Warning! Spoilers ahead for Batman '89 #1!
Writer Sam Hamm just confirmed that Batman '89 will question the Dark Knight's legitimacy as a hero throughout the new miniseries. Michael Keaton's Batman is finally back, but in comic book form, as Batman '89 continues the seminal world created by Tim Burton. Having the original screenwriter back for the leap to the comics page is perfect, as Hamm is able to draw on past knowledge of writing this world. However, things aren't going to be exactly as they were before. Times have changed and the Burtonverse is going to be expanded in new ways that probably wouldn't have occurred back in the '90s.
Batman has always been a morally ambiguous character. In some iterations, Batman is more than willing to kill people. Keaton's Batman is an example of that kind of Batman, as he has no problem blowing away villains. But on the whole, Batman sticks to his "no guns" and "no killing" rules. Batman killing is just one of the many aspects of his character that can be questioned. Now, it seems that Keaton's Batman is going to be tested to see if he is truly a hero or not.
In an interview with Robin, who saves the young lady from Batman, who is way out of line.
In the interview, Hamm emphasizes that Batman '89 is a "Robin and Batman" story, not a "Batman and Robin" one. When readers meet Robin he is already a vigilante, roaming the less established streets of Gotham, helping those he can. It's clear that Robin's introduction is the catalyst that leads Batman to question his place as a hero. By seeing the work that Robin has achieved by helping those in need and being an actual hero, Batman will surely see that his actions have impact. According to Hamm, "Things do not work out smoothly for Batman in this story. There's collateral damage." A lot of challenges will be thrown his way, not just physically, but morally.
The events that occur in Batman '89 will presumably go on to affect the legacy of Keaton's Batman. By not putting him on a pedestal and questioning Batman's heroics, DC is taking a big risk, especially because hardcore fans of the Burtonverse will be reading. Luckily, with Hamm writing the series it has validity as he wrote the original film. So it's possible that if the Burton series of films had continued, Batman could have ended up in a similar position. Ultimately, it's great to see Batman's morality being brought up, especially after the events that lead to Robin's introduction in Batman '89 #1, which is available now.
Source: The Washington Post
