DC Reveals Gatefold Cover to BATMAN#19 - Who Is Bruce Wayne's Greatest Enemy?

I've always considered Bruce Wayne's greatest enemy to be Batman. Batman became the dominate personality and made Bruce the fake, the mask Batman wears. Batman doesn't allow Bruce to keep friends and have relationships outside Batman's life. Everyone in Bruce's life is related to the mission of Batman in one form or the other, or eventually becomes that way. All his real relationships are Batman's. Bruce's are mostly faked and part of the "act" that is Bruce Wayne. All of Bruce's activities secretly serve Batman's. Bruce Wayne died in Crime Ally with his parents. Batman skinned Bruce's corpse and wears it as a disguise sometimes.

WTF certified indeed. I'm pretty intrigued to see how this plays out next month. The best double cover so far has to be for Earth 2, I really didn't see that character coming. The Dial H and Stormwatch covers were also shocking to say the least. I don't like the Red Hood and The Outlaws or Batwing covers at all, as they seem to hint at more unnecessary negativity in the bat series. It's sad that Batwing, Static, and Cyborg were DC's best shot at introducing a high profile black character, and in all three cases they sabotaged the characters into failure.

Certainly is an eye opener there! Sure wasn't expecting that, I tell you what...

@RayeGunn said:

I haven't read the other comments yet, so someone may have said this already,but my guess is that 'Bruce' here is actually Clayface.

This makes more sense to me than Hush when I look at the cover for issue 20.

But people make good cases for several possibilities; I'm not in a hurry to figure it out ahead of time.

Probably just a dream sequence. Scott Snyder has already stated that the next two issues are an homage to the animated series. In the episode "Over the Edge" Batgirl has a nightmare that she died in the line of duty, and Commissioner Gordon hunted Batman down 'til the ends of the Earth. Best episode for sure. It wasn't revealed it was a dream until the very end, and I could imagine Snyder doing this so he doesn't leave any sort of huge hanging plot threads for his year long Zero Year arc where we (most likely) won't see any developments on what's going on in the present.

Here's the first part (rest of the episode on the uploader's channel):

@VaizD said:

I'm thinking it might really be Hush. First of all, it says BRUCE WAYNE'S greatest enemy, not Batman's, and as far as enemies of Bruce Wayne go, Hush is pretty much the worst. Also, remember that issue 20's cover depicts Batman having a fist fight with Bruce (or someone who looks like him). So Hush or not, I'm 90% sure that's not Bruce on the cover holding the gun.

My thoughts exactly

I haven't read the other comments yet, so someone may have said this already,but my guess is that 'Bruce' here is actually Clayface.

@SmoothJammin said:

@DonFelipe said:

First Damian, now Gordon... Snyder kills the Batman Universe!

I'll let you think about what you typed for a minute.

Oh my, dunno how I could come up with this but I am sober now! My apologies to Morrison and Snyder for confusing them. The last Batman issues I had read before were Batman & Robin and Batman. Tragic!

Well colour me curious. Snyder does have something up his sleeves after all. Maybe Jim has linked Robin's death to Damian or something like that. Not too much of a spoiler fortunately since there's some context needed as to why Bruce would point a gun at Jim Gordon. Can't wait for this issue!

Bruce has finally gone loco.........

@LarryDavis: that would be great, but then issue 21 would start Year Zero, and that would mean just a short story for Hush. I'm pretty sure he deserves much more than just three issues or so :P

@Saranth: this seems very possible... would be kinda lame though, not so WTF-worthy... at least in my opinion.

EDIT: Scratch that thought. This might be Hush seeing as the cover for issue 20 is Batman punching "Bruce". The Bruce seen in the cover might be Hush...

@DonFelipe said:

First Damian, now Gordon... Snyder kills the Batman Universe!

I'll let you think about what you typed for a minute.

Is this part of Zero Year? If it is, that would make sense...

First Damian, now Gordon... Snyder kills the Batman Universe!

I was thinking Joker or Talia, but now...huh.

This just got even more interesting

@impossibilly said:

I've never seen Jim Gordon and Joe Chill in the same place at the same time now that I think about it.

Please say you're joking.

