No matter how much Bruce Wayne tries to rid himself of his own material possessions, the world he lives in allows someone else to take up his mantle but be a thousand times worse. Derek Powers is also a great reminder that it was never just about Batman as a vigilante or Bruce Wayne as a billionaire but that the real issue has always been the disproportionate and unaccountable power in the hands of the few. In this issue we see where those efforts to “reform” ultimately lead to: a police state, and I appreciate that this is finally being addressed. In my opinion, the first mini-series Batman: White Knight possessed an embarrassing message that effective police reform means arming the police with an even deadlier arsenal.

The cartoon presented us this world that looked futuristic and dystopian, kind of like a Bladerunner movie and Sean Murphy effortlessly taps into that atmosphere while maintaining the White Knight‘s theme of dissecting all the nightmarish ways that people have twisted and manipulated Batman’s goodwill.īut up until now, I could only appreciate Sean Murphy’s consistent tearing down of every possible good intention to an extent. It’s quite a change from the Batman Beyond story we know, but the aesthetic and characterization from the show are present. It turns out the Batsuit is being taken by Derek Powers and he sends someone to steal the suit and test it out on the security surrounding Wayne Manor. However, instead of a grumpy old Bruce Wayne allowing an eager crimefighter to use the new suit, Sean Murphy delivers a twist. If you’re a fan of the cartoon (and inspiration for this new chapter in the White Knight saga) Batman Beyond then you’ll immediately recognize it. That’s not entirely untrue but the real opening two pages actually start with the discovery of Batman’s most powerful suit. Ok so I actually lied a little bit earlier when I said that the comic opens with Bruce Wayne in jail. Spoilers of Batman: White Knight and Batman: Curse of the White Knight ahead… Wayne, we are still here to witness the crime fighting instincts that linger within the shadows of Bruce Wayne. Even in jail, with no separation between the criminals and Mr. So following a criminal conviction, Batman: Beyond the White Knight opens with Bruce Wayne in the middle of a prison riot where all hell is about to break loose. Batman has finally shown the world his alter ego, his human counterpart, and is then sent straight to jail for the incalculable amount of destruction he’s caused. The third installment of Sean Murphy’s trilogy jumps decades into the future to see what kind of world Bruce Wayne left behind after abandoning the caped crusade against crime in Batman: Curse of the White Knight.

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