Warning: Spoilers ahead for Batman 2022 Annual
In his efforts to save the soul of Gotham, Batman may have prevented himself from bringing genuine change into the world. A debate with a figure from the Dark Knight’s past raises an interesting point about Batman’s inability to break away from his beloved city.
Since he was a boy, Bruce Wayne has witnessed the crime and corruption that plagues his hometown. With a history of evil that stretches back centuries, Gotham suffered under criminal masterminds, mob families and later, colorful-costumed villains. After witnessing his parents being shot in a random encounter with the street tough Joe Chill, Bruce made it his mission to become the hero that could combat the dark forces that seem to permeate the city. While Gotham still struggles, Batman has become a much-needed presence to help keep the tide of evil at bay.
But Batman’s sole commitment to Gotham appears to fly in the face of a belief Bruce expresses when he attempts to persuade his old ally Ghost-Maker to embark on a mission with him. Batman 2022 Annual by Ed Brisson and John Timms features a flashback in which Bruce attempts to draft Ghost-Maker into his expansive global network, Batman Inc. The Dark Knight’s rival dismisses the idea, saying that he does enough travelling from city to city, eliminating the criminal elements. But Batman counters saying that without leaving anyone to keep the cities Ghost-Maker “saves” in line, he allows for the evil to return in worse capacities. Bruce offers Ghost-Maker a way to maintain the order he establishes by using Batman Inc. operatives to carry on the work that the vigilante begins.
While Batman may be saying what he needs to in order to get Ghost-Maker to join him, the truth is that Batman Inc. doesn’t exactly operate in the way he describes. Rather than clean up areas and leaving a member to keep things in line, Batman ventured around the world providing resources to existing heroes so they could keep their own personal “Gothams” in order. But aside from that, it’s interesting that Bruce believes Ghost-Maker could do better establishing order by leaving his cities in the hands of other heroes.At worst, Batman comes off as a bit of a hypocrite by telling Ghost-Maker how he could be operating. If Batman genuinely believed in what he was saying, then Gotham has no short supply of heroes waiting in the wings that could keep the city safe in his stead. Batwoman, the Outsiders, Huntress or any of the dozens of other heroes the Dark Knight has worked with are just as capable as he is. Instead of letting one of them hold down the fort while Batman ventures to another city to aide, Bruce chooses to remain in Gotham.
Ghost-Maker may not have a home as important to him as Gotham is to Batman, but Bruce comes off a bit hypocritical if he believes that Batman Inc. can be used to keep cities safe while the heavier hitters move on to clean up other areas. If Batman wants to rise to the standards he sets for others, he may need to leave Gotham in the hands of another hero.
Batman 2022 Annual is available now from DC Comics.
