Batman wins.
Batman (Volume 3) #135 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 3) with a cover date of July, 2023. It was published on May 2, 2023.
Synopsis for "The Bat-Man of Gotham: Conclusion"
Appearing in "The Bat-Man of Gotham: Conclusion"
Featured Characters:
- Batman/Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Earth 0) (Also in a vision)
Supporting Characters:
- Alfred Pennyworth (The Bat-Man of Gotham)
- Batmen/Batmen of Zur-En-Arrh of the Multiverse
- Batman/Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Arkhamverse) (First appearance) (Also in a vision)
- Batman/Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Dark Knight Returns Universe) (Also in a vision) (First appearance as Batman of Zur-En-Arrh)
- Batman/Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (DCAU) (First appearance) (Also in a vision) (Cameo)
- Batman/Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Earth 19) (Also in a vision) (First appearance as Batman of Zur-En-Arrh) (Cameo)
- Batman/Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Earth 66) (Also in a vision) (First appearance as Batman of Zur-En-Arrh)
- Batman/Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Earth 789) (Also in a vision) (First appearance as Batman of Zur-En-Arrh)
- Batman/Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Golden Age Earth) (First appearance) (Also in a vision) (Cameo)
- Batman/Bruce Wayne (Earth 22) (Cameo)
- Batman/Bruce Wayne (Earth 49) (Cameo)
- Batman/Bruce Wayne (Earth 1956) (Cameo)
- Batman/Terry McGinnis (Earth 12)
- Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Earth 12) (Also in a vision) (First appearance as Batman of Zur-En-Arrh)
- Batman of Zur-En-Arrh/Bruce Wayne (Earth 43) (In a vision) (Cameo)
- Jewel (The Bat-Man of Gotham)
- Firefly (The Bat-Man of Gotham)
- Robins of the Multiverse
- Robin/Dick Grayson (Earth 66) (Cameo)
- Robin/Dick Grayson (Golden Age Earth) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Robin/Tim Drake (Earth 0)
- Selina Kyle (The Bat-Man of Gotham)
- Sons of Batman (Dark Knight Returns Universe) (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Jokers of the Multiverse
- Joker (DCAU) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Joker (Earth 12)
- Joker (Earth 19) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Joker (Earth 43) (First appearance)
- Joker (Earth 66)
- Joker (Earth 1956) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Joker/Jack Napier (Earth 789) (On a TV or computer screen) (Cameo)
- Joker/Red Hood (Earth 0) (In a vision) (Origin)
- Joker (Golden Age Earth) (First appearance) (Cameo)
- Red Mask/Darwin Halliday (The Bat-Man of Gotham)
- Athena Security
- Crimson (Alexis Kaye)
- Croc
- Ghost-Breaker (Cameo)
- Gotham City Police Department
- Halliday Industries
- The Leatherwings (First full appearance)
- Shark Joker (End of the Multiverse) (Single appearance)
- Mutants (Dark Knight Returns Universe) (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Gotham City Police Department (Earth 66) (Cameo)
- Alfred Pennyworth (Earth 0) (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
- Failsafe (Earth 0) (Mentioned only)
- Commissioner Gordon (Earth 789) (Mentioned only)
- Joker (Arkhamverse) (Mentioned only)
- Joker (Dark Knight Returns Universe) (Mentioned only)
- Joker (Earth 22) (Mentioned only)
- Leslie Thompkins (The Bat-Man of Gotham) (Mentioned only)
- Michael Holt (Earth 0) (Mentioned only)
- Punchline/Alexis Kaye (Earth 0) (Mentioned only)
- Selina Kyle (Earth 0) (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Multiverse
- The Bleed (Behind the scenes)
- Orrery of Worlds
- Arkhamverse (First appearance; unnamed)
- The Bat-Man of Gotham Universe (Unnamed)
- United States of America
- Gotham City
- Athena Tower
- Gotham Sewers
- Gotham City
- United States of America
- The Dark Knight Returns Universe (Unnamed) (First full appearance)
- United States of America
- Gotham City
- Batcave (First appearance)
- Gotham City
- United States of America
- DCAU (First appearance; unnamed)
- United States of America
- Gotham City (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Earth 0
- United States of America
- Gotham City (In a vision)
- United States of America
- Earth 12
- Earth 19
- United States of America
- Gotham City (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Earth 22 (Cameo)
- Earth 43
- United States of America
- Gotham City (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Earth 49 (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Gotham City (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Earth 66
- Earth 789
- United States of America
- Gotham City (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Earth 1956
- United States of America
- Gotham City (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Unknown empty Earth/"The End of the Multiverse" (First appearance; unnamed)
- United States of America
- Gotham City (As an illusion only)
- United States of America
- Unknown Golden Age Earth (First appearance; unnamed)
Items:
- Batcomputers
- Batman's Robotic Hand (First appearance)
- Batsuits
- Crane Brain
- Firefly's Flamethrower
- Ghost-Maker Suit
- Halliday Industries' Jumper (Single appearance)
- Holt Disc
- Robin's Multiversal Suit
- Selina Kyle's Whip
- Venom
Vehicles:
- Batmobile (Cameo)
Concepts:
Notes
- This issue is also known by the "legacy numbering" of Batman #900, adding together the numbering of Batman (Volume 1), Batman (Volume 2) and Batman (Volume 3).
- This issue reveals that versions of Earth-Two, Earth-31/The Dark Knight Returns and the Arkhamverse also exist in the Post-Flashpoint Multiverse.
- The existence of an Arkhamverse-based reality was already hinted by the events of Harley Quinn (Volume 4) #26 where the Arkhamverse Harley Quinn was summoned to Earth 0 along with the other Harleys of the Omniverse.
- Batman's cameo from this issue is meant to take place some time after the events of Batman: Arkham Knight.
- The existence of an Arkhamverse-based reality was already hinted by the events of Harley Quinn (Volume 4) #26 where the Arkhamverse Harley Quinn was summoned to Earth 0 along with the other Harleys of the Omniverse.
- This story also confirms that a yet-to-be-named version of the DCAU also exists in the Multiverse and its events are not part of the continuity of Earth 12.
- The events of Earth 12 take place before Batman Beyond 2.0 #37, where Bruce destroyed his interdimensional portal, but after Return of the Joker, where Joker finally died.
- Earth 0 Joker jokes about Red Mask wanting to be "a fourth Joker", a nod to the Three Jokers concept from The New 52/DC Rebirth eras.
- However, the real circumstances behind their existence in the reborn continuity of Earth 0 are eventually explained in Batman (Volume 3) #143.
Trivia
- Dark Knight Returns Batman jumping from his horse references the cover of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1.
- The Golden Age's Earth will appear once again in WildC.A.T.s (Volume 2) #7 where its incarnation of the Seven Soldiers of Victory makes a cameo apperance.