Gail Simone would be an awesome choice if she plays to her strengths: do the references game and make it fun; short wacky stories, down in the gutter; a hefty dollop of social awareness.
But I really doubt DC or the established readership is ready for something like that, and the creative whiplash would be something to behold.
«Speaking generally, it is because of the desire of the tragic poets for the marvellous that so varied and inconsistent an account of Medea has been given out» (Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History [4.56.1])
"It's too bad she won't live! But then again, who does? - Gaff Blade Runner
"In a short time, this will be a long time ago." - Werner Slow West
"One of the biggest problems in the industry is apathy right now." - Dan Didio Co-Publisher of I Wonder Why That Is Comics
I don't really have an opinion about King's Batman because I haven't been reading it. It was more of a sarcastic remark in general about the idea of comics moving on so fast. Poking fun at the idea of rebooting or writer switching. You were replying to him and I didn't think it mattered who I replied to since you were both talking about the idea of comics moving on from a writer.
"It's too bad she won't live! But then again, who does? - Gaff Blade Runner
"In a short time, this will be a long time ago." - Werner Slow West
"One of the biggest problems in the industry is apathy right now." - Dan Didio Co-Publisher of I Wonder Why That Is Comics
Bendis, Simone, I can think of many options all of which would be better than King unless they to lose their mind once they take the helm and then write the characters, especially Bats, OOC.
But seriously, I want someone who cares about Batman and is preferably very knowledgable about his long history and rich supporting cast.
"So you've come to the end now alive but dead inside."
I say Tom Taylor should, but no matter what, we now get to look forward to someone else writing Batman. It’s a good day.
I think Taylor might get the book, but only for a short time. DC is going to want their main book to have an exclusive writer, so unless Taylor leaves FNSM I can’t see him staying on long term.
As for my own personal choice: Honestly DC really needs to get some new blood. They’ve basically sat on their hands since Rebirth while Marvel has gotten a ton of great new writers. Of the ones they’ve got now, only Priest really interests me as a possibility for Batman.
Matt Wagner
James Patrick (who wrote Batman Confidential #49)
Things I love: Batman, Superman, AEW, old films, Lovecraft
Grant Morrison: “Adults...struggle desperately with fiction, demanding constantly that it conform to the rules of everyday life. Adults foolishly demand to know how Superman can possibly fly, or how Batman can possibly run a multibillion-dollar business empire during the day and fight crime at night, when the answer is obvious even to the smallest child: because it's not real.”
I will give Jones or Priest a shot on this
I want a writer who will ignore everything Tom King wrote, so according to cbr forums that would be Bendis...
In all seriousness though Bendis will get his turn eventually, I still want Priest to get a chance to write Batman, although I feel like Priest would get deep on topics like wealth and class and after having dealt with Tom King's fake deep intellectual writing fans may not be receptive to anything that seems similar.
My priority is black female characters; everything else is secondary.
~~
Marvel: Miles Morales, Riri Williams, Ororo Munroe, Thor, Quentin Quire.
DC Comics: Vixen, Batman, Bat Family, John Stewart, Roy Harper, Tempest, Poison Ivy, Raven.
Comics: Y: The Last Man, Justice League America (2009), Ultimate Comics: All New Spider-Man (2011)
Ships: Thororo/ThunderStorm, Vixen/hasn't been created, Jason Todd/Kathy Duquesne.
~~
Icon/Avatar by LoneNecromancer
Writers smart enough to do exceptional Batman should also be smart enough not to take over the series with the ghost of a martyred writer hanging over it. Taking over after a long run is hard enough without also facing the side-eye of other creators sympathizing with King and fans of the last run feeling that your book is fake.
I don't blind date I make the direct market vibrate