It's a tale birthed from tragedy. An eight-year-old boy witnesses his parents violently cut down by a mugger, the assailant running off into the night, never to be apprehended. He dedicates his life to a war on all of criminality and vows never to rest.
This is the story of Batman and recently, it may have come to a close.
Writer Grant Morrison (New X-Men, All-Star Superman) has crafted a story that not only spells the end of the caped crusader, but also serves as a legendary tribute through his Batman R.I.P arc.
Two years ago, Morrison began a long and strange trip through the world of Batman, including the heroes and denizens that populate Gotham City. Batman was pulled through the mental wringer as he fought his way through ninja Manbats, insane doppelgangers, and a hideous and frightening version of the clown prince of crime.
Each case reached one conclusion: who is Dr. Simon Hurt and what is the Black Glove?
Every little clue matters in Morrison's run and each factor comes screaming forward in the harrowing conclusion. Fans waited over the course of R.I.P to find out what the final fate of Batman would be and who these strange people were that were ruining his life.
Finally, the final issue has been released and readers are treated to something much different.
Batman's "demise" may be the shortest part of the issue and the revelation of Simon Hurt and the Black Glove is left ambiguous. It turns out this is not a story of how Batman meets his end, but rather of how he lived as a hero.
The true heart of the story lies in the darkness of Arkham Asylum. Morrison gathers the members of the Black Glove - deviants that range from colorfully costumed henchmen to billionaire puppeteers, and the Joker, who early in the run transformed into something sickening, gambling on the fate of Batman. It is here in the Asylum where it appears that Bruce Wayne is losing his mind.
Here Morrison excels as he brilliantly takes the reader into the mind of Batman. This is a man prepared for anything, even a fight against the absolute form of evil.
Morrison takes his noble, mythical Batman and pits him against what may well be Satan. When Batman arrives at Arkham, he confronts the mysterious Dr. Simon Hurt, the perpetrator of the recent events surrounding Batman's life. He runs the Black Glove, a secret organization made up of the richest people in the world who gamble in the struggle between good and evil. Morrison laces Hurt with traits of a classical devil figure.
It is clear that Milton's Satan and Goethe's Mephistopheles have influenced Hurt's characterization. Hurt's goal is simple: he wants "the ultimate ruination of a noble soul."
Evil tries to off Batman, but there is something beyond good and evil that lurks inside of Arkham. What would the story about the end of Batman be without everyone's favorite killer clown?
When it comes to writing the Joker, many take the lazy way out with him. In simpler minds, the Joker is an ordinary clown killer. He cracks a few jokes and kills a few people, never bringing anything new or unique to the character.
An illustration of honor and evil, R.I.P signifies the end of Bruce Wayne as the Caped Crusader. Morrison has shown that Batman can survive anything, even his own death. And let it be known, he will fly again.
