What Can Be Done with Jace Fox?

[Emperorjones]

If Batman Inc. was still around, that would be a good place for Jace. Also, I think the Outsider series would be a good place for him now. DC could finally give us the Luke-Jace story that they didn't in Jace's books. Though it might be too many Bat-themed characters all in one book with Jace joining Kate and Luke, but still, it would be nice to explore his relationship with Luke in greater depth. I would be okay with Jace getting a new codename anyway. I didn't see him being another Batman really lasting that long, especially with Bruce still around as Batman (or even if they put Bruce out to pasture). One Bat Family legacy I would like to see get new life is Orpheus. I've thought for a good while that Jace should've been a new Orpheus, and I would be cool with reviving that codename/legacy, that got short shrift back in the day.

I'm trying to think of another team book to put Jace in, but the only one that comes to mind is Suicide Squad. Maybe he could take on the Rick Flag kind of role and butt heads with Amanda Waller.

[Superboy-Prime]

I think these "replacement codename" suggestions are awful, to be honest.

If he didn't sell as Batman, he's not going to sell as Vulture (Seriously?) or Orpheus (That's literally just making him a more irrelevant legacy character).

Jace Fox lives or dies as Batman, and I don't think a character whose book outlasted Damian Wayne's most recent solo and Jon Kent's most recent solo is due for a rebrand. Or being written off.

He's Batman in that Dawn of DC art, he's clearly gonna be Batman the next time around.

[Will Evans]

I think these "replacement codename" suggestions are awful, to be honest.

If he didn't sell as Batman, he's not going to sell as Vulture (Seriously?) or Orpheus (That's literally just making him a more irrelevant legacy character).

Jace Fox lives or dies as Batman, and I don't think a character whose book outlasted Damian Wayne's most recent solo and Jon Kent's most recent solo is due for a rebrand. Or being written off.

He's Batman in that Dawn of DC art, he's clearly gonna be Batman the next time around.

I never understood that poster when it came to Jace.
It’s Damien who is juxtaposed to Bruce. While Jace is in Damien’s background and. It in the same standing position as Damien nor Bruce. Meanwhile every other legacy hero is juxtaposed to their main mantle holder.

[Vordan]

Williamson said they would do something with the FS crew in 2024… but this is DC we’re talking about. Wouldn’t be the first time they scrapped their plans and did something else. Lately it seems like they have no long term plan whatsoever. Jace’s problem as others have said is that there’s no chance he gets adapted anymore. We’re more likely to see Dick Grayson become Batman again then we are to see Jace ever get cemented as the heir to the cowl, and Tom King is writing Damian’s future as Batman over in WW. There’s just too many Batman heirs for Jace to really succeed unless you do something like 5G where you double down on him and say he’s the one and only Batman for a while.

And yes I agree with Prime. If he’s not Batman they might as well retire him or kill him off. No one will care about him without the Batman mantle.

I never understood that poster when it came to Jace.
It’s Damien who is juxtaposed to Bruce. While Jace is in Damien’s background and. It in the same standing position as Damien nor Bruce. Meanwhile every other legacy hero is juxtaposed to their main mantle holder.

It’s DC acknowledging that while Jace might be Batman, it’s Damian who really is the future heir. DC was originally planning on sidelining Damian. They’ve tried repeatedly to do so, just recently with pushing Tim as Robin. Now that Damian is set to debut on the big screen in the future, DC has folded and Damian is getting pushed again. So they’re stuck in a weird place where Jon is the secondary Superman and his Bat is Damian, but the other Batman running around is Jace who is also paired with Jon. 5G would’ve solved this by making Damian a villain and establishing that Jon & Jace/Luke did not get along at first, building up their relationship slowly. I still think the best solution where Jace gets pushed is for a Batman & Robin book with Jace and Damian. Morrison B&R worked because it inverted the traditional dynamic and Jace and Damian could recapture the same energy. You have an experienced Robin helping a novice Batman grow into the role, plus the two of them have a lot in common. Both are scions of wealthy families, both are killers who are seeking redemption for their crimes. It could work.

[Morgoth]

He's basically been in limbo ever since his solo ended, while Jon and Yara were at least making appearances. They didn't even announce him for Black History Month special, lol.
Doesn't really look like they have any plans for him.

