New 52 Year Seven (Part 1)

(January 2014 to June 2014)

_______________________________

–REFERENCE: In Worlds’ Finest #20. Batman, noticing that his Kryptonite ring has been stolen, makes a new one. He begins carrying it in his utility belt, just in case.

–Worlds’ Finest #19
WF #19 and the follow-up “First Contact” crossover occur after Batman/Superman Annual #1. (B/S Annual #1 is in-between B/S #7 and B/S #8.) Lately, Power Girl’s powers have been totally outta whack and totally out-of-control. Not only that, Power Girl’s company has been bought out by Michael Holt (Mr. Terrific). The disaffection caused by the buyout causes Karen to lose control of her heat vision during a business meeting, endangering those around her. With no other options, Karen’s best friend Huntress finally decides to ask Bruce for help. Huntress breaks into the Batcave and reveals herself to Bruce.

FIRST CONTACT
———————-–Batman/Superman #8
———————-–Worlds’ Finest #20
———————-–Batman/Superman #9
———————-–Worlds’ Finest #21
Batman/Superman #9 tells us that this arc takes place one month after Batman/Superman #7. It’s been about a month-and-a-half since then, to be precise. Picking up directly from Worlds’ Finest #19, Batman captures Huntress. The Dark Knight initially judges Huntress harshly, noting that she looks like she’s seventeen-years-old. Of course, Huntress is probably in her early twenties at this point, especially if you factor in the backstory from previous Worlds’ Finest issues.^[1] Batman then hears Huntress’ story. While she speaks, Batman has a fleeting vision of his blocked memory of the time he met his Earth-2 counterpart. After their conversation, Batman tests Helena’s DNA. Sure enough, everything checks out. She really is his daughter from another Earth. Batman and Huntress then fly to Baja California where Power Girl’s heat vision is stuck on full blast. Superman shows up, takes down Power Girl, and flies her to the middle of the Pacific Ocean where she calms. Meanwhile, Batman and Huntress realize that Power Girl has gone bananas due to nanites injected into her system by the ruthless dictator of New Gamorra (formerly Rheelasia), Kaizen Gamorra. Bruce then attends a presidential ball being held by Kaizen at his palace. While Bruce’s “date,” a dolled-up Helena, distracts the crowd, Bruce hacks into Kaizen’s files and learns that the nanites will soon cause Power Girl to explode like a nuke. Superman, upon learning the news, flies Power Girl into orbit and takes the brunt of the explosion, saving Power Girl, but causing the nanites to switch over to him. Batman arrives and attaches his Kryptonite ring to a necklace, which he places around Superman’s neck in order to quell his super-human abilities (that the nanites feed off of). While Batman infiltrates New Gamorra through the sewers and a de-powered Superman and Huntress enter New Gamorra posing as reporters, Power Girl takes a direct approach and confronts Kaizen face-to-face. Kaizen tricks Power Girl into thinking that he injected her with nanites in order to find a bridge to her home of Universe 2. The idea of Kaizen’s bridge, which supposedly needs her Kryptonian 2 DNA for activation, is alluring enough that Power Girl inserts her hand into a DNA-replicating device. Batman enters the room just as Kaizen unleashes his “Army of Gamorra,” a group of genetically-made warriors with Kryptonian DNA. Batman and Power Girl fight the warriors for a while and are eventually assisted by Huntress and Superman, who wears a weird Toymaster-created armored Man of Steel suit that can subdue the nanites in his system. All of this hanging out with Huntress and Power Girl finally causes Batman and Superman to remember key parts (not all parts) of their memory-blocked initial Batman/Superman adventure on Earth-2 from six years ago. The four heroes defeat the “Army of Gamorra” just as Kaizen opens up a portal to a ravaged Earth-2, which, as per Darkseid’s bidding, has been destroyed by an evil “resurrected Superman-2″—actually the Bizarro known as Brutaal (an evil clone of Earth-2’s Superman created on Apokolips). Darkseid sends cosmic omega-level power through the portal and endows Kaizen with it. This omega-level power also burns out all the nanites in Superman and Power Girl. Despite Kaizen’s new found strength, Power Girl German-suplexes him through the wormhole. Moments later, Kaizen re-emerges with his master, the fake evil Superman-2! Our heroes are amazed to see that Superman-2 is now evil, not knowing that he is actually a Bizarro in disguise. “Superman-2” orders Power Girl to return with him and sics some Parademons on Batman, Huntress, and Superman. The Parademons are easily defeated and the portal machine is destroyed with “Superman-2” and Kaizen stuck on the Earth-2 side of the Bleed.^[2]

–Batman/Superman #10
Before Batman and Superman can reflect on the wild revelations from “First Contact,” an emergency occurs on the Chinese Space Station, which requires the World’s Finest to spring to action. Batman and Superman repair the damaged Chinese Space Station, but afterward Batman mysteriously slips into a coma inside the Fortress of Solitude. Superman surprises the SHADE (Superhuman Advance Defense Executive) organization by grabbing hold of the three inch floating “Ant Farm” sphere that houses their entire shrunken headquarters. The Man of Steel speaks to SHADE’s leader, Father Time, who is currently in the body of a young unnamed Japanese schoolgirl. (Father Time is a microscopic creature that clings onto the brain of its host, which it keeps and controls for a decade before discarding and replacing with a new one.) Superman demands the assistance of their UN liaison, Dr. Ray Palmer. At the Fortress, Superman explains that a microscopic alien race has nestled itself in a blood vessel in Batman’s brain. Superman and Palmer shrink down and enter Batman’s brain, finding the tiny race of people, microscopic jungles, and a teeny spaceship. The heroes then fight Dr. Smashammer and Titan Super Gladiator. Using Palmer’s tech, Gladiator is able to eject himself from Batman’s brain and enlarge to human size in the Fortress. Superman takes down Smashammer while Palmer puts all of the foreign alien stuff into a micro-micro sphere, saving Batman’s life and waking him from his coma. Batman quickly beats the crap out of Gladiator. Superman and Palmer then burst out of Batman’s nose and return to macro size with the alien race tucked into the micro-sphere. Before departing, Palmer not only takes responsibility for caring for the mini-alien race, but also chooses his superhero name—The Atom. Unbeknown to Batman or Superman, Father Time and his top scientist Dr. Belroy have imbedded micro-trackers inside their bodies and can now track their every move.

–Batman/Superman #12-15
Batman/Superman #12-15 take place before the Superman: Doomed tie-in issue of Batman/Superman #11. Batman and Superman have regained some of their blocked memories from their first ever encounter, which Superman refers to as happening “maybe five years ago”—not quite, more like six. Batman and Superman have also recently learned the horrible fate of their counterparts from Earth-2. Sensing that some of the blocked memories have been unleashed, Kaiyo appears and sends Batman and Superman back in time and through the Bleed to the middle of Darkseid’s invasion of Earth-2. There, Batman and Superman secretly bear witness as brutal events unfold. Kaiyo dares the heroes to intervene and alter the course of history, but Batman and Superman maintain their composure and allow events to unfold, rather than mess with the timeline. Sure enough, the Earth-2 versions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Lois Lane, and Alfred Pennyworth all die while Helena Wayne and Kara Zor-El are blasted to DC’s primary Earth. Their sacrifices all serve to repel Darkseid’s invasion, saving Earth-2. A pissed-off Kaiyo then brings Batman and Superman back to the present on their home Earth but erases their memories completely! Kaiyo is then snatched up by the angry King of Hell, Lord Satanus. Kaiyo, to save his own skin, offers the mind-wiped Batman and Superman to Satanus. In Gotham, a naked and confused Superman helps Catwoman fend off killer robots controlled by an escaped Ralph Mangubat. Meanwhile, an equally confused Batman, despite having no idea who he is, still defeats an escaped Scarecrow. The Batmobile then takes Batman home on autopilot where Alfred quickly rushes the mindless Bruce upstairs for an aristocratic benefit gala being held at Wayne Manor. When Lois Lane comes to Gotham to catch the story on Mangubat, the villain’s robots take her hostage, prompting Superman and Catwoman to come to her rescue. Bruce ditches the gala early and takes mayor Hady’s wife wingsuit flying downtown. The cocky Bruce then suits-up as Batman and joins the fracas involving a mind-wiped Superman, Catwoman, and Lois. Catwoman and Superman take-off while Batman saves an importunate Lois, who learns that he has lost his memories. Scarecrow briefly appears and sets off an explosion, not only interrupting their conversation, but killing several people. Back in the Batcave, a solemn Bruce asks a teary Alfred how he came to be and what he must do to get his head straight. Meanwhile, after chatting with Toymaster and upon Catwoman’s urging, a confused and still-shirtless Superman decides he should become Gotham’s ultimate fascist protector. The Man of Steel (with Catwoman) crashes into City Hall and declares martial law. Batman then takes a spare Batgirl costume and, while flirting, delivers it to Lois Lane, who suits-up and joins him on patrol! Batman and Batgirl Lois come across Superman, Catwoman, and the GCPD Swat team, which is in the process of tearing-up Mangubat and his robot drones. Batman fights the overly violent Superman, but Superman wraps him up in a rebar cage. Lois then kisses Batman (!) which causes him to regain an relive all of his memories in mere seconds. The real Batman is back. He calls tyrant Superman by his real name, which causes Superman to get his memories back as well. Batman quickly departs to bust Scarecrow before returning home to the Batcave. A dejected Superman returns Lois home to Metropolis. Way out in dark realms unknown, Lord Satanus laughs at Kaiyo’s failure and enslaves the trickster New God of Apokolips.

–Nightwing Vol. 3 #30 Part 2
It’s been roughly one month (more like a month-and-a-half) since Nightwing Vol. 3 #30 Part 1. Batman summons Dick (who has remained in hiding since the end of Forever Evil) to the Batcave. With Alfred locked out and none the wiser, Batman and Dick spar, during which Batman reveals the full scope of Dick’s new mission, telling him he will continue to play dead in order to go undercover as a double agent at Spyral. Batman and Dick’s sparring turns into a merciless fight against one another in the Batcave. They destroy cars, motorcycles, boats, the giant dice, and the giant question mark, all while ripping each other’s flesh to gratuitously bloody shreds. Eventually, the worn-out heroes collapse. Dick agrees to Batman’s mission. He will stay “dead,” join Spyral, and secretly report back to Batman. (Dick will now travel the globe taking down members of the Fist of Cain until he eventually gets recruited by Spyral. Also note that there will likely be many uncharted clandestine briefings between Dick and Batman going forward that won’t be detailed in any comics. We simply have to imagine those secret contact meetings scattered throughout our timeline below.)

–REFERENCE: In Batman & Robin Eternal #1. Now that Dick has gone off the grid to go on Batman’s Spyral mission, the Dark Knight upgrades him to the highest level of Bat-computer access clearance (from “high” to “very high”).

–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #22. Batman repairs the giant dice trophy in the Batcave, which had previously been damaged during a fight with Dick.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #51. Batman repairs the Riddler’s question mark, which had previously been damaged during a fight with Dick.

