I'm not sure what's going on in Grant Morrison's New52 books, but after an alt-Earth issue of Action Comics that avoided using the rebooted Superman cast, he's at it again in his first New52 issue of Batman, Incorporated. Is this thing REALLY in the New52?
You may remember that even as the New52 took flight, and even if Batman continuity wasn't entirely rebooted and continued from its pre-Flushpoint storylines, DC decided to publish a pre-reboot Batman Inc. special that collected two unpublished issues of the original series. Batman Inc. is still in continuity post-Flushpoint, but the special did feature the "wrong" Batgirl. So the new #1 is fully rebooted, right?
Wrong. Look at this pieces of dialog:
According to the big fella there, not only did the Outsiders exist (Black Lightning's fro-mask is in the clubhouse, but I guess he never worked with the Birds of Prey's Katana?), but Metamorpho was once a member of the Justice League! Didn't anyone get the memo that said the League NEVER accepted another member after their founding? Or is Morrison doing it on purpose, ignoring reboot decisions he doesn't agree with? You'll note this is the only Batman title not doing a Talon story this month. (Is Batwing's appearance, thought dead at the hands of an army of Man-Bats, in line with his own book? I don't even know.)
Sure, Batman's got the New52 costume and there's a reference to goings-on on Batman & Robin, but whose to say those elements aren't ALSO occurring on Earth-1?
You may remember that even as the New52 took flight, and even if Batman continuity wasn't entirely rebooted and continued from its pre-Flushpoint storylines, DC decided to publish a pre-reboot Batman Inc. special that collected two unpublished issues of the original series. Batman Inc. is still in continuity post-Flushpoint, but the special did feature the "wrong" Batgirl. So the new #1 is fully rebooted, right?
Wrong. Look at this pieces of dialog:
According to the big fella there, not only did the Outsiders exist (Black Lightning's fro-mask is in the clubhouse, but I guess he never worked with the Birds of Prey's Katana?), but Metamorpho was once a member of the Justice League! Didn't anyone get the memo that said the League NEVER accepted another member after their founding? Or is Morrison doing it on purpose, ignoring reboot decisions he doesn't agree with? You'll note this is the only Batman title not doing a Talon story this month. (Is Batwing's appearance, thought dead at the hands of an army of Man-Bats, in line with his own book? I don't even know.)Sure, Batman's got the New52 costume and there's a reference to goings-on on Batman & Robin, but whose to say those elements aren't ALSO occurring on Earth-1?
Comments
(No doubt, the Leviathan story takes place later, but I wouldn't want to be the guy drawing up a Batman timeline.)
That's what I've now had to do as well.
(Which, I guess, could actually happen in Multiversity, if that ever actually happens...)