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Holy rumours, Batman!

Gawker, a favourite website of the chattering classes, is reporting the imminent demise of one of the great characters in modern literature. (That is, of course, if you consider comic books to be part of the canon.)

Say it ain’t so – according to Gawker, industry rumours suggest that none other than the classic masked-and-caped superhero Batman is due to meet his maker this summer in the Robin comics series. (Do note the synchronicity with the July opening of the latest Batman flick, The Dark Knight.)

Posits Gawker:

Batman’s death in another medium would make front-page news, especially since Captain America’s death made the New York Times front page last spring.

Incidentally, this sort of stunt may feel like a cheap grab for readership in a dying industry, and it is, but it’s also part of a long tradition in superhero comics of violating all traditional rules of literature. Superheroes have always died, resurrected, and revealed their identities without consequence. Why doesn’t this ruin the brand? Well, when’s the last time you bought a comic book? Modern film audiences don’t need to actually read the comic to get the Batman brand, so DC can do what they like with comic-book Batman while film Batman keeps raking in money.