As Javicia Leslie joins Batwoman and takes over Ruby Rose’s mantle, season 2 should look at one of Grant Morrison’s biggest storylines to solve their Batman problem in the Arrowverse. Prior to The CW getting access to the Batman mythology, the iconic DC hero had always been restricted in how he could appear on the small screen because Warner Bros. wanted to prioritize the property for blockbuster movies. But once Batwoman became the latest Arrowverse drama to join the network, the creators could finally take bits and pieces from the smorgasbord that is the Batman franchise and incorporate it into the Arrowverse. From referencing multiple Batman villains to various members of the Bat Family, The CW has been able to establish its own version of Bruce Wayne’s mythology.
For the longest time throughout Batwoman season 1, viewers never got to see Bruce Wayne, as his location is a mystery — even the characters associated with him still don’t know where he is. When Kate first debuted in the Arrowverse, she revealed that Batman has been gone for years. Even though Bruce has yet to return to Gotham City, the first season revealed at least what the Arrowverse’s Dark Knight looks like. Despite being shown through Hush’s new face, Warren Christie was revealed to be the franchise’s famous playboy billionaire who secretly fights crime dressed as a bat. While Rose’s character exits Batwoman after only one season, Leslie will be coming in as a new character who will take over the cowl and cape.
Even though Ryan Wilder will become Gotham City’s new heroine, Batwoman still needs to solve its Batman problem for the long-game. Since the DCEU and other DC films will continue using Batman in multiple ways, DC TV will still be restricted from ever having him around on a regular basis, despite Christie’s casting. Even as Ryan protects the city, Batwoman will at some point have to find a justifiable explanation as to why Bruce isn’t protecting his home city anymore. Thanks to Morrison, there is a way that the Arrowverse could solve this situation in Batwoman season 2: Batman Incorporated.
Batman Inc Was DC’s Solution To Gotham Without Bruce Wayne
Morrison’s Batman Incorporated (or Batman Inc. as most call it) was a follow-up to several big Bruce Wayne storylines such as Batman R.I.P. and The Return of Bruce Wayne. The idea behind the arc was to follow the Caped Crusader deciding to essentially make a franchise of Batmen around the entire world. After everything that he had gone through in the comics, Bruce wanted to take it to the next level in keeping the world safe from evil. Running for more than 40 issues, Batman Incorporated established the idea of a DC Universe where every country had a Batman that was its protector. For DC, it became a way to establish what Batman as a symbol can be beyond Bruce Wayne.
Rather than replace him entirely, the concept puts more emphasis on Bruce looking to flesh out his crusade with other individuals who believe in his ideology. Batman, despite being an American icon in the world of fiction, is popular around the world. Batman Inc. helped expand the larger idea of the Dark Knight, but on a more universal level as others share his desire to aid the world. Through this storyline, Morrison was able to feature a variety of characters that joined the expanded Bat-Family. This idea is something that the Arrowverse can take advantage of, especially in relation to Ryan Wilder entering the picture.
Batman Inc. Can Explain Arrowverse’s New Batwoman
When it was announced that Rose would leave Batwoman, a big surprise that followed was that rather than recast Kate, the creators would invent a new character to take over her mission. While it’s highly unlikely that it was meant to be a nod towards Morrison’s concept, the invention of Ryan Wilder fits perfectly with Batman Inc. While most Batman movies and TV shows have always focused on Bruce, Batwoman gets an opportunity to do something new and refreshing. Ryan being a new Bat-hero for the Arrowverse helps sell the idea of Batman Inc. in the franchise. It’d also be something new for DC in live-action to tackle when it comes to the existence of Batman in this particular universe. The Arrowverse is the perfect medium to adapt this concept, especially with the Bruce/Batman restrictions they’re beholden to.
As long as Batwoman is on, The CW will likely never feature more than one Bat-person representing Gotham City, which now will be on Ryan’s shoulders. But with something like Batman Inc. existing on Earth-Prime, it could create new working dynamics with Ryan and other Bat-heroes around the world. Since the writers have already turned to create a new character to be the next Batwoman, they could do the same with establishing original people as Bat-heroes globally. Whether they introduce members like Nightrunner, Ranger, Raven Red, or inventing new characters altogether, this would fit because of the precedent they set by adding Ryan.
Arrowverse Wouldn’t Need Batman — Just Bruce Wayne
The point of Batman Inc. existing in the Arrowverse is to, essentially, eliminate the mystery of Bruce’s absence on Earth-Prime. It’d be challenging to have Batwoman be an active member of DC TV without somehow having Batman out there, even if he operates outside of Gotham. With Christie now cast as The CW’s Batman, the question that remains is whether or not he’ll ever suit up, especially after the Hush saga is over. Shows like Titans have only been able to show Bruce without the suit, as well as depicting him a lot older than most live-action Batmen. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that any of the DC shows on The CW would somehow get the blessings of the higher-ups at Warner Bros. to have Christie’s incarnation of Batman be fully unleashed. But the strength of introducing Batman Inc. into the Arrowverse is that it’d just require Bruce, not Batman.
In this interpretation of the global organization, Bruce having left Gotham to create this force where others would carry on his legacy in their respective countries would be a perfect conclusion to his mysterious absence. This way, it’d make sense why he isn’t active in Gotham anymore and thus that can create a bond between him and Ryan as she takes over for Kate. Instead of Bruce remaining MIA forever or have his disappearance be related to a dark chapter such as supposedly killing the Joker, this would help the Arrowverse’s Batman standout amongst the other live-action versions.
There has never been a live-action incarnation of Batman that has ever approached the Batman Inc. concept, and doing so would allow the Arrowverse to have Bruce in a frequent capacity without going beyond the Batman restrictions. Ultimately, it would be probably the strongest and justifiable way to explain why Bruce hasn’t been in Gotham for all these years. Even though the writers would have to find ways to adapt Batman Inc. with an Arrowverse spin to it, doing so would help Batwoman for its future seasons: The whole Bruce Wayne mystery can be put to rest without having to kill him off or make him into a killer in hiding. Since Ryan lacks ties to anyone on the show, or even Bruce himself, this would become an organic way for the two to get connected as she becomes the next Batwoman. Should the writers approach this, they not only help solve their Batman problem for the Arrowverse, but it’ll add to Leslie’s Batwoman as she becomes the main player of the Bat-legacy on The CW.
