Batman, with a twist!

Sometimes I am dense. I've never been good at mysteries, or riddles, or chess really. I don't see ahead well enough. Today was just more evidence of that. 

I finally got around to reading Batman #10. I had heard Scott Snyder talking about a big "reveal" in this issue, and I was excited, but I didn't really give it much thought. I don't like trying to "figure things out" ahead of time. I'd rather enjoy the surprise. 

Well, Batman definitely surprised me. I should have known it. It seems so easy. A few weeks ago I wrote about another issue of Batman, one in which the Court of Owls assassins succeeded in killing the mayoral candidate, Lincoln March. I was shocked and a little depressed by this. I really thought there was something more to Lincoln. Why was he being introduced? Why did he look so similar to Bruce Wayne? Why did he die so easily? Well, all questions are now answered. 

Snyder has been pulling out some pretty dark secrets in his run on Batman. The Wayne family isn't as squeaky clean as we've always been led to believe. In this issue, Batman goes after the one person responsible for all of the chaos caused by Owl Talons running amok in Gotham. What he finds is a surprise even to him. Lincoln March isn't dead. He's been brought back to "life" by ingesting Mr. Freeze's living dead serum. March is breaking away from the Owls. He's figured out that the Owl's were trying to turn on him so he struck first. What Batman doesn't understand is that Lincoln March also has a BIG beef with him. A classic case of sibling rivalry, especially when we all realize that Lincoln Marc, aka Thomas Wayne Jr., was given up and forgotten as a newborn. So while Bruce was brought up in a loving environment, given everything he could ever want or need, Thomas was tucked away in what essentially became an mental institution, full of abuse and neglect. Thomas has a bone or two to pick with Master Bruce. 

What makes me feel even slower, is that DC announced a series of #0 issues recently. As I looked through the previews I noticed that there is going to be a new book starting, taking a character from the Court of Owls storyline. Immediately I thought, "Jeeeez, how silly is that?". DC was already trying to cash in on the success of the first big "event" of one of their books. I didn't plan on buying the new book, Talon. 

Well, that might change. My guess is that Lincoln March, Thomas Wayne Jr., will be starring in his own book soon. Hopefully this will add some tension to the bat-books, as there will be a new playa in town. March is neither bad, nor good, he's outside of everything. The Court of Owls will be after him, as well as Batman and the Gotham authorities. This adds a great balance to the Gotham world. All this, and Batman hasn't really introduced any of the classic villains yet. More good to come.