Detective Comics: Was Batman’s youthful decision a good idea

Tom Taylor started his run of Detective Comics (issue No. 1090) with questions Batman fans have wondered about for years. What happens when The Dark Knight gets too old to fight crime and should he get something like a healing factor? We didn’t have to wait long because Taylor answered that in the next issue.

In Detective Comics No. 1090, Bruce Wayne meets with an old friend and someone his parents helped escape from an awful situation named Scarlett Martha Scott. During their get-together, Scarlett tells Bruce she’s created something revolutionary that slows the aging process. Of course, Bruce is skeptical. Not because of the messenger. He wonders if something like this should only be available to the wealthy. After a conversation with Superman, Batman decides to give it a shot.

"It's hard not to contemplate what I've been offered. Something that could take me back to yesterday. Something that could mean less struggle. Less pain." -Batman

The Man of Steel says it wouldn’t be selfish for Bruce to take the drug. He points out that Bruce Wayne isn’t the only one affected by The Dark Knight living a longer life saying he knows the world is safer the longer that Batman is in it. If Superman says something is a good idea, you can bet it’s something worth trying. And with that, Bruce takes his first step into getting younger. Or is he?

After Bruce wakes up from an eleven-hour sleep, he asks Robin (Damian Wayne) to take some of his blood. He knows that every drug has side effects. Batman is also aware that people are always looking to hurt him in his personal life. Just because he has a past with someone doesn’t mean they like him. In this case, Scarlett may not see Bruce as anything more than a playboy billionaire despite his philanthropic endeavors.

Furthermore, does Scarlett know Bruce Wayne is Batman? In Detective Comics No. 2090, she says, “Someone with your experience” during their first talk. Of course, this writer could be looking too deep into this, but it seems like she’s talking about his Caped Crusader alter ego. There are tons of billionaires who give back to the community, but none of them dress up like a bat and beat up criminals and save the world.

Even with Superman's advice, it’s shocking that Batman is giving the drug a shot. He’s declined power rings and refuses to take venom again. We can assume at some point he’ll stop taking it. Whether it’s because he feels like it’s cheating or because he learns there’s something weird going on in his body. Either way, knowing Tom Taylor, it’ll be something brilliant. Stay tuned to Caped Crusades to see what that is.

What do you think of Tom Taylor's Detective Comics so far? Do you think Batman should have taken the drug?  Let us know on the Bam Smack Pow Blue Sky, Instagram, and Twitter.