Exclusive Preview: BATMAN #43

BATMAN #43

(W) Scott Snyder (A) Greg Capullo, Danny Miki (CA) Greg Capullo

In the start of a new epic, a new villain stalks Gotham City. Will Batman be able to uncover the mystery of Mr. Bloom?

Item Code: JUN150239In Shops: 8/12/2015SRP: $3.99

First! Also this looks pretty awesome!

I am now even more interested to see where Scott and Greg are taking this story.

Haha, Mr. Kent

I have really really loved their run so far (edit:didn't really like the whole death in the family/death of the family bit). The scope has been huge and I'm particularly enjoying Gordon being Batman. it's refreshingly out there

Looks fantastic. I continue to be intrigued on where this series goes next.

cant wait for this issue..

My interest has been reignited.

Bruce most have lost his memories or something.

@ht101: Me too

@nightfang: They have finally written a Bruce Wayne that surveys the wreckage of his battles as Batman. The result would drive anyone into retirement, for a while.

No matter what I expect, Snyder takes a turn. AND I LOVE IT!!! I have no idea where he's going.

And a nitpick, how can Clark use his vision? He's powerless.

Bruce Kinda lost his memory after his Battle With The Joker.

@superior_prime_maybe: Not completely. Just not as powerful as he usually is.

Who knew Slenderman liked flowers?

still cant get into bunny ear mech batman...

da fug is going on?

Like I said when this arc started, In Snyder I trust!!! He's taking some real chances with the character and it's generating some very interesting stories. I mean Court of Owls took away Bruce's perceptions of Gotham, Death of The Family took away his help, and Endgame took his alter ego. Bruce seems to be stripped down to the basics and after that last battle with The Joker, you can't really blame him. Snyder's stuff is the best I've read since Morrison. Yes, I liked Morrisons run.

I thought his powers were coming in and out.

Have you read it? It really works in panel-to-panel action.

Interesting. I'm glad that Bruce is still alive, it provides a good opportunity to explore the character before he inevitably returns to the cowl. Same feelings as when thor was "replaced", unworthy thor was an interesting read

Ok, i'm hype....again....freakin snyder

In the last last Superman issue, that is telling the prelude to 'Justice' storyline, someone did something will Clark was going super nova and sort of absorbed it, I think. His powers went away after that. Leaving him with just slightly strong. Kind of like when he was starting out as Superman in Action Comics New52 relaunch.

@gotham331: Completely agree except for the Morrison part. Great breakdown with how Snyder has handled Bruce. In Snyder we trust.

Interest rising.

@sprior93:

Spoilers:

@jewishdork: Morrison's run brought me back to comics. I loved how he took 70 years of stories and made them all relevant. That's not an easy task to do. I loved The Black Glove story and Batman R.I.P. He took Bruce Wayne and really tore him apart psychologically. I don't recall a story that's done that with the depth that Morrison did. It was a great read. Return of Bruce Wayne fell a bit flat towards the end, but His work on Batman and Robin (Grayson and Damian) was exceptional

Btw the cover is so creepy

Always a great read with Snyder and Capullo. I wish and hope they stay on this book another four years.

I so need to catch up on Batman. Kinda spoiled myself on Bruce with this preview, but now I'm more eager to catch up.

You all sure that ain't Lincoln March masquerading as Bruce Wayne?

I think this "Mr. Bloom" guy is the Joker himself. Just look at his slender body and his greenish-purplish flower on his mask, just like his trademark acid flower.

@gotham331: I'm glad that Morrison's stuff brought you back into comics and you have enjoyed his Batman stories. Thanks for your take on it but for my personal tastes, it was just not for me.

OH man I can't wait for this issue. That can't be bruce if he is talking like that.

It's remind me also when Tony Stark refused to be Iron Man in Denny o'Neil's run even when Jim Rhodes insisted t give the armor back to him...

Snyder you make me want for more!!!

You are not Batman, James Gordon. I wish we could see the actual Batman fight this new villain instead of him working at a store. I haven't read any of this new arc but I don't like the idea of Bruce giving up Batman for a normal life. He should be obsessed. There shouldn't be a real Bruce Wayne who is independent of Batman, there should just be Batman.

