Batman has one of the greatest collection of villains in all of comics. The Joker. Riddler. Penguin. Two-Face. Catwoman. The list goes on and on.
With Batman #43, writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo introduce a brand-new baddie to Batman's rogues gallery, and this one is wasting little time in making a name for himself.
Mr. Bloom is his name. We've had hints of him in issues past, but this is our first look at the mysterious arms dealer who has been selling superpowers to bad apples in the Narrows. He is tall, lanky and is certainly an intimidating presence on page. There is simply something unsettling about the character. You aren't sure what it is until the final page of this month's issue, but by then, it is already too late for one classic Batman villain.
Major spoilers for issue #43 below.
Read on at your own risk!
Yes, Penguin meets his apparent end in this issue after attempting to snuff out Mr. Bloom's blossoming criminal empire. Turns out Mr. Bloom isn't killed so easily. He transforms into a creature straight out of a horror movie after being shot and swiftly dispatches Penguin and his men.
While one might expect the introduction of a new villain to be the major event of the issue, a number of other startling revelations also come to light. We've seen Bruce Wayne pop up in the last several issues. However, it has been obvious that something isn't quiet right. This isn't the Bruce Wayne who was Batman, the tireless defender of Gotham. As it turns out, Bruce actually did die after his battle with the Joker. But the magical healing properties of the dionesium healed him. It rebuilt Bruce's body and his mind.
Only this mind doesn't know martial arts. It doesn't remember why Bruce became Batman. Everything that made Bruce Batman is now gone. Instead, Bruce is helping the city by working at a children's charity.
Alfred reveals all this to none other than Superman, who stops by Gotham City to inquire about Bruce. During his stay, Alfred shows Clark Bruce's final – and unfinished – invention.
It's a clone machine. Bruce knew the day would come when he would no longer be Batman. So he had the idea of cloning himself, aging the clones up to age 27 and having a never-ending cycle of Batmen defending Gotham. Bruce worked on the machine in secret, but never had the chance to finish it before he died and was brought back to life. Alfred believes it is for the best. Batman is meant to be mortal, he tells Clark. The cycle is meant to end.
But even if Bruce Wayne (or clones of Bruce Wayne) aren't fighting crime, there is still Batman in the form of Jim Gordon. He is determined to track down Mr. Bloom and stop him, but he may have bitten off more than he can chew. He falls directly into a trap and his fate is still uncertain at the end of the issue.
Snyder and Capullo continue to show that they have no shortage of fresh ideas when it comes to Batman. With a new villain, the apparent death of a classic one and some huge revelations regarding Bruce Wayne, issue #43 hits the ground running and doesn't stop. Snyder and Capullo are firing on all cylinders and fans can only hope the pair doesn't decide to leave Batman behind anytime soon.
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