BATMAN NO MAN'S LAND: Gordondickery

[starwolf_oakley]

Everyone likes the scene from LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #125 where Batman tries to unmask himself to regain Gordon's trust and friendship. I thought I'd post two pages showing a little of how their relationship soured during No Man's Land. From BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND special, by "Back to the Future" screenwriter Bob Gale.



Bob Gale is a better fit for Batman than you might think. According to Internet legend, originally in the "Back to the Future" script, 1985 Hill Valley was a bleak place waiting for the end of the world. Marty McFly even wanted to see a nuclear blast "in person" when World War III inevitably happened.

No Man's Land has been going on for three months, and neither Batman nor Bruce Wayne have been seen in that time. Gordon and most/some of the GCPD stayed behind to maintain a semblance of law and order. One Gotham cop has a surprise on the roof.




It's not the first time Jim has done that. He did it after a confrontation with Azrael "AzBats" during KnightsQuest.




"If he's not, I don't envy whoever has to break the news to my husband," Sarah says.

Bruce Wayne went before congress and tried to prevent the federal government from abandoning Gotham City. Nicholas Scratch (and maybe Lex Luthor) prevented Bruce from doing so.

So, if Jim *does* know Bruce is Batman, and knew that Bruce went before congress and was unable to get into Gotham, is his anger that justified?

Comments

[runespoor]

Oh, but Bruce didn't return, neither as Bruce Wayne nor at Batman. This is really Batman's lowest point: calling himself the protector of Gotham, passing judgement on who is fit to wear a costume in Gotham, saying that Gotham is 'his city', and abandoning it in its darkest hour. I'm a fervent Bruce advocate, but he does not shine here. Either Gotham is his city, and he serves her all the time, either he doesn't.

Jim's anger is perfectly justified imo.

[jlbarnett]

he went back.

[runespoor]

After three months at least had passed, leaving others to do all the groundwork. It took Talia finding him in Europe and lecturing him for leaving Gotham that he shook himself out of his funk.

[starwolf_oakley]

I posted that way back when on the old board. I wasn't sure if Talia talking to Bruce would get him out of his funk or not. I also remembered that issue since it involved Greg Land drawing characters without PornFace.