Holy shit... that last page just made me think: because Clark has/had super speed and the ability of flight did he ever actually learn how to drive? Because if so why is Alfred driving? I mean... we still don't know if he got his had back or not... Can superman be stopped by the powers of the DMV?
I mean sure he's piloted JL craft before and the batcycle (now the supercycle)... but can he drive a car?
O.o

@jayc1324: "Just be Batman" is what Morrisons version of Zur-En-Arrh was, a psychotic mess that had very little of Batman's humanity in him. Morrison and Snyder (to a lesser extent) have shown that Batman isn't JUST Batman, he's an amalgamation of two personas. His Batman persona gives him the control he feels he needs to fight crime in Gotham and Bruce Wayne persona gives him his humanity to never stray from the proper course of the mission. One cannot exist without the other.

So no, him "just being Batman" would be a bad thing for him. Besides, we've gotten ride of loner, asshole, psychotic, late TAS inspired Batman from the early 2000s a long time ago. Bringing him back will never, ever be necessary again.

@jewishdork: a lot of people didn't care for Morrisons run. I get it. Sometimes his stories and be long and extremely complex. I had to read other articles while reading his return of bruce Wayne story to make sure I totally understood everything that was going on. But they do have great depth to them IMO.

@ekrolo2: Being just batman is actually not a bad thing. He gave up being bruce wayne entirely during the "Fugitive" storyline. Bruce Wayne is just a mask. A lie. There is no real Bruce Wayne, just batman. Bruce Wayne is an act, he pretends to be a drunk, irresponsible playboy. Him actually havintba life outside of batman just doesn't fit

So what ever healed his body after end game probably healed his mental scars,either in the from of amnesia or lessing the pain and guilt of his parents death.

@jayc1324: and yet he HAS had a life outside of Batman before. Catwoman and Talia al Ghul were never his only love interests. He's had characters like Vicki Vale and Julie Madison hanging there as reminders of what a life outside of the cape and cowl would be like. The whole point of this arc is to showcase just how much that final fight with Joker impacted Bruce—so much so that it's caused him to give up Batman (at least temporarily) and actually pursue that life he thought he could never have. It's an interesting and bold choice to go with the character and I applaud Snyder for taking the chance.

@zeeguy91: having a girlfriend doesn't really mean he has a life outside of Batman. He would choose batman over those women anyday. In fact, he had Alfred reject Julie Madison because he was out being batman. Batman's one true love is Gotham city.

I don't see why fighting joker for the hundredth time should affect batman.

I don't want to read about shopkeeper Bruce, or whatever he's doing.

@jayc1324: you're still missing the point. And it's not just "having a girlfriend." He was never really able to connect with them because of Batman. Now, because of the Endgame fallout, he's started to take account of his life and consider if it's really worth it.

And the whole point is that this wasn't just some fight with the Joker. This time, Joker got into his head to such an extent, messed with his mind so severely that it left an impact. Think about it. This time, not only did the Joker reveal that he knows Bruce's identity, he also:

Fooled Bruce into thinking that he was (or maybe even revealed that he actually is) an immortal who has been in Gotham for centuries; AND

Masqueraded as an ally of the Batman for well over a year, without Bruce ever suspecting that it was really him

After a fight like that: (1) it's obvious that no fight between Batman and Joker is ever going to be the same and (2) there is reason for pause and wonder if being Batman is really worth it if the scum you fight can get to you like that.

It's a perfectly logical evolution for the character to take. Just because you don't wanna read about "shopkeeper Bruce" doesn't make this a bad direction to take.

@zeeguy91: Not at all missing the point. You said it yourself, he can't focus on them because he's batman. Because he's always batman, even when he's Bruce Wayne.

Joker knew Batman's identity since Death of the Family. He's gotten in his head before. Other villains knew his identity before and it never bothered him. All that happened was batman wasn't sure if he was immortal or not. Then he found out that he wasn't. Doesn't seem like such a big deal. Yeah pretending to be an Arkham worker was an issue but that shouldn't make batman quit.

Joker isn't scum, he is Batman's greatest villain.