–REFERENCE: In Justice League of America: Rebirth #1. Batman claims and is granted ownership of the land in Happy Harbor where the downed former JL Satellite wreckage still remains.

–FLASHBACK: From Justice League of America Vol. 4 #5. The Justice League holds a champagne party on the Watchtower. Martian Manhunter is invited, but plays wallflower. Batman keeps distant from the other heroes as well, but mostly just to keep an eye on Martian Manhunter.

–Detective Comics Vol. 2 Annual #3
This issue tells us that the date is supposedly October 9-10, which is totally incorrect. In order for other items to fit neatly later on, we must be much earlier in 2014. Pro motocross rider Annette “Annie” Aguila rides with her boyfriend Dante. They secretly plan to elope to New Orleans in a day’s time, much to the chagrin of Annie’s mom, philanthropist Elena Aguila. Dante has one final score, planned with his fellow Kings of the Sun biker gang members later that night, to make some money before they take off and leave town for good. That night, Batman goes after a gang called the Bastards of Blackgate, who have stolen a bunch of the Wrath’s old weaponry. Meanwhile, Holter, leader of the Kings of the Sun, drops-off a cache of the drug Icarus with Dante. Dante’s orders are to guard the Icarus until the Kings of the Sun can set up a delivery to mob boss/drug pusher The Squid (Lawrence Lo). A bit later, Batman wails on the Bastards of Blackgate and learns that they are headquartered in a nearby salt yard thanks to info from a ten-year-old boy named Aden. Batman also learns that Aden is the neglected and physically abused son of Julian Day. Later, across town, the Squid orders his little brother Jonny Lo to learn the criminal ropes by tailing his number one henchmen, Julian Day. At a bar, Batman, as Matches Malone, beats the crap out of Julian Day, citing the poor treatment of Aden as the reason for the shellacking. With Julian Day out of the picture, Jonny decides to take business into his own hands and secretly steal from his brother and the Kings of the Sun. Jonny rounds up a small crew and attacks the warehouse where Dante is protecting the Icarus stash. A nervous Dante overdoses on Icarus and dies just as Jonny comes bursting in guns-a-blazing. Jonny answer’s Dante’s cell phone and Annie learns that her lover is dead. Batman then visits the Gotham Rock Salt Depot and shuts down the Bastards of Blackgate operation going on there. Later, after Jonny has hidden away the stolen Icarus for himself, he regroups with his brother and Holter. Jonny keeps a low profile and makes it seem like Julian Day stole the Icarus. Half an hour later, Batman checks-up on Aden only to find a ransom note. Aden has been kidnapped by the Bastards of Blackgate, who have been hired by the Squid to get back the stolen Icarus from Julian Day. Batman suits-up in his mech-costume and descends upon the Gotham Rail Yard. There, Batman defeats the rest of the Bastards of Blackgate and rescues Aden from their leader, known as the Big Bastard. The next morning, Bruce personally puts Aden into the care of Elena Aguila at her Shelter for Women and Children.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 3 Annual #1 Part 5. While battling Commissioner Gordon and Batman, Scarecrow is able to take a sample of the Dark Knight’s DNA, which he will save for his lady love Haunter.

–Batman and… #24-28 (“Batman & Two-Face” / “THE BIG BURN”)
This takes place definitively post Forever Evil. Something big is going down with Gotham’s top crime families, but Batman doesn’t know what. He spends a night roughing up some thugs linked to the families and returns home in the morning to find Alfred re-covering the empty graves of Damian and Talia. Bruce admonishes his oldest friend and tells him to leave the graves open as a reminder that Ra’s al Ghul is still out there with the bodies of his dearly departed. (Since it has been a full year since the deaths of Damian and Talia and the graves have been shown to not be open in various other books, we can assume that the graves have been covered by tarp this whole time, but left open underneath as per Bruce’s orders.) That night, the GCPD flushes out the returning Erin McKillen, who has come back to Gotham for the first time since murdering Gilda Dent and disfiguring Harvey Dent into Two-Face. Batman chases after Erin and arrests her. Batman then confronts Two-Face, who makes it clear he wants Erin dead. Two-Face then bails, using a group of hostages strapped to a bomb to distract Batman long enough to escape. Erin requests a jailhouse visit from her old high school chum Bruce Wayne. At GCPD HQ lockup, Erin asks Bruce for Batman Incorporated protection. Bruce replies that Batman Inc is shut down, but even if it were operational he still wouldn’t help her. (Don’t forget that Casey Washington now runs a secret Batman Inc from Securitus Island, and while Bruce basically bankrolls the entire thing, he now has little to do with its clandestine operations.) At Blackgate, Erin is attacked by fellow prisoners, but is saved by Matches Malone! Bruce (as Matches) breaks Erin out of the slammer, knocks her out, and meets with Alfred, who submarines them to the Batcave. Later, a surprised Erin wakes up in the care of Bruce at Wayne Manor. Bruce chats with Erin before releasing her into the care of her cousin Kieron McKillen. Unfortunately for Erin, her cousin has sold out to Two-Face and turns her over to him. By the tombstone of Gilda Dent, Two-Face betrays Kieron and kills him, prompting a violent fight between Two-Face’s hoods and Batman, who winds up falling into an open grave. Two-Face is about to pour acid onto Erin when the McKillen gangster squad shows up and bullets start flying again. A drop of acid scorches a scar onto Erin’s face during the melee. The McKillen gunners announce that they want Two-Face alive, but they no longer have need for Erin. Betrayed by her own team, Erin is forced to team with Batman and Two-Face. The unlikely trio escapes into the sewers, but Two-Face is caught by the mobsters. Batman and Erin eventually tunnel through the sewer roof and into Noonan’s Sleazy Bar, located in Gotham’s Irish section of town known as The Cauldron. Noonan’s, of course, was home to Tommy Monaghan, Natt “The Hatt” Walls, and Sean Noonan, and is still currently home to Sixpack, Section Eight, and Baytor—all stars of the Garth Ennis masterpiece from the Modern Age, Hitman! These characters are on display in framed photos on the bar walls. Hacken is the bartender, which, along with a couple canon New 52 Sixpack minis, insinuates that much of the Hitman series also happened in the New 52—(in the final Hitman issue, after most of the aforementioned characters die, a flash-forward revealed that Hacken stayed on and became a bartender at Noonan’s). Pretty cool. At the bar, the former McKillen Gang plasters images of a captured Two-Face all over live TV and threatens to execute him publicly. Batman races across town towards Two-Face, ejecting Erin from the Batmobile into police custody along the way. At the old Gotham Movie Studios, Batman rescues and teams-up with Two-Face, who reveals that he knows Batman is Bruce Wayne! With the McKillen Gang defeated, Two-Face plays villain again and shoots an arriving Commissioner Gordon in the shoulder before departing. A couple days later, Two-Face seemingly commits suicide! Back at police HQ, as he does every time the Bat-Signal is busted, Batman delivers a new Bat-Signal to Gordon, who is in an arm sling with a partially torn artery in his shoulder. (SPOILER: Remember kids, if you don’t see a body, you can’t confirm a death! As we will see in All-Star Batman #1, Two-Face ain’t dead. While he has indeed shot himself, he has survived. Although, we won’t see or hear from him for almost two years!)

–Secret Origins Vol. 3 #2 Part 1
The entirety of this issue is a bunch of flashbacks detailing the history of Batman’s origin—except for the final splash page, which shows Batman dramatically leaping down from his perch high atop a Gotham building. (The narration seems to place this image a few years earlier, but if we go by the dates given, it should probably go here. Honestly, this image could go just about anywhere and it wouldn’t make a difference.)

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 #35. Batman, having been after it for years, finally obtains Hephaestus’ Bind of Veils from the magickal black market. This relic of the gods, once used by Odysseus to fool the Cyclops, can be used to cast illusions (misdirection spells) that cause the affected person to live out a scenario that isn’t actually happening in real life. Batman adds this item to his anti-Justice League contingency plan, specifically to combat a rogue Wonder Woman. With this final item obtained, Batman adds it to his monster anti-Justice League war-bot (to use against the heroes should they ever go rogue or get mind-controlled).

–REFERENCE: In Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #33 and Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #35. Batman upgrades his anti-Apokolips Hellbat-suit with some new tech, including photonic invisibility. He also moves the Hellbat-suit into safe storage in the Justice League satellite.

–REFERENCE: In Batman and… #29 (“Batman & Aquaman”). Batman orders Alfred to begin a search for Two-Face, since he’s been dead quiet since “The Big Burn.” Meanwhile, Batman begins a comprehensive search for Ra’s al Ghul’s cloaked island hideout.

THE HUNT FOR ROBIN^[3]
————————–Batman and… #29 (“Batman & Aquaman”)
————————–Batman and… #30 (“Batman & Wonder Woman”)
————————–Batman and… #31 (“Batman & Frankenstein”)
————————–Batman and… #32 (“Batman & Ra’s al Ghul”)
Batman locates Ra’s al Ghul’s cloaked island hideout and travels there (with Titus) aboard a giant Bat-sub that is shaped like a stingray. Aquaman joins the Dark Knight and together they storm the island, fighting dozens of ninjas and ninja man-bats. Fearing the intervention of more Justice Leaguers, Ra’s decides to destroy everything on the island and bail. Batman and Aquaman discover a bevy of bloody torn-apart sperm whales that clearly have just given birth to brand new metahuman “Heretics.” Inside Ra’s al Ghul’s HQ, which is falling to pieces, Batman learns a few important facts from a sputtering computer. First, that Lord Death Man’s harvested “Lazarus Blood” has been corrupted and made useless. Second, that Ra’s has been trying to resurrect his deceased daughter and grandson, but has been unsuccessful. And third, that there is a supposed Lazarus Pit on Paradise Island. As Ra’s taunts Batman over an intercom, the freshly birthed “Sons of Batman,” grotesque mindless semi-aborted monster clones of Damian, attack. Aquaman controls the half-aquatic Damian beasts and shuttles them away to Atlantis for permanent safekeeping. Ra’s and his assistant Algon, with the corpses of Talia and Damian in their cargo hold, fly away toward Paradise Island after shaking a dogged Batman-off of their jet. Later, Batman visits Diana in London and asks her to escort him to Paradise Island. Wonder Woman takes Batman to Paradise Island, where he is confronted and accosted by a group of man-hating Amazons led by Aleka. Eventually, they let him pass. Wonder Woman then visits her frozen mother Hippolyta (who was turned into a statue by a jealous Hera). Wonder Woman tells Batman, for the first time, that she is the daughter of Zeus, to which Batman feigns surprise. After learning of the hidden location of the Cavern of Neekta from the Oracle of Delphi (Pythia), Batman and Wonder Woman converge on the site. There, they find Ra’s al Ghul and his small army about to dip Damian into the black Neekta pool. Ra’s mentions that he believes the Neekta pool to be one of two mind-erasing Lazarus pits that exist at mystical nexuses. But Ra’s is wrong. Once his men dip a supposed magickal activating crystal—the very crystal power source that was used to rapidly age Damian when he was born—into the pool, the Neekta comes alive in the form of a homicidal monster that hungers for light. After much bloodshed, Wonder Woman calms the Neekta with her lasso. During the chaos, Ra’s and his man-bats fly off with Damian and Talia’s corpses. Batman and Wonder Woman accompany the now serene Neekta to the shores of Paradise Island where the sunrise disintegrates it. Less than 48 hours after his last confrontation with Ra’s al Ghul on Paradise Island, Batman tracks Ra’s to North China and then to Tibet. Batman and Titus trek to Nanda Parbat only to find that it has vanished! Frankenstein angrily ambushes Batman, but the Dark Knight quells his rage by apologizing for their last encounter. Frankenstein explains that, as a member of the Justice League Dark, he fought with them against Felix Faust and Necro in Nanda Parbat (during Forever Evil). The fight so angered the demigods and spirits of the city that they moved Nanda Parbat to another dimension. Frankenstein agrees to help stop Ra’s from resurrecting Damian and Talia. Frankenstein, Batman, and Titus march into the Himalayan heights only to be attacked by weird yeti monsters. Batman is able to reason with the monsters, who guide them to Ra’s mountain lair in Nishapur, the evil underground city that was once the dark half of Nanda Parbat. Frankenstein, Batman, and Titus arrive. But they are too late—Talia’s sarcophagus has already been dipped into the Lazarus Pit, which has been re-activated using the magickal crystal. Ra’s al Ghul taunts Batman and explains that this Lazarus Pit is powerful enough to raise anyone from the dead, provided they are immersed completely for 24 hours—although it will erase all their memories and could permanently alter their personalities. With Talia’s sarcophagus filled with the Lazarus fluid, Ra’s attempts to lower his grandson’s coffin into the goop as well. Thus ensues a melee pitting League of Assassins ninjas versus Batman, Frankenstein, and yetis. Batman grabs Damian’s sarcophagus and runs out into the cold. Ra’s follows him and they slug it out in a violent boxing match. All of a sudden, a Boom Tube opens and Glorious Godfrey emerges with an envoy of Parademons and Justifiers!

