If someone walked up to you on the street and asked you what the secret identities of Superman and Batman were you’d likely be pretty quick to answer, and almost guaranteed to be right. If you were asked that same question today, you’d probably be surprised to hear you got one of your answers wrong.
For 60 years Batman has been in constant publication and has been seen in many movies and TV shows. The one thing in common with all of them was the fact that Batman’s secret identity was always Bruce Wayne. Yesterday that changed with the release of the first issue of “Batman and Robin” written by Grant Morrison with art by Frank Quitely.*
This issue marks the end (finally) of the Batman RIP story-line that left Bruce Wayne apparently dead or missing, and the beginning of a new era for the franchise. Dick Grayson, the first Robin is now Batman, and Bruce’s illegitimate son Damian has taken over as the fourth Robin.
The issue was an awesome change of pace from the RIP story, and fits the dark and campy tone Morrison said he was going for. I was thoroughly impressed, and I really hope they can keep Quitely on as artist as often as possible.
Now I just have to wait for the first issue of Detective Comics to arrive without Bruce Wayne in the lead. Though on this title the lead is instead going to be Batwoman, Kathy Kane. Sadly we’ve seen very little of her since her headline grabbing introduction as a lesbian comic book character. I can only hope that her run on Detective Comics will help her be known for something other than her sexual orientation.

* I am well aware that Azreal and Dick Grayson were both briefly Batman in the 90s, but Bruce was only injured, not dead at that point.