| Batman: Battle for the Cowl | |
|---|---|
 Cover art to Battle for the Cowl #1, the first issue of the arc. Art by Tony Daniel |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Limited series |
| Genre | Superhero |
| Publication date | March – May 2009 |
| Number of issues | 3 |
| Main character(s) | Dick Grayson Jason Todd Tim Drake Damian Wayne Black Mask Batman Family Club of Heroes |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Tony Daniel |
| Penciller(s) | Tony Daniel |
| Inker(s) | Sandu Florea |
| Letterer(s) | Jared Fletcher |
| Colorist(s) | Ian Hannin |
| Editor(s) | Mike Marts Janelle Siegel |
| Collected editions | |
| Battle for the Cowl | ISBN 1-4012-2416-4 |
| Battle for the Cowl Companion | ISBN 1-4012-2495-4 |
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a three issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics. Written and penciled by Tony Daniel, the story details the chaos in Gotham City after Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis due to Batman's perceived absence and abandonment by the public. His disappearance is actually caused by the character's apparent death at the hands of Darkseid in Final Crisis, which causes dissension in the ranks of his allies and enemies who fight for the right to become the new Batman.[1][2][3]
Contents |
Background and Publication history
While the core story is to be presented as self-contained within the limited series, DC has published a group of related stories in various one-shots and limited series.
The titles Nightwing, Robin as well as Birds of Prey have been cancelled and Batman and Detective Comics have gone on hiatus for three months beginning in March 2009. Battle for the Cowl focuses on the aftermath of the Final Crisis and R.I.P. and the battle for Gotham.[1][4][5] Tied to this will be a three-part Oracle mini-series[6] and a three-part Azrael mini-series[7][8] and two bookends titled Gotham City Gazette that encompasses the changes in all of those series. In addition, five one-shots will be published focussing on key characters in upcoming storylines.[9] These will feature Man-Bat, Commissioner Gordon, the Network, the Underground and Arkham Asylum.[10]
At New York Comic-Con 2009, DC Comics' creative personnel announced the launch of several new series to coincide with the new Batman and Robin adjusting to Gotham City's altered status quo.[10]
Plot summary
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Prelude
The prelude to the story begins with Grant Morrison's Batman and Son. Batman and Son is the first in a a five part volume that includes The Black Glove and Batman R.I.P. The events lead up to The Black Glove which is a prelude to Batman R.I.P in which Bruce Wayne presumably dies.
In Last Rites it is told that Bruce does not actually die but instead escapes retreats to Batcave and in his injured state he captured by Granny Goodness. Darkseids cronies attempt to clone Batman but all the clones just kill themselves.
Eventually Batman escapes and confronts Darkseid. The evil god is shot Batman makes a once in a lifetime exception to his no firearm rule. However the god is able to blast Batman with his Omega Sanction. His body is recovered by Superman who brings to the bat-family.
Eventually chaos breaks out in Gotham due to Batman's dissapearance. Penguin and Two-Face become the top leading gang leaders.
Battle for the Cowl
The story begins with Tim Drake and Squire chasing three armed gangsters into an abandoned hospital. The gangsters are caught by a third party who leaves a note which reads, "I am Batman."
Nightwing cannot keep Gotham under control and is reluctant to succeed Batman. Black Mask soon takes control of Arkham's inmates with implants that will kill them if they do not obey him. Among his recruits are Jane Doe, Firefly, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc and Victor Zsasz. Damian Wayne, driving the Batmobile, is attacked by Killer Croc and Poison Ivy. Nightwing comes to his aid, but ultimately the two of them are rescued by a Batman impostor who shouts, "I am Batman!" Nightwing deduces that the impostor is Jason Todd. Damian is shot. [11][12]
Elsewhere, Two-Face and the Penguin prepare to attack one another, unaware of Black Mask's hand in things. Tim finds Jason Todd's "Batcave" in a subway station. There he is saved from a booby trap by Catwoman, who knows Tim is behind the mask. Jason ambushes them, first disposing of Catwoman, then engaging in a fight with Tim before impaling him in the chest with a Batarang. Assuming he is dead, Jason exclaims, "One more to go."[13]
Nightwing's reluctance to become the new Batman stems from a message left behind by Bruce Wayne. Organizing a manhunt to find the criminal throwing Gotham into chaos, Nightwing leaves in search of Tim and Jason. While the GCPD contemplates the burning city, Damian has risen from the surgery table he is on and considers attacking Alfred to escape. While Alfred is quick to point out that he’s not in shape to fight, he does let him leave with his new chaperone, Squire.
Black Mask is seen sitting in the darkness, his mask in his lap, speaking to either himself or someone else, saying the "master plan" is about to begin.
Nightwing traces Tim’s signal to Jason’s 'Batcave' and discovers Tim's discarded cowl. Jason begins the battle proclaiming that he killed Tim and that Nightwing can join him as Robin. In an attempt to calm Jason down, Nightwing plays Bruce’s 'last will' message to Jason. It implies that there is a deep, dark secret that Jason is hiding from his childhood (before becoming Robin). Bruce apologizes for not getting Jason the help he needs, saying that he still has a chance. Jason, however, becomes even more enraged at the message and continues his attack on Nightwing by detonating charges in his lair.
