EFFYEAHBATMAN!

I'm not necessarily the hero Gotham deserves, but I'll beat the crap out of anyone who says otherwise.

[youngjusticer]

Family comes first.

Batfamily, by Dennis Maznev.

[youngjusticer]

One of the greatest things about Batman is his own darkness. He fights with it every time he puts on this mask. And also when he takes it off. He is afraid of himself sometimes. Yet he continues his crusade again and again. And again.

His Darkness, by Tsyplakova Alla.

[youngjusticer]

Fans eager to learn who would be stepping into the role of Dick Grayson in Titans finally get their answer: Brenton Thwaites will bring the sidekick to life. This news, following casting for Raven (Teagan Croft) and Starfire (Anna Diop), means the series has over half of its roster; pnly Beast Boy remains uncast. There has been something peculiar regarding promotion for Grayson; it is not known which of his identities Thwaites will be playing. With the title of the show Titans and not Teen Titans, he will probably be Nightwing, potentially giving the series a coming of age storyline to explore in its first season. Assuming the rest of the cast will be relative newcomers just learning to use their special abilities, Nightwing could show them the ropes. Another benefit is that it opens the door for Jason or Tim to debut as the new Robin. After all, DC loves legacy heroes, and nothing would represent that more than on Titans.

Arkham’s Red Hood and Bludhaven’s Nightwing, by Dennis Maznev.

[youngjusticer]

Solo.

Batgirl, by Anubis.

[youngjusticer]

Gotham City Sirens seems to naturally follow a break-up between Joker and Harley, leading the latter to pursue new relationships, possibly a romantic one with Poison Ivy. But the Batman-related cinematic projects do not end there. Even ignoring Justice League, Warner also has Batman, Batgirl, and Nightwing in development. To summarize, it is a great time to be a Batman fan right now.

25th Anniversary, by Warren Louw.

[youngjusticer]

After over two seasons of build-up, Gotham finally transforms Edward into Riddler, who goes on a rampage, ferociously looking for an intelligent enemy. The best part of the most recent episode is the way it brings Lucius into the fold as the only one capable of matching wits with Nigma, and it only makes sense, seeing that he is now filling the shoes of Nigma at the precinct. Still, Riddler emerges as the star this week, changing from an innocent teddy bear into a complete lunatic. Also, Penguin turns out to be alive, so that’s good news.

How The Riddler Got His Name, by Matt Fowler and Tom Lishman.

[youngjusticer]

Playmates, inmates… Same shit.

Jokers and Harley, by Taweesak Riwsuksan.

[youngjusticer]

“He loves me. He loves me not.”

Harley Quinn, by John Aslarona.

[youngjusticer]

If someone really wishes to be THE Batman, you could understand why Bruce is the only one who could take up the cape, considering how much it would cost to keep a city sorta crime-free. Unsurprisingly, your superhero dreams burn more than a chunk of your savings. According to Lucius, the suit was intended for military use before being deemed too expensive at $300,000. The cowl is $300. The cape, belt, and gloves add to $60. Boots are $300 again. With a range of weapons and stealth capability, the Batmobile is $1 million. Batpod is $400,000. Grapple gun is $2,000. “Heat vision” is $500. Grenade launcher is $2,000. Night vision goggles? $700. A set of Batarangs? $50. Training… $1,000 for a year, which is the bare minimum. Base of operations, aka the Wayne Manor… $32,000,000 estate. And, of course, we cannot forget the faithful butler, Alfred; the average salary is between $17,000 and $38,000, but considering how invaluable this companion is to Batman, it is only right that his services cost $999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999. Welp; I’m bad at math, but even I know being Batman is essentially impossible.

How much it Costs to be Batman, by Sam Warner.

[youngjusticer]

How? Because he’s Batman.

Batman, by Sam Delatorre.

[youngjusticer]

There are so many different takes on Batman that it feels like everything that has been said about him has been said. But a recent issue reveals a new layer to what drives Bruce that marks a significant addition to our understanding. Virtually, everything in the script is told through a letter to Selina before her transfer from Blackgate to Arkham. The letter is a contemplative examination of why they do the things they do, namely running around in costumes and dealing with problems using fists. Wayne writes that his parents, if alive, would find his life absurd, as would most people. But he knows, and he knows Kyle understands, he can never see the life he leads as silly because of an event that he reveals to us for the first time: the fact that it is NOT his parent’s deaths that drove him to become Batman, but a suicide attempt at the ripe age of 10. You might expect it to segue into a story of hope, about how a little boy at the darkest period of his life chose to set himself on a path to uphold justice, but tragically, he didn’t see his decision to live like that. He describes the pledge he made to fight crime as the choice to die. He doesn’t see it as an act of survival; for him, it’s metaphorical death, allowing him to be reborn as the Dark Knight. He invokes the title of the arc, which many assumed to be a reference to him building his own Suicide Squad. It’s a brutal summation of what he thinks he’s become, fitting a man who dedicates himself to a thankless cause, at times to an absurd degree, yet it sets him even further apart from all the other heroes. Even after all these years, he can’t see himself as a person; it’s heartbreaking. The idea of Batman being the real Wayne and the uncostumed side being the mask is not exactly a new take, but this “twist,” is quite unlike any interpretation, giving us a different and more devastating comprehension of who Batman is.

Duty Calls, by James Whitbrook and Seungjin Woo.

[youngjusticer]

You already know Killer Croc is really just Batman in disguise. xD

Letter to Batman, by Andy Timm.

[youngjusticer]

This episode gets me every time. Batman empathized with a tragic background, sat with a dying Ace, and held her hand until she peacefully passed away, convincing Amanda Waller that the world would always need someone with his compassion and leading to her initiating Project Batman Beyond. Bruce Wayne is a true hero, with real feelings; he even named his dog after the girl. :’)

Trusting Darkness, by Raymund Lee.

[youngjusticer]

Crime never takes a night off. Neither do they.

Batman and Robin, by Jeremy Roberts.

[youngjusticer]

Costumed freaks are the best kind.

Girls of Gotham, by Sam Delatorre.

[youngjusticer]

Devils, beware. If you dare tread the streets of Gotham City with criminal intent, just know that there’s a ruthless punisher in town, lurking every dark corner…

The Bat, by Simon Pape.

[youngjusticer]

Back from the dead with the sole purpose of making panties drop.

Jason Todd, by Yang Fan.