ROBIN RISES
————————–Robin Rises: Omega #1
————————–Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #33-34
Picking up directly from Batman and… #32, Glorious Godfrey and his Apokolptian troops have come for Ra’s al Ghul’s magickal activating crystal, which Godfrey reveals is a sliver of the Chaos Shard! Batman and Frankenstein are forced to join forces with the League of Assassins and an all out war begins as Godfrey attempts to reclaim the Chaos Shard sliver, which is hidden Damian’s casket. During the fight, Batman discreetly tags Ra’s al Ghul’s bloodstream with a radioactive tracking marker (as referenced in Batman Eternal #46). Ra’s al Ghul falls, along with Talia’s corpse, into a deep ravine. Damian’s casket opens, spilling out the Chaos Shard sliver, which Batman clutches onto. While holding it, Batman remembers even more of his partially memory-blocked initial Batman/Superman adventure with the Man of Steel on Earth-2 from years ago. (Not long ago, Batman recalled other parts of that very adventure when he met Huntress and Power Girl as well.) The sliver also gives Batman a vision that a resurrected Damian will “save them all.” Godfrey blasts Batman and takes the Chaos Shard sliver. He then orders his men to take Damian’s casket as well, citing that there is a residual trace of the sliver on his body. Just then, the JL—sans Superman—shows up (having responded to an alert signal sent out by Batman) and begins cleaning house. Godfrey and his remaining troops open up a Boom Tube and leap through back to Apokolips. Batman attempts to follow, but Shazam prevents him from doing so. A pissed-off Batman then punches the crap out of both Shazam and Lex Luthor and declares that he will go to Apokolips to get his damn son at all costs! Batman quarrels with the JL, who claim that a trip to Apokolips is too dangerous, before teleporting back to satellite HQ. There, the Dark Knight tries to access his anti-Apokolips Hellbat-suit, but the JL shows up again to stop him. After a brief struggle, Batman backs down and goes home. Meanwhile, on Apokolips, Glorious Godfrey delivers the Chaos Shard sliver and Damian’s corpse to Darkseid’s son, Kalibak, who plans on using both to build a “Chaos Cannon.” Back on Earth, a pissed-off Bruce demolishes Damian’s tombstone. Superman checks-up on him and, after being satisfied that Bruce has given up on his dangerous quest, departs. Bruce trudges underground to the Batcave where the Bat-Family—Alfred, Red Hood, Batgirl, Red Robin, and Titus—are suited-up and ready for orders. Batman mentions that this is the first time since “Death of the Family” that all six of them have all been gathered in the Batcave at the same time. Batman unmasks and then apologizes for having been an asshole to each of them ever since “Death of the Family.” Bruce then shows his Bat-Family a corpse of a Parademon and a Mother Box, explaining that he now knows how to activate a Boom Tube and that he is basically going on a suicide mission to retrieve and revive Damian. Bruce also tells his Fam to continue crime-fighting should he fail to return. After they leave, Dick swings down from the shadows of the stalactites. Batman implies that Dick should return to the mantle of the Bat if he doesn’t survive his mission. Batman then has Dick pull some Spyral strings, luring the JL to different corners of the globe with Spyral tech holograms of super-villains. While the JL is distracted, Batman boards the JL satellite, easily defeats Captain Cold, and puts on the Hellbat-suit. Surprisingly, Lex Luthor helps Batman, increasing his suit’s strength and getting rid of Cyborg’s embedded tracking device. Batman then booms to Apokolips.

ROBIN RISES Conclusion
————————–Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #35-37
————————–Robin Rises: Alpha #1
This item picks up directly from Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #34. On Apokolips, Batman starts kicking major Parademon and Justifier ass. Back home, Alfred feeds Alfred the cat, Titus, and Bat-Cow in the Batcave. Red Robin, Red Hood, and Batgirl return with a plan to use Cyborg to jump to Apokolips to help Batman. But before they put the plan into action, the trio meets-up with Batwoman, who is just finishing-off a monstrous gun-wielding spider creature downtown. They tell Batwoman that while they are gone, she must be the main protector of the city. Cyborg is then lured into the Batcave under false pretenses. There, the young heroes knock-out Cyborg and plug him into an Internet 3.0 simulation. Alfred then gives Red Robin, Red Hood, and Batgirl prototype anti-Apokolips armored costumes that were intended for Robin. Using the sleeping Cyborg’s circuitry to open a Boom Tube, the trio leaps through the portal. Cyborg wakes up just in time to follow them (with Titus leaping through as well). Rather than stay pissed-off, Cyborg decides to assist the heroes in their quest. Meanwhile, Batman brutally injures Glorious Godfrey. Kalibak activates his Chaos Cannon, demonstrating its vast Death Star-esque power by obliterating one of Apokolips’ many moons. The Chaos Cannon steals the life-force of whatever it destroys. Batgirl, Red Robin, Red Hood, Titus, and Cyborg fight their way through Apokoliptian hordes consisting of bizarre warriors, rabid serfs, and Hellhounds. Meanwhile, an injured Batman battles through the main brigade of Darkseid’s Parademon Army. Eventually, all the heroes join together and take down Kalibak at the site of the Chaos Cannon, damaging the weapon in the process. But Darkseid has seen enough and finally intervenes. Darkseid smashes Batman’s Mother Box, prompting a slug-fest between the two while Batgirl tries to get a damaged Cyborg’s systems online to boom out of there. Batman begins to succumb to Chaos Shard radiation poisoning, but uses the Shard to block and absorb Darkseid’s Omega Beams. The entire Bat-Family (with Damian’s sarcophagus) booms back to the Batcave where Batman uses the Omega-charged Shard to heal himself and bring Damian back to life! Father and son embrace before Batman passes out. Batman immediately wakes up in time to help his family fight Kalibak, who bursts through the still open interdimensional portal. Kalibak wails on the Bat-Family until Damian shows-off his new super-speed and super-strength powers to easily defeat him. Batman forces Kalibak through the portal and Cyborg closes it. Damian is warmly greeted by the entire Bat-Family, including Alfred the Cat, Titus, and Bat-Cow. Meanwhile, in Nanda Parbat, Talia (minus her memories) emerges alive and well! Later, Alfred, Bruce, and Damian chat in a snowy Wayne Cemetery plot. The Bat-Signal lights up the night sky and the Dynamic Duo is back in action!

–Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #38-40
An excited Robin wakes up his dad for patrol and it’s not long before the super-powered Boy Wonder is repelling bullets off of his chest and swinging around crooks like ragdolls. A pissed-off Batman scolds Robin and grounds him (i.e. takes him off of patrol duty for a week). The next morning, Bruce spikes Damian’s breakfast with a homing tracer. That night, Batman goes on patrol alone. Damian has a nightmare and accidentally smashes through the ceiling into Alfred’s room. Damian then suits-up, visits his mom’s empty grave, and flies across the globe to his her former island HQ. Alfred convinces Batman to give his son some privacy and not chase him. After smashing all of the cloning equipment in Talia’s old lab, Damian shoots deep into the ocean and darts into Atlantis to confront Aquaman. The Boy Wonder demands the return of his malformed clone brothers (the so-called “Sons of Batman”). Aquaman obliges and delivers the creature-Damians. Feeling a natural kindred spirit with his monster brothers, Robin lets them live happily on Talia’s former island. Later, Robin snatches up Penguin, Killer Croc, Bat Head, Bootface, Smush, and Scallop, ties them all up in a neat ball, and threatens them with his new powers until Batman arrives to put a stop to the macho display. The next day, Bruce takes Damian fishing and they talk about his return from the afterlife and his new powers. Then it’s down to the Batcave for more tests on Damian. (Bruce has been testing Damian’s powers non-stop ever since his return.) Several nights later, Robin smashes up a stolen tank and apprehends three crooks, prompting another concerned-dad discussion from Batman. Batman and the Justice League then set a plan into motion that will hopefully drain Robin’s powers, into motion. Cyborg remote controls a giant cybernetic kaiju called Mister Roboto outside of Hashima Island, Japan, steering it toward helpless cargo ships, actually junkers loaned by Lucius Fox. Batman then invites Robin to help fight the beast, encouraging him to use the full force of his power, hoping that they will dissipate. Robin easily demolishes Roboto before departing. A pumped-up Damian completes the long-unfinished Wayne family portrait before stuffing his face and passing out due to sheer exhaustion. Sure enough, in the morning, his powers are gone. After a loving father-son talk, the Dynamic Duo hits the streets, ready for action.

