The big bad Bat news.

OK, so if you haven't gotten to the comic shop and picked up FINAL CRISIS #6 stop reading right now.

Good to go? Onward then.

So, the big stink in comicdom now is "OMG Batman's dead!" which is nothing new since fans of Batman who have not been paying attention have been freaking the hell out about Bruce Wayne taking a dirt nap. Everyone got all up in a tizzy leading up to and going into "Batman R.I.P.", which was encouraged by DC editorial who really just want to make a buck. They took a well thought out story and turned it into an event/publicity stunt.

Well, the readers made it though R.I.P. although quite a few of them still missed the point and were still freaked out about Bruce Wayne dying even though the issue with the helicopter crash that many thought was his demise was narrated by Wayne in the past tense.

So onward to FINAL CRISIS in which the DCU is getting it's nads handed to them by Darkseid. Grant Morrison wrote both R.I.P. and FINAL CRISIS and I'm fairly certain he's having to keep a large blunt object with him at all times to beat back DC editorial who want changes made to the story.

So, Batman get's snuffed at the end of FINAL CRISIS #6? Um... no. He didn't. Want the full and accurate scoop on the entire thing? Go here. You want some more info on it, go here. If you're wondering who the freaking genius is would compiled all that information, it's the same guy who put together the original Black Casebook.

It's amazing what you can figure out if you look in the right places and actually pay attention. Gaiaonline's Comic Discussion forum got a bit of press recently in Lying in the Gutters. Frankly, if you want your comic news passed through the filter of intelligent people the CDF is the place to go.

So, this whole thing will be leading us to 'Battle for the Cowl' and then the obvious conclusion that was brilliantly stated by my dear friend Linda: Bruce Wayne is going to come back with a mullet and kick the hell out of the four Batmen that took his place.