BATMAN #126 exclusive preview page

[Frontier]

This can't be the first time Batman's been accused of murder...

[millernumber1]

This can't be the first time Batman's been accused of murder...

There was a whole storyline about it, even! Though I guess that was his alter ego.

[Mr. White]

This can't be the first time Batman's been accused of murder...

Can't remember a time before this that he has been outright accussed of murder - as against just being "a person of interest". At least publicly (news channel).

There was a whole storyline about it, even! Though I guess that was his alter ego.

Yeah different people

Wonder whether Zdarsky will turn the story on its head by having the Bat-Fam take down Failsafe, and make the story about Bruce realizing (and trusting) the Bat-Fam is able to take him down should he go rogue...

[Top Hat]

I wonder if Bruce thinks he created Failsafe whilst in his alternative personality hence why he’s gone back to it.

[failo.legendkiller]

Not a fan of Morrison Batman.
I’ve had enough of tension between Bruce and Tim, the dialog at the start felt wrong. And Tim was out of character as often happens.
Also not a fan of trite cliche “batfamily weakens Bruce”.
Anyway Zdarsky is good enogh to keep me hooked.
Great action, great art.

[Mantis-Ray]

I'm curious what this is building to.

If we take Zdarsky's Daredevil run into account, Zdarsky may be putting Bruce's guilt complex to task after all this. Wouldn't be surprised if Failsafe does something awful that makes him incredible regretful of his mistakes.

[Top Hat]

Not a fan of Morrison Batman.
I’ve had enough of tension between Bruce and Tim, the dialog at the start felt wrong. And Tim was out of character as often happens.
Also not a fan of trite cliche “batfamily weakens Bruce”.
Anyway Zdarsky is good enogh to keep me hooked.
Great action, great art.

I think you would be out of character too after such a near death experience.

[millernumber1]

Yeah different people

Wonder whether Zdarsky will turn the story on its head by having the Bat-Fam take down Failsafe, and make the story about Bruce realizing (and trusting) the Bat-Fam is able to take him down should he go rogue...

But wouldn't a robot built by Bruce know that they are actually the same person?

Also, I think the idea that the Batfam could save the day in the end is a nice one (though that's basically what Tynion did in Fear State), but it's really early in the day for Batman to be learning that in Zdarsky's run. But maybe he'll surprise us! He already has with this second issue, for sure!

[blunt_eastwood]

I'm calling it now. The surprise reveal will be that Failsafe is really the Joker.

[millernumber1]

I'm calling it now. The surprise reveal will be that Failsafe is really the Joker.

Four Jokers, really.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dccomicscir...eb2x&context=3

[Vishop]

I'm curious what this is building to.

If we take Zdarsky's Daredevil run into account, Zdarsky may be putting Bruce's guilt complex to task after all this. Wouldn't be surprised if Failsafe does something awful that makes him incredible regretful of his mistakes.

Yeah thats what I thought the firsthand when I read this first issue from Zdarsky. Thats where he is going.

[MajorHoy]

Not a fan of Morrison Batman.
I’ve had enough of tension between Bruce and Tim, the dialog at the start felt wrong. And Tim was out of character as often happens . . .

Hell, when was Tim IN character over the past +/-10 years?

What the hell IS his "character" these days?

But wouldn't a robot built by Bruce know that they are actually the same person?

Not necessarily.

If Bruce was smart (I know, big "if" . . . ), he'd make sure that information was not something the robot had programmed knowledge of in case somebody hacked into the robot's memory / data.

[millernumber1]

Yeah thats what I thought the firsthand when I read this first issue from Zdarsky. Thats where he is going.

That's a very interesting, though dark, look at the future of the Bat-universe. I hope not, but it makes sense. (I loathed the Death of the Family period in the n52, and this feels like a repeat of that, which is why I hope it's not the case).

Hell, when was Tim IN character over the past +/-10 years?

Not necessarily.

If Bruce was smart (I know, big "if" . . . ), he'd make sure that information was not something the robot had programmed knowledge of in case somebody hacked into the robot's memory / data.

I mean, I know many fans would say "Tim hasn't been in character since FabNic was fired from Red Robin/the n52", but I think there have been several times where he's been in character, including Batman Eternal, Batman and Robin Eternal, parts (but not all) of Tynion's Tec, and Bendis's Young Justice. But I doubt that'd get much consensus.

Hmmm. But if Bruce makes a robot which is smart and skilled enough to beat him at fighting, indicating learning and strategic programming, wouldn't it be able to figure it out pretty well? Though it's possible that it's been completely asleep except for waiting for the "Batman murderer" keyword search on the news feeds, so it wouldn't have done that research yet until it woke up.

I dunno. I'm sure we'll find out, though!

[Timekeeper]

Tin-foil hat theory - the twist we're headed towards a Ghost-Maker style fake out. FAILSAFE the robot has its own "back-up personality" just like Bruce has Zur-En-Arrh. A back-up personality installed by Alfred, who had previously been the one keeping the Failsafe Protocol from kicking in any other time Bruce was falsely accused of murder/crossing the line. Failsafe's back-up personality is a benevolent Alfred AI.

I was kicking this theory around before the Zur-En-Arrh reveal, because Zdarsky had joked in a couple of interviews that Failsafe is Alfred. But now the concept of back-up personalities is directly on the table. Hiding his ending in plain sight?

[Restingvoice]

How old is Bruce at this point?

Is incredible his body is still functioning after multiple lifetimes of punishment.

At minimum he's 40 since Batman Year One is canon and Damian is 14, but no, he should be older than that since Tim is at least late teens and James Jr. early 20s.

45 is a good range.

But yes, Bruce's vitality is reset to 25 after his resurrection, but it's also been 2-4 years since then, and he's gotten back his scars and bruises