Tim, who barely survived Jason’s attack, is faced with a collapsing floor with the detonation of Jason’s 'batcave' and falls to his certain death, only to be saved by Damian.
While Nightwing and Jason move their fight onto a moving train, Jason reveals that he knows who the criminal mastermind behind Gotham’s downfall is. Nightwing is left to wonder if the Black Mask is the same who was killed by Catwoman or someone entirely new. As the fight escalates, Nightwing kicks Jason off the train onto the side of the track. Nightwing offers Jason his hand, but Jason merely says, "I'll be seeing you sooner than you think," and plunges into the bay.
As Nightwing contemplates Jason’s mistakes, he walks into the Batcave, with Alfred and a new Robin present (Damian) to assume the mantle of the Bat.[14]
Works
Battle for the Cowl
- Battle for the Cowl: Commissioner Gordon (written by Royal McGraw, with art by Tom Mandrake, May, 2009)[15]
- Gotham Gazette: Batman Dead? (May, 2009)
- Azrael: Death's Dark Knight #1-3 (written by Fabian Nicieza, with art by Frazer Irving, May - July, 2009)
- Oracle: The Cure #1-3 (May - July, 2009)
- Battle for the Cowl: Arkham Asylum (June, 2009)
- Battle for the Cowl: The Underground (June, 2009)
- Battle for the Cowl: Man-Bat (June, 2009)
- Battle for the Cowl: The Network (July, 2009)
- Battle for the Cowl: Secret Six (July, 2009)
- Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive? (July, 2009)
Aftermath
- Detective Comics #854–onward (written by Greg Rucka and pencilled by J. H. Williams III). It will follow the adventures of Batwoman along with a Question co-feature).
- Batman #687–onward (written by Judd Winick and penciled by Ed Benes on the first issue, Mark Bagley on the next four and Tony Daniel after that)[16]
- Batman and Robin (written by Grant Morrison and penciled by Frank Quitely)[17][18]. This series will focus on a light-hearted and spontaneous Batman along with a brooding and violent Robin. The book will contain an overarching story split across several smaller stories.
- Red Robin (written by Chris Yost and penciled by Ramon Bachs)[19]. The story will revolve around Red Robin's quest to find Bruce Wayne. The title will follow his journey throughout the DCU and be divided into mini-arcs under one major story. The first four issue arc will be titled 'The Grail.'
- Batman: Streets of Gotham (written by Paul Dini and penciled by Dustin Nguyen) will focus on the GCPD as well as the Gotham Underground. It will star the new Batman. Starting with issue #1, Manhunter will be attached in a co-feature.
- Gotham City Sirens (written by Paul Dini and penciled by Guillem March) focuses on female rogues Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.
Collected editions
The series and its secondary titles are being collected into individual volumes:
- Battle for the Cowl (160 pages, hardcover, November 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2416-4)
- Battle for the Cowl Companion (128 pages, softcover, November 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2495-4
See Also
Notes
- ^ a b Brady, Matt (2008-11-12). "Dan DiDio: 20 Answers, 1 Question". Newsarama. http://www.newsarama.com/comics/110812-Didio2.html. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
- ^ Creating Batman: Battle for the Cowl, IGN, December 19, 2008
- ^ Tony Daniel - Batman: Battle for the Cowl's Field Marshall, Newsarama, December 22, 2008
- ^ Creating Batman: Battle for the Cowl, IGN, December 19, 2008
- ^ Tony Daniel - Batman: Battle for the Cowl's Field Marshall, Newsarama, December 22, 2008
- ^ VanHook Talks "Oracle" Miniseries, Comic Book Resources, December 22, 2008
- ^ Batman: Battle for the Cowl - Enter Azrael, IGN, December 18, 2008
- ^ Fabian Nicieza Unleashes Azrael, Comic Book Resources, December 29, 2008
- ^ Brady, Matt (2008-12-10). "Dan DiDio: 20 Answers, 1 Question - Batman and More". Newsarama. http://www.newsarama.com/comics/120810-DiDio-20.html. Retrieved 2008-12-13.
- ^ a b NYCC '09 - Batman Panel - Six New Series in June, Newsarama, February 7, 2009
- ^ comics.ign.com/articles/972/972153p1.html
- ^ Battle for the Cowl #1
- ^ Battle for the Cowl #2
- ^ Battle for the Cowl #3
- ^ McGraw Bat-Signals "Commissioner Gordon", Comic Book Resources, March 17, 2009
- ^ Moving to Gotham: Mark Bagley Talks Batman, Newsarama, April 17, 2009
- ^ Morrison discusses Batman and Robin, IGN Comics, March 11, 2009
- ^ Grant Morrison Talks Batman & Robin, Comic Book Resources, March 19, 2009
- ^ Christopher Yost Talks Red Robin, Comic Book Resources, April 13, 2009
References
- Battle for the Cowl at the Comic Book DB
External links
- Battle for the Cowl #1 Review from CC2K
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