Batman Lost #1 Preview / Discussion (Spoilers)

[Embryonic Superman]

Best Batman-related issue I've read in a long, long time. Hell, it's ironically my favorite since Morrison wrapped up Batman Incorporated. It didn't lay everything out in stark black and white terms, but it definitely did its job reconciling "Barbathos" in Dark Knight, Dark City, Morrison's Barbatos the Hyper-Adapter, and Snyder's Barbatos the Dark Multiverse god.

If I'm not mistaken: When the Hyper-Adapter was attached to Batman in Final Crisis #6, that's when Barbatos first "saw" Bruce from the Dark Multiverse. Barbatos gained a foothold in our universe through the Hyper-Adapter, and, when it took the bat visage in Return of Bruce Wayne #6, that was actually Barbatos possessing it before it got sent hurtling back through time. So when Dr. Hurt in the 1700's "saw" Barbatos, it was Barbatos in the "body" of the Hyper-Adapter. The bat that flew through Bruce's window and inspired him to become Batman? Barbatos. The giant bat he killed at the dawn of time? Barbatos, or at least the Hyper-Adapter in his image.

I mean, it's a long walk just to retcon Barbatos as an actual character, but I'm willing to roll with it. I'm also glad to get some clarity on the Court of Owls and how they factor in to all of this, as I was erroneously under the impression that the Owls were actually a force of good to fight back against Barbatos. Funny how, combining both Morrison and Snyder's mega-arcs into one, it creates a decade-long Batman story that culminates here in Metal.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

If the case of the chemical syndicate is said to be Batman’s first case, does that effectively write Zero Year out of continuity? If so, then thank jeebus!! Finally!

Also love that the Golden Age outfit made a comeback.

[DragonPiece]

If the case of the chemical syndicate is said to be Batman’s first case, does that effectively write Zero Year out of continuity? If so, then thank jeebus!! Finally!

Also love that the Golden Age outfit made a comeback.

Not really, they literally say some stories contradict each other, but everything happened. This is just saying in the dark multiverse, all of these stories can be real. That' why War of joke and riddles can reference year one and also reference snyder's run.

[Jackalope89]

I have to ask;
Where the hell is Bat-Mite in all this? Supes at least had a run in with Mxy back in Reborn, but Mxy's counterpart has been a no show, despite his favorite hero getting tossed into a warped reality.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Not really, they literally say some stories contradict each other, but everything happened. This is just saying in the dark multiverse, all of these stories can be real. That' why War of joke and riddles can reference year one and also reference snyder's run.

That doesn't explain Barbatos referencing the case of the chemical syndicate specifically as something that he had "allowed" Bruce to solve. I think that's a sign that it happened in the "real" world outside of this pocket reality. And, yeah, ZY may still be canon, but it may not be Bruce's first case.

And did WoJ&R take place in the dark multiverse?

[Talon1load]

WoJ&R's took place in the dark, sensless, and directionless mindscape that is Tom King's mind. It's better if it's just forgotten since it didn't make any damn sense anyway.

[hkgkindaichi]

Great job SS
I love this issue

[Aioros22]

Trippiest Batman story since Morrison left. I`m enjoying Dark Metal as a conceptual piece much more than I though I would. Best thing Snyder came up with after the original Court of Owls.

Darkest setting since The Last Crusade too.

[Rikdad]

I really liked this story.

The idea of a bat spirit who preceded Bruce Wayne may date originally to World's Finest #255, in which Superman and Batman cross paths with a very powerful Native American bat god; this was years before Legend of the Dark Knight and its initial Native American bat spirit story, Shaman. Morrison didn't reference those directly, nor did Milligan, but either/both of them may have read it before their turn as writers.

For what it's worth, Detective #27 indicated that the Chemical Syndicate adventure was not Batman's first case because Gordon was already talking about "the 'Bat-Man'" in the first panel. I don't think we have to concern ourselves whether anything said here is or isn't in continuity because it's all unreal and apparently shifting from moment to moment. We could take it as a kind of meta-reality wherein the Chemical Syndicate case is just Batman's first case in some possible timeline/universe.

[TheCape]

That was some weird trip, but pretty entertaining, even for somebody that is pretty indifferent to Metal.

[WontonGirl]

This issue was trippy af.

Question, so is Barbathos saying that he was there all along and that actually HE is the Bat? Is he saying that Bruce was just a puppet?

It seems like there were a lot of characters that were playing characters in the story right? And then there were some that was how they were, like Harley and "woman" (Wonder Woman)?

[Rikdad]

Question, so is Barbathos saying that he was there all along and that actually HE is the Bat? Is he saying that Bruce was just a puppet?

Barbatos is saying that. Generally over the years, characters who talk down to Batman end up sad by the end of the story.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Question, so is Barbathos saying that he was there all along and that actually HE is the Bat? Is he saying that Bruce was just a puppet?

Part of me kind of thinks that Snyder is retconning all of Bruce's Batgod moments as times in which Barbatos interfered to ensure Bruce's success and make his reputation as one of the world's greatest heroes grow, all in an attempt to make him a suitable "wagon" for his arrival. At least, that's what I got out of it.

[Denirac]

I need to get this. This probably will be favorite issue of Metal. I love the ties to Morrison's run.

I wouldnt be so sure that this will be your favourite just for Morrison references, when Morrison's the guy co-writing Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt with Snyder

[DCRebirth]

I think Alan Wayne’s realization about the special “Wayne steel” is a reference to the special metal that the Anders brothers referenced using to reinforce the foundations of Gotham in Batman: Gates of Gotham. I hope Snyder confirms this...