Master Timothy, Mistress Talia, what we need to know is what to
expect from Jason in the coming weeks.
PAGE 13
1
– Damian comes back into the frame, carrying the Red Hood helmet that
had been left behind during the fight between Jason & Tim.
DAMIAN
You can expect this Robin to step up and take charge of the torch that I should be carrying.
2 – Damian throws the helmet at Dick…
DICK
If
Jason decides he is meant to be Batman, we will cross that bridge when
we come to it. My main concern there isn’t the if…but how he would
decide to be Batman…
3 – Jason as Red Hood stealing Amazo
4 – Jason as Red Hood assaulting Joker
5 – Jason standing on top of his own grave during “Hush”
6 – Talia & Damian walking off the scene towards the stairs into the manor, the three men watch
TALIA
Just
be prepared for the worst when it comes to Jason Todd. I unleashed
something broken onto the world when I helped him into the pit, but it
was your mentor who broke him in the first place. Now you will have to
fix it…
7 – Shot of Alfred, Dick, and Tim all looking at
one another with the certainty that sooner or later they will have to
deal with Jason
PAGE 14
FULL PAGE
Jason
standing inside Hurt’s mansion, adorned in this version of the Bat-Suit
minus the hood covering his face. Dr. Hurt stands behind him…
HURT
A perfect fit Mr. Todd.
PAGE 15
1 – Jason, reeling from the events of the past week, looks down at the garb he has on as Hurt hands him the helmet.
JASON
It’s…perfect.
HURT
It’s the last model of the suit that Bruce passed on to me. The version perfect for the mission in this day and age he said.
2 – Closer on Jason as he looks at the helmet, he may as well be calling it Horatio….
JASON
Why didn’t he leave this with Alfred?
3 – Dr. Hurt hands Jason a pair of guns, nearly identical to the ones Jason had in the past…
HURT
Do you really think Alfred would understand this Jason? Do you think Richard or Timothy would understand these right here?
JASON
Bruce carried guns once…
4 – Hurt takes the helmet from Jason’s hand…
HURT
Yes,
and set them down when he realized that guns are not “defensive”
weapons. But he also knew the time may come when Batman would have to
pick them up again. That time is now, the Batman to do so is you.
JASON
I…
5 – Hurt slides the helmet on over Jason’s head as he holsters the guns at his side…
HURT
This
is the destiny Bruce intended for you, but it is also the road you have
always longed to travel. The burden of Gotham City is now on your
shoulders Jason. You are the only one that can handle what crime has
evolved into.
6 – Close on Hurt’s face as he looks at Jason in full Bat-regalia
HURT
Crime
has evolved, and so must the crime fighter. Jean Paul Valley showed
Bruce that years ago but he was too scared to accept it then. Only now,
as he felt the world closing in on him, was Bruce able to accept
Batman’s evolution.
PAGE 16
FULL PAGE
Close
head shot of Jason in the new Bat mask, full face covering on, and a
red hue emanating from underneath the eye pieces. One can imagine Jason
smiling underneath with a tear of joy in his eye.
HURT
(Off panel)
Jason Todd is that evolution.
PAGE 17
1 – Exterior of Hurt’s mansion as a Batmobile-esque vehicle drives away in the distance.
2 – Over the shoulder shot of Dr. Hurt watching the vehicle disappear into the distance.
VOICE
(Off panel)
That was almost too easy…
3 – La Bossu steps into the shot as Dr. Hurt turns to face him on the steps
HURT
How do you mean Bossu?
BOSSU
Turning
Jason Todd into the Batman YOU want. It was simple. I almost wish The
Black Glove was still intact to wager on how long it would have taken.
4 – Hurt smiles at the memory of The Black Glove’s gamble on Batman…
HURT
The Black Glove may be dead, but my promise to destroy Batman and Bruce Wayne is deeper than a mere wager.
BOSSU
If what we have heard is true, then your goals have already been accomplished.
PAGE 18
1 – Hurt puts his hand on the shoulder of Bossu and chuckles.
HURT
No, not entirely. WayneCorp still stands and the other children could still pick up the mantle of the Bat.
BOSSU
Then why play this game with Jason Todd? Why not expose your identity to the world Thomas and ruin both in one fell swoop?
2 – Hurt, looking perturbed at being referred to as Thomas, smiles and shakes his head.
