Would Batman unmasking make a difference in DC Comics?

At the end of Batman/Catwoman: Gotham War, a henchman discovers Batman’s secret identity. For months, there was no mention of this moment. Then in Batman No. 150, Chip Zdarsky brings that storyline to a close. We find out that some people are willing to pay for the Dark Knight’s identity while others feel it should remain hidden. Eventually, Bruce Wayne offers the goon a new life in Metropolis and a way to become a better person.

After Batman No. 150, people may have wondered what would have happened if Bruce’s secret life had been revealed. Wayne Enterprises' stock would drop, Bruce and the people in his life would be in danger, and the government may charge him with multiple broken laws like trespassing, assault, and more. After that, his life would go back to normal.

The secret identities of heroes have been exposed in every comic book company. The responses from the public depended on the character. For example, there's Peter Parker. Spider-Man’s villains were furious. They were beaten by a 14-year-old kid when they were in their prime. Finding that out was a major blow to their egos. Meanwhile, Captain America’s and Tony Stark’s lives didn’t change much. Superman's life had moderate changes, but most people knew better than to mess with anyone Clark Kent loved.

During Injustice: Gods Among Us, the Justice League ruined Bruce’s life with a four-word tweet, “Batman is Bruce Wayne.” His life stunk for years, but after Superman was sent to prison, not much changed. The only notable thing was the U.S. Government attempting to try Bruce for his crimes. In the end, nothing came out of it.

A couple of factors contributed to Batman's life remaining "normal". First, most of his villains were dead or in prison. This left Bruce, Catwoman, and others safer than normal. The only person who came after him directly was Jason Todd and he knew who Bruce was for years.

Second was Bruce's even vaster wealth. After Lex Luthor died, he left Bruce with Lex Corp and his billions of dollars. Combined with Bruce's already vast wealth and being Batman, the Dark Knight was untouchable.

Lastly, it should be acknowledged that Batman of Earth-Prime isn’t the same in other Elseworlds. His comic book being in the main continuity would make this a major event. You can’t reveal that Bruce Wane is Batman without it being a big deal.

The promotion leading up to the event would be marketed as the event of the year. Every DC Comic book would have a variant Dark Knight cover to celebrate the reveal. Then there’s the moment itself. Would this be a one-shot comic book, something within one of his titles, or spread throughout multiple issues? And every comic book with friends or enemies of Batman would have stories dedicated to learning or always knowing who Bruce Wayne is.

There’s no way to determine if Bruce's identity would remain public. Spider-Man and Superman’s real names are secret again. Spider-Man's was with magic and Superman's was with science. Considering the people in Batman’s life, either option is possible.

For magic, there's Zatanna and Constantine. Zatanna would help willingly while Constantine would do it for a price. In terms of science, this would be a job for Lex Luthor. He did it to Superman (Action Comics No. 1050). It would be easy for him to do it again. Of course, like Constantine, his help would come with a price. If this ever happens, Caped Crusades will be here to cover it.

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