Warning! Spoilers ahead for Detective Comics #1034
The latest issue of Detective Comics sees Batman finally realizing the full potential of one of his most important tools—his true identity as Bruce Wayne. For a long time, comics have used Batman’s secret identity as a billionaire playboy as a simple means to an end for funding the superhero’s seemingly endless supply of gadgets and giving him access to places that Batman couldn’t reach otherwise. Detective Comics is finally turning the old Bruce dynamic on its head and giving a newfound purpose to the character.
With Gotham City Mayor Nakano having instituted a firm anti-vigilante stance, Batman is once again at odds with the powers that be. In such a time where it’s very risky for the Dark Knight to don his costume at all, his identity as Bruce Wayne has become a necessary way for him to continue conducting his investigations without raising suspicion. The only problem is that Bruce is no longer the mega-rich philanthropist with near-infinite resources that readers are familiar with. In the wake of “Joker War,” Bruce has lost access to most of his fortune due to Lucius Fox’s fear that the government would be able to tell if he spent any money on funding Batman. In addition, the board of Wayne Enterprises has ousted him from his position in response to Joker’s hostile takeover of the company. Without these resources, Bruce is no longer able to rely on his fortune to maintain his status as one of Gotham’s elite citizens.
The Batman story in Detective Comics #1034, written by Mariko Tamaki with art by Dan Mora, illustrates Bruce’s new normal. The hero now actively works to keep up his connections as a socialite by attending a fundraising event for Nakano and, perhaps more surprisingly, casually socializing at a neighborhood party. Though he dons the Batsuit in a small handful of scenes, the issue primarily features Batman’s out-of-costume exploits. With the comic’s conclusion teasing a mysterious plot surrounding the members of Gotham’s upper crust, it seems that Bruce’s unique social position is going to afford him more of a key role in this story outside of his costume rather than inside of it.
Stripping Bruce of his monetary resources while simultaneously making him the most effective avenue for Batman to conduct his current investigations adds a whole new dimension and purpose to the hero’s alter ego. There’s real value in the information that Batman can get as Bruce right now, but it’s also more challenging than ever for him to retain his influence as a former billionaire. For the first time in a good while, it feels like Batman’s public life has a point.
Detective Comics has successfully fixed Bruce Wayne’s role in the Batman mythos. The result is a Bruce whose story beats are just as entertaining, if not more so, than Batman himself. Readers can see more of the new-and-improved version of Batman’s secret identity when the next issue of Detective Comics releases on April 27, 2021.