–DC Sneak Peek: Bat-Mite^[4]
Batman fights two-thirds of the “Percentages Trio” while the third member tries to blow him up with a rocket launcher. Thankfully, the 5th Dimensional magickal imp Bat-Mite appears and takes out the bad guys, but not before causing a lot of collateral damage. Bat-Mite introduces himself and asks to be Batman’s full-time partner, to which Batman tells him to piss off. Bat-Mite realizes that his hero Batman doesn’t need any help and poofs away, deciding to offer his services to the rest of the DCU instead.

–Bat-Mite #1
Bat-Mite is arrested and put before a 5th Dimensional tribunal of imp judges (secretly the Justice Mites of America) for wantonly and openly messing with human affairs (i.e. for trying to help Batman). His sentence is to be banished to Earth-0. There, with nothing better to do, Bat-Mite falls into old habits, stealing the Batmobile in an attempt to corral the doctor-themed henchmen of super-villain Dr. Trauma. After wrecking the Batmobile, Batman arrives and busts the baddies before departing with a shell-shocked kidnapping victim. Bat-Mite is then knocked-out by Dr. Trauma’s third hired-hood—a sexy nurse named Agnes who looks 22 but is actually 97 thanks to extreme plastic surgery. After meeting Dr. Trauma, Bat-Mite is thrown into a dungeon with other prisoners including a captive Hawkman! Dr. Trauma plans on switching her own brain with Hawkman’s in a bizarre surgical procedure.

–REFERENCE: In Bat-Mite #3. Batman tells Robin about Bat-Mite and then sends the Boy Wonder to blow up the wrecked Batmobile so that no one will steal its tech secrets or weaponry.

–NOTE: In a reference in Robin: Son of Batman #1. Robin places old League of Assassins acquaintance Ravi as caretaker of Talia’s island (aka al Ghul Island). Ravi lives on the island with the “Sons of Batman” and a giant bat-dragon creature called Goliath, which was once Damian’s pet when he lived with mom.

–Batman & Robin Vol. 2 Annual #3
A new Justice League teleporter is delivered to the Batcave. Batman decides to disable it for safety purposes, but not before zipping up to the JL satellite for monitor duty. Mere hours later, Robin and Titus fix the teleporter and make an uninvited visit to dad aboard the satellite. When scanners pick up light coming from within the original 1969 lunar rover on the moon, Batman and Robin don spacesuits and investigate. The Dynamic Duo is stunned when they peer inside to see twisted alien versions of astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins—creatures that have slowly formed themselves out of tiny bits of skin and hair DNA left inside the Apollo 11 capsule back in 1969. After following the aliens to the dark side of the moon, the Dynamic Duo finds a giant spaceship cobbled together from bits of old Apollo capsules and various space junk. After infiltrating the ship, our heroes learn that the aliens want to take over Earth. Robin gets ejected while Batman fights the aliens and re-routes the ship to crash into a Hawaiian volcano. Robin then pilots a JL ship and catches Batman, who ditches the plummeting ship in a scene right out of Star Trek Into Darkness or Gravity. Batman, Robin, and Titus land in Hawaii and enjoy their victory.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Vol. 2 Annual #4. Powers Industrial is taken over by Geri Powers, the daughter of its former CEOs, the evil Joseph and Maria Powers. Unlike her parents, Geri is a good soul. Bruce meets with Geri several times. Bruce will also continue meeting with Geri in a business capacity for the next year or so. These meetings will have to be imagined, moving forward, on our chronology.

–REFERENCE: In Batman Beyond Vol. 7 #6. Bruce purchases an abandoned former Court of Owls mansion to use as a safe-house. He secretly installs a teleporter that has access to the Justice League satellite headquarters. The Justice League isn’t told about this, but the Bat-Family is made aware.

–REFERENCE: In We are Robin #1. Batman begins using remote operated surveillance drones that are disguised as bats.

–Batman Eternal #1-4^[5]
The biggest asshole on the Force, Jack Forbes, has just been promoted from lieutenant to major, which brings super-cop Jason Bard from Detroit to Gotham to fill the vacant GCPD spot. Lieutenant Bard is anxious to meet his hero Jim Gordon, but Gordon is busy fighting Professor Pyg across town. Batman escapes from a Pyg death trap and switches to his robot mech-suit to help Gordon rescue some kids from being turned into Dollotrons. While Batman corrals Pyg, Gordon chases Pyg’s accomplice, Derek Grady, into the subway. There, Gordon sees a false image of a gun in the perp’s hand, which he shoots at. (This false image has been projected by hired Brazilian metahuman Dr. Falsario.) The bullet flies through the false image and hits a station power box. The power box, clearly rigged to explode, blows up and causes a massive derailment that results in the deaths of 162 train riders. Despite the obvious setup, Major Forbes, as Gordon’s biggest rival, accuses him acting negligently while in pursuit of a criminal. Forbes orders Lieutenant Bard to arrest Gordon. Bard reluctantly complies. In the shadows, a mystery man notes to himself that his evil plan is under way—all part of a larger scheme to hurt not Batman but specifically Bruce Wayne. As Gotham Gazette editor-in-chief Mario Ito and his top reporters—Warren Spacey and Vicki Vale—drop the news of the Commissioner’s arrest to the public, Batman visits Gordon in jail to show his support. Meanwhile, the Spectre (!) checks things out at the crime scene. At Arkham, Dr. Phosphorus is haunted by the ghost of Deacon Joseph Blackfire! At the Gotham MTA HQ, Batman and tag-along Catwoman view some security footage and ID Grady, realizing that Carmine Falcone is back in town and has set up Gordon. Across town, Falcone reunites with Mayor Hady, having returned to Gotham for the first time in five years (continuity error—should read six years). In the suburbs outside of Gotham, teenager Stephanie Brown accidentally walks in on a super-villain meeting being held in her own home, overhearing a plot to destroy Gotham. Unknown to Stephanie, her dad is super-villain Cluemaster (Arthur Brown). Also present at the meeting are Firefly (Ted Carson), Lock-Up (Lyle Bolton), Signalman, and a shadowy fifth man, who tells Cluemaster to kill his own daughter. SPOILER ALERT: The shadowy mystery fifth man is Lincoln March. (I won’t spoil the identity of the secret Big Bad.) Cluemaster complies with the request to execute his daughter, but Stephanie manages to escape. Meanwhile, Batman roughs-up Penguin and informs him that Falcone is back in town. Falcone begins an all-out war against Penguin, torching all of his safe-houses and weapons caches across town. Batman takes down some of Falcone’s men as Penguin gears up for a reprisal. The GCPD begins to mount up for an intervention, but they are stopped by Mayor Hady, who appoints Forbes as the new interim commissioner! Commissioner Forbes puts Batman at the top of the Most Wanted List. Gordon then has a hearing and is sentenced to remain in Blackgate, without bail, until his trial for manslaughter. Later, an angry Batgirl wails on Pyg’s henchmen (including Mr. Toad!) before being stopped by Batman for using excessive violence. Meanwhile, a panicked Stephanie calls her mom, Crystal Brown, asking for help. Crystal reveals her allegiance to her ex-husband and immediately reports Stephanie’s location to Cluemaster. (Stephanie will later narrowly avoid being killed in a drive-by shooting, as seen via flashback in Batman Eternal #8.) The next day, Batman crashes into Falcone’s penthouse and confronts him face-to-face. Falcone claims that he only wants a “peaceful, orderly, and efficient” Gotham and a little revenge against Catwoman. Batman walks, leaving only an injunction for the notorious crime boss. Back at the Batcave, Batgirl reveals, after having watched the security tapes, that Brazilian drug lord cum actor Gonzolo Dominguez is the top suspect involved with her dad’s frame-up. Batman seems doubtful, so Batgirl goes off alone. Meanwhile, Blackgate’s Warden Agatha Zorbatos, whom Gordon has run afoul of in the past, sticks it to the ex-commish and places him in the same dangerous prison wing with Ignatius Ogilvy, The Wrath, and Amygdala. Although, curiously, Gordon gets a cellmate in Leo, one of the only decent men in Blackgate. (This “Leo” is none other than Rex “The Lion” Calabrese, Gotham’s top crime boss prior to Falcone.)

–Detective Comics Vol. 2 #30-32 (“ICARUS” Part 1)^[6]
Batman saves some kidnapped kids that are being forced by small-timer Jonny Lo to act as drug runners for the drug Icarus. Before the Caped Crusader can bust Jonny, who stole the Icarus in Detective Comics Vol. 2 Annual #3, the crook is rescued by Holter, leader of the Kings of the Sun. The Kings of the Sun return to Jonny to his brother, the Squid. Later, as owner of the slummy East End Waterfront, Bruce meets with a new potential business partner, Elena Aguila, who wants his help in reconstructing the property purely as a positive social act despite the fact that it would be a financial disaster for Wayne Enterprises. Bruce meets with Elena at her daughter Annie’s pro motocross event at the Gotham Arena. At this unorthodox meeting, Elena appeals to Bruce’s philanthropic side and he agrees to work with her “Healthy Families Initiative.” (Continuity error alert: Ignore any hints that Damian is still dead in this conversation.) In agreeing to work with Elena, Bruce shuns corrupt Congressman Sam Young, who had proposed a reconstruction plan that would have been less socially progressive but brought more revenue to the city and the parties involved. (Congressman Young is in Carmine Falcone’s pocket as well.) Later in the Batcave, Bruce chats with Alfred and works on Damian’s old motorbike, an attempt to fulfill a promise he made to Damian two years ago. (Again, ignore the incorrect references to Damian still being dead. He’s back!) Alarms ring and Bruce rushes upstairs to find a human-torched Elena on his doorstep, dead thanks to an Icarus overdose. Harvey Bullock, having dealt with Icarus before, is on the scene to accuse Bruce of being culpable for Elena’s death. After a cursory investigation of the outer Wayne Manor grounds, Batman quickly deduces that Elena was murdered. Going undercover as a narco with an EMP mask disguise, Bruce uses himself as bait to put a tracking device on a car linked to the Icarus trade. The plan works, although Bruce gets shot at point blank range, taking a painful wallop into his kevlar vest that gives him fractured ribs and a bruised lung. Later, Bruce attends Elena’s funeral and is threatened by Bullock again. Meanwhile, a new Anarky begins spray-painting “circle A” symbols all over the city. After Elena’s funeral, Batman follows the tracer to the waterfront where he finds enslaved children packed into shipping containers. Batman frees the kids and then starts beating the crap out of their kidnapper, Sumo. (Batman and Sumo have crossed paths only once before, during the riot scene in Batman Vol. 2 #1. This is their first genuine one-on-one fight, which is acknowledged by both parties as they spar.) A battered Sumo tells Batman that the Squid’s crew is the behind Elena’s death. Not far away, Holter and one of his Kings of the Sun henchmen load up a nuclear metahuman in stasis onto a truck and drive off. Batman then leads Bullock in the right direction and meets with the grieving Annie, who has turned to drugs. While Bullock shakes down corrupt Wayne Enterprises VP Jeb Lester, who is linked to Elena’s murder, Batman goes after the Squid at his abandoned aquarium HQ. There, Batman is dropped into a vat containing a giant squid named Gertrude. Batman survives the encounter, but winds up stuck in the middle of a fight between the Squid’s gang and Holter’s Kings of the Sun.

