Evil
Genius Comic Reviews
This week's FOCUS:
Batman's
Dead? Meh.
DC's
gotten a lot of attention with the death of Batman and been
milking the event for all it's worth, but come on…why
should we bat an eyelash? We've been here before.
Think
about the big, news making comic deaths of the past:
1989:
Jason Todd, aka Robin, gets killed by the Joker
1992: Superman dies stopping Doomsday
2007: Red Skull orchestrates the death of Captain America
2009: Batman is killed by Darkseid
Now
think about every other death in comics. Bucky, Barry Allen,
Hal Jordan, Supergirl, Scarlet Witch, Magneto and Professor
X so many times over that you can't count.
Then
what happens?
1993:
Superman returns
1999: Hal Jordan becomes the Spectre
2004: Hal Jordan is reborn
2005: Jason Todd returns as the Red Hood
2005: Bucky Barnes returns as the Winter Soldier
2009: Barry Allen returns
So
why should we care that Batman's been killed? Especially
when DC doesn't even officially kill him, but implies that
he's been sent to the prehistoric past. We'll have someone
take over as Batman for awhile after the Battle for the
Cowl arc concludes and then Bruce Wayne will be brought
back. Steve Rogers, as well.
So
what's the point? Sales, of course. National coverage. Was
it a good story? I don't know. I didn't read Batman's death.
I know it was Darkseid and Batman's death at the hands of
Darkseid doesn't seem very compelling. It's not a final
showdown between Batman and the Joker, that's for sure.
It's
a matter of desensitization. It's been over done. It'll
be done again.
So
the question is…what's the point? That is in DC's court.
Will Batman return like Flash and Green Lantern and Superman?
Return and continue as if nothing happened? Or will he return
like Bucky and Robin? Changed…different. That will
determine whether any of this is worthwhile. That is what
made Bucky's return as the Winter Soldier and Robin's return
as the Red Hood efficacious.
It's
not the death that is of interest, but the return…and
until Bruce Wayne returns, I say, "Meh…"
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