Batman R.I.P. - Related Titles

Related Titles

Each title involved in the "Batman R.I.P." arc has its own story that relates to the other titles, especially the main one of Batman, but the timelines of each do not coincide with the order in which they are published. For instance, the Detective Comics story occurs a few nights prior to the main story in the flagship Batman.

Likely part of the "R.I.P." aftermath, DC Comics announced that the ongoing Nightwing, Robin, and Birds of Prey titles would all end in February, 2009. No specific reason was given.

A portion of the storyline runs through Batman #682-683, and is intertwined with Final Crisis, in which Batman is Bruce Wayne. Writer Grant Morrison, in regards to the chronology of "R.I.P." and Final Crisis (because they were both being published simultaneously), stated, "First it's 'R.I.P.'. Then the two-parter (#682-683) goes through Batman's whole career, in a big summing up of everything that also ties and leads directly into Final Crisis. (Final Crisis #5 is where 'R.I.P.' resumes.), and the final fate of Batman (Final Crisis #6)." 00 In Paul Dini's Heart of Hush storyline that ran in Detective Comics #846-850, parallel to the main story in Batman (but actually a prologue to it), Thomas Elliot returns to Gotham City to enact a plan to kill Batman before the Black Glove. Also explored in this arc is his connection to the Gotham underworld, and how his family history helped transform Elliot into Hush. This story continues into Detective Comics #852 and Batman #685, a two-part "Faces of Evil" storyline that is also labeled as "Last Rites." In "The Great Leap" storyline that ran in Nightwing #147-150, Two-Face tasks Nightwing to protect an old flame of Harvey Dent's, Carol Bermingham, a witness in a high-profile mob trial. Nightwing is, in fact, protecting Carol from Two-Face himself. In "Scattered Pieces," which ran in Robin #175-176, also parallel to the main story, Batman is missing and rampaging through the city in a delusional state. Nightwing is imprisoned in Arkham Asylum and Robin, fearing that Batman could have lost his sanity and gone rogue, tasks himself with finding his mentor and stopping him if necessary. In "Outsiders No More," which ran in Batman and the Outsiders #11-13, Batgirl, having a reduced roster, takes command and comes to the conclusion that no one can replace the Caped Crusader. She starts seeking out a group of new Outsiders whose combined skills could match Batman's.