[Aahz]

Jace Fox lives or dies as Batman, and I don't think a character whose book outlasted Damian Wayne's most recent solo and Jon Kent's most recent solo is due for a rebrand. Or being written off.

Jon Kent's most recent solo was mini series. His ongoing lasted lasted 18 issues, that book might have been cancelled due to low sales, but here we are talking about low sales for the Flagship Superman book, not low sales for a Batfamily spin off book.

And he out lasted Damian's last book by one issue, and Damian's book iirc ended due to the Batman vs. Robin event and not due to low sales.

[Mantis-Ray]

It’s DC acknowledging that while Jace might be Batman, it’s Damian who really is the future heir. DC was originally planning on sidelining Damian. They’ve tried repeatedly to do so, just recently with pushing Tim as Robin. Now that Damian is set to debut on the big screen in the future, DC has folded and Damian is getting pushed again. So they’re stuck in a weird place where Jon is the secondary Superman and his Bat is Damian, but the other Batman running around is Jace who is also paired with Jon. 5G would’ve solved this by making Damian a villain and establishing that Jon & Jace/Luke did not get along at first, building up their relationship slowly. I still think the best solution where Jace gets pushed is for a Batman & Robin book with Jace and Damian. Morrison B&R worked because it inverted the traditional dynamic and Jace and Damian could recapture the same energy. You have an experienced Robin helping a novice Batman grow into the role, plus the two of them have a lot in common. Both are scions of wealthy families, both are killers who are seeking redemption for their crimes. It could work.

I feel like the obvious separation of Jace from the Batfamily did not help him at all, worse it helped to impede him. As been noted they blatantly avoid having Jace and Bruce ever meeting presumably because they felt Bruce threatened Jace. When having Jace and Bruce meet would have at least been an opportunity for the 2 to form a relationship and dynamic as the basis for the legacy connection.

As a result the desire to keep Jace away from the Batfam winds up making him a red-headed stepchild that can be easily cut out. Even with his relation with the Fox family, he still comes across as this random guy who found a batsuit and started calling himself Batman despite stating he has no particular love or respect for the symbol.

[marvelprince]

If Batman Inc. was still around, that would be a good place for Jace. Also, I think the Outsider series would be a good place for him now. DC could finally give us the Luke-Jace story that they didn't in Jace's books. Though it might be too many Bat-themed characters all in one book with Jace joining Kate and Luke, but still, it would be nice to explore his relationship with Luke in greater depth. I would be okay with Jace getting a new codename anyway. I didn't see him being another Batman really lasting that long, especially with Bruce still around as Batman (or even if they put Bruce out to pasture). One Bat Family legacy I would like to see get new life is Orpheus. I've thought for a good while that Jace should've been a new Orpheus, and I would be cool with reviving that codename/legacy, that got short shrift back in the day.

I'm trying to think of another team book to put Jace in, but the only one that comes to mind is Suicide Squad. Maybe he could take on the Rick Flag kind of role and butt heads with Amanda Waller.

Batman Inc with the others feels like acknowledging he’s another derivative like them. Same with a different codename. I think Jace has fans of him as Batman , I wouldn’t want to lose them by taking that away. I could see some conflict with Waller and how she forces these guys to risk their lives while Jace risks his life cause he’s genuinely trying to make up for mistakes could be interesting. With his backstory I wouldn’t be surprised that he would’ve had some adventures with Flagg or Peacemaker before.

[marvelprince]

I feel like the obvious separation of Jace from the Batfamily did not help him at all, worse it helped to impede him. As been noted they blatantly avoid having Jace and Bruce ever meeting presumably because they felt Bruce threatened Jace. When having Jace and Bruce meet would have at least been an opportunity for the 2 to form a relationship and dynamic as the basis for the legacy connection.

As a result the desire to keep Jace away from the Batfam winds up making him a red-headed stepchild that can be easily cut out. Even with his relation with the Fox family, he still comes across as this random guy who found a batsuit and started calling himself Batman despite stating he has no particular love or respect for the symbol.

