September marks the beginning of a new era in the DC Universe. DC has made it clear that it's not a reboot. We've seen some solicits that acknowledge past events still exist in continuity such as Dick Grayson spending time as Batman. Seeing slight differences in character designs have raised speculation among readers and many find it hard to believe this is not a reboot.
As Flashpoint continues to unfold, it's becoming evident that there will indeed be a connection between the end of Flashpoint and the beginning of the "New 52" titles in September. We're seeing a new world of characters during this event and with all the work of fleshing out the characters, it's hard to believe that all that creativity will be swept under the rug and forgotten.
If there is a strong connection between the world of Flashpoint and what the DC Universe will become in September, what are the chances of Flashpoint characters surviving the transition? If Barry Allen and Booster Gold are able to exist in the Flashpoint world, what are the chances for a character like the Flashpoint version of Batman making it over in over into the regular DC Universe?
== TEASER ==Let the warning go out that may be some minor spoilers about the current issues of the Flashpoint comics.
In The World of Flashpoint #2, there is a conversation between Madame Xanadu and Traci Thirteen. What is curious about this is when Madame Xanadu mentions another world. This gives the impression that this Traci Thirteen could have a role in the DC Universe that will exist after September. Who else will have a role?
There was also the reveal of the the Resistance in Flashpoint #3. There was a certain Wildstorm character that appeared. We know Grifter is getting his own series in September and this will establish him in the proper DC Universe rather than the separate Wildstorm Universe.
What we will most likely experience at the end of Flashpoint is some sort of event that will cause the Flashpoint universe to revert back to the normal DC Universe except some things will be different. This is be something like the Superboy Prime punch we experienced before that will change some continuity and cause minor changes moving forward.
If this is a way for Grifter, Voodoo and others to make it into the DC Universe, what's to prevent a Flashpoint character like this world's version of Batman to come over as well?
If you've been reading Flashpoint or Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance, you know that Batman is Thomas Wayne. How crazy would it be to have Thomas Wayne alive in the DC Universe? This might feel like too much of a stretch since the minor changes that seem evident aren't completely changing characters' histories and origins.
I'll admit having Thomas alive could be too much for Bat-fans to accept. If he was alive, that would change Bruce's motivation to become Batman. This would rewrite everything there is about who Batman/Bruce Wayne is.
But what if Thomas has been alive all this time? We've seen seeds of the idea from Grant Morrison and Doctor Hurt (who we know is not Thomas Wayne). Reading Flashpoint and Thomas' interaction with Barry Allen, you get the impression that he is working with Barry for one reason, to ensure his son, Bruce, lives.
Depending on how any time ripple effects changes things, I could see Thomas surviving Flashpoint and literally living in the shadows. It could be that the point he is aware that he's in a different world, it would be too late to reunite with his son. If he sees everything that Bruce has accomplished as Batman, he could be content to sit back and admire what his son has become.
Whenever 'history' is rewritten, there's usually some event that causes the person in hiding to come out. There could be a reason for Thomas to suddenly reveal himself to Batman, whether it's himself or in another costumed guise, that's just minor details. If we wanted to get even more cliché, when Thomas makes his crossover journey, maybe he lost some of his memory as Barry was starting to forget his world when trying to regain his speed powers.
Flashpoint Batman is a cool character but the reality is, he wouldn't fit into the regular DC Universe. So far we've seen the solicits for the first two issues of the Batman-Family books. There hasn't been any sign of Thomas still being alive but there's always the chance he could pop up later. If we can see characters like Grifter suddenly be part of the DC Universe and Superboy's origin getting some tweaks, why wouldn't it be possible for a character that existed in the Flashpoint world to suddenly appear as well?
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