Batman’s inability to admit that he abandoned Batman Inc. is just one of the many times that the Dark Knight’s failed to open up to his allies.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Batman #121, on sale now from DC Comics.
Although Batman has always insisted that he “works alone,” the Dark Knight has consistently surrounded himself with an ever-expanding network of tightly-knit allies known as the Bat-Family. Made up of his family, closest friends, and most trusted confidants, they help him protect Gotham, the world, and even the universe. Unfortunately, while Batman has accepted that having a reliable support system makes him a better crimefighter, his aloof demeanor has caused him to alienate his allies frequently. As a result, he leaves many believing that the Dark Knight doesn’t view them as competent or trustworthy.
Nowhere has Batman’s inability to inspire confidence in his allies been more apparent than his recent encounter with the Club of Heroes, a team of Batman-inspired vigilantes whose dedication to the Caped Crusader’s cause inspired the creation of Batman Incorporated. The Club of Heroes helps Batman take down the mysterious and murderous Abyss and reclaim control of Batman, Inc. from Lex Luthor in Batman #121 (by Joshua Williamson, Jorge Molina, Mikel Janin, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles). The reunion is not a joyous one, though. Instead, the team accuses Batman of abandoning them after the founding of Batman, Inc. The truth behind their words leaves the Dark Knight speechless.
The Club of Heroes, also known as the Batmen of All Nations, debuted in Detective Comics #215’s “The Batmen of All Nations” (by Edmond Hamilton, Sheldon Moldoff, Charles Paris, and Jack Shiff). Composed of various vigilantes from all over the world inspired by stories of Batman’s heroism, the Club of Heroes worked together to bring Batman’s unique form of justice to the rest of the world. Unlike other heroes and villains who’ve tried and failed to emulate Batman, the Club of Heroes took Batman’s non-lethal methods to heart, earning the Dark Knight’s respect and admiration. Sadly, the team’s founder and financial benefactor John Mayhew secretly moonlighted as a member of the criminal cult known as the Black Glove. Before his duplicitousness could be rooted out, most of the Club members ended up dead. However, their success inspired Batman to expand the scope of his operations by forming Batman Inc., an international organization that sought to establish a Batman-inspired hero in every country.
Unfortunately, the aftermath of James Tyrion IV’s and Guillem March’s Joker War event forced Batman to turn his attention away from the organization after losing ownership of Wayne Enterprises. This allowed the group to fall under the control of Lex Luthor. Under Lex’s leadership, the Club of Heroes pursued Abyss, a rogue vigilante that Lex had hoped to turn into the “Batman” of the island nation of Badhnisa. However, just when it looked like the Club of Heroes had betrayed both Batman and Lex to work with Abyss, the team of heroes turned on their new leader, revealing that they’ve been working in secret to stop Abyss and expose Lex’s crimes. Although Batman congratulated the team for pulling off such a successful sting operation, he could not find the words to apologize after they accused him of leaving them behind without providing any form of guidance or support.
Batman’s inability to admit that he abandoned Batman Inc. is one of the many times that the Dark Knight failed to open up to his allies. Although Batman’s skills as a detective and a martial artist border on superhuman, the Caped Crusader has always had difficulty communicating his emotions and thoughts to others. No matter how fond the feelings he has for people like Alfred, Catwoman, and the various Robins and Batgirls might be, Batman consistently struggles to maintain healthy connections. His paranoia and genuine fear that his existence could put the people he loves in danger has caused him to push many of them away. It perpetuates an endless cycle of acceptance and rejection that’s all but doomed him to a life of loneliness.
While he has proven himself to be an exceptional leader, Batman also has a nasty habit of treating his fellow heroes with condescension and distrust. Unfortunately, the Caped Crusader has a streak of arrogance that cuts him off from listening to alternate approaches, even from his long-time teammates on the Justice League. Often, he refuses to reveal his thought process or true intentions to teammates, creating discomfort and confusion where there need not be. While Batman is clearly able to acknowledge that he neglected the Club of Heroes, his inability to show vulnerability around others and his stubborn insistence that his course of action is always the correct one prevents him from apologizing for the mistakes he’d made.
While the Club of Heroes may have started as a group of people inspired by Batman, the Dark Knight’s recent actions might cause the former Batmen of All Nations to reevaluate their relationship with their idol. Although Batman never intended to abandon Batman Inc., his inability to break away from his grim and aloof persona may have cost him some of his oldest and most devoted allies.
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