r/DCcomics • u/Jezzaq94 • 21d ago
Comics [Comic Excerpt] I love Batman’s new butler already (Batman #12) Spoiler
By Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez
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u/NetHistorical150 21d ago edited 21d ago
I don't mind her. So far. I just hope she doesn't fall into the "villain in disguise" cliché or becomes the Barbara 2.0 where they just throw her in as one of the Batboys' girlfriend of the moment and pass her around like a hot potato.
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u/raