Endings are hard, especially in comics. It’s a delicate thing, finding a way to create a sense of finality, but not close the book so hard that others can’t pick up the pieces. But with the right set of emotions and character beats, it’s not impossible. The end of James Tynion IV’s run on “Detective Comics,” ‘Batmen Eternal’ doesn’t pull any punches. Living the life of a vigilante, especially in Gotham, means that you probably won’t have a truly happy ending, but with communication and understanding, you can always strive to be the best version of yourself.
“Detective Comics” #975-981Cover by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferriera, and Adriano Lucas
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Philippe Briones, Alvaro Martinez, Javier Fernandez, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferriera, and Scot Eaton
Inked by Raul Fernandez, Wayne Faucher, and Eber Ferriera
Colored by Allen Passlaqua, Brad Anderson, John Kalisz, and Adriano Lucas
Lettered by Sal Cipriano
After the events of ‘Fall of the Batmen,’ the Gotham Knights are left in a precarious position. Much went wrong, but the thing exacting the hardest toll is that one of their own has been killed at the hands of one of their own. Batwoman violated one of the core principles of what it means to be a “Bat,” causing a rift in the team. One of the things Tynion excelled at in his run of “Detective Comics” is giving each of the members of the team a unique perspective. These are not simply carbon copies of Bruce Wayne, they’re individuals bringing their own lived experiences. While each of the members of the team has opinions of the solution, Tynion doesn’t necessarily lionize one side and demonize the other. Kate makes a compelling argument for her decision. By the time she took the shot the team has already tried and failed with multiple solutions. Killing Clayface was extreme, but in her eyes, it was a last resort. While Batman benches Kate for her actions, other members of the team decide to go with her, even joining The Colony. Tim, too, is chastised for his continued commitment to the Knights program. As was true in ‘Fall of the Batmen,’ his obsession with preventing the future that turns him into the lonely and brutal Batman appears to be driving him further down that path. It also doesn’t help that an old rival is taking the wheel.
While it might seem that the major conflict of ‘Batmen Eternal’ would come from having two teams of vigilantes with competing methodologies clashing with one another, the real threat comes from Ulysses Hadrian Armstrong. After the events of ‘A Lonely Place of Living,’ Armstrong was removed from The Colony, but with his arsenal of weapons and his secret access to The Brother Eye protocol, he’s been making moves. Initially, Armstrong tries to win Tim over by using Brother Eyes recordings of future events to convince him that by working together, they could prevent that future. In reality, he’s trying to bring about the dark timeline in our time, using Eye’s recordings to manipulate the team and continue the fall. Armstrong is a consistently interesting character, a dark mirror of Tim, a person who cares only for toys and control, not the humanity of helping. One of the strongest moments in ‘Batmen Eternal’ is watching Armstrong puppet master the situation. Using Brother Eye, Armstrong assumes control of Colony soldiers, forcing them to do his bidding and further dividing the team. Bruce is upset that the Colony is back to using lethal force and Kate is convinced that Tim is manipulating them to turn him against her. Javier Fernandez and the rest of the art team draws Ulysses with sinister glee as he watches his plans unfold, sitting in his Batman pajamas and eating ramen. As the scene progresses, the shadows become more intense making him more threatening, his trap is working. The shadow work is strong in this arc, especially in Kane Manor, a dark and brooding place that perfectly represents the history and conflict between the two families. Generally, the real-world places being dark and brooding create a brilliant juxtaposition with the digital spaces that Ulysses creates in the Belfry 2.0. Ulysses forces Tim to watch as his team turns against him in a mental prison. The digital spaces are voids of red and blue, seemingly endless as Ulysses manipulates Tim. These colors also translate into the design of Tim controlled by Brother Eye and the rest of the colony soldiers, nanomachine controlled super programs of red and blue. The coloring makes a compelling contrast between the old world of Gotham and the new technologically fascist world of Brother Eye and Armstrong. The conflict between Tim and Ulysses is interesting, but what makes ‘Batmen Eternal’ compelling is the discussion of the future and the importance of the Bat.
In the latter half of Tynion’s run on “Detective Comics,” a lot of attention is focused on the future. In ‘Batmen Eternal,’ Tynion shows just how easy it is to manipulate that future. The driving wedge between Tim and Kate is the knowledge that in the future, Kate kills Bruce, creating a chain of events leading to the fascist future of Pax Batmana. But here we learn that the future events were manipulated by Brother Eye as a self-preservation move, deleting a message from Bruce explaining that he was dying of cancer to defeat Brother Eye and save the world. This revelation, that the future is easily manipulated by withholding information is what’s able to convince Tim and Kate to work together. But the real hero of ‘Batmen Eternal’ is Stephanie. Stephanie, always an outsider, comes back to help someone she loves. In a desperate plea to save himself and Brother Eye, Ulysses shows her and Cassandra realities where they are full-fledged members of the Bat-family, becoming Batgirl and Robin, realities where they are accepted. This plan backfires. In both cases, the knowledge that they are capable of being accepted at that level is enough to break through the anxiety they have been feeling. Tynion does a good job of explaining the importance of “The Bat.” To members of the team, it is more than a symbol, it is a level of acceptance, an acknowledgment of their ability to be good and do good. Even the knowledge that in some worlds they are worthy of that acceptance is enough. Perhaps it’s not something they desire right now or something to work towards, but it’s something they’re capable of achieving.
In the end, the Gotham Knights protocol failed, but it seems that everyone is better because of it. Kate and her father are on better terms, Cassandra is going to acclimate to society to earn her place, Tim and Steph are together and happy, even Clayface, who did not die, is going to try again elsewhere. Even Batman, now basically a solo operation again, is more understanding and compassionate. A man who knows a better way to mentor and guide, without controlling. It might not have been the success anyone hoped it could be, but the Gotham Knights made them all better and striving for a better future. A bittersweet, but satisfying ending, for a great run of Gotham’s family of vigilantes.
