I hadn’t read it, but I understand why you might not like it. It’s a stupid premise to fight for the Batman mantle.
I have read Batmen at War arc in Future state: Gotham. A fairly similar premise and that one was pretty awful.
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I haven’t read it but I have been meaning to just got finished reading all the books leading to batmans death and batman’s death in finale crises the one after that if whatever happened to the caped crusader but I read it twice already so next up is battle for the cowl its not well liked though skip it is what many say
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I liked the one in the og supersons by bob hanney where dick and jr fight for it
it was funny but anyway its bruce’s fault for not naming an air
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that was funny and cute I think the kid will make a good writer 
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I think this one is really funny
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oh ive seen that! I love it!
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When I finished I am Batman a few months back, I’ll admit I was very annoyed by the last volume and hated the John Ridley’s Batman after that. Honestly thinking where Jace might show up in Dawn of DC because I don’t know if he’s worth it anymore.
It’s honestly kind of shame, because The Next Batman did have a really strong start in the beginning.
What makes Future State Batman So Great
Future State Next Batman three issues honestly was a good title when it began. Taking place in a Gotham six years after Batman was supposedly dead and his allies were gone and scattered. It follows a member of the Fox Family as they begin using the Batman mantle to begin fighting crime and the militarized police force of the magistrate.
The most significant improvement this series had compared to the other Gotham Future State stories were how this series handled the antagonist Magistrate and the futuristic Gotham setting. Unlike the other books which hyper-stylized the antagonist and the Gotham heroes with cyberpunk gimmicks. This one grounded them and the Batman in a world where the peacemakers are less cartoonish bad guys and more private cops with high-quality weaponry and tech. It’s a feasible setting, that tackles the dangers of a over militarized police state impending civil liberties.
The Batman here is fighting against his enemies with low-grade tech and using guerilla tactics to solve crimes and save lives. He has burner phones, Shuriken Batarangs, and EMPs. Everything he can to throw at the Magistrate that deters them and their tech.
It’s a surprisingly dark story, involving a killer who groomed a child and Batman having to turn in the parents who killed him to the police. It doesn’t end hopelessly but you could tell this Batman is not concerned with stopping the magistrate by overthrowing them, but just saving lives in Gotham.
The New Batman of Future State
I guess I been beating around the bush for a while. Let’s talk about Batman.
There were those who had problems with a black Batman being pitched around. Some arguing against the use of a replacement Batman, and those toxic individuals who became annoyed at the idea alone of a Black man as Batman.
I personally didn’t mind a Black Batman. The Next Batman could had been anybody and people still would have been mad. people hate anything new and don’t like any changes to the status quo.
Either Successors like Wally West. Mantle bearer by birthright like Johnathan Kent. And those by happenstance who earned it like Kyle Rayner. People will always get mad about them all in some degree.
Now what I found interesting about Next Batman is that John Ridley purposely mislead you on who is this Black Batman by having Luke Fox be the first character you seen on screen with the next Batman monologue near him.
However this is all misdirection as the actual Batman was actually the forgotten Tim Fox character from the 70s who is now the the estranged member the Fox Family who goes by Jace now.
Now again this isn’t a terrible idea for a Batman as Jace under Ridley’s writing is certainly fascinating. Jace is trying to make up for his short comings as Batman by working off the grid and his attempts to make up his mistakes by helping others. His family life is different from what you expect from other Batman books regarding Bat family. The Fox family is together yet not really happy. And it’s Jace fault. This unknown mistake he did inform his more altruistic and social justice vigilantism. Helping the people of Gotham even when his efforts are slow and getting harder day by day in the gotham police state.
This is why Jace works so well in Future state. His goals and aspirations align with taking out a corrupt state like the Magistrate and his goal to reconcile with his family who are involved in this new Gotham all click so well here. This is what got me interested in the character as a fascination but not necessary as a hero I like. This volume has more good things than bad in it and to keep me interested. Plus he’s got a amazing Batsuit that’s easily the most eye-catching thing about him.
The Problem With The Next Batman
That being said their are negatives I want to highlight both on a conceptual level and on a basic level. The misdirection of Luke to Jace, that was pretty stupid. Everyone knew that Jace was Batman long before the second issue came out when DC comics just decided to release the information early for news sites. So why the misdirection?
Luke Fox would certainly fit the criteria of a Black Batman. Besides being a established black superhero in Gotham whose worked alongside Batman long enough to understand how he operates. Batwing would also share a aesthetic with another tech superhero who protects a Cyberpunk Gotham in the future with Batman Beyond Terry McGinnis.
