The Arts

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

DC Comics' caped crusader meets his demise

By: Staff Writer

28/11/2008 12:00 AM | Comments: 0

OTTAWA -- After 70 years of fighting crime in Gotham City, Bruce Wayne's run as Batman has come to an end.

DC Comics released issue No. 681 of the comic Batman on Wednesday, entitled Batman R.I.P.

It marks "the end of Bruce Wayne as Batman," Grant Morrison told comic book news website Comic Book Resources. "What I am doing is a fate worse than death, things that no one would expect to happen to these guys at all."

In the book, Batman appears to die in a fiery helicopter crash. The Dark Knight was trying to stop an enemy called the Black Glove who had stormed Wayne Manor and destroyed the Bat Cave.

The comic is action-packed, with Batman fighting through an army of enemies while trying to stop the Black Glove.

After the explosion, in one of the comic's final panels, one of Batman's sidekicks, Nightwing, is seen standing on a rooftop holding Batman's cape and cowl in his clenched fist.

Speculation had been running rampant prior to Wednesday's release of the comic about whether he would be killed or whether he would retire as the caped crusader.

Rumour-mongers were also speculating about whether another character from the Batman mythos, such as Robin, will take over the Batman mantle.

Killing off superheroes has become a popular practice among comic-book companies.

Marvel Comics wrote a storyline in 2007 that ended with Steve Rogers, a.k.a Captain America, being shot and killed by an assassin. Captain America's sidekick, Bucky, has since taken over as the hero. The storyline involving Rogers' death saw sales of Captain America related comics soar.

Wayne made his first appearance as the Dark Knight in issue No. 27 of Detective Comics in 1939. The character was created by comic-book artist Bob Kane.

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 28, 2008 D2

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