COMICS: Tom King's BATMAN #12 Reveals A Dark New Foundation To The Origin Of The Dark Knight

COMICS: Tom King's BATMAN #12 Reveals A Dark New Foundation To The Origin Of The Dark Knight

The latest issue in Tom King and Mikel Janin's Batman story arc, "I am Suicide", reveals a major new change made to the origin of Batman that dates all the way back to Bruce Wayne's childhood...

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By MattBellissimo - Dec 08, 2016 03:12 AM EST
Filed Under: Comics
Tom King and Mikel Janin's most recent Batman story arc, I Am Suicide, is now four issues deep, and has followed Batman putting together his own Suicide Squad to free the Psycho Pirate from Bane's custody to cure Gotham Girl. While many thought the arc's title referred to this story device, it turns out that King had a much deeper meaning in mind, which he reveals in issue #12.

In a letter to Selina Kyle, who is being transferred to Arkham Asylum after her alleged murder of over 230 people, Bruce reveals a startling new truth: that he attempted suicide as a boy after the death of his parents. It was through this "act of surrender" that Bruce decided to take up his crusade as Batman, declaring in his letter to Selina that "I am Batman. I am Suicide."

What do you think of this new development/retcon to Batman's beginning? Let us know in the comments!



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Scarilian
Scarilian - 12/8/2016, 3:55 AM
What the heck even is this?

For a start, the writing is repetitive and bland. "No one answered", "The blood and the blade warm between them", "Like everyone else". We get it the first time, it isn't good writing, repeating it or repeating it slightly altered, doesn't make it more important or emotionally deep.

The basic core message i feel they were trying to convey is 'Bruce attempted suicide, realised that the entire city felt hopeless similar to when he attempted suicide. He didn't have anyone to help him, and decided to fight crime in order to prevent anyone else feeling hopeless, to be there for them' In terms of a concept its basically saying that we all go to dark places at one point in time and you should try to help

However, the phrasing of this panel implies he's basically decided while in the depths of despair after a choice to end his life, to go around avenging his parents. He swears vengeance, not to help Gotham. Its going from sadness to anger rather than something positive. The suicide angle could work, but its handled awkwardly here and isn't a good role model by saying 'when you feel terrible, remember you always have your anger and desire for vengeance to motivate you'
Jokester
Jokester - 12/8/2016, 7:22 AM
@Scarilian - I think it's more about message that

Even in tragedy you can turn your life into something good.
Even in your most darkest moment you have the power to add good to the world.

Seriously your comments have come across as batching for the sake of bitching.

Like you are bitching about Batman than the actual comic.

Go away troll.

G on read about a weakling that takes Steroids and becomes a super soldier and call himself Captain America.

Because that is a great role model to give right? (Sarcasm)
Space
Space - 12/8/2016, 3:56 AM
It doesn't surprise me that a kid who lost the 2 people he loves the most is gone and feels so depressed that he considers suicide.
Grimfoe
Grimfoe - 12/8/2016, 3:58 AM
This is a terrible take on the character that demonstrates the writer's basic inability to understand why the character has been popular for so long. Again, the writer is sacrificing the character to make him more, "edgy." It's a shame. It's not interesting when you destroy what makes characters great. It's just lazy writing.
spiderman620
spiderman620 - 12/8/2016, 3:58 AM
it makes sense. it was even showcased a little in Gotham when Bruce burns himself intentionally with a candle
Scarilian
Scarilian - 12/8/2016, 4:00 AM
Gotham used that solely to express his desire to push himself beyond human levels, to test how much pain he could withstand. It was not to kill himself
Scarilian
Scarilian - 12/8/2016, 4:01 AM
Admittedly you can take him doing reckless things as potential suicidal tendencies, but i get the feeling that the writers were unaware they were going to do a 'suicide' backstory for him in this comics series.
BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 12/8/2016, 5:11 AM
@spiderman620 - this seems like a perfect place to put my catchphrase.

"Just because it makes sense, doesn't mean it was a good idea to put it in the story"
Jokester
Jokester - 12/8/2016, 7:29 AM
@ALostCause - well why not?
BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 12/9/2016, 5:38 AM
@Jokester - oh I can't decide if I like it or not. I just don't like it when people say "it makes sense" as if that makes it okay.

The real question is, should they have done this to the character?

Idk, batman to me should be stronger than suicide, but it was early in his life, so idk how I feel about it.
BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 12/9/2016, 5:39 AM
Batman killing in bvs kinda makes sense, well to us at least.

The audience was probably pretty put off by it.

But it was a [frick]ing terrible idea regardless.
Jokester
Jokester - 12/9/2016, 12:39 PM
@ALostCause - I'm just asking you why you think its a bad idea?

To me they didn't change anything.

Batman for the last 20 years has always have the implication that Bruce Waynes TRUE Identity is BATMAN not Bruce Wayne.