–Detective Comics Vol. 2 #33-34 (“ICARUS” Part 2)
Picking up directly from Detective Comics Vol. 2 #33, Holter kills the Squid and takes Jonny hostage just as the GCPD arrives in an attempt to arrest everyone, including Batman, who high-tails it out of there. Meanwhile, after brutalizing Jeb Lester and getting a tip from Detective Nancy “Maggie” Yip, Harvey Bullock heads toward the abandoned Kane Power Plant. Likewise, Alfred leads Batman to the Kings of the Sun’s hideout, which leads to Batman learning that they are using the old Kane Power Plant as a secret Icarus-cooking lab and distribution center. Concurrently, Holter visits a strung-out-on-Icarus Annie Aguila. He reveals that he is her biological father and throws a badly beaten Jonny at her feet, telling her to take revenge since he was the one who killed her mom. (Jonny killed Elena, on Holter’s orders, in order to snuff out her waterfront rehab program that would have put the kibosh on Holter’s Icarus lab.) Annie pulls the trigger and executes Jonny. At the Kane Power Plant, Batman confronts Bullock and accuses him of covering up his old partner’s crimes “six years ago” (aka during “Zero Year”). Again, Year Zero was seven years ago. This is a continuity error. Batman and Bullock begin slugging it out as Holter’s radioactive man explodes with nuclear fury, destroying the East End Waterfront. Batman suits-up in his armored Hazmat costume and high-tails it over to the East End where he fights gas mask-wearing Kings of the Sun members and the glowing pink radioactive man, who is revealed to be the unwilling primary source of the drug Icarus, which is literally sucked out of his body. Batman defeats the Kings of the Sun and the Icarus Man flies away in a frazzled rage. Gertrude, the giant squid, grabs Holter and drags him to his death in Gotham Bay. Bullock tries to arrest Batman, but the Caped Crusader easily escapes him. Later, Bruce chats with Annie about all that has occurred before Annie angrily leaves Gotham for good. In the wreckage of the East End, Bullock and Yip go to retrieve the remaining crate of the Icarus drug only to find it gone. In its place is a spray-painted anarchy symbol. The cops become aware that a brand new Anarky is in Gotham! (SPOILER: Anarky is Congressman Sam Young. The first Anarky was a one-shot character that appeared during Zero Year. Young is acting as a copycat, using a famous Gotham terrorist’s moniker for his own twisted purposes.)

–Batman Eternal #5-7
Three days after the horrible Gotham subway crash, Alfred visits Red Robin at one of his “Robin’s Nest” HQs. Red Robin explains that Pyg’s involvement on the night of the accident is immaterial—Pyg’s victims that night were actually infected by a highly advanced nanotechnology before he got to them. Having traced the nano-virus to the Philip Kane Memorial Projects, home to Harper and Cullen Row, Red Robin goes there to investigate. Batman meets him at the projects and they have a strained conversation about the nano-swarm outbreak, “Death of the Family,” Damian’s death, and Dick’s “death.” In the middle of the one-sided talk, the cold Dark Knight peremptorily leaves to quell another clash between Falcone’s men and Penguin’s men across town. Also investigating the projects are Vicki Vale and her sidekick Joey Day, following up leads on Falcone’s secret war on Penguin. Vicki questions some seedy gentlemen associated with Falcone, which nearly results in something very bad happening to her until Harper Row saves her and brings both Vicki and Joey into her apartment. The Falcone goons then bust into the apartment with lethal intentions, but Red Robin falls through the ceiling, tangled up with a child victim of the nano-swarm. The microscopic nanites pour out of the kid in the form of bright shining angry tentacles. The nanobot swarm takes down the Falcone goons before Red Robin subdues it. Infected by the swarm as well, Cullen Row drops into unconsciousness. Vicki tortures the information for her story out of one of the baddies, resulting in the Gazette running a front page story about the hidden gang war. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Batman’s former trainer, Sergei Alexandrov, receives an alert telling him that the nanobots have been activated. Batman and Batwing tag trucks with tracking tracers in a lot belonging to Carmine Falcone. While they do so, Gentleman Ghost attacks only to be quickly exorcised with a sliver of Nth metal. Later, Jim Corrigan visits Bruce at Wayne Manor and warns him of a supernatural activity related to a “summoning” that will soon occur in the vicinity of Arkham Asylum. Batman is too busy with the Falcone-Penguin war to check it out, but he sends Batwing to accompany Corrigan. As Batwing and Corrigan prepare to enter Arkham, something sinister has already been going on in the maze-like catacombs that run beneath the structure. Joker’s Daughter has begun an occult rite that involves hacking off the limbs of inmates and sending them into the maze. Notably, an armless Maxie Zeus, victim of Joker’s Daughter’s twisted game, is present to watch the ritual continue. Meanwhile, across town, Batman deals with an explosion at a cafe—collateral damage in the Falcone-Penguin war. Batman then tails one of the tagged trucks only to watch it get blown up by a freed Dr. Phosphorus, working on behalf of Penguin. Another explosion rocks Gotham. This time, Professor Pyg’s laboratory gets burnt to the ground, courtesy of Pyg’s associate Bixby “Roadrunner” Rhodes (Tiger Shark’s partner), who has betrayed Pyg to work for Falcone. Batman responds to the conflagration only to get into a fight with Pyg and dozens of Dollotrons. Meanwhile, at the Iceberg Casino, Catwoman makes fools of Lark and Fishnet Face (Otto Kruft) and then pushes around Penguin, accusing him of pushing around the Gotham Undergrounders. Tiger Shark, hired by Falcone, blows up the entire casino, sinking it and millions of dollars in cash into Gotham Bay. Batman wraps-up Pyg in a nice little package for the GCPD, but Commissioner Forbes lets the super-villain go free! Batman then joins Catwoman to help in the relief effort at the site of the former Iceberg Casino. Pyg then gets revenge for the destruction of his lab by blowing-up Rhodes’ car dealership. (Rhodes miraculously survives without a scratch somehow.)

–Batman Eternal #8-10
Picking up directly from Batman Eternal #7, Batman spends the entire night shutting down Falcone operations all over the city, but all of his busts walk free thanks to Forbes’ new rule. Later, Lieutenant Bard and Vicki Vale investigate the scene of a brutal homicide, which had nearly also resulted in the death of Stephanie Brown two days earlier. When night falls, Forbes invites Batman atop police HQ for a face-to-face meeting, during which he plans to arrest the Dark Knight. Bard winds up “accidentally” saving Batman and helping him evade capture. Afterward, Forbes smashes the Bat-Signal with a sledgehammer. Batman then departs for Hong Kong—the place that Falcone fled to when he was ousted from Gotham—to dig up dirt on the crime boss. British Special Reconnaissance Regiment agent Julia Pennyworth, already in Hong Kong, watches with keen interest as the Batplane flies into the city. Batman fights off some Ghost Dragons before meeting with Batman Japan (Jiro Osamu), who has flown in from his native country. Jiro explains that Shen Fang, leader of the Ghost Dragons, recently won a five-yearlong gang war for control of Hong Kong’s underworld against Falcone, the supposed reason Falcone has gone back to Gotham. At the Wayne Industries penthouse, which is both a secret bunker HQ for Casey Washington’s ongoing Batman Incorporated efforts and Jiro’s Hong Kong “Batcave,” Jiro, Kanaria (formerly “Lolita Canary”), and Master Hong brief Batman about Falcone’s war against Fang. Batman goes to Fang’s HQ to confront him only to run into Julia. Although Batman has no idea who she is, Julia explains that she has been working to bring down Fang for years and doesn’t want Batman to stand in her way. Fang enters and stabs Julia. Batman quickly takes down the gangster and learns that Fang didn’t actually win the gang war—Falcone simply bought him out. Batman does a background check on the unconscious and injured Julia and is shocked to discover that she is Alfred’s daughter. He flies her back to Gotham to recuperate at Wayne Manor. (NOTE: From this point forward, Batman—as a superhero and as Bruce Wayne—severs all ties to Batman Incorporated. No more funding, no more interaction. It’s finally dead in the water.)^[7] In Gotham, Catwoman is captured and tortured by Falcone, who accidentally spills the beans that he is working on behalf of someone else. Professor Pyg and his animal-human hybrid monsters known as “Farm Hands” then attack Carmine Falcone head on. At Wayne Manor, Bruce summons Jason Todd and tasks him with a mission to follow Batgirl to South America in order to watch over her and keep her out of trouble. Meanwhile, Stephanie Brown has been secretly living in the Gotham Public Library and writing blogs exposing her father as the villainous Cluemaster, much to the chagrin of dear ol’ dad. Stephanie also blogs about his notorious plans she overheard. As the media and police surround Falcone’s HQ, Batman swoops in via Batplane, takes down Pyg and his Farm Hands, and rescues Catwoman. Catwoman tells Batman that Falcone is merely a pawn in a bigger game.

–Batman Eternal #11-13
This item picks up directly from Batman Eternal #10. In Brazil, Batgirl goes after the vain hunky Gonzolo Dominguez only to run into Scorpiana. After fighting off Scorpiana temporarily, Batgirl questions Dominguez about his link to her jailed dad. Dominguez explains that, because he owed money to the Club of Villains, they “copied” his face and implanted it onto another man, who was present at the train accident. When Scorpiana strikes again, Batgirl is assisted by Red Hood, Starfire, and Gaucho. Meanwhile, back in Gotham, tensions are high between Alfred and Julia. Alfred earns a little of her respect by stitching up her wound. Alfred, with Bruce’s gracious permission, offers a Julia permanent residency at Wayne Manor. Across town at the library, Stephanie Brown researches her dad’s criminal past and is sickened and embarrassed by what she finds. In the process, Steph unblocks a repressed memory of Batman busting her father in their home from years ago. At Gotham Cemetery, Selina visits the grave of Lola MacIntire only to find a letter left there addressed to her from her father, Rex Calabrese. Batman shows up to check on Selina. She tells him to beat it. Batman, posing as a prison guard, then speaks with Jim Gordon en route to his trial. At Gotham General Hostpital, Harper Row sits by her brother Cullen, who is still comatose after having been attacked an infested by a nanite swarm. From his bedside, Harper tracks the movements of Red Robin, who is in the process of interrogating Professor Pyg in his jail cell. When Red Robin realizes that Harper is hacking into his computer system, he shuts her out and decides to visit Wayne Manor to ask about her. At Wayne Manor, Tim barges in on Alfred chatting with his daughter Julia. Alfred pulls him aside and they secretly descend into the Batcave where Alfred tells Tim all about Harper Row. Across town, Gordon’s trial starts with a media frenzy attached to it. Vicki Vale, Joey Day, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and a disguised Batman are all in attendance for opening statements. Lieutenant Bard tells Vicki that he’s leading a secret plan to stop the gang war. That night, Harvey Bullock calls Batman’s old contact number and Batman meets him and Bard on the roof of the Beacon Tower. Bard tells Batman his big plan, which involves the Dark Knight letting the GCPD “capture” him. In Blackgate, James Junior pays off a crooked guard and visits his father. James Junior plays head games with Jim and reveals that a guard has been bribed to open an exit door for his pop to escape through (if he wants) in a day’s time. Downtown, Lieutenant Bard fools Commissioner Forbes by telling him he has strategized an assault on a suspected Bat-Bunker, which is actually a Falcone safe house. Meanwhile, Stephanie Brown keeps posting about her dad’s sinister plot, but no one is listening, except for Internet trolls and Joey Day. But Vicki Vale can’t be bothered with Cluemaster news from her sidekick Joey. Vicki goes on a ride-along with Bard, Bullock, Sawyer, and the GCPD as they “go after Batman.” With the Dark Knight monitoring from the shadows, Bard and his unit bust into a warehouse and arrest all of Falcone’s top men, citing falsely that they are in league with Batman, so as to make the charges stick. At police HQ, Forbes is furious, but cannot release Falcone’s men since Vicki is present and reporting all of the pertinent details. Forbes immediately calls Falcone for instructions, but Vicki and Lieutenant Bard have tapped his phone, exposing him as being in league with the mobster. Across town, Harper Row spies on Red Robin at one of his Robin’s Nest bunkers. Red Robin is able to connect the recent nanite swarms to Batman’s old mentor, Sergei Alexandrov, who currently resides in Tokyo. In the ‘burbs, Stephanie’s troubles continue as a Cluemaster-delivered bomb (left in a package addressed to Stephanie) detonates, killing her best friend.

