The global expansion of Bruce Wayne's war on crime is coming back when Batman Inc. returns to headline its own series later this year. Times have changed since their last ongoing, and their new direction may be their most exciting adventure yet.
Batman Incorporated was a title from Grant Morrison, Chris Burnham and Frazer Irving and served as the final entry in Morrison's "Bat-Epic" storyline. After being thrown into the past by Darkseid's Omega Sanction, Bruce returned with a new mission in mind: take the idea of Batman and apply it worldwide. Venturing around the globe, the Dark Knight inducted heroes he believed could use his particular style of crimefighting to stamp out evil in every part of the world. By recruiting vigilantes such as Mister Unknown, the Hood and Nightrunner, Batman created a unique fighting force that had the potential to fight crime on a level never seen before in the DC Universe.
Now, for the first time since the original series ended, Batman Incorporated is coming back into the spotlight in a brand-new comic. In an exclusive announcement from CBR, DC revealed that the network of Dark Knights are returning in a new ongoing set to release later this year. The upcoming series comes from the creative team of Ed Brisson and artist John Timms. DC also revealed a synopsis for the first issue: "Following the events of the Abyss story arc, Batman has now tasked Ghost-Maker to finance and lead Batman Inc.! First order of business for the new management? Clean up a huge mess Luthor created in Chechnya…but is this new group ready to face fearsome new threat the Gray Wolf? And prepare yourself for the evolution of Clownhunter!"
While fans are going to have to wait until October to see the new adventures of the international Batmen, their return is no doubt something that will be warmly embraced by fans. The idea of a global team all influenced by Batman stretches back to the Silver Age with the Batmen of All Nations. But unlike Bruce's former crew, Batman Inc. is a much more modern take on the idea and there's a lot of room to explore how the Caped Crusader's mission can be applied on a worldwide level.
Batman may have started as an independent crimefighter, but he slowly expanded his operation to include a number of partners that made up his infamous "Bat-Family" to help him keep crime under control in Gotham. Batman Inc. is basically the same idea but on a much larger scale with the added aspect of showing how the ideals of the Dark Knight transcends borderlines and cultures. And unlike the previous Batman Incorporated series, which largely focused on Bruce's personal mission with the team, this new series seems to give the team the spotlight giving fan-favorite characters like El Gaucho, Wingman and the Knight a chance to shine. Fans eager to see the latest adventures of Batman Inc. should keep their eyes peeled for when the series drops later this year.
The new Batman Incorporated series will be available from DC Comics in October.
Source: CBR