Batman v. Superman, Gotham, and Arkham Knight: What kind of Batman do audiences really want?

The end of Christopher Nolan's character-defining Dark Knight trilogy has led to a scramble for the next great take on the superhero

Batman Take 1
(Image credit: (Illustration by Sarah Eberspacher | Photos courtesy AP Photos, Facebook.com))

In 2008, Neil Gaiman received an unusual offer from DC Comics: the chance to write the "last" Batman tale. The resulting story, Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?, takes place after Batman's death, at his wake, with allies like Robin and villains like the Joker putting aside their differences to share their memories of the superhero's greatest exploits.

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? offered a loving tribute to the character's 70-year history — but of course, DC Comics never really intended to let Batman go gentle into that good night. As the story ends, Bruce Wayne is reborn, beginning the cycle all over again: a rich boy responds to the trauma of his parents' murder by donning a costume to fight the villains who threaten to destroy Gotham City.

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.