INCORPORATED

[arbre_rieur]

A little over three pages from the latest issue...

This issue's largely set-up, as Bruce Wayne builds up the ranks of the franchise.





I doubt the "low maintenance" line was a dig at DiDio, but who wants to bet the internet smart alecs are going to interpret it is as such?





Some people think Wingman might be the original Wingman, back from the dead, but I don't think that's at all likely. Firstly, if it was him, there would be no need for the mystery game. Why obscure the character's face at all if he's exactly who he appears to be? Secondly, Morrison wrote the guy as petty, evil, and an all-around punk. He wasn't the sort suited for a redemption arc.

Also, David, the African Batman's look seems to be based on this guy...



...from the story "The Batman Nobody Knows," in BATMAN 250. icon_uk did a post on the issue here, from which I took the above pic.


I love this series.

Comments

[drakyndra]

Well, of course Batman's in Melbourne. The city was founded by a guy named Batman.

...The fact the local Batman Inc. representative appears to be an aboriginal guy has some weird connotations in that light.

[sadoeuphemist]

When he found the current site of central Melbourne he noted in his diary, "This will be the place for a village."[1][2] and declared the land "Batmania".[3][4]

Oh my god the alternate history that could have been.

[sadoeuphemist]

I have never really understood the concept of the Outsiders, because like, that group right there could not look any less like a stealth team.

Also the tattooing seems a little much!

[icon_uk]

You'd think so, but consider their powers; A telepath/telekinetic vampire, a samurai warrior with stealth training, a metamorph with a gaseous form, energy manipulator with an invisibility option and... a big red burning guy to... I dunno, create distractions?

[misterbug]

Red Robin and the Outsiders sounds very good. And no sign of Geo-Force, huzzah!

[grimmbear]

I think he's officially tainted property. Didio killed any use for poor Geofarce.

[guilty_as_changed]

David, the Batman of Africa, does seem somewhat inspired by the "Batwings" character Ronnie saw Batman as in Batman 250, especially when you look at the original issue. The red and yellow version here is from the reprint, in the original the dark red was black and the yellow was blue, making him ever more closely resemble David's look.

Additionally, David's exoskeleton is the same as the flight suit that debuted in Batman: The Return that Bruce and Damian wore when they met Traktir and Spidra. Details like those are part of what has been enjoyable about Morrison's Batman run.

[thokstar]

"A Terror Made of Shadows and Flapping Wings."

They're building Darkwing Duck?

[janegray]

Criminals are doomed!

[batzarmy]

Wingman = Jason

[janegray]

That's my guess too, but I don't know how I'd feel about that if it turns out to be true.

I love Jason as a mix of punk and woobie, and "Morrison wrote the guy as petty, evil, and an all-around punk" doesn't exactly inspire much confidence >_>

[cainofdreaming]

There's a man who thinks fifty steps ahead of everyone. And then there's his butler, who wins every single chess game they play.

Alfred. Win. So. Much.

[sherkahn]

I would NOT be surprised if Bruce was actually saving Alfred as his ultimate weapon against Dr. Dedalus & Leviathan. Alfred did quite well while giving the marching orders for the Outsiders....

All of this is an elaborate show to have Dr. Dadelus looking at HIM, while Alfred does the real work from behind.

There is a reason why Alfred Pennyworth IS Batman's Batman.

[sinisterlink]

Okay, I know we have the whole "it's never just you" thing, but I have to ask this. Am I the only one that really doesn't care AT ALL about this whole Batman Incorporated thing? I just have no interest in this whole thing with having tons of different Batpeople running around in different countries. And people keep posting scans and going on about how good it is and I just can't see it. :/

[misterbug]

*Shrug* No-one's saying it's imperative that you like it. Some of us do, and it's likely some others don't.

[arilou_skiff]

The outsiders hips cannot unsway apparently.

[whitesycamore]

Like my mother always said; if you pose too sexily, when the wind changes you'll get stuck posing sexy forever.

[benicio127]

I loved how Alfred beat Bruce at a game of chess. :) This was a good issue.

[icon_uk]

"I may have taught you everything YOU know about chess Master Bruce, but I never said I taught you everything I know about chess."

