So Many Batmans

I don’t know much about Batman Beyond other than the fact that the big brother from Boy Meets World did the voice for Batman in the cartoon. That is pretty cool and enough to pique my interest. It turns out the YA section of my local library has a ton of DC trade paperbacks, and I found this bad boy there so I gave it a go.

In the Batman Beyond world (which has a Gotham meets cyberpunk aesthetic), Bruce Wayne is an old man with a dog named Ace.  He’s hung up his suit for good, but he’s still Batman deep down. Teenager Terry McGinnis is the new Batman under Wayne’s tutelage. He has a cool new suit that is a terrifying matte black. Despite the look, McGinnis is much more of an upbeat, positive Bat.

In Hush Beyond, many of the original Batman’s enemies and associates are turning up dead. Someone or something is targeting people Wayne knew intimately. They know too much about Wayne to be an outsider. 

New Batman, Terry McGinnis, has to try and keep Batman’s former enemies and associates alive while also tracking the killer(s). What unfolds is an entertaining whodunit.

The story itself is fun, but my favorite part of the book is the dynamics between the Batmen. Bruce Wayne is a grumpy old general stuck behind a desk. He’s elevated McGinnis into a world-class athlete and crime fighter, but it’s not enough for Wayne. He keeps pushing harder and pushing McGinnis away. It’s very much another iteration of the Wayne and Dick Grayson/Nightwing relationship. We’ve seen how that relationship ended. In fact, older Tim Drake and Dick Grayson both make cameos in the book. Wayne’s family tree and legacy is certainly something to behold.

If you like exploring the Bat family, this is a fun read for that alone. If you’re unfamiliar with Batman Beyond, I think you can still follow this story without too much trouble.