This. I get not wanting to overshadow Jace, but there was a clear opportunity for him to step in when Bruce was not around that they didn’t seem to want to take. And for someone like Batman or really doesn’t make any sense why he wouldn’t investigate someone not only dressed like him but it actively
Using his gear. A meeting to establish the relationship and show how Jace differs from Bruce or how they could coexist would’ve done a lot to help I think. I was half expecting Dark Crisis to end with Nightwing reaching out to Jace, that way you could flip the Robin and Batman dynamic with Jace as the rookie and Dick as the established hero but they don’t seem to be going that route.

[Frontier]

I remember Jace also having some funny misconceptions about Batman that it would've been nice to see corrected .

[Emperorjones]

Batman Inc with the others feels like acknowledging he’s another derivative like them. Same with a different codename. I think Jace has fans of him as Batman , I wouldn’t want to lose them by taking that away. I could see some conflict with Waller and how she forces these guys to risk their lives while Jace risks his life cause he’s genuinely trying to make up for mistakes could be interesting. With his backstory I wouldn’t be surprised that he would’ve had some adventures with Flagg or Peacemaker before.

I like Jace well enough (I subscribed to his run), but he is derivative of Batman, just like the rest of Batman, Inc. Ghost-Maker might be a bit overrated, but he stands out more than Jace. He cuts a more distinctive profile. DC attempted to do a Miles Morales with Jace, but it didn't really work. I think it worked for Miles because of the controversy with Donald Glover which put the idea of a Black Spider-Man in the conversation, but more because Miles took over after Ultimate Peter was killed off, which allowed him to more firmly establish his place in the Ultimate reality. Jace didn't really have that, with Bruce still alive/around, and what we got was him being a kind of knock-off Batman, with a knock-off Robin, and even a knock-off Question. Jace has his fans, for sure, but the Batman, Inc. characters have their fans as well I would assume. I recall Nightrunner in particular striking a chord with readers back in the day.

Superboy-Prime might consider Orpheus 'irrelevant' but that's a matter of how much time, focus, and energy DC would behind the character, which was little. If they wanted to truly push for greater diversity, there's a lot of already diverse characters they have languishing. Orpheus, and his legacy, is one of those. The character had an intriguing set-up, and if the name/legacy were revived, Jace could've been more easily kept in Gotham to work with Bruce, and build with him, so there wouldn't have been an issue about two Batmen at the same time. That worked okay for a minute when Grayson was Batman too, but that's because it was Grayson and the history he has with Bruce, but also comics, and the comics readership. Jace is basically a brand-new character, without any such history or ties.

It was good they did tie him to the Fox family instead of just coming up with a wholly new character, and I also liked how his origin story was kind of a reverse of Bruce's, in a way. So, I like Jace, and he has potential, but I also don't think he must be Batman to fulfill that potential. Especially when he's a Batman while Bruce is still around.

I think a new codename, or no codename could work for the character. Especially at this point. This is about keeping him out there. And I would like to see him work with Deadeye or teams like the Vigil, Authority, or the WildCATs, as well as the Suicide Squad. I could see him working with Checkmate and ARGUS as well.

[Superboy-Prime]

i think there's still time for all of that. i'll eat my shorts if I'm wrong but I can't see DC putting those legacies on the cover 2x and leaving them to die (except for Jon and Damian) all of 2024.

Especially since that Amazons Attack book is ending? Yara's homeless right now too.

And I think making Jace into Orpheus is making Jace into an irrelevant character. I don't see how anyone could believe he would possibly sell better that way. His entire story revolves around the Fox Family, relegating him into team books by taking his hugely relevant codename from him would be a disservice to the character.

Especially since your suggestion, Emperorjones, is basically what Luke Fox and David Zavimbe are already doing.

[Will Evans]

I would have suggested him for the Batman of the JSA, since he’s in NYC. But now we have Helena Wayne occupying that spot.

We’ve even got the original Batwing on The Kingdom team network.

Jace is just too cut off from the rest of the DCu.