–Batman Eternal #14-16
Picking up directly from Batman Eternal #13, Lieutenant Bard shakes-down Mayor Hady, who is forced to disconnect all ties to Falcone lest he expose himself to the long arm of the law. Bard also exposes Commissioner Forbes as a criminal and puts in an anonymous phone call to Penguin, telling him exactly where Falcone is. Penguin goes straight to Falcone’s hideout and kills nearly a dozen of his bodyguards before Bard (along with Vicki Vale) bursts in and arrests both men. In Blackgate, Gordon’s cellmate, Leo, being the only nice dude in Blackgate, gives him a pep talk. At 2:46 AM, Gordon walks toward the open exit door provided to him by his son only to find Batman waiting. Gordon tells him that he was going to re-lock the door. They have a small chat about Bard and about the fall of Rex “The Lion” Calabrese, who was Gotham’s top dog before Falcone. Batman then pays Bard a visit and disapprovingly tells him that his phone call tip-off to Penguin cost the lives of a dozen men. Bard exclaims that Batman needs to update his methods, but Batman disappears into the night without responding. Meanwhile, Red Robin deals with a stowaway Harper Row aboard his jet. In Arkham, Joker’s Daughter captures Scarecrow. I should mention that it has been four days since Jim Corrigan and Batwing were scouting the outside of Arkham and planning on entering its walls (in Batman Eternal #6). What have they been doing all this time? Who knows. Corrigan can sense that something horrendously powerfully evil is lurking underneath Arkham, so maybe he has been prepping this whole time. This screams continuity error and I’m calling bullshit, but oh well. It’s minor compared to some of the chronic errors this series will contain moving forward. So finally, Corrigan and Batwing enter Arkham and find that the inmates are in control when they see a zombie Magpie (Margaret Pye) manning the secretary desk. After a creepy encounter with The Ten-Eyed Man (Philip Reardon), Corrigan and Batwing find a pillar of blood dripping upward from the floor of Scarecrow’s cell and a floating Scarecrow not far away. A host of zombies swarm the duo and drag Batwing 150 feet below the building, delivering him to Joker’s Daughter. (Note that Batman now becomes aware of the zombies—as referenced in Batman Eternal #17 and Batman Eternal #19—although because Batwing never actually radios him about the encounter, we must assume that Batman is monitoring a video feed from Batwing’s suit.) On the other side of the globe in Tokyo, Red Robin reluctantly teams with an intransigent Harper Row, who wears a blue Grifter-like mask. Back in Gotham, Lieutenant Bard continues rounding up Falcone’s men. Batman meets with Bard again and they decide to be friends after all, shaking hands in approval of each other. In Rio de Janeiro, Batgirl and Red Robin go after the man that surgically altered a criminal to look like Gonzolo Dominguez, Dr. Mangaravite. However, Batwoman, on a case of her own, is already at Mangaravite’s office beating him up. Back at Arkham, zombies drag a captured Corrigan to their master, the weird Mr. Bygone. Bygone claims he works for an even more sinister power that feeds off of the sorrow in Arkham. Meanwhile, Joker’s Daughter uses a beaten-up Batwing’s communication system to send a false message to Batman, telling him that things are fine at Arkham. She then drags Batwing deeper underground where his communication device becomes non-functional. Across town, Batman watches as Lieutenant Bard cleans up more of Falcone’s men. Bard also gets up close and personal with Vicki Vale—they start a sexual relationship. Back in Arkham, possessed Arkham staffer Dr. Achilles Milo serves up Professor Pyg to the sorrow-sucking Tulpas that have infested the catacombs beneath the building. Batwing breaks free of Joker’s Daughter and fights a zombie-like Maxie Zeus, who has his arm back and seems invigorated with evil verve. After Batwing defeats Maxie Zeus, the Tulpas take his unconscious body to be used as the vessel for their master. Batwing then stumbles across Dr. Simon Ecks (also spelled “Simon Echs”), who explains that the evil force actually secretly took over Arkham months ago. Batwing is rejoined by Corrigan and they learn that the demonic spirit master of Arkham is Deacon Blackfire, who is trying to come back from Hell via a Hellmouth underneath Arkham. In Tokyo, Red Robin and Harper Row meet up with Sergei Alexandrov. (Batman Eternal #25 tells us that Red Robin begins combat-training Harper at this point.)

–NOTE: In Batman Eternal #17. Batman isn’t actually in this issue as he is only shown via flashback. Jim Corrigan and Batwing have been trapped underneath Arkham for over twenty-four hours now with no way of communicating with the outside world, fighting an ever morphing maze-like terrain while fighting Deacon Blackfire’s demon hordes. Thanks to a false message sent by Joker’s Daughter, Batman thinks that Arkham is just fine and dandy. Corrgian and Batwing are finally outstripped and dragged into a black mire. Meanwhile, at Wayne Manor, Julia squabbles with her dad. Across town, Batwing’s roommate Rory worries since Luke hasn’t checked in with him or the Fox family for a week.

–Batman Eternal #18-20
In Rio, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Batwoman follow the Club of Villains trail to a sweatshop where child laborers are forced to assemble superhero toys. The trio beats up a bunch of armed guards, but Batgirl is mind-controlled by the leader of the factory, Dr. Falsario. In Gotham, Julia Pennyworth goes to a punk show while Alfred Pennyworth guides Batman and Jason Bard into the sewers beneath the Narrows, where a series of horrific cannibal murders have occurred. Batman has a hunch these murders are linked to the recent evilness going on beneath Arkham, which he thinks has ended thanks to Joker’s Daughter’s recent false report. After a nasty run-in with Killer Croc in the sewers, Batman calms the savage beast, who then joins the Dark Knight and Bard in a search for the real cannibal killer. In Blackgate, Jim Gordon chats with a friendly guard, Officer Leonard, and with his friendly cellmate Leo. Penguin and Carmine Falcone (along with all of their men) are now in Blackgate, which is bad news because the gang war has simply moved into jail. In the prison yard, some of Falcone’s men execute Fishnet Face, one of Penguin’s top men, inciting a huge full-scale riot. Jim Gordon takes charge and beats-up a bunch of Blackgaters, including Penguin henchman Volt. In Rio, Red Hood helps Batgirl regain her senses and the trio of heroes defeats Dr. Falsario, who is confirmed as the man that set up Jim Gordon (using false telepathic image projection). Underneath Gotham’s sewers, Killer Croc shows Batman and Bard a bunch of re-animated corpses that he has caught and caged. Batman, Bard, and Killer Croc descend upon the Underground where they come across the Ten-Eyed Man about to sacrifice Jade McKillen. (Jade is the youngest daughter from the merger of two wealthy mafia families—the McKillens and the Ibanescus. The Ibanescus run the notorious Ibanescu Mob. Jade previously had run away from home and befriended both Killer Croc and Catwoman in the Underground.) Batman, Killer Croc, and Bard rescue Jade from being tossed into an interdimensional portal. Doing so causes the portal to implode. Bard then tries to arrest Killer Croc for a cop murder he committed in Batman and… #23.4, but the cavern collapses and everybody bails. In Blackgate, the riot continues and Gordon is captured by some inmates. Leo returns to his old Rex “The Lion” Calabrese gimmick, popping in lion fangs and rescuing Gordon by literally chewing out the inmates’ throats. The SWAT team rushes in and quells the riot. Gordon is labeled a hero and earns the respect of Warden Zorbatos. In Brazil, Batgirl chases Dr. Falsario into the jungle only to find him executed by a mystery assassin’s Asian knife. Batgirl regroups with Red Hood and Batwoman, who have collected a bunch of evidence that will hopefully exonerate Gordon. Elsewhere, Stephanie Brown debuts as the costumed vigilante known as The Spoiler!

—^[8]

–REFERENCE: In Batman Eternal #21. Batgirl and Red Hood report on their findings in Brazil and deliver files (and the Asian knife) that might be able to supposedly exonerate Jim Gordon of wrongdoing. However, the evidence is ignored because Hush and his secret boss have total control of Gotham’s judicial system. Thus, Gordon’s trial continues quite poorly for the defendant.

–Batgirl Vol. 4 #33 Conclusion^[9]
Batman makes a brief final page appearance in this issue, receiving a call from Batgirl asking for help to fight Knightfall (Charise Carnes), who is planning a coordinated midnight strike to rid her Cherry Hill neighborhood of all “criminals” (i.e. anyone who opposes her views) via an army of mercenaries and metahumans. Here’s what led up to this: Jim Gordon tried in vain (via phone) to warn his daughter that James Junior is still alive. Presumably Gordon tried to contact Babs several times since James Junior’s surprise reappearance, but Batgirl was busy in Brazil and, upon returning to the States, has been busy teaming with Huntress and Black Canary against agents of Knightfall, notably Bleak Michael (Michael Drucker). After learning about Knightfall’s planned midnight attack, Batgirl now calls a few people for help—Detective Melody McKenna, secret agent Obscura (Munira Khairuddin), Katharsis (Kulap Vilaysack), and Batman. Batman will be way too busy with the events of Batman Eternal to personally assist, but he does loan her the Batboat. A bunch of DC’s best female heroes will come help Batgirl shut down Knightfall once and for all (as seen in Batgirl Vol. 4 #34).

