3. The Batmaniest Batman Book Ever, Part 2
In my edition of Batman RIP, the Batman Final Crisis issues are included which feature Batman (alive) being worked on by Darkseid's scientists. They're working on cloning Batman using something called the Lump, a giant clay-like figure that's absorbing Bruce's experiences, memories, and physical and mental attributes, then sending them in turn into numerous clones. These two issues - titled The Butler Did It - are an amazing summing up of Batman's character, going into all of the major Batman storylines and moments over the 70+ years of the character's history. More than that though, it's underlining something that Morrison's been exploring since his first issue on Batman and Son - the uniqueness of Bruce Wayne as Batman. In Batman and Son we saw a trio of Batman-esque figures, all of whom were warped versions of the character. They were originally Gotham City police officers who were altered, physically and mentally, to one day replace Batman should he ever die. Except when they tried recreating Batman, each one of them failed to be the Batman they wanted. Instead each one becomes a crazed murderer, one of them even becoming Bane-like, while another went on to murder his wife and family. In The Butler Did It, the clones that are supposed to give Darkseid an army of Batmen, can't handle Bruce's experiences, just like the trio of GCPD Batmen. It underlines a key point about Batman: there's only one Batman and that is Bruce Wayne. Only Bruce could experience everything he did and turn out to be the Dark Knight he is. Only Bruce could internalise the trauma and tragedy of his life and turn it into something good. Anyone else that attempts this? They go insane, they die, they become killers, they turn evil - none can ever be like the real Batman.