Bollywood: The Next Batman: Does Future State's Hero Measure Up To The Original?

Warning: spoilers ahead for Future State: The Next Batman #1!

DC's Future State is here, and with it comes Future State: The Next Batman #1. Over January and February, The Next Batman jumps ahead in time, and sees a new Dark Knight coming onto the scene in Gotham City's near future. Bruce Wayne is believed to be dead in the this future, so Tim Fox (the oldest son of Lucius Fox) decides to take on the mantle of the Bat himself, looking to serve some justice in his absence. However, can this new Batman truly measure up to the original? After all, Bruce Wayne undoubtedly leaves behind a rather large cape and cowl to fill. Does Tim believe he has what it takes?

As this first issue from John Ridley and Nick Derington shows, the Next Batman is still trying to get used to his new role. The Magistrate have completely taken over Gotham, turning it into a police state with drones, facial recognition cameras on every street corner, and "peacekeepers" who have shoot on sight orders for anyone wearing a mask. Naturally, this makes this new Dark Knight the number one target on the Magistrate's kill list, and he's doing everything he can to avoid the police's radar while still trying to do the right thing. Not only that, but it also seems as though there will be some ongoing family strife Tim is contending with as well, primarily with his brother Luke Fox.

However, an alteration with some thugs nearly gets him cornered by a pair of Gotham police officers, and the new Batman retreats just in the nick of time to a nearby rooftop. Taking some time to reflect on how close it was, Tim wonders how the "Real Batman" ever did it back in the early days. However, he stops midway through this line of thinking, reminding himself who he is and what he needs to be for Gotham City. "Nah, check that. I am the real Batman," Tim quickly reflects. "This is my city now. And I will protect it."

Despite the need to remind himself that he's now the real deal, the Next Batman does prove himself the following evening. Coming across a car full of Bane-lito gang members, Batman manages to stop them from killing a rival, dispatching them all rather quickly. He also saves two young boys who had gotten mixed up with the gang, right before the peacekeepers would have killed them for wearing Bane masks. Rather than tying them up to be sent to jail or worse under the Magistrate, Batman determines to get them real help with Child Services, hoping to give them both a second chance at leading better lives.

Batman himself believes that this evening was a good night, and readers can agree that Tim Fox definitely proves himself worthy of the cape and cowl in this first issue, despite any feelings of impostor syndrome he might have had initially in regards to his predecessor. Fighting impossible odds, the Next Batman combines the quick-thinking, agile reflexes, high-tech arsenal, and sound moral judgement that Bruce Wayne brought to the Dark Knight. Here's hoping the Next Batman will continue to be worthy as his Future State adventures continue.

More: DC Future State Theory: Scarecrow Has Turned Gotham Against Batman

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January 07, 2021 at 04:56AM

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