–FLASHBACK: From Gotham Academy #18—and referenced in Gotham Academy #9. June. Batman apprehends teenager Tristan Grey, who has an uncontrollable viral man-bat condition. Batman has Tristan enrolled into the upcoming school year at Gotham Academy to be monitored under the watchful eye of the institution’s Headmaster Collingwood Vaughn Hammer. Within the span of a month, however, Hammer will put Tristan under the care of comparative geneticist and science teacher Dr. Achilles Milo, who also works at Arkham Asylum. Tristan will be under Milo’s evil watch until the professor is fired from Gotham Academy in September.

–REFERENCE: In Gotham Academy #1, Gotham Academy #11, and Gotham Academy: Second Semester #7. Bruce personally awards the prestigious Wayne Foundation Scholarship, which will pay for room and board at Gotham Academy, to sophomore-age Olive Silverlock, daughter of jailed super-villain Calamity (Sybil Silverlock). Olive immediately moves from an orphanage to the fancy private campus, where she will live in preparation for the start of school in September. While talented and smart, Olive is really getting the scholarship for two reasons: first, to keep her in the dark about her mother, whom she has no idea is a villainous metahuman (thanks to a traumatic repressed memory block) and, second, to monitor her for any possible uncontrollable pyrokinetic ability that may have been genetically inherited. (Batman has pulled the same act with Tristan Grey.) Genetics are not on Olive’s side. Literally everyone on the Silverlock family tree has been a schizophrenic pyromaniac. Because of this, Batman will quietly and secretly monitor Olive moving forward. The Dark Knight gives Olive’s details to Headmaster Hammer and teacher Isla MacPherson, who will both monitor the girl closely as well.

–REFERENCE: In Grayson #1. It’s been six months since Dick’s false funeral. He has now fully imbedded himself within the ranks of Spyral as “Agent 37.” Using the codename “Birdwatcher,” Dick makes secret contact with Batman, who uses the codename “Mr. Malone.” Dick reports that he has been given special surgical implants called hypnos, which all Spyral agents are equipped with to help them carry out espionage missions. Dick further reports on the nature of Spyral’s missions, giving info about new top agent Mr. Minos and his aide Dr. Elisabeth Netz (Otto Netz’s daughter/Kathy Kane’s sister). A day later, Dick contacts Batman again, but is interrupted by his fellow agent Helena Bertinelli, which forces him to end the conversation early.

–Grayson #2
While Batman fights the masked motorcycle gang known as The Cycles of Violence, Dick contacts him in secret from St. Hadrian’s, continuing the interrupted conversation that they were having from one night prior. Dick reports that one of Spyral’s current objectives is to retrieve the scattered body parts and internal organs of a deceased cyborg named Paragon (unrelated to the super-villain named Paragon). Afterward, Dick and Helena are sent to the English countryside to retrieve Paragon’s cyborg stomach, which is now implanted inside a rogue metahuman THEY agent, Dr. Poppy Ashemoore. (The Hood had been tasked with the mission but failed miserably.) In Leicester, Dick is attacked Dr. Ashemoore, who has super-speed and has cannibalistically eaten several spies that have attempted to bring her in before. When Dick doesn’t follow orders, Helena shows him that she has the ability to render him instantly unconscious at any time via his hypnos. Back at St. Hadrian’s, Otto Netz’s daughter removes the cyborg stomach from Dr. Ashemoore’s body. Dick then has another secret meeting with Batman. Elsewhere, Midnighter, somehow involved in the Paragon affair and having recently fought Dick, plans for a rematch. Meanwhile, Poppy Ashemoore is brought into the fold and made a Spyral agent. (SPOILER: As revealed in Batman & Robin Eternal #1 and Batman & Robin Eternal #3, Poppy Ashemoore actually works for “Mother” and has been sent to infiltrate Spyral. Mission successful.)

–Teen Titans Vol. 4 Annual #3 Epilogue
The Teen Titans have recently disbanded (as shown in the main non-Batman related action of this Annual). The scene important for our chronology is a single splash that shows Batman and Red Robin happily patrolling Gotham with the Dark Knight just like old times. Red Robin will immediately reform the Teen Titans after this.

–REFERENCE: In Gotham Academy Annual #1. While not explicit, the implication in this issue is that Bruce offers a Gotham Academy scholarship to young Warren McGinnis, who will begin school there in the fall. The McGinnis family has long been close friends with the Wayne family. SPOILER: Warren will eventually grow up to father Terry McGinnis i.e. Batman from Batman Beyond!

SUPERMAN: DOOMED – INFECTED^[10]
————————–Superman: Doomed #1
————————–Action Comics Vol. 2 #31
————————–Superman/Wonder Woman #8
————————–Batman/Superman #11
————————–Superman Vol. 3 #31
In the Bahamas, Doomsday appears in a metamorphosed form, bigger and deadlier. In fact, Doomsday is so deadly now that literally everything within a certain radius of him instantly dies from a fatal virus that he emits. After the deaths of over 3200 people, Superman is pissed. After pep talks from Dr. Shay Veritas and his old boss Perry White, Clark prepares for war. Meanwhile, Lois Lane and Lana Lang investigate a bizarre occurrence in the now quarantined Smallville where 539 people recently spontaneously dropped into comas. Doomsday turns up next in Botswana, killing millions of animals. John Henry Irons postpones his Zambian vacation with his niece Natasha Irons to suit up as Steel and take on the monster. Wonder Woman and Superman arrive to assist Steel, causing Doomsday to retreat into a teleportation portal. The Justice League calls an emergency meeting. In the emergency bunker in DC, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg gather. Lex Luthor and Green Lantern attend via hologram. They discuss how Doomsday is hopping all over the planet destroying everything and what must be done. Before leaving to fight Doomsday, Superman gives Batman the key to the Fortress of Solitude. Superman briefly fights Doomsday in Mumbai before flying him to Venus where he fries the creature with heat vision. Thinking Doomsday has been defeated, Superman returns to Earth badly infected with the Doomsday virus. (SPOILER: The gargantuan absolute/über version of Brainiac is responsible for infecting Superman with the Doomsday Virus.)^[11] In Smallville, Doomsday reappears, forcing Superman to tear him in half, killing him instantly. The badly infected Superman is immediately escorted into quarantine by several heroes (and Luthor). Batman takes a sample of Superman’s blood, which reveals that the virus is literally turning him into a new Doomsday monster. Superman flies away to be in solitude in Alaska (although he is joined by Krypto). Meanwhile, at Steel’s Virginia metahuman prison known as STEEL, Steel purges himself of any lingering Doomsday virus by bathing-in and becoming physically bonded to liquid steel. Recently elected senator Sam Lane warns Steel that Superman is a threat to global security. Days pass and Superman remains incommunicado with the world. Wonder Woman (as Diana Prince) solicits information about the missing Clark from Cat Grant and Lois Lane, revealing to both of them that she is dating Clark. Wonder Woman then meets briefly with Batman, who tells her to check his Metropolis apartment. At the apartment, Wonder Woman confronts Clark, who has already turned partly into a hideous rock-skinned monster with the effrontery to match. Batman arrives, but Wonder Woman sends him away. This spat is between lovers. Wonder Woman yells at Clark and tells him to snap out of it. Clark lets out a primordial scream and the virus dies down, becoming inert, but still remaining deep within his system. The prelude to Batman/Superman #11 tells us that Clark is only able to control himself for a moment before attacking Wonder Woman and Batman. When Clark regains control again, he turns himself into the authorities. Batman, Wonder Woman, and Steel visit the Fortress of Solitude. There, a Doomsday virus-infected Krypto guides Batman and Wonder Woman into the Phantom Zone to find out how Doomsday got out. In the cold tesseract space, our heroes, along with Ghost Soldier, fight Mongul and Kryptonian super-criminal Non. Afterward, Ghost Soldier explains that he has just betrayed his employers, the evil organization known as The Tower, a group that has been trying to kill Superman for some time. The first Kryptonian ever imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, Dr. Xa-Du (The Phantom King), then shows up and explains that the leader of the Tower, the vicious villainess Harrow, used her teleportation powers to enter the Phantom Zone to recruit him in the mission to kill Superman. Xa-Du released Doomsday from a Forbidden Corner, a protective “zone within the zone” for the most dangerous criminals. Once out of the Forbidden Corner, Doomsday easily smashed out of the regular Phantom Zone, causing intense energy rifts that now serve as deadly unstable tears in the reality walls of the space. These tears are amplified by machines placed by Xa-Du. Batman, Wonder Woman, Ghost Soldier, and Krypto chase Non and Xa-Du out of the Phantom Zone and into the Fortress of Solitude where Steel helps the heroes capture the baddies. (Note, as referenced in Batman Vol. 3 #17, that Batman scopes-out and learns about a lot of the Fortress of Solitude’s Kryptonian devices, including healing chambers, during this little adventure in the frozen HQ.) Shortly thereafter, at the former Utah prison that once held Lex Luthor, Luthor, Batman, Cyborg, Ray Palmer, and Shay Veritas (via hologram) study a restrained Superman, who has begun to morph into a new Doomsday. Wonder Woman stands guard outside. Lois Lane arrives, per Superman’s request, and meets with him privately. (If you didn’t know, Lois discovered Superman’s secret ID a few months ago in Superman Vol. 3 #24.) Unknown to everybody, Brainiac has secretly implanted himself within Lois’s mind. (He’s been hiding in there for five years!) Brainiac takes control of Lois long enough to upset Superman, who breaks his binds and flies away angrily to St. Louis. There, the recently reformed Teen Titans (current lineup—Red Robin, Wonder Girl Cassie Sandsmark, Beast Boy, and Raven) are engaged in a losing battle with Detritus. Superman shows up, destroys Detritus, and the flies away. Cyborg tracks Superman from the JLA Space Bunker Satellite (which was recently donated to the team by Luthor).

