In the ongoing battle to spoil entertainment before it’s even close to being released, someone has taken scans of DC Comics’ upcoming free comic book day title, Divergence, spoiling the identity of the new Batman. This new Batman will exist in the post convergence universe, and have a story that takes place after the current arc “Endgame.” Bleeding Cool posted a wealth of details regarding the leak, and excitement now seems to be at an all time high.
So if you don’t want to know who takes over the mantle of Batman, stop reading now. SPOILERS AHEAD.
So first let’s talk about what is immediately noticeable about this new build. There’s one red, and one blue light on the back of this robot suit thing. It’s holding a smoking gun, something we know Batman isn’t a big fan of.
The new Batman is none other than Detective James Gordon. In the issue he’s sporting a shaved mohawk, no mustache, and spouts negative criticism about the idea right away. Saying “I’d like to go on record as saying this is the dumbest idea in the history of Gotham City.” Which of course isn’t correct. This is a great idea, and fantastic way to contribute an undying legacy to the Batman storyline that’s sure to sell trades and be talked about for a long time to come.
There were clear signs that this Batman was a more police focused unit from the start, but it didn’t really come together until the revelation that Jim Gordon is in this suit. Just what this means for Bruce Wayne remains to be seen, but it can’t be good.
This idea is bonkers, but it just might work. Snyder has had a certain affinity for Gordon since he took over the series in the New 52. He’s a very different type of man than Bruce Wayne, and how this will manifest itself in his time as Batman will make for good if not great storytelling.