Review: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? · 3:51pm Sep 16th, 2021
Written by Neil Gaiman and drawn by Andy Kubert, “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader” is a most unique comic. Published in the aftermath of Batman’s supposed death, this two-issue miniseries was intended to close out the main Batman book as well as Detective Comics. It was, in essence, to be "the last Batman story.”
It was to be something kind of like the last Superman story of the Silver Age – “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” Although, as Neil Gaiman soon reasoned, his comic would have be different. Alan Moore’s comic was a farewell, yes, to Superman, but also a celebration of a particular era – a story that, for all of its tragic aspects, still ended on a wink and a smile, as many of the classic Superman stories were wont to do.
Neil Gaiman knew that Batman was a different sort of character, with different sorts of stories. He also knew that he could not, or perhaps, should not, even try to do what Moore had done. If he wanted to tell “The last Batman story,” it would have to be about more than Batman’s current death. It would have to be a story that would cover a far wider swath of history, more than just one era of the Dark Knight Detective.
To that end, Neil Gaiman crafted his story: a most unusual tale of death, or perhaps “deaths” is the more appropriate term here… of deaths, and endings, and beginnings, of survival, and stories.
All of them different. But all of them about the Batman.
This, then, is “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?”
We open in Gotham City. Inside of Crime Alley to be exact. But something about it seems… Different. Not quite familiar, at least according to the voice of the narrator overlooking it all...
We move to a place in Crime Alley, the Dew Drop Inn. Selina Kyle – not the modern Catwoman, but the classic, Golden Age version of the character – pulls up and enters the place. The bartender, a fellow by the name of Joe Chill, tells her that a group is gathered in the back. Selina heads back to meet Alfred Pennyworth. It’s a wake, and other characters arrive for it: the Golden Age versions of Two-Face and the Joker, as well as the modern James and Barbara Gordon, alongside a version of the Riddler from the ’66 Batman show…
There is a coffin at the front of the room. And inside it is the body of Batman himself. And the narrator says, “That’s me,” upon discovering the coffin…
More and more characters arrive, all of them from differing times in the history of the Batman. Many of them come forward to give a eulogy about the deceased – and every one tells their story of how the Batman died, though each story is wildly different from each other. Golden Age Catwoman tells a story that draws from the tale of Robin Hood in its ending; Batman the narrator even noting the allusion.
A version of Alfred tells a tragic story of a Bruce Wayne who failed to capture any criminals, and sank further into depression and grief… and so, with the intent of giving his charge some semblance of purpose and hope, Alfred hired several old actor friends to portray various supervillains, committing phony crimes (reminiscent of the Silver Age adventures) to keep Bruce “alert” and fulfilled. Alfred himself played the role of the Joker, to give Bruce an “opposite number” to face. But unfortunately Bruce, upon uncovering the truth, refused to give up being Batman – and tragically died when facing the actor for the Riddler, who’d gotten lost in character and now believed himself to be the villain for real.
The narrator Batman calls this story “impossible,” noting that the Joker is right there in the audience. He wonders what in the world is going on. He wonders if he’s dead, or dreaming, or something else.
Another voice tells him that he is “not yet” dead, and when the narrator Batman asks what is going on, she (for the voice is that of a mysterious female) tells him, “You’re the World’s Greatest Detective, Bruce. Why don’t you figure it out?”
The stories continue, from the various mourners. Betty Kane, the Golden Age Bat-Girl, tells of how Batman sacrificed his life to stop a bomb from exploding. The Mad Hatter talks of how Batman refused to give up, even when the Rogues had all beaten him and he would die.
The Joker from The Killing Joke talks of how he massively poisoned Batman with his distinctive toxin and yet, despite it all, the Caped Crusader would not smile. The Joker in the story rages at him, demanding, “Why don’t you smile?!” And Batman answers, “Because… it’s not funny.” And the Joker, looking sorrowful, ultimately agrees that, yes, it was not funny.
Clayface, Ra’s al Ghul, Superman, Dick Grayson as Robin, all tell their own stories of how the Dark Knight Detective died. Sometimes in a grand, heroic fashion; sometimes ignominiously and alone. But one common thread unites all these wildly disparate tales. Even in the face of certain death, Batman does NOT give up or surrender.
The narrator Batman finally sees a door by his casket, and finds that he can go through it. Upon doing so, he finds himself in a shaft of light, and sees who the woman he had speaking to was – his mother Martha. Batman, having figured out what is going on, understands that he is dying; having a near-death experience.
Batman muses on all the different stories of his death. However grand or tragic, noble or pitiful, the end is, that in them, no matter who Bruce Wayne is or who or how he fights, that he is *always* Batman and that Batman *never* gives up. He accepts that this is how his story will end, and that it is the only way it can end. That he will fight until the end, and that while the end will eventually come, he will fight up until the very last.
Martha agrees that yes, this is the inevitable end for Batman’s quest, but also reminds her son that as a boy, for a few blessed years, Bruce was truly happy and at peace. And that, while his life is about to end now, it will begin again, for this is what his life and afterlife are: he gets to be Batman. That he will get a few years of true, real happiness, with Martha and Thomas Wayne.
And then he will be Batman again. And the cycle will continue.
But, for the moment, it is over. And it is time for Batman to stop fighting now, and let go.
The book concludes, in a wistful, dreamlike fashion, as Batman says goodnight to his the elements of his life. In a way like the book “Goodnight Moon,” he bids farewell to the Batcave, to his friends, and his allies and enemies alike, as he vanishes and the Bat-Signal is the only thing left, shining in the night sky.
The signal shifts, becoming a pair of hands, as a doctor reaches out and holds a newborn baby boy… a baby boy who is handed to Martha Wayne in the hospital. Martha smiles down at her son, and names him Bruce.
“Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” is a very unusual, very whimsical comic. Make no mistake, this is a *weird* comic. It may be one that crosses some kind of line into "TOO weird" for some people, but all told, I very much enjoyed myself with this wistful, reflective reading of the Batman's many lives and deaths, and the cycle therein.
It is a story that is also brimming with affection and a certain kind of love for all sorts of different eras of the Dark Knight. The Golden Age and Silver Age get particular degrees of reverence, in various ways: even the infamously hokey “Holy!” exclamation associated with Burt Ward gets a loving meditation on it, as the old-school Robin muses on how his mentor, time and again, would pull off miraculous feats and save life after life, without ever giving up. It’s an oddly poignant examination of a very campy aspect of an old TV show, but one that does feel very sweet and affectionate on the part of the author.
Neil Gaiman writes this most unusual, dreamlike story, with definite wit and insight into all the various characters. Indeed, part of the fun of reading this story is to note all the little touches and flourishes of the various Bat-characters, from Dark Knights to Boy Wonders and arch-criminals and more. Perhaps one of the most eminently quotable exchanges comes from the Golden Age version of the Joker, who expresses a pointed disdain for the far more murder-happy versions of himself:
“Kid, I’m the Joker. I don’t just randomly kill people. I kill people when it’s funny. What could possibly be funny about killing you?”
(It’s a bit of dialogue I’ve become very fond of citing, truth be told.)
The artwork by Andy Kubert is a perfect complement to Gaiman’s allusion-rich and metatextual script. This is a comic that takes on the style of many different eras throughout Batman’s continuity: stylistic references abound to Bob Kane, Dick Sprang, Carmine Infantino, Neal Adams and Brian Bolland and, most likely, many more. But, evocative of these various iconic styles the comic can get, the real beauty of Kubert’s artwork is that it does not feel like an imitation or derivative of these artists’ work, but, perhaps, an invocation or tip of the hat to these great creators and their renderings of the Batman and his world.
“Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” is not a Batman book for everyone. I can understand why some people might not care for it. Some might find it too absurd, too dream-logic, or just plain too weird, to be enjoyable enough for their liking. But I found this comic to be an oddly moving, thoughtful experience to read. I would certainly recommend it to those with a love of the Caped Crusader, in all his myriad incarnations; not just the darker ones. For the character may be a Dark Knight, but as this comic shows, the darkness is not what is ultimately important about the character. What *is* important about Batman is that he does not give up. That whether he be facing the Joker or Two-Face or Catwoman, or Ra’s al Ghul or Penguin, or even just some thug with a gun, that he fights to stop crime and protect others – even if the cost be his own life.
It may be wrapped up in a story that moves like a dream and wraps up like a childhood storybook, but it’s a message that is, I think, a rather inspiring one all told.
The version of the comic that I have comes with a few bonus Batman stories, also by Neil Gaiman. Many of them are also well worth reading, and two of them in particular go hand-in-hand with the metatextual nature of the main comic. The first of these is a delightful feature from the comic “Batman Black and White,” a one-shot story that has the Joker and Batman as performers on the comic page; who rehearse their lines like regular actors, and despite their “on-panel” antagonism, are perfectly respectful of each other when out of character. It’s very much a Looney Tunes, Sam and Ralph-as-comic book story, and one that I just adored to read.
The second story I’d recommend is a very bittersweet ode to the Adam West Batman show. “When Is a Door Not a Door?” is the story of a documentary crew in Gotham City hoping to strike it rich with a tell-all on one of Batman’s villains. However, nobody they’ve reached out to will give them the time of day… until one day they get a call from a man claiming to be the Riddler. The crew meets one “Eddie Nashton” in a massive storage yard for giant novelty props, and the Riddler (a dead ringer for Frank Gorshin) waxes poetic and nostalgic for the days when the Bat-Villains all hung out, when the Joker didn’t murder everything with a pulse, and when the adventures and the gimmicks and the outsized traps and devices were fun and wacky. It’s an odd story, one that is nostalgic, but more sorrowful than bitter, and ends on a dark note of the sheer difference between “then” and “now” in Gotham City… but it’s definitely a tale that sticks with you all the same. And for that, I applaud it.
All told, this is a collection that I very much enjoy, and one that I found well worth reading.
I've heard of this one before. Sounds like an interesting read.
So this comic is responsible for the panel of Joker with a giant syringe full of Joker venom and demanding Batman laugh, Alfred as Joker AND "I kill people because it's funny."
I should try to get my hands on it.
5582703
Glad to hear it. 👍
I definitely found it an enjoyable work. Definitely, again, rather "out there" for a Batman story, but it's definitely one that makes for a really fascinating read. Also helps that the backup stories in the book are quite good as well. I reread the "When is a Door" story last night and was pleasantly surprised at how well the dialogue held up.
5582704
Glad to hear it. And yeah, I'd say that it's a very worthwhile read for sure.
5582704
There's another great Joker quote in this story that I forgot to share.
Early in the book, when you see all the different assorted mourners at the wake, among the group are the Animated Series Joker and Harley Quinn.
Harley: "I can't believe he's really gone, puddin'."
Joker: "I can't believe he didn't die the first time he put on a cape and jumped off a roof."
5582884
That's an amazing line.
5582890
It is, it really is.
If I ever am lucky enough to meet Mark Hamill in real life, I'd love to ask him to say it in his Joker voice. XD
5582894
I figure he'd get a kick out of it.
5582895
I think he would as well.
It's always one of the great delights for me that one of the iconic voices of one of fiction's most maniacal villains is as nice, humble and appreciative as Mark Hamill. Talk about a case of Mean Character, Nice Actor