_______________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<<< Year Six Part 2 <<< | >>> Year Seven Part 2 >>>

1. ^[1]COLLIN COLSHER: It’s likely that Batman/Superman writer Greg Pak added this seventeen-years-old line because he was unfamiliar with writer Paul Levitz’s established Worlds’ Finest lore. This would be typical of poor New 52 collaboration and lack of editorial oversight. Furthermore, the upcoming Batman-less Worlds’ Finest #25 will emphasize that Helena and Karen have been on Earth-0 for five years, but this is also bad editorial oversight since the duo will have been on Earth-0 for six years. Again, this is another instance of writers and editors confusingly leaning on the “five years ago” tag in ways that just don’t make sense. At this juncture on our timeline, Helena and Karen have been on Earth-0 for six years—ever since Darkseid’s attacks on multiple Earths in early 2008.↩
2. ^[2]COLLIN COLSHER: The Bleed is the tesseract space that exists in-between and which separates all the universes in the multiverse and greater omniverse aka multi-multiverse. Marvel Comics refers to the Bleed as “The Superflow.” The terminology is quite menstrual, but what cosmic magick isn’t, right?↩
3. ^[3]COLLIN COLSHER / PURPLEGLOVEZ (TIPTUP JR 94): Here’s the deal with “The Hunt For Robin”/Robin Rises Saga, which starts with Batman and… #29 and runs directly through Batman & Robin Vol. 2 #39. This entire Saga must occur specifically in relationship to the following: before Batman Eternal #46, which specifically references it; before Batgirl switches to her hipster Burnside clothes, placing it prior to Batman Eternal #35; before Bruce moves out of Wayne Manor, also placing it before Batman Eternal #35; before Superman’s departure in Superman: Doomed; “weeks” after Shazam joins the JL in Justice League Vol. 2 #30-34; before Red Hood teams with Batwoman, meaning before Batman Eternal #14-16; before the Iceberg Casino’s destruction in Batman Eternal #6-9; and “less than a year” after Damian’s death, meaning just under one year after Batman Inc Vol. 2 #8. Why is Damian neither mentioned or shown in Batman Eternal (even in spite of the reference to this arc from Batman Eternal #46)? There’s no good reason at all. After Batman Eternal #35, Damian enrolls at Gotham Academy and then departs on an globetrotting adventure, but prior to that—no good reason. Great job, editors!↩
4. ^[4]COLLIN COLSHER / PURPLEGLOVEZ (TIPTUP JR 94) / NICK SMILES: A ton of stuff to talk about here in regard to the Bat-Mite comedy mini-series. Is it canon? Who knows. Why does it go here? First, a pre-“Infinitus Saga” Hawkman is featured, so we know this occurs prior to his appearances in “Superman: Doomed,” Justice League United #3-10, and Justice League United Annual #1. Second, Robin is shown without his shiny post-Robin: Son of Batman #1 cape (all black with a yellow lining and yellow strips on his sides), placing Bat-Mite before Robin: Son of Batman #1, which will commence later this year and cause Damian to be out of Gotham for eight months. Some other notes: Booster Gold appears in this series, referring to himself as the “leader of the Justice League International.” The JLI has been defunct for a long while, so Booster’s mention is likely just his way of boasting about the best position he’s ever had on a superhero team. He also must be time-traveling from an unknown point on the timeline to appear in this series. Also, be aware that while Bat-Mite #1-5 occurs right now, the final issue (#6) mentions and shows the campaigns of several 2016 presidential candidates, including Donald Trump and Jeb Bush. This places the final issue, at the earliest, in mid-June of 2015. This means there is a huge gap between the penultimate and final issues of the series, which actually makes sense narratively.↩
5. ^[5]COLLIN COLSHER: Batman Eternal starts here in Year Seven despite its narrative making several incorrect mentions that imply “five years ago” means “Year One,” which would therefore be “six years ago.” Likewise, the overlapping Detective Comics Vol. 2 “Icarus” arc places “ZERO YEAR” six years ago, which is also 100% totally incorrect. We must be in Year Seven because Detective Comics Vol. 2 #37 tells us we are in 2014.↩
6. ^[6]COLLIN COLSHER / ELPROCORDEL: “Icarus” occurs after Jim Gordon has been jailed and Forbes has been made commissioner (as seen in Batman Eternal #1-4). This couple day gap in Eternal right here and now seems to be the best (and only) place to put this arc. Note, however, that due to the continuity-swallowing beast that is Batman Eternal, several ineluctable continuity errors spawn out of “Icarus” as a result. The biggest one is the fact that Damian is still dead in “Icarus” even though he’d be back alive by this point. If we move both Batman Eternal #1-4 and “Icarus” prior to “The Hunt for Robin” / “Robin Rises” then this problem goes away. However, we can’t do this because there is only a two-day gap between Batman Eternal #4 and Batman Eternal #5, not nearly long enough to hold the lengthy Robin resurrection arc. Once the short gap ends, Batman Eternal continues with unbroken narrative from issue #5 through #20. There’s definitely no spot for it in there. Plus, the nail in the continuity coffin, as already mentioned before, is that Robin’s resurrection must occur at some point prior to Batman Eternal #6 anyway. Basically, Batman Eternal is a colossal mess right out of the starting gate and everything else suffers as a result. Therefore, we must ignore any references to Damian still being deceased in “Icarus,” especially the specific references in Detective Comics Vol. 2 #30.↩
7. ^[7]COLLIN COLSHER: What becomes of Batman Incorporated from this point forward? Well, nothing—at least as far as comic book appearances go. Casey Washington is running what is left of Batman Inc out of a Wayne Industries penthouse in Hong Kong and the Securitus Island compound in Gotham Bay, so where do they go from there? It is safe to assume nowhere fast, especially in light of Batman Inc’s already dubious legal status and failure as a venture. I’ve no doubt that the strategist in Batman laments the loss of something he put so much time and energy into, but he surely now sees that operating out in the open, so exposed to global public scrutiny and global villainy, was not a tenable idea—at least not a very Batman idea. There is a reason Batman and his crew have always kept to the shadows. It is how they operate best. Batman is, and always was, a team guy. But he is also a definitive leader, dare-I-say authoritarian, who doesn’t appreciate being told what to do. Various incarnations of the Justice League are essential to Batman’s war on crime, but with the JL he has always had to operate as a part of a committee, which isn’t to his true liking. The Bat-Family was a team that he could control. Batman Incorporated was a vast and bold military-capitalist explosion and expansion of the Bat-Family concept. But, as said above, when that venture failed, Batman reluctantly severed all ties with the brand while obdurately refusing to let it die completely (out of pure love for the concept—for his baby). So what does the future hold for Batman Inc? I would wager that Casey Washington’s Batman Inc stays functioning for a while longer, months or maybe even a year, but then ultimately goes the way of the dingo, having no legit funding streams and no real legal status. But don’t worry. Batman will basically spend the next two to three years augmenting the Bat-Family to include near Batman Inc levels of membership anyway. See, to the Caped Crusader, Batman Inc is still a solid idea—maybe even the best idea he’s ever had—so he won’t drop it. He will just alter it. That’s what the Dark Knight does best. Adapt. Evolve. Oroboros.↩
8. ^[8]COLLIN COLSHER: As per info gleaned from Batman Eternal #21, there must be a several-months-long gap in-between Batman Eternal #20 and Batman Eternal #21. Why? In Batman Eternal #21 several things are specifically mentioned regarding the extended passage of off-panel time from the previous issue. First, Julia Pennyworth will say that it has been “weeks” since she ensconced herself in Wayne Manor. Likewise, Carmine Falcone will say that he should have been extradited to Hong Kong “weeks ago.” Lastly (and most importantly), Bullock will say that Gordon and Forbes both went to jail within a span of “some months.” The addition of the several-months-long gap makes Julia, Carmine, and Bullock’s statements all valid.↩
9. ^[9]COLLIN COLSHER: Here we go again with another Batgirl continuity error. Batgirl Vol. 4 #33 specifically takes place after James Junior meets with dad in Blackgate in Batman Eternal #13 AND specifically during a period where Penguin, Carmine Falcone, and Jim Gordon are in prison and Jack Forbes has been charged with corruption. However, Batgirl #33 also takes place right after Batgirl Vol. 4 #32, which is a constraining factor. The problem here is that Gail Simone tells us the linked Batgirl Vol. 4 #32-33 occurs roughly TEN DAYS after Batgirl #24, in which Jim Gordon shoots Ricky Gutierrez. This is impossible. Batgirl Vol. 4 #24 is a part of the “Wanted Arc” that is linked to Batgirl Vol. 4 #23, which occurs at the latest NINE MONTHS AGO. This means Batgirl Vol. 4 #32-33 must be at minimum AROUND EIGHT-AND-A-HALF MONTHS after Ricky gets shot—not TEN DAYS.

   BATFAN REBORN: The “ten days ago” comment is ludicrous. That sentence can only be read to fit correctly if we take it to mean that the lawsuit was raised ten days ago. As mentioned before, Marguerite Bennett wrote Batgirl Vol. 4 #30, which moved the Batgirl Vol. 4 timeline ahead by a significant amount of time. I’ve theorized that Simone ignored this time-jump (as she had ignored Guy Fawkes’ time-jumps earlier in the series), thus causing the confusion we see here. If we ignore Bennett’s Batgirl Vol. 4 #30 (and Forever Evil too) then and only then could we conceivably have a ten day period between Batgirl Vol. 4 #24 and Batgirl Vol. 4 #33. In further regard to the “ten day” comment in Batgirl Vol. 4 #33, it’s likely that Simone hoodwinked editor Mark Doyle, sneaking this past the new guy on the job! For one thing, the “Wanted” arc has a tie-in with the Nightwing Annual, which means Dick is indeed months away from his “death” in Forever Evil, a fact acknowledged in Batgirl Vol. 4 #30 by Bennett. (That acknowledgment surely won’t be in the Omnibus.)↩

10. ^[10]COLLIN COLSHER: Dialogue in Superman: Doomed tells us that Brainiac’s last assault on Earth (from Action Comics Vol. 2) was five years ago. It was actually much closer to six years ago.↩
11. ^[11]COLLIN COLSHER: The Superman villain Brainiac (Vril Dox) with whom we are familiar in the New 52 is merely an emanation (unknowingly so) of the real Brainiac, a towering Galactus-esque cosmic being that exists outside of time and space on a sentient planet called Telos (aka “The Blood Moon,” a transformed Arak Red-Hand aka pre-Crisis Son of Thunder). (The über Brainiac is actually the original pre-Crisis Brainiac, who has survived through multiple reboots. He is somehow also able to travel to prior defunct—i.e. erased—timelines, an act that goes beyond mere time-traveling and ventures into navigation through the “metaverse” i.e. the actual fictional history of DC Comics.) This ubiquitous über Brainiac’s main purpose is to travel through the cosmos, collecting artifacts (including whole cities) from timelines shortly before they become extinct or altered due to chronal-spacetime anomalies. From the reader’s perspective, these anomalies are major retcon events like the original Crisis, Zero Hour, or Flashpoint! The über Brainiac has seemingly been collecting since the dawn of creation—watching, waiting, and striking as the DC multiverses shift and reset over and over. Every incarnation of Brainiac (from the New 52 Vril Dox to the 1990s Batman The Animated Series Brainiac to the Silver Age Brainiac from the 1960s) has been a mere emanation of the one true Telos-residing über Brainiac. Think of über Brainiac as the herald for the impending erasure of all superhero universe timelines. Pretty cool concept. It should come as no surprise that this awesome idea came from a pitch Grant Morrison made to Dan DiDio and Jeff King in 2014. Morrison first used the concept in The Multiversity with specific regard to the pre-Flashpoint New Gods. Inspired, King would follow with modified version of the concept (for worse) in Convergence. The ridiculous notion of Brainiac being able to navigate backward through the fictional history of DC Comics is solely a Convergence idea. Yes, in Doomsday Clock, Dr. Manhattan clearly also traverses the fictional metaverse as well, but only to view it up close. His meddling only affects contemporary continuity.↩