The Batman comics have been in a state of flux in recent years. The 2020 Joker War event left Bruce Wayne operating under a tighter budget and Gotham City more hostile to vigilantes. Batman #149 by Chip Zdarsky, Michele Bandini, and Steve Lieber restores some of the classic status quo. However, it also makes a major change that is sure to affect the future of the Dark Knight.
The brunt of Batman #149 concerns itself with Bruce Wayne tying up loose ends in the wake of recent events. The battle with his Zur-En-Arrh personality took a heavy personal toll upon the Dark Knight. It proved to be profitable, however, in more ways than one.
From his office at Wayne Enterprises, Bruce made an assessment of everything Zur-En-Arrh had done in his absence. To his surprise, his pure persona did not break the bank on new Bat-weapons and vehicles. Indeed, he had invested what few savings Bruce Wayne had wisely and split it across several global accounts to the tune of $3 billion dollars. This once again made the Dark Knight a billionaire playboy after several years of modest living.
What did Batman #149 destroy?
Unfortunately, there was another loose end that Batman had yet to deal with. At the height of Zur-En-Arrh’s rampage, Vandal Savage arranged to have himself appointed Commissioner of Gotham City’s police. The immortal villain had already contrived to purchase Wayne Manor and deny Bruce Wayne access to the Batcave. Now he intended to turn the Dark Knight and his partners into his unwitting accomplices in securing his new position among the rich elites of Gotham City.
Savage used the Bat-Signal for the first time in months to summon Batman. He offered him Wayne Manor and the Batcave in exchange for his compliance. The Dark Knight responded by destroying the Bat-Signal, punching Savage, and telling him to “keep the damned house.”
The restoration of his family fortune is a major boon to Batman. He will undoubtedly need those resources if he is to take on Vandal Savage and the entire GCPD. However, this is not the first time Bruce Wayne had to contend with a corrupt police department in protecting his city. It will be a challenge, but one to which the Dark Knight will surely rise.
Batman #149 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
