Story/directional concepts the Bat-Family should explore

[godisawesome]

Okay, so we've seen that sometimes new or barely tapped directions for characters have lead to interesting and engaging stories, like Queenpin Catwoman, Secret Agent Nightwing, or CommishBat. What are some concepts you'd like to see members of the Batfamily explore?

Mine:

-Industrial Espionage Catwoman. Not just a "next big heist" storyline, but rather a continuous campaign of her trying to sabotage some kind of business, and having to deal with an adapting security team. Think something like she wants to take down Roland Dagget and each time she steals something from him to expose or compromise his criminal dealings, he escalates the security and personnel. This would also provide a good time to see if she ever calls in a favor from Batman.

- Undercover Jason Todd. Jason's done okay in his books as the most bluntly honest member of the family, but I want to see what happens when he has to maintain a civilian ID. I'd have him infiltrate a PMC Security company or something like that with a civilian identity, and see how he interacts with a more serious storyline that depends on his figuring out who's innocent and who's not. And I'd probably try and make sure that he's got some kind of opponent who's actually a severe threat, like Deathstroke's son Ravager (yeah, he's dead, but you could bring him back and have him be developed there).

[batnbreakfast]

I badly need a BATMAN '89 book (Hey, we already have Batman 1966!)

A "new season" of GOTHAM CENTRAL and GOTHAM ACADEMY should stick around for a long time.

[darkseidpwns]

Bring Jason back to the Batman editorial and have him go up against those 80's villains like Blackfire,KG Beast,Croc,Nocturna,NKV Demon and Night Slayer,enough with the buddy rubbish. Explore his history/connection with Two-Face

Ban Snyder from ever writing Joker again.

Poison Ivy team up/partnership with either Ra's al Ghul or Bane(as long as it's not a repeat of Eternal or Schumacher),I'm sick of seeing her with Harley.

Individual Deathstroke and Owlman arcs in Grayson.

Bring Owlman to the Batman editorial too while we're at it,with Lincoln finished and Earth-3 destroyed he can take over the Court of Owls.

Robobat and everything about it is a great idea only Jim Gordon should never have been Batman,once this arc is done,continue the concept with Jason Bard.

Black Canary/Batman arc.

A proper future Damian Batman story over in Son of Batman.

[AJpyro]

A new Gotham Central.

Red hood handles the Supernatural elements again.

Red Robin tackles the growing world of technology in a cyberpunk/something world.

[Nite-Wing]

A what book would I pitch thread? nice

Batman and the Outsiders book focusing on the Martial Artist characters in DC and international espionage community. Heavy focus on Katana as she works with Batman on missions involving the outsiders and other characters to preemptively stop threats around the world.

Batman: The Dark War a title focused on Batman dealing with his actions having increased relevance with social and political issues. We are Robin gang is given a heavy focus here

Birds of Prey book with a completely different lineup. Female batman villains are basically conscripted by Geri Powers and other gov't officials to work for the police. Think Suicide Squad but with only female characters. Spinning out of Superheavy arc in Batman

Joker a ongoing title featuring the Joker. Every arc is about a different iteration of the Joker done in continuity but in a way that you can't really pin down when it takes place.

Batman Team Up: Sort of like an in continuity Brave and the bold title but without the distinct tongue in cheek nature.

Lady Shiva/Batman title sort of like spy vs spy but now its rival vs rival. Batman wants things done this way and Shiva wants things done another way. A book designed to competently challenge Batman's morals but in some cases reinforcing them or abandoning them.

[Kingcrimsonprog]

I think they should have a no-earth-shattering-stories rule. Make a pledge that for 5 years, there will be no massive flipping of continuity or status quo... no deaths, no resurrection, no changing identity, no one turns evil, no one turns good. Just a long, character driven era where the world is populated by non hero characters who never become villains or heroes, and start a new era of depth.

Also, I think they should keep making Earth One and retell Bruce's who career from start to end.

And ditto on a new Gotham Central.
I'd love a new Gotham Central, and a political one about the Mayor's office, and one entirely about civilians in Gotham. Then for all the characters to mix across all Batman books in a subtle non-cheesy way.

