The Next Batman: Second Son comes to an end as the generally solid series leaves quite a number of plot lines unresolved ahead of its scheduled summertime relaunch. A majorly talented art team who hit the mark every single issue brings the series to a close with another stellar issue, full of emotion and intriguing montage-like moments. Read Full Review

*gasp*

I'm almost tempted to give this a higher rating just to push back against the unhinged review.

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Bats20832 - Jun 2, 2021

Because we don't have the right to disagree. And the only way to disagree is to call names like "unhinged." That's the "justice nuance" you support, the idea that the only opinion that has the right to a voice is yours? Like criminals should be given a hero's costume... or perhaps a badge?

Amazing Psycamorean - Jun 2, 2021

You confuse insulting with censorship somehow. You have a right to your unhinged opinion, and I have a right to my very correct opinion. I think writers in fiction can do whatever they want. In fact, you'll find every costumed hero in comics is actually a criminal vigilante. I'm as shocked as you are.

Bats20832 - Jun 2, 2021

Insult away. Every time you do, you prove in writing how weak your arguments are.

Amazing Psycamorean - Jun 2, 2021

Okay.

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The Conclusion! Except, well, it isn't. It just sort of "buries" the you know, gross parts of Tim (Jace) Fox's origin story as a killer criminal in digital chapters, so "The Next Batman" can be revealed in August, free of this unpleasant backstory, for PR media to welcome a new series "I Am Batman."

(See, they you told the "origin" - not OUR fault you didn't read it. Because we wouldn't want AP, CNN, media to get a line on what the ACTUAL origin story is. Just the "Next Batman" stories of understanding empathetic guy, who represents society better, never mind he is a killer... details, details, details.)

We now know the "origin" (eyeroll) of Ridley's "The Next Batman" is the guilt of Tim (Jace) Fox over killing a Hispanic father in a hit and run, and leaving him to die in the street. He allows his family to cover-up for him, and he faces no punishment for his crime. So now he is in sub-basement of Wayne Enterprises and he finds an actual hero's costume, THE Batman. The rest of story, somehow, is Jace Fox deciding to wear The Batman's costume as a way to manage the guilt of his own unpunished criminal past.

Of COURSE, John Ridley didn't tell us all of this "origin" stuff back during the $8/an issue "The Next Batman" Future State issues. Can you imagine how THAT would have sold? So he buries this in these digital only "chapters," and basically hopes everyone will sort of, you know, forget about the basis for his character. As another reviewer wrote about previous "Chapter 11," the dismissal on Jace Fox's murder of innocent man has been "framed in a way that the audience/characters can handwave away the incident feels kind of gross."

Excerpt one minor detail, and hey I notice they left THIS out of the DC Comics PR too, that John Ridley is writing about how "Antifa" are "radicals."

How would the read, "Murderer of Hispanic man, who leaves him to die in the street, goes on to become The 'Next Batman," after escaping prosceuction from the police. The 'Next Batman' uses his background as a criminal to motivate him to judge other people for being criminals, including research into 'Antifa radicals.'"

Bet we won't read any of that on the Comics PR sites or media PR releases. And let's be clear, these editorial decisions are DC Comics' decisions, not John Ridley's self-publication. And unlike a lot of DC Comics readers, they READ John's previous work with Wildstorm, etc. before they gave thim this assignment.

What is left OUT of John Ridley's bio? He created the first black American costumed hero, the New American Jason Fisher, who murdered (and got away with it) in 2006 in the Wildstorm comic's "The American Way," reviewed and praised by the Washington Post. And 15 years later, he creates a "Next Batman" black American character whose origin begins with killing a Hispanic father, begging for help in the street, as he leaves him to die - not even calling 911. And he is unpunished.

There are untold millions of heroic black Americans, who save lives and rescue EVERY DAY. This portrayal that to be heroes they must also be killers is incredibly unfair and racist to them. Just wrong. And no one is saying anything about it... which is even more wrong. more

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SenpaifenixJäger - May 19, 2021

omg I stopped reading this series I think the third number, which leads me to the question. Is this really progressive? because they made this Batman with the sole purpose of being inclusive and I feel that it is rather a real insult.

SenpaifenixJäger - May 19, 2021

One the character started being very random, then Lucius, who even FS was a faithful employee of Wayne, turns out to be a thief who is sold to the magistrate, his son the new Batman, a minority murderer that is currently despised more in the USA, Hispanic and now Batman ??? !!! Woow, if I were African American, I would burn this. I'm glad I didn't continue with this series, thanks for your incredible review

Bats20832 - May 19, 2021

Most DC Comics readers don't understand John Ridley, because they likely didn't read his Wildstorm comics with "the New American." They see John write "elseworld" type stories about other existing characters, but haven't seen him write his own character. "The Next Batman" is very much in line with his original writing elsewhere.

Bats20832 - May 19, 2021

What is left OUT of John Ridley's bio? He created the first black American costumed hero, the New American Jason Fisher, who murdered (and got away with it) in 2006. But 15 years later, he create a "Next Batman" character whose origin begins with killing an innocent man, and he is unpunished. There are untold millions of heroic black Americans, who save lives and rescue EVERY DAY. This portrayal that to be heroes they must also be killers is incredibly unfair and racist to them. Just wrong.

Barelyalivebutnotded - Jun 21, 2021

I don't understand why they chose this guy having Luke, TIM FOX has always been a hateful, envious and criminal guy. You only have to read the few appearances of him to know what kind of character he is. He hates Wayne because he feels ignored by his father, he always has dad problems, he once tried to put a bomb on Wayne's Enterprises. He was a gang member, he allied himself with corrupt people. This is a Batman of shit.

Bats20832 - Sep 16, 2021

Yes, as Barelyalive points out Tim Fox was also part of the Terrible Trio gang as the "Vulture." Tim Fox and his gang of criminals blew up a ship to sink threatened the lives of scores (saved by Batman and Robin),and then the gang tried to blow up a Wayne Enterprises event with a bomb Batman describes the gang as "punks." (DC Retroactive: Batman-The '70s Issue 1, September 2011)

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