HURT
Because it doesn’t suit me at the moment Bossu. With WayneCorp I have the Thomas Elliot card to play still.
BOSSU
How so?
3 – A shot of Elliot in a bathroom somewhere stitching together his “Bruce Wayne” face.
HURT
(Caption)
I
anonymously nudged Elliot in the right direction as to a way in and out
of his gilded cage in Wayne Towers and provided him a route into the
cave.
4 – Elliot sliding a needle and thread into his flesh, gritting his teeth in pain
HURT
(Caption)
It was pure happenstance that Jason Todd was there but it proved to only push the game ahead faster.
5 – Elliot staring at his reflection in the mirror, blood streaking from his wounds.
HURT
(Caption)
And
what happened in that tunnel, Tommy’s behavior was…predictable, and exactly what Jason needed to put his head in the right direction.
PAGE 19
1- Back to the Hurt Mansion, now the interior as Dr. Hurt pours himself & Bossu a glass of wine.
BOSSU
And the daughter of Al Ghul? That is not something easily manipulated.
HURT
Thankfully I didn’t have to do a thing. Her equally predictable nature played perfectly into the game.
2 – Shot of Talia and Damian sitting inside a limousine as it drives thru Gotham City
HURT
(Caption)
Talia, despite her strength, always runs to Bruce in the event of an emergency.
3 – Close shot of Talia’s teary eyes as she stares out the window at her beloved’s city.
HURT
(Caption)
Even
without Bruce, she turns to his family for assistance, and with
something as potentially dangerous as the Suit of Sorrows on the line…
4 – Shot of Talia watching as Damian is actually sitting still, mediating as the car travels.
HURT
(Caption)
…she
could only turn to the family cast-away for assistance. His refusal
was a given, as is the likelihood she will figure out the suit is in the
hands of the Order of Purity once more.
5 – Close shot of Damian, his eyes closed in mediation
HURT
(Caption)
And
Damian played his role to a hilt. The only true son of Bruce Wayne, he cannot help himself but to shove that into the faces of his “brothers” at
every opportunity.
6 – Back to the Hurt Mansion…
BOSSU
And Jason is by far the weakest one of the lot from what I observed today.
HURT
Perceptive as always. You are as intelligent as you are now ugly…
BOSSU
I only wish I could thank The Joker in kind.
PAGE 20
1
– Shot of Jason, still in bat-garb, as he descends the stairs back into
the abandoned subway tunnel which Tommy Elliot had co-opted.
HURT
(Caption)
And Jason….poor Jason, he wants to believe so badly.
2 – Shot of Jason as he begins to turn the cave into his own personal Bat-Cave
HURT
(Caption)
He wants so much to be part of their family that he will believe the most obvious lies if they play into his needs.
3 – Back to Hurt Mansion as Bossu and Hurt sit at a table…
BOSSU
No
matter what that boy has said, he obviously wants nothing more than to
be tied to Batman. When Batman was here, he took on the identity of an
old villain.
HURT
Jason Todd is the picture of an
abandoned child Bossu. Between a father he did not know, a mother who
left him to die at The Joker’s hands, and a foster father who never
avenged his death…
BOSSU
Jason Todd has more parental issues than he knows how to handle.
4 – Shot of Jason as he carves stone into a Bat-Logo
HURT
(Caption)
And
as with many cases, the son is turning into what the father wanted. Or
at least the vision I have given Jason of what Bruce would want.
5 – Shot of Jason sitting in a chair in the middle of his own Bat-cave
HURT
(Caption)
And when Jason is ready to unleash himself upon the world…
PAGE 21
FULL PAGE
Jason,
in full Bat-Gear, striding through fire with images of Dick, Bruce,
Alfred, The Joker, Tim, Damian, Knight & Squire, Huntress, Two Face,
Penguin and others scattered amongst the flames.
HURT
(Caption)
…He will destroy the legacies of Bruce Wayne and Batman more completely than I ever could.
END
So this story continues into my version of "Battle for the Cowl" (hence why some things are left open-ended) of which I will post the two parts that I completed before I got sidetracked with life stuff (like my wedding) and completely lost my place mentally as far as being "in" the story. I'll elaborate more on that and where I was heading when I post the 2nd part and who knows, perhaps rereading & publishing them will get me back to the place I was at when I started and I can complete my take on "BFTC".
