The Great Continuity Controversy: Feast or Famine in the BatVerse?

[Dzetoun]

It seems like many of the discussions we are having lately involve questions of continuity and coherence in the BatVerse, particularly how storylines cohere from book to book and how well different creative teams are doing acknowledging and adapting to events in the greater shared mythos. It strikes me that the BatVerse seems to have a hard time striking a healthy balance in this regard. Early in the New 52, continuity was arguably a great strength of the Bat Books, indeed it was arguably too strong. With Court of Owls, Death of the Family, and Requiem many complained that the Batman title was becoming the One Book to Rule them All, with most of the other books forced to pin their story arcs to required crossover points in Snyder's epics.

Then it seemed as if everything melted down. Batman went off into Zero Year and lingered for a very long time. Forever Evil, with its interminable delays and late developing major plot twists threw a wrench into the works. Now we have a situation where each title almost seems to exist in its own universe. Batman is still in Zero Year. Grayson is not yet launched. Batgirl, RHATO, Batwoman, Catwoman, and Batwing are each doing their own thing without much regard for greater continuity, although Batgirl did make a nod toward Forever Evil. Tec likewise seems to have very little to do with anything else. Batman and Robin (let's call it by its true name) is the strangest of all, seemingly caught in a parallel universe where Requiem never ended and the issues of Damian' life and death are rehashed over...and over...and over...and over. And Eternal, which is supposed to tie everything together, really isn't.

So, it seems like the Batman line veers strongly first one way and then the other, first with an emphasis on continuity and coherence that was arguably too strong, only to suddenly disolve into a continuity so tenuous it is nearly non-existant. Perhaps the line simply needs the flagship title to be strongly in the present to provide the anchor point and time-keeping function. Or maybe it is just the unfortunate playing out of specific events. Anyway, the reversal is striking. Your thoughts?

[Kingcrimsonprog]

I imagine its a case of art vs commerce. There's probably too much money involved to be able to get it right and keep it right.
Or else there's too many artists involved with their own plans and ideas and points to prove to stick to the playbook.

Eitherway, I think boring real life logistical reasons will stop it from being what you'd want it to be, continutiy-wise.

[Claude]

In an ideal world, everyone should have their own seperate titles and adventures. Not necessarily without crossovers, but if Red Robin turns up in Batgirl it should be Red Robin in A Batgirl Story, not Red Robin and Batgirl in A Gotham Story.

And then, seperate to that, you have the Batman Family Title where everyone's lives intersect more casually. If we'd had one of these last year, the Joker Attacks, Requiems and Everyone Hanging Out At Wayne Manor issues would have flowed more freely and organically.

In a lot of ways, we finally seem to have this kind of Crossover Family title with Eternal - and as such, it makes sense for the other titles to be less connected.

[PyroSikTh]

In a lot of ways, we finally seem to have this kind of Crossover Family title with Eternal - and as such, it makes sense for the other titles to be less connected.

Pretty much this. The separate titles don't need to converge together when there's a whole new title just for that.

[JasonTodd428]

Pretty much this. The separate titles don't need to converge together when there's a whole new title just for that.

I'm enjoying the fact that the seperate titles are not converging at the moment myself because of the existence of Eternal and because the main Batman title is currently set in the past. I think it gives the other titles a little room to stretch after all the crossovers. I actually wouldn't mind if that pattern held for a bit to be honest.

[Dzetoun]

And then, seperate to that, you have the Batman Family Title where everyone's lives intersect more casually. If we'd had one of these last year, the Joker Attacks, Requiems and Everyone Hanging Out At Wayne Manor issues would have flowed more freely and organically.

In a lot of ways, we finally seem to have this kind of Crossover Family title with Eternal - and as such, it makes sense for the other titles to be less connected.

That is a very good point, and if Eternal, and possibly a successor publication, maybe even a successor weekly, could eventually do that I think it would be a very good thing to let the other titles expand free of crossovers. At the moment, the mess with Forever Evil has not made Eternal look like an impressive vehicle for keeping the continuity of the Bat Family, but one can only hope that they have learned from the problems of that and we won't be seeing many meltdowns like that in the future.