Batman #22 ("The Button" Part 3)

[Frontier]

Not sure it's been mentioned in this thread, but someone forgot to tell the artist here that Martha Wayne didn't die in that alley .... she became the Joker.

But...But...symbolism .

[JBatmanFan05]

This is a fantastic and fun arc so far. I get tired of Bruce meeting various incarnations of his father, I hate Flashpoint, but the creative team really sells this Bruce/Thomas encounter well and really generates some compelling emotion and context. I loved the cave and whisper thing.

With this and Bane Conquest, amazing week for Batman comics IMHO.

[plasticman101]

ok the good: everything about this storyline is fantastic! the Bruce /Thomas meeting was very emothional, made me tear up... seeing the past JLA & the tease of stuff, in the JLA lost & found room, the FACT that Dr. Manhatten is aware of bats & flash by taking away flashpoint by trying to erase them!! , that was epic!

The bad: being annoyed with the small teases of JSA & LOSH(I know this is a two year event) I'm very ,very, very, worried about the payoff here. since they said "the rebirth mystery continues" I'm concerned that if they don't give us a digestible size reveal about anyone of these teams coming back or even having Dr. Manhatten in print , the attention span of fans just might wane!

I mean damn! all this time since Geoff johns superman run & we STILL don't know the IDENTITY of MR OZ? I'm sorry I'm "patient" DC but not that patient . I need a lot more than they have revealed so far as a whole to stay interested.

[Jovos2099]

Question was the part where flashpoint!Thomas ran into nothing a homage to crisis on infinite earths where earth one Batman died?

[Soldy]

Yeah, it's definitely not King's writing. This was an improvement over the last issue. Williamson did an amazing work. Lack of progression almost didn't bother me, because dialogue between Bruce and Thomas was great and i almost shed a tear. And Fabok's art with Anderson's colors is fantastic as usual.

[adkal]

So let's just say that Barry lent Bruce some speed while they were in transit so he could heal quickly etc., and he still had that boost in his system when the Amazons and Atlanteans arrived.

Not sure how to explain Thomas being able to handle them (he doesn't use the pill the Earth 2 version does), but he's been at it for a while, so I guess we can give him a pass, excited and adrenalised (made-up word) by seeing Bruce.

[SicariiDC]

The bad: being annoyed with the small teases of JSA & LOSH(I know this is a two year event) I'm very ,very, very, worried about the payoff here. since they said "the rebirth mystery continues" I'm concerned that if they don't give us a digestible size reveal about anyone of these teams coming back or even having Dr. Manhatten in print , the attention span of fans just might wane!

I mean damn! all this time since Geoff johns superman run & we STILL don't know the IDENTITY of MR OZ? I'm sorry I'm "patient" DC but not that patient . I need a lot more than they have revealed so far as a whole to stay interested.

Yo this is very true. I need a nice nugget in this last flash issue. I'm teased enough at this point

[MikefromGotham]

Agree with this. I've liked this story, this issue was the truth. It hit me in my fatherly way. But yeah, wtf is up with this damn Button?!?!?!

Lol, yea as a dad myself, I wouldn't want my son to grow up like Bruce had. So that ending had a lot of impact emotional to me anyway. The overall theme of the story was "The Button" and unraveling that mystery. Before I started reading yesterday I thought "well in two issues Bruce and Barry have lost all the physical evidence; the button is gone and the letter torn into a million pieces". No progression of the mystery.

The Speed Force moment showing the League forming, and yesterday Barry describing the Flashpoint reality being "kept alive" somehow are our biggest clues to what is going on. But I feel like we know this part already...Manhattan is messing with all realities and re-worked the origin on the entire DCU.

[MikefromGotham]

Not likely. They're not gonna cancel Nightwing.

This is a Manhattan play to make Bruce have doubts, to not be his prime self, to weaken. Dr.M stole marriages, couples, children... What is there to take from Bruce to weaken him? The driving reason for his mission is his parents...so if one of them said "hey please son, quit this..." it could be the closest thing to "Batman Kryptonite".

[MikefromGotham]

He Probably Won't And Any Change like that would be temporary if anything he should try to be a better Bruce. Be there for Damian sometimes I mean he missed his Birthday party if I remember correctly justice league business but still. Call Dick Sometimes Sit down have Burger with Jason sometimes you gotta appreciate people cause you never know when there gone




True. but he would need someone in the city that would be a Good replacement someone with detective skills but also good fighting skills.... Basically Tim & Cassandra Combo to protect gotham while he drinks tea & Plays tennis with Alfred

or knowing him if he did take the suit off he probably just sit at the batcomputer batman beyond style & have someone else do it. but thats not really a vacation either.

Bruce isnt going to step back AT ALL. He knows someone or something is messing with all reality. He knows now that his mission would have and probably should occur no matter which Earth or reality a Wayne exists on/in. Seeing his Father take up the mantle should cement the idea that "my mission is just, it's the Wayne's job to protect Gotham and beyond; and in the face of this threat to everything I must be more dedicated than ever before".

That's my thought on Bruce's reaction to yesterday.

[David Walton]

Great issue, very emotional.

Thomas Wayne seems convinced that Bruce is only operating as Batman to honor or avenge his and Martha's memory, but it wasn't so long ago that Bruce had this conversation with his mother:



I guess the question now is whether these two conversations dovetail with one another and give closure to Bruce's mission as Batman, or if they're in direct tension with one another. It depends on whether you think the emphasis is Bruce telling Martha that it's not about his parents' deaths anymore, it's about helping people, or his acknowledgement that he doesn't have to die a 'good death' to make her proud.

Fully expect Tom King to tease us mercilessly since the next BATMAN arc is a flashback!

[JBatmanFan05]

Fully expect Tom King to tease us mercilessly since the next BATMAN arc is a flashback!

Well, we have a two issue Button aftermath arc coming here in Batman #23-24. We don't go right to War of Jokes and Riddles.

[David Walton]

Well, we have a two issue Button aftermath arc coming here in Batman #23-24. We don't go right to War of Jokes and Riddles.

Ah, thanks. For some reason I was thinking it was a straight jump into the flashback. That said, I'm sure #24 will end with some decision of consequence, and then we'll have to wait for the fallout from that.

Which is a pretty brilliant way to structure the story.

[MajorHoy]

Dick and Bruce's relationship is multifaceted.

I feel like Bruce's roll is more of a mentor than anything since we got the New52 versions. Good friends, Bruce almost a father-figure, but mostly Bruce has been a slightly older mentor with more experience than Dick.

[dietrich]

Honestly, if it leads to Bruce taking it easy for a bit and spending more time with Damian, I can't complain.

But he could never completely give up being Batman.

To truly be a good father to Damian then Bruce would have to keep him out of the field stop him endangering himself he would also need to stop Batmaning. Damian isn't going to be okay with any of that.

Being a "Good Father" ironically could damage their relationship.

Dick and Bruce well I see them as brotherly yet at the same time I also see Dick as Bruce's 1st son and I believe Bruce feels the same. Their relationship keeps evolving.