Its not logical at all. Having the Batman be a shopkeeper is not logical. Having a man who rejects everyone including his own family to be batman become a shopkeeper isn't logical. Batman giving up isn't logical.

@jayc1324: no. You're still missing the point.

1) the ENTIRE point is now he is choosing to put someone other than Batman first in his life.

2) those other villains weren't the Joker. Batman doesn't hate any other villain as much as he hates Joker.

3) even during death of the family, it was never confirmed that Joker knew who Beuce was. In fact, Bruce was pretty adamant (falsely so apparently) that Joker never got into the Batcave.

4) I'm sure that Bruce doesn't see Joker as "his greatest villain." He sees sim as scum of the earth who needs to be taken down

5) yes it is logical because this is a story about Batman being driven to the point where he would consider giving up.

6) nobody is forcing you to read this, but don't pretend that your choice has anything to do with what is and isn't logical. What your choice is based on is fanboyish stubbornness and inability to accept something different. Just because you're used to a specific status quo doesn't mean that everything that differs from it should be regarded with suspicion. If you haven't read any of this arc, then you're not In a position to judge. It's that simple. If you want to judge something, read it first. Until you read it, I'm sorry but your opinion on it holds no weight.

@zeeguy91: *says I'm missing the point*

*just now introduces his real point*

Why didn't you say that the first time? And still, batman putting someone else first is silly..

Bruce was being his usual stubborn self.

Who else would he see as his greatest villain. When joker shows up, batman takes him seriously and know how dangerous he is. Yet he pretty much stomps all of his other villains. Joker brought Batman to his knees this time around though and he kidnapped Batman's entire family before. What other villain has done that?

Batman giving up is not logical.

No ones pretending anything. You call it fanboyish stubbornness, I call it simply wanting to read a batman book, not a book about a shopkeeper.

I don't care if my opinion holds weight with you. I know what this story is about and that's enough for me.

@jayc1324: 1) I don't think its silly. Just because you think its something (without reading it, might I add) doesn't mean thats what it is.

2) But you could see how someone who is so adamant and stubborn about something (most things) would not react well when they are shown to be so wrong and in such a abruptly dangerous and world-shattering way, right?

3) Let me clarify: if you were a cop, would you call the perps you bring in on a regular basis your "villains" and respect them for their acts of villainy to the point you'd call them "great"?? I'd hope not. Batman doesn't respect Joker to the point where he'd think of him as a "great villain." Nobody in Batman's position would. We think of Joker like that because we know he and his acts are all fictional. But anybody in the DCU just thinks of him as a psychopath serial killer who he needs to stopped.

4) Based on what? The fact that you won't accept it? Like I said, this story is all about examining what it would take to make Bruce give up Batman.

5) What do you think is happening in the book? We read about Bruce paying bills???? If you read the book, you'd know its still a book about a Batman taking down villains in the streets of Gotham. Bruce just isn't the one under the cowl. Its basically the same as when Dick was Batman.

@zeeguy91: That's your opinion if its silly or not. In context of every other batman story since the 70s is it ridiculous for batman to give up.

Batman has been wrong countless times before.

I meant it as in his biggest villain, the biggest threat.

This story is about Gordon not batman. Gordon isn't batman, Dick isn't Batman.

How in the world does Jim Gordon have the where with all to find Bruce Wayne to help him become a better "Batman" and not realize that Bruce has been Batman for many years?

@jayc1324: the fact that it is a new direction doesn't make it "ridiculous." Some people would think it ridiculous that Batman would become a drug addict, given that he's been established as a complete teetotaler, but that's exactly what he did in the "Venom" storyline. And that story is hailed as one of the best Batman stories ever. The fact that its a direction that hasn't been well-tread is actually part of what makes it refreshing.

Not necessarily quite to the extent that he was wrong this time.

As I recall, Dick was actually quite popular as Batman. Just because its not Bruce does not mean its not Batman. Batman is an identity. The things that make Bruce Batman are things that are internal to him. They aren't tied to the black cape and cowl. Bruce would be the same obsessed, vengeful, and insanely driven character even if he had created a completely different identity.