WTF?!

Why are people making up that it's Hush or Wrath? it's CLAYFACE they said it was a Clayface story for the next few issues. Sheesh people need to read.

nice! im intruiged!

I'm getting burnt out on the "duhn-duhn-DUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHN" games.

THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING EVAR!!!!!!!!!

until the following issue, when it becomes

NOPE, SORRY, JUST KIDDING, THIS IS REALLY THE BIGGEST THING EVAR!!!!!!!!!!

until the issue after that, when it becomes

HA, HA, GOT YOU, NO REALLY, THIS IS THE ISSUE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean, I know there's a certain amount of that to be expected in comics, but when EVERYTHING is OMG SO EPPPIIIIIIICCCCCC then nothing is.

i know exactly who that is its... *dies under mysterious circumstances*

First of all batman holding a gun doesn't feel quite right, and the question comes up what would he have against Gordon? I think that isn't really Bruce but someone acting to be him to get close to Gordon. Wrath anyone?

He does have a vendetta against Gordon, he's a batman look alike it makes sense, the thing that throws this theory off though is that the shadow has finned gloves, Wrath or at least this old image of him does not. Anyway just have to wait and see.

Aw, they're just messing with us. It'll be good though. It's a good book.

I'm thinking it might really be Hush. First of all, it says BRUCE WAYNE'S greatest enemy, not Batman's, and as far as enemies of Bruce Wayne go, Hush is pretty much the worst. Also, remember that issue 20's cover depicts Batman having a fist fight with Bruce (or someone who looks like him). So Hush or not, I'm 90% sure that's not Bruce on the cover holding the gun.

Oh no! D:

@Fantasgasmic: The point of Hush is that he wanted Bruce's face....

Bruce Wayne using a gun? Seriously?

@Stormbox: Oh yeah, my bad. It's Dial H, not HfH.

Well this is a pretty big twist.

What??? you blew my mind snyder yet again

@End_Boss said:

@Avenging-X-Bolt: Many other covers have been posted on DC's site, including Batwing and Heroes for Hire.

EDIT: Earth-2 was the one I couldn't remember. There might be others, but those were the only ones I cared about.

Dc bought heroes for hire from marvel???

Lol, jk

@TeamUnitedNerds said:

@LarryDavis said:

It's Hush.

Oh god I hope so

I doubt that's actually Hush, Bruce pulled a gun on Jim before. But it would be a great way to bring Hush into the new 52

Wow crazy!!!

Batmans Greatest Enemy is himself and his past.

@doordoor123 said:

It makes sense. As a vigilante, Batman should consider Gordon as one of his greatest enemies. I wonder if this story is going to reignite that. And maybe this is why Batman will be fighting Batgirl in future solicitations.

that makes sense

How many greatest enemies can one man have? =/

Behold Batman's greatest enemy!

Hence the 'WTF Certified' thing they were throwing around before people started getting shirty about it. I think all of the gatefold voers are going to confuse the hell out of people...

@tomchu said:

Batman #18's cover had my curiosity, but now it has my attention.

No like this!

@TeamUnitedNerds said:

@LarryDavis said:

It's Hush.

Oh god I hope so

I hope not, Hush was more interesting before the whole "now I have Bruce's face" nonsense. My money's on Clayface.

You just don't eat the last hot wing and drink the last beer Mr Gordon ....now leave ...and you'd better hope Pennyworth's got more

i would like to note that is Bruce Wayne that appears to hold the gun so maybe its Jim Gordon vs Bruce Wayne than Jim Gordon vs Batman.

@End_Boss said:

@Avenging-X-Bolt: I agree, it's not much of a reveal if we can't tell who's under it all. Although, based on the structure of the mask, I have a hunch...

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

EDIT: Obviously not that one in particular. Image is just for reference.

well at least we know that

Worst cop-out ever.

@cyberchop979: LOL

Batman #18's cover had my curiosity, but now it has my attention.

My reaction...

xD

@Avenging-X-Bolt: I agree, it's not much of a reveal if we can't tell who's under it all. Although, based on the structure of the mask, I have a hunch...

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

EDIT: Obviously not that one in particular. Image is just for reference.