The goal of the Batman Beyond comics post the DC Rebirth has always been to restore Batman Beyond to a more recognizable state. Terry McGinnis (Batman Beyond) had been introduced into the mainstream DC continuity through the long and confusing Future’s End crossover that saw the deaths of Terry McGinnis and the older Bruce Wayne as well. Dan Jurgens kicked off the new Batman Beyond series with a story that featured the newly resurrected Terry McGinnis retaking the mantle of Batman and Issue #6 sees the newly resurrected Bruce Wayne retake his mantle of Batman’s assistant for this new story.
First off, it is great to see the older Bruce Wayne back in action. The character just has so much personality and Jurgens does a great job writing him. There is a level of nuance to the character that is very compelling at all times. Bruce comes off as aloof to the rest of Terry’s friends and family, but it seems to me that this is just a side effect of Bruce masking his insecurities. The world he has re-entered looks very different than the one he left behind and he suspects that it doesn’t need him anymore. And since Bruce isn’t the type to ask for help, he seems content to let himself fade into the background.
Terry also struggles with re-entering his old life when he is re-united with his girlfriend Dana. To make it even more intense, Dana has just found out that Terry is Batman. Terry now has to try and make a life with a woman who he has lied to repeatedly.
Ultimately, this is a comic book about the fear that the people that you need don’t need you. It’s about needing someone or something who has no place for you anymore. Bruce believes Gotham and Terry don’t need him anymore. Terry needs Dana, but he worries that his lifestyle makes them incompatible. He thinks he is ready to make a change for Dana, but we, the readers, don’t know if he actually is. Ultimately, this story will be about whether or not Terry can make this change successfully and what that looks like.
Bruce, on the other hand, doesn’t consider changing who he is for Gotham. Maybe this is an older man’s wisdom, but he knows he can’t change and is willing to walk away. Maybe that is what Terry will learn here and Terry will ultimately do with Dana.
Either way, I’m definitely looking forward to the next chapter.
Rating: 9 out of 10
