Maybe it’s time for Batman to consider going solo again On Wednesday, DC Comics will publish issue No. 8 of “Batman Incorporated.†The comic, written by Grant Morrison, will feature the death of Damian Wayne, the son of Bruce Wayne and the current Robin.
Mr. Morrison took on the assignment of writing Batman in 2006. One of his first achievements was incorporating Damian, who was introduced in a 1987 story, as the love child of Batman and Talia al Ghul, the daughter of one of Batman’s enemies, Ra’s al Ghul. Damian was trained to kill, but Batman tries to mold him into a hero. In a statement at dccomics.com, Mr. Morrison said his theme was about damaged and ruined families and that he had the ending long in mind: “For what son could ever hope to replace a father like Batman, who never diesâ€
Batman’s original partner was Dick Grayson, who was introduced in 1940, but he could stay a ki partner for only so long. Forty-three years later he matured into the hero Nightwing and was replaced by Jason Todd. But Jason proved unpopular. In 1988, DC conducted a survey â€" fans could call in their opinions â€" on whether Jason should survive a bomb blast set by the Joker. Readers voted nay.
In 1989, just one year after Jason’s death, DC introduced Tim Drake, who eventually became Robin. He proved more popular with readers and is currently appearing as Red Robin in the monthly “Teen Titans†series. But have no worries about Jason Todd. Because this is comics and nearly no one stays dead, he was resurrected in 2005. Jason is now the star of “Red Hood and the Outlaws,†a monthly series from DC Comics.