[ngroove]

Batman

Detective Comics

Batman & Robin

Batman - Legends of the Dark Knight - Once again, a series that takes place in the past, between Years Zero-whichever year Batman / Detective Comics Vol.2 started on, New 52 continuity.

Batgirl - For once, balance the action, not too dark (Gail Simone) and not too cartoony (Babs Tarr).

Catwoman

Harley & Ivy - ongoing

[TheDarkKnightReturns]

Bring Jason back to the Batman editorial and have him go up against those 80's villains like Blackfire,KG Beast,Croc,Nocturna,NKV Demon and Night Slayer,enough with the buddy rubbish. Explore his history/connection with Two-Face

Ban Snyder from ever writing Joker again.

Poison Ivy team up/partnership with either Ra's al Ghul or Bane(as long as it's not a repeat of Eternal or Schumacher),I'm sick of seeing her with Harley.

Individual Deathstroke and Owlman arcs in Grayson.

Bring Owlman to the Batman editorial too while we're at it,with Lincoln finished and Earth-3 destroyed he can take over the Court of Owls.

Robobat and everything about it is a great idea only Jim Gordon should never have been Batman,once this arc is done,continue the concept with Jason Bard.

Black Canary/Batman arc.

A proper future Damian Batman story over in Son of Batman.

A Batman/Batwoman arc needs to happen as well.

[DGraysonWorldsGreatestSpy]

Planet Zur En Arrh - Not as crazy as the original story, A world complete with Pulp Noir, Steampunk/Cyberpunk themes done out of continuity or one of the Bat members going to the planet.
Legends of Batman and Robin - A 6 issue story arc focusing on each different Batman and Robin team.
Gotham Mystery Analyst - A organization that works in Gotham and is privately funded and set up by Matches Malone, Mr. Sparrow, Alvin Draper etc.

[Kingcrimsonprog]

Legends of Batman and Robin - A 6 issue story arc focusing on each different Batman and Robin team.

That would be really good in the New 52, actually seeing what they were like together. The whole "its a new continuity but you don't get to see any of it" is a bit stretching at times.

[darkseidpwns]

Bruce needs an upgraded suit and gear. Nothing too out there but when he returns he should look different.

[WhipWhirlwind]

- Undercover Jason Todd. Jason's done okay in his books as the most bluntly honest member of the family, but I want to see what happens when he has to maintain a civilian ID. I'd have him infiltrate a PMC Security company or something like that with a civilian identity, and see how he interacts with a more serious storyline that depends on his figuring out who's innocent and who's not. And I'd probably try and make sure that he's got some kind of opponent who's actually a severe threat, like Deathstroke's son Ravager (yeah, he's dead, but you could bring him back and have him be developed there).

Jason going undercover with a PMC sounds amazing. I can easily imagine Jason fitting in with soldiers, especially those who joined after becoming disillusioned by their various countries due to the obvious parallels. Put him in morally compromising positions while still working towards the greater good, and put him in a situation where maybe the PMC is bad but a large amount of individual soldiers are just tired of fighting for countries who throw them away.

I can see a lot of MGS influences here, and solid idea bringing in ravager, or someone like deadshot.


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My idea is similar, with Tim going undercover with a group of anon style hacktivists who are moving from silly cyber pranks to actual violence, but give them a cause thats actually worth fighting for, similar to the occupy movement, fed up with income inequality.

I'd bring harper and/or steph in on this too. Put Tim in a position where these guys actually have good ideas, bring up the class differences between people like Tim and Bruce and someone like Harper or Steph who is from the other end of the spectrum.

[Pohzee]

Yup, let's put all the Robins undercover. That would add great variety to the line. Dick- the undercover spy! Jason-the undercover merc. Tim- the undercover hacktivist?

Kinda too similar IMO.

[Godlike13]

Tim should retire and open a detective agency with Detective Chimp.

[SpiderWing20]

Tim should retire and open a detective agency with Detective Chimp.

I'm all for detective Tim!! There a a lot of mileage to get out of that.