So Tom King saying that Bruce Wayne in a suicidal moment allowed Bruce Wayne die and Batman rise is nothing new to me.

Batman knows when he first put on the cowl on dedicating his life to be Batman that the only possible ending he can have would be his death.

So King putting this isn't anthing new to me. But people are so surprised by this I don't get it.
Jokester
Jokester - 12/9/2016, 12:41 PM
@ALostCause - Batman killing makes no sense at all to anybody. Because

1) It goes against the whole point of Batman. That he fights against injustice while he himself commits the gravest crime of all killing people while he doesn't face any jail time while he goes out there and catch criminals is stupid.

2) Now there is no excuse for him not to kill the Joker. I mean if its so easy to kill someone and go back to being good then its OK right?

BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 12/10/2016, 5:49 AM
@Jokester - I don't really like the division between Bruce Wayne and batman, I like to think under the growling and brooding there is still Bruce Wayne.

A suicide attempt, even if he was young and depressed, makes his character seem weak. I struggled with depression earlier in life, and one of the things that attracted me to batman was that he DIDN'T commit suicide. His parents died and he decided to be strong and do something about it.

So I don't like it because it takes away one of the aspects that made me like batman in the first place.

But it's not that big of a deal, I usually just disregard creative decisions I don't like in comics because writers get stuck with these ancient characters and have to come up with something new.
Jokester
Jokester - 12/12/2016, 3:22 PM
@ALostCause - that's pretty crazy to me


I never thought that Bruce WAYNE is actually there.

Bruce Wayne is just a mask.

Batman is his true face.

I mean in Batman Year One for example he uses his Bruce Wayne persona to hide him being Batman.

TDKR the same.

I mean even all of his relationships are all about Batman is his true face not Bruce Wayne.

That's why he loves Catwoman so much because she knows the REAL him Batman not Bruce Wayne.

Same with Talia and all of his love interests.

Robin, Barbara, Jim Alfred they all know Batman and not the fake persona of Bruce Wayne.

I think thats why it's not a big deal to me because I know Bruce Wayne died with his parents and Batman was all thats left.
BloodyBed
BloodyBed - 12/12/2016, 3:34 PM
@Jokester - lol i think it's all a front, bruce is still in there!

i get where you are coming from though
TheFox
TheFox - 12/8/2016, 4:02 AM
Yeah, this is why I'm not reading the Tom King run on Batman. His take on the character is extremely exaggerated and superficial, and this little twist on Batman's psychology is just another notch against him.

I'm sticking with Detective Comics. Now THAT is a fun superhero book.

Z
DillonEnnis
DillonEnnis - 12/8/2016, 5:07 AM
@TheFox - Detective Comics have been awesome and a lot of fun. Probably my favorite Batfamily book right now but I've also been loving Batman because he kind of gets lost in all the action and character arcs in Detective Comics.
TexasAvenger
TexasAvenger - 12/8/2016, 5:30 AM
@TheFox - 'Tec is consistently solid. It's always the first issue I read when I get my new comics. King's Batman has been disappointing.
Jokester
Jokester - 12/8/2016, 7:38 AM
@TheFox - I seriously don't know what the "twist" is.

Tom king is doing a great job.

I don't know what is so superficial about his run on Batman.
CaptainElrond
CaptainElrond - 12/8/2016, 4:16 AM
He nearly commited suicide because of martha
KaioKen
KaioKen - 12/8/2016, 4:24 AM
@BillCipher999 - why did you say that name
SuperCat
SuperCat - 12/8/2016, 4:20 AM
ClungeOfSteel
ClungeOfSteel - 12/8/2016, 4:59 AM
@SuperCat - what would this site be without your magnificent gifs?.......................i don't think i want to know
SuperCat
SuperCat - 12/8/2016, 5:55 AM
@MonsieurClunge - Thanks, brother :)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sickness1
Sickness1 - 12/8/2016, 6:04 AM
@SuperCat - is that the big guy that gets made and destroyes games on YouTube
SuperCat
SuperCat - 12/8/2016, 6:12 AM
@Sickness1 - Yeah. Think that's the guy :)
CaptainElrond
CaptainElrond - 12/8/2016, 4:23 AM
I like it, very realistic when you think about it. Sometimes i think he is a little bit too tramuatised sometimes
CaptainElrond
CaptainElrond - 12/8/2016, 4:27 AM
fan theory, all of batman is just the imagination of a ten year old bruce planning to avenge his parents
CaptainElrond
CaptainElrond - 12/8/2016, 4:29 AM
@AbidNub - "lol you stole that stick from an actual blind man"
AbidNaga
AbidNaga - 12/8/2016, 4:29 AM
@MattBellissimo -

https://twitter.com/Kulturpat/status/806829695631261696
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