HAVE YOU HEARD? BRUCE WAYNE IS DEAD!

So Batman bites the big one. Bruce Wayne takes the ultimate dirt nap. At least we think so. So far, I've read BATMAN R.I.P three times and I still can't figure out A) How he actually died and B) If he actually did. But according to everyone else in the DC verse, even Big Blue, he's gone.

Of course, Bruce Wayne might be gone, but Batman has to live on right? At least the spirit of Batman, otherwise Gotham City is toast. You might as well just throw open the doors of Arkham Asylum and let everyone have at it.

So, in order to keep Gotham under the watchful eye of the Urban Legend that is the Dark Knight, DC has given us the Battle for the Cowl. If you have not read the Battle For The Cowl, it's kind of fun and basically has a bunch of pretenders vying for the throne of the Caped Crusader. No spoiler alerts here, but if you're a betting man, you'd know that if the Bat were to go down the smart money would be on Nightwing as the logical replacement.

And so that brings us to Batman & Robin #1 as told by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. And it's a good story. We watch Dick Grayson struggle with the very audaciousness of replacing his mentor. He knows the world needs Batman. But does the world need Dick Grayson as Batman? And more importantly does Dick Grayson need Dick Grayson as Batman?

You knew that DC would turn the 'succession' story over to a writer as gifted as Morrison, but one of he problems he, like all comics writers face, is there is very little you can do in the vein of character development. The characters you are writing are created and iconic all you can do is tell the story. And Morrison does that well.

However, when it comes to Robin, the choice of Damian is one that sets the teeth on edge. Sure you're the illegitimate son of a billionaire and the grandson of the founder of the League of Assassins. Boo freakin' hoo. Stop acting like a little punk and get over yourself. No one is going to buy you as Batman, you're barely a passable Robin. So just shut up and learn. And if you call Alfred "Pennyworth" one more time, here's hoping he takes one of his crepes pans upside your little punk ass head.

It will be interesting to follow this story where it leads, but there is a part of us that wants to say to DC "okay, you did the dead Batman thing, now please bring him back to life and let's get on with it."

Until then Batman & Robin #2 awaits.