Warning! Spoilers ahead for Batman #123
In the latest issue of DC Comics' Batman, new tensions are coming into play which could lead to a Dark Knight-themed Civil War in DC's future. While Batman works frequently with his Robins, Batgirls, and others who fall under his Bat-Family, his old team Batman Inc. has resurfaced in recent months. Being led by Batman's very first vigilante ally Ghost-Maker it's possible that new rifts could be formed, leading to an all-out war of Bat-connected vigilantes.
Currently, DC's Shadow War crossover event is in full swing, kickstarted by the murder of Ra's al Ghul by someone dressed as Deathstroke. Featured in issues of Batman, Robin, and Deathstroke Inc. from Joshua Williamson and a variety of all-star artists, the League of Assassins have gone to war with Slade Wilson's army of supervillains he's been building with the League's leader Talia wanting vengeance for her father's death. All the while, Batman and his son Damian are caught in the middle of the war, seeking to learn the truth behind who actually killed Ra's.
As seen in the new Batman #123 from Williamson and artist Howard Porter, the fifth chapter of Shadow War reveals that Batman asked Ghost-Maker and Batman Inc. to round up Deathstroke's Secret Society, protecting them from Talia's League until they can find the true killer. However, it seems as though Ghost-Maker doesn't appreciate Batman checking in on him as if he's the Dark Knight's sidekick. Furthermore, Batman and the heroes of Batman Inc. have been fairly estranged for some time. As such, this new tension could lead Ghost-Maker taking Batman Inc. down a more violent and lethal path than the Dark Knight would ever support, potentially leading to a future conflict between Ghost-Maker's team and Batman's family.
It certainly seems as though Batman Inc. has taken a darker approach during the Dark Knight's absence. Likewise, Ghost-Maker was a seeker of lethal justice before reconciling with Batman, burying the hatchet on an old feud the duo had since their days training to become the vigilantes they've become in the present. Batman even recruited the young vigilante Clownhunter to be Ghost-Maker's sidekick who gained his reputation by killing Joker's forces during the Joker War (who reluctantly agreed to Batman's terms to stop killing in Gotham). Clearly, it wouldn't take much to push Ghost-Maker's team over the edge to a place where they start relying on permanent forms of justice that Batman doesn't condone.
A Civil War-style Batman event would certainly be exciting, one that would pit Batman Inc. against the more prominent Bat-Family should the Dark Knight's old team get tired of following his orders. While this is just conjecture, the seeds have certainly been planted in this new issue of Batman. Who knows? Perhaps more clues will be revealed as DC's Shadow War continues.