Warning: contains spoilers for Batman #121!
The forgotten Batman Incorporated has made its grand return, but what is next for the team? In Batman #121, on sale now in print and digital, the heroes of Batman Inc. help the Dark Knight take down not only Abyss but Lex Luthor as well. And even though these encounters lead to decisive victories, the future of Batman Inc. is still up in the air.
First appearing in 2010’s Batman and Robin #16, Batman Incorporated was a highlight of Grant Morrison’s multi-year tenure with the character. After returning from exile in the past, Bruce Wayne took his war on crime to the next level, publicly declaring he had been funding Batman for years and was now going to franchise the name out, creating an international team of Bat-themed heroes. Among Batman Incorporated’s many members were Knight and Squire, representing Britain, Nightrunner from France and El Gaucho from Argentina. The series, and the concept, fell by the wayside during the New 52 era, but recently returned seemingly under the control of Lex Luthor. Luthor sent them after Abyss, a former experiment of his gone awry, but they double-crossed Luthor, throwing their lot in with Abyss. Now, Luthor and Batman must not only face Abyss, but the rogue members of Batman Incorporated as well in Batman #121, written by Joshua Williamson, illustrated by Jorge Molina and Mikel Janin, colored by Tomeu Morey and lettered by Clayton Cowles.
Abyss leads the charge against Batman and Luthor, but just as the fight gets started, Batman says “Code: Club of Heroes” and instantly the members of Batman Incorporated turn on Abyss. Readers learn that the Batman Incorporated members never went rogue, but instead were working deep undercover for Batman the whole time. Furthermore, the members were working against Luthor the entire time as well. Once Abyss was defeated and Luthor sulked away, the members of Batman Incorporated pondered their future, and their relationship with Batman. The Dark Knight takes off back to Gotham but assures his former employees he will be in touch.
Batman Incorporated was supposed to have been the next step in Batman’s war on crime, but he let it fall by the wayside and he almost paid for negligence. Fortunately, the members of Batman Incorporated never forgot their mission, working from day one against Luthor’s machinations. They stayed true to Batman and his mission, even when he was not the most attentive. But now that the team has reasserted themselves, proving they still have what it takes, what is next? Will Batman follow through on his word and start giving the team his attention again? Or will Batman Incorporated once again fall apart? The “Abyss” storyline illustrated the dangers of what happens in this scenario, so it is most likely the Dark Knight will not let Batman Incorporated fall into the wrong hands again.
Batman’s forgotten team of heroes has returned in a grand fashion, saving their mentor and putting an end to Lex Luthor’s plans to take over, but the team faces an ambiguous future.