[marvelprince]

I like Jace well enough (I subscribed to his run), but he is derivative of Batman, just like the rest of Batman, Inc. Ghost-Maker might be a bit overrated, but he stands out more than Jace. He cuts a more distinctive profile. DC attempted to do a Miles Morales with Jace, but it didn't really work. I think it worked for Miles because of the controversy with Donald Glover which put the idea of a Black Spider-Man in the conversation, but more because Miles took over after Ultimate Peter was killed off, which allowed him to more firmly establish his place in the Ultimate reality. Jace didn't really have that, with Bruce still alive/around, and what we got was him being a kind of knock-off Batman, with a knock-off Robin, and even a knock-off Question. Jace has his fans, for sure, but the Batman, Inc. characters have their fans as well I would assume. I recall Nightrunner in particular striking a chord with readers back in the day.

Superboy-Prime might consider Orpheus 'irrelevant' but that's a matter of how much time, focus, and energy DC would behind the character, which was little. If they wanted to truly push for greater diversity, there's a lot of already diverse characters they have languishing. Orpheus, and his legacy, is one of those. The character had an intriguing set-up, and if the name/legacy were revived, Jace could've been more easily kept in Gotham to work with Bruce, and build with him, so there wouldn't have been an issue about two Batmen at the same time. That worked okay for a minute when Grayson was Batman too, but that's because it was Grayson and the history he has with Bruce, but also comics, and the comics readership. Jace is basically a brand-new character, without any such history or ties.

It was good they did tie him to the Fox family instead of just coming up with a wholly new character, and I also liked how his origin story was kind of a reverse of Bruce's, in a way. So, I like Jace, and he has potential, but I also don't think he must be Batman to fulfill that potential. Especially when he's a Batman while Bruce is still around.

I think a new codename, or no codename could work for the character. Especially at this point. This is about keeping him out there. And I would like to see him work with Deadeye or teams like the Vigil, Authority, or the WildCATs, as well as the Suicide Squad. I could see him working with Checkmate and ARGUS as well.

Of course he's derivative of Batman, but the members of Batman Inc are MEANT to solely be derivative characters of Batman. Sending Jace to them will get rid of any of the uniqueness that he had. And I've already talked about how it was a mistake to not tie him to Bruce, but I don't think Jace needs a new name or anything to be made interesting. They just need to make a plan and stick to it. Integrate him, let him and Bruce interact and then they can occupy their own niches.

And with his black ops background he had to have run into Waller or one of her operatives at some point. It just makes sense.

[marvelprince]

I like Jace well enough (I subscribed to his run), but he is derivative of Batman, just like the rest of Batman, Inc. Ghost-Maker might be a bit overrated, but he stands out more than Jace. He cuts a more distinctive profile. DC attempted to do a Miles Morales with Jace, but it didn't really work. I think it worked for Miles because of the controversy with Donald Glover which put the idea of a Black Spider-Man in the conversation, but more because Miles took over after Ultimate Peter was killed off, which allowed him to more firmly establish his place in the Ultimate reality. Jace didn't really have that, with Bruce still alive/around, and what we got was him being a kind of knock-off Batman, with a knock-off Robin, and even a knock-off Question. Jace has his fans, for sure, but the Batman, Inc. characters have their fans as well I would assume. I recall Nightrunner in particular striking a chord with readers back in the day.

Superboy-Prime might consider Orpheus 'irrelevant' but that's a matter of how much time, focus, and energy DC would behind the character, which was little. If they wanted to truly push for greater diversity, there's a lot of already diverse characters they have languishing. Orpheus, and his legacy, is one of those. The character had an intriguing set-up, and if the name/legacy were revived, Jace could've been more easily kept in Gotham to work with Bruce, and build with him, so there wouldn't have been an issue about two Batmen at the same time. That worked okay for a minute when Grayson was Batman too, but that's because it was Grayson and the history he has with Bruce, but also comics, and the comics readership. Jace is basically a brand-new character, without any such history or ties.

It was good they did tie him to the Fox family instead of just coming up with a wholly new character, and I also liked how his origin story was kind of a reverse of Bruce's, in a way. So, I like Jace, and he has potential, but I also don't think he must be Batman to fulfill that potential. Especially when he's a Batman while Bruce is still around.

I think a new codename, or no codename could work for the character. Especially at this point. This is about keeping him out there. And I would like to see him work with Deadeye or teams like the Vigil, Authority, or the WildCATs, as well as the Suicide Squad. I could see him working with Checkmate and ARGUS as well.

Oh and re making him Orpheus, I would just prefer the original to come back. He was done dirty and was already unique on his own.