Warning! Contains Spoilers For Batman #137!Batman has contingency plans in place for every hero in the DC Universe, should even the most heroic among them somehow go rogue. Batman has famously planned against his friends and even himself – but as the Gotham War threatens to split the Bat-Family, his biggest self contingency just failed on every level.
Batman #137 – by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles – treated readers to a complete Bat-Family breakdown, as Batman and Catwoman go head-to-head.
After a disagreement about how to handle crime in Gotham City, Catwoman, and Batman have decided the only solution is if one of them leaves town. Unfortunately for Bruce, it seems that the Bat-Family has sided with Selina, leading to an all-out war.
Batman Will Face Off Against His Beloved Bat-Family
The Gotham War is rooted in Selina Kyle's belief that low-level criminals, who act out of desperation, can be trained to target the ultra-rich, and will no longer have to resort to working for super criminals like Joker or Penguin. Batman, on the other hand, believes there's no such thing as a victimless crime, arguing that his parents were killed for no other reason than being rich. This ideological divide threatens not only to turn those closest to Batman against him but to undo his ultimate contingency plan – the one for taking Batman himself down if necessary – just when it may be needed most.
Damian Sides With Batman In DC's Gotham War
Batman has specialized plans to take down every single member of the Justice League if necessary, but the question of who takes down Batman, should he become a threat, has often been asked. After the events of Dark Nights: Metal, where evil Batmen began invading Earth, it was a legitimately pressing question to ask. Batman has shown that despite what other plans he may've had over the years, ultimately, it is the Bat-Family who were meant to bring Batman down if he ever goes too far. But after Batman's confrontation with them, it shows that as far as contingency plans go, the Bat-Family has completely failed.
If Batman were to go rogue, he counted on the Bat-Family to bring him down.This was darkly highlighted in the nightmare world Dark Nights: The Batman Who Laughs, where after being infected by Joker Venom, which slowly turned Batman into the Joker, and the first people he killed were the Bat-Family, except Damian, who chose to him. He outright stated that they'd likely notice the change in him and try to stop him, which is why he had to take them by surprise. In Gotham War, the Bat-Family hasn't noticed the change in Batman's personality, proving Bruce's contingency plan to be flawed.
Batman's mind is currently being infected by Zur-En-Arrh – but rather than recognize this, and help his father, Damian is currently pushing Batman further down into darkness. Batman is slowly losing his grip on his sanity because of Zur-En-Arrh's influence, but instead of the Bat-Family seeing that and trying to help Bruce, they assume he's being his usual stubborn self. Not only do the Bat-Family try to bring Bruce down, and fail, but the one Robin that might actually get through to him instead sides with him out of loyalty. Damian siding with Batman isn't helping him, it's just pushing Batman further into madness, meaning the Bat-Family has completely failed as a contingency.
Batman #137 is on sale now from DC Comics!
