Prime Time Geek

DC Comics’ Editor-in-Chief Dan Didio released this teaser image on Christmas Eve as part of his regular feature on www.newsarama.com, giving fanboys something to go crazy over while opening their Christmas gifts.

This is the sort of thing that DC has become very proficient at in terms of stoking anticipation, the big teaser image with lots of little details that provide clues … or red herrings. So, for starters, the obvious stuff – the “Batman” on the left is Tim Drake (the current Robin)-the staff in his hands is the giveaway. Second from the left I’d wager is Dick Grayson (currently Nightwing), and the only reason I’d guess its him is the utility belt–it resembles the belt used as part of the “Red Robin” uniform first seen in Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ “Kingdom Come”, worn by an older version of Grayson, and later worn by Jason Todd during “Countdown to Infinite Crisis.” Third one over–god help us–looks like Two-Face/Harvey Dent, and the fourth I’m guessing is the villain Hush from two clues: this Batman is carrying two guns, as Hush does, and his face is completely concealed, and Hush in his villain identity had his head swathed in bandages.

Other little details, like the supporting cast members in the image (Harley Quinn, Alfred, looking very British Special Forces, Batwoman, Damian (son of Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul), and someone who looks A LOT like Bruce himself, as well as the backwards J on the Joker playing card at far left, have far more inscrutable meanings. This image should go a LONG way towards undoing the apathy towards the Batman R.I.P. storyline fostered by Grant Morrison’s byzantine storytelling and get people talking … hell, I took one look and I was more interested and excited by what I saw there than I felt the whole time I was reading Batman R.I.P.!

Thoughts? Comments? Let the speculation begin!