Have you seen this??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7753966.stm

Comic Batman reaches end of road

Bruce Wayne has fought crime in the comics since 1939
Warning: If you do not want to know about the plot of Batman RIP, stop reading now.


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Batman's alter ego Bruce Wayne has apparently been killed off in the latest issue of the superhero comic.

Scottish writer Grant Morrison revealed earlier this year that Wayne would either retire or be killed in a clash with crime syndicate Black Glove.

The story - Batman RIP - sees Batman shot by villain Simon Hurt, who claims to be Wayne's father Dr Thomas Wayne.

Morrison told BBC News there would be "a lot more twists and turns to come" before the story was finally resolved.

'Definitive story'

"It's great that it stirs up such passion," he said.

"Nobody loves Bruce Wayne more than me, and I hope everybody understands that this is part of the great ongoing adventure of Batman."

The caped crusader first appeared in comics in 1939, and has spawned a 1960s TV series and a host of films.

The "death" of Wayne's father - shot alongside his mother by a robber when he was a boy - was the catalyst for the young industrialist to become the vigilante crime fighter Batman.

In the final scene, Hurt tries to escape in a helicopter after shooting Batman.

But the wounded superhero throws himself at the helicopter, causing it to crash. The comic story ends without a frame showing Wayne's body, however.
Bruce Wayne has fought crime in the comics since 1939

Morrison, from Glasgow, told BBC News on Friday that the next two issues of the Batman comic would see a "summing up" of the superhero's career before "the absolute, final fate" of Bruce Wayne was revealed in a sister publication, Final Crisis, in January.

"It's the end of a story that goes back to 2005, a story to tell the definitive story of Batman," he explained.

"We wanted to see what would happen if the most evil, richest people in the world decided they didn't like Batman, and decided to take him apart piece by piece and destroy him.

"And then have Batman come back, and we could see why he's so great," added Morrison.

The storyline included clues which dated back to Batman comics from 40 years ago, he added.

Wayne may be dead, but publisher DC Comics shows no sign of bringing to an end the Batman franchise.

Frontrunners to take over as Batman include Tim Drake, who has been Robin since 1991, and Dick Grayson - the original Boy Wonder - who now protects Gotham City as Nightwing.

It is not the first time a superhero has met an unfortunate end in the comic world.

Last year, Captain America was killed after being shot by a sniper in New York.

*waits for T-bat to chime in*

this is going to be good. someone save this thread after T-bat cries his eyes out and gives his hands carpultunnel after all the words hes about to type.

is anyone else as pumped as me for the dark knight to come out ??

Already have a reserved copy at F.Y.E.!!!

There wont be alot of words to type. The comics have long history of killing off characters and then bringing them back. Bat man has been turned into vampire and was killed by Alfred to end his suffering.

Frank Miller immortalized the stout 55 year old Batman as man who's life degenerated into nothing but the costume in the famed "The Dark Knight Returns" at the end of which he staged his own death in order to train and inspire a whole host of former gang members who would follow in his footsteps.

Batman has been an iconic comic stalwart for my entire life. As many who enjoy the many versions of the Caped Crusader we have seen over the years, it is inevitable that someday another hero will don the cape and cowl of this masked hero.
I truly enjoyed the animated series of "Batman Beyond" but the comics have had both Dick Grayson and Jean Paul Valley take up the mantle of the Bat in the absence of Bruce Wayne. Unlike Superman, Batman has always had the human quality that so many other heroes lack. If they do permanently lay Bruce Wayne to rest then he has already achieved legend status and his successor has a big cape to fill.

Hmm...well, that was rather anti-climactic.

Yeah but Bruce Wayne is/was the best just because of his history and what motivated him to do what he does. I guess Grayson can be batman, but it's not the dark, vengeful kind of character Wayne was.

Actually Grayson as NightWing is a pretty hard hitter...certainly not driven by exactly the same motives at first but later learning that his parents hi-wire death was no accident (in the comics)...add to this that his relationship with Bruce ended on hard terms and since taking on his own persona of Nightwing has been constantly trying to prove to "the old man" that he has the goods to stand on his own.

This was one of the reasons I enjoyed "Batman Beyond" so much. Terry McGinnis was as driven as they come and bitter over the loss of his father and the fact that he never made peace with him...ad to that his brash and cocky youth streak and it made for pretty entertaining witty dialogue. Of course with still having an aged Bruce Wayne as a mentor and teacher but creative writers can find ways to fill those voids.

This is the huge benefit that the comics genre has at their disposal. They can kill off characters or alter their story line and then guage public reaction (look at how many times they have screwed around with Superman)...its great way to feel story lines out before they move farther up the "development ladder"