[kusonaga]

Red Robin/Halo OTP?

[icon_uk]

Not seeing it I'm afraid, she's usually been shown as being quite flighty, and that's never seemed to be Tim's type.

[okkult3000]

Who's the burning guy with the Outsiders?

[grimmbear]

Freight Train (I think it's his name)

[espanolbot]

Huh, how could Jason be Batman of Sweden?

And he wasn't written as an evil punk, more someone who wanted to measure up to his "father" after his death, only to find that even though he wants to do good he isn't really equipt to live up to Bruce or Dick.

[whitesycamore]

"Huh, how could Jason be Batman of Sweden?"

I don't even know, but I would read the shit out of that series.

[espanolbot]

"Batman's a girl!"

That may be so, but she's still more than capable of kicking your ass.

Cass4life

[runespoor]

That's all I got from these pages, as well.

Cass is Batman! :D She's not wearing the Bat symbol, and still people get that she's that!

[darkknightjrk]

Good GOD I loved this issue. This is totally my favorite Batman book at the moment, if not my favorite superhero book. :D

[pyrotwilight]

Huzzah, Freight Train is still around!

[recognitions]

What's with Alfred's look at the fourth wall? Has he been talking to Buddy Baker?

Not sure who the girl on the left is. And for some reason I thought Halo was dead.

[tsunamiwombat]

Batman is fighting crime with the Rocketeer- CALL HIM WHAT YOU WANT I KNOW THE ROCKETEER WHEN I SEE HIM- life is now complete.

[jlroberson]

Three things. One, is it just me, or does Burnham in this issue actually make Bruce seem...kind of sinister?

Two, when did Black Lightning become a ginormous giant? I mean, look at him. His fist is the size of the heads nearby. What the hell's that?

Third, adding in number two, what about this group of people spells "stealth" to you? Two of them give off bright flashy light. One is an ex-supermodel. And then there's Rex. Eh?

[pyrotwilight]

"Two, when did Black Lightning become a ginormous giant? I mean, look at him. His fist is the size of the heads nearby. What the hell's that?"

Black Lightning's nowhere in these pages as far as I can see. Do you mean the large reddish fellow with the Outsiders? His name is Freight Train and he's a large fellow and can increase his size, though slowly.

[kamino_neko]

I doubt the "low maintenance" line was a dig at DiDio, but who wants to bet the internet smart alecs are going to interpret it is as such?

Having only read one issue of DiDio's Outsiders run (and even then, only under duress, because it was crossing over with a couple of the Superman titles), I don't get this comment...care to explain?

[sadoeuphemist]

I don't think it's a specific reference, just a suggestion that the Outsiders don't need someone very talented or capable to handle them, just throw Didio on the book and it'll be fine.

[big_daddy_d]

A African Batman?...Fuckin A.

As for Wingman...got the feeling that it's Jason Todd.

Btw

[big_daddy_d]

What happened to Owlman? Last I checked her and Katana had a little romance going on.

[jlbarnett]

maybe Wingman is Booster Gold. Gotham is where Booster's from, he'd call Bats Bruce and he needs to keep his apparent competance level hidden, and he can allow Batman Inc. to have wacky time travel adventures.

My oyher choices for Wingman *spoiler alert*

[big_daddy_d]

Jean-Paul Valley or...


[SPOILERS]












Thomas Wayne?! That's right. Considering that it's been said that some things from Flashpoint will end up in DC continuity..you never know..or maybe..Thomas Wayne Jr. I always wanted the inclusion of Bruce's brother in continuity and not just on Earth-3 or Antimatter Earth 2.

[eyz]

I kinda like this David/Batman :P

Oh and who's that mysterious fellow..lemme guess...mmh...
Jean Paul Valley's back? A reformed villain à la Riddler or Two Face in the past? A brand new random character (a new Gordon/Wayne/Grayson/Todd family member)?
or...or..

Superman??
Lex Luthor???
Bruce Wayne from an alternate Earth???? (Owlman?)

[philippos42]

I'm not nuts about the hip-wrap thing on Tatsu. Seems in the way to me.

Lia is very Lia there.