It was rumored that Luke Fox was going to be Batman in the canceled 5G project and whether it was writer John Ridley or his editor John Abernathy, they decided to bring back the Tim Fox character as Batman in the modified Future State instead. I wouldn’t call this the best decision as while this wouldn’t be a problem if this was a stand-alone series. The fact is Jace Batman, a newcomer wears the most important symbol in the whole world and he needs to be part of Gotham where the rest of the Bat-family are here and especially Bruce Wayne are involved. How is Jace, low-level hero supposed to catch-up with the far more powerful and skilled heroes of Gotham to stop the magistrate. That is depressing.
Unlike Bruce and Luke, Jace’s only shown to be a semi-grounded hero that is lacking the impressive technology and feats of both Luke Fox and Bruce Wayne to really stand against far more impressive foes.
I’m sorry but in the grand scheme of Future State, I don’t believe Jace Fox is going to save Gotham as Future State Justice league said.
The first Volume for Future State Batman was great. Jace is interesting and has plenty of potential as a new kind of Batman. (Even if I would had perfer Luke Fox.)
I’m probably going to talk about Second Son in the future as while not a necessary read I actually do like this prequel series to I am Batman a lot. There is certainly annoying parts in the narrative but I also think it has plenty of interesting moments to talk about as well.
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did the cover image for thread work ? edit to add yay it did work
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Just finished Batman year zero. I wasn’t planning to do yet another Batman origin discussion. I was only looking for Duke Thomas first comic appearance, but as soon as I got reading it, man was that arc so enthralling.
Summary about the things I liked
It’s a modern and action-packed take on the beginning of Bruce becoming Batman.
Bringing up many iconic supporting characters along the way and showing how the beginning of Gotham rogue gallery began as well.
The Riddler being one of his first works so well here as this series highlight, one of Bruce’s almost supernatural talents as Batman and that’s his intelligence. My favorites are shown in the beginning where he creates realistic face mask to hide his appearances, creating antigravity boots to stick to a blimp, and creation of his first grappling gun.
As the new 52 recton many pivotal Batman stories like Year one and Killing joke, Scott Synder decided to remix elements of those stories here, making sure to not make it a derivative but more like a nod to it with a modern take on them
I love this moment between Bruce and Gordon.
While it’s left ambiguous with a subtle wink in Year one that Gordon does know Bruce is Batman. It’s almost obvious Gordon certainly unequivocally absolutely knows who Batman is here. That’s not really a complaint as I like Jim Gordon protecting Bruce even when he doesn’t need it.
Silly complaints about the origins
My only complaint is superficial as a lot about it has to do with comparing it to year one. While year one was a self-contained storyline, Year zero is a build up towards a lot of important things for Batman in the new 52 which erase a iconic theme from the other Batman books where Gotham turn from a city ruled by mob bosses to one where the colorful villains ran wild. That’s gone. As well as the more science fiction elements downplaying the timeless nature of Year one.
Likewise if you read the tie-ins to year zero one, many of the Bat-family and even few of the justice league members are included in year zero which in of itself borders on unnecessary to contrived additions to this storyline.
It’s a big obvious recommendation but I don’t know if anyone would enjoy it as much as much more iconic Batman stories. Certainly not a Goat storyline but definitely best of that year.
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I bought it in hardcover because I wanted to see dukes origin to I do count him as one of batmans kids and I don’t think he gets used enough
edit to add don’t worry a lot of your complaints have been retconned like everything with the robins and batgirl
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@StrangeVisitor tim has got to be my least favorite to but chip is writing him real well in his run and he was also really good in batman doa
jasons my favorite along with cassandra
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Okay for you Bat Brains out there.
Ya know how Batman has all the awesome vehicles.
The Batwing. can fly the cape crusader anywhere with ease.
Now I suspect the Batwing would come with proper defenses to jam radar so he cant be tracked. But the Batwing also signals that Batman aka Bruce Wayne, is also, an excellent pilot. Which is kinda cool because I dont think most people really focus on that.
Now with the Batmobile, in the Christain Bale version, the tumbler had some interesting cloakin features, ish. blacking out street lights and muffling the loud noises and that jump feature as well, which would launch him n an out the Batcave.
Back in the day Adam West, had an old dirt trail, that dead ended to the cave that I think had bushes or at least a no crossing sign of sorts in front of it .
so those are two versions with the Batmobile, where Batman can elude people who might try to follow him…
But how about in the comics? Has anyone ever tried to follow Batman while he was in the Batmobile heading back home???
How does he elude people from following him in Gotham? because if someone follows the Batmobile to a dead end ally, and poof the Batmobile is gone, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out there is something up with that dead end ally.
okay so if ya know of any comic issues that deal with that, clue me in.
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here’s a batman parody song I like its a real earworm though
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I do not drink. I drink ginger ale and pretend it is alcohol.
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No, I drink hot batchocolate and batmilk.
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In dealing with a problem, you must first admit you have a problem. And it’s okay. This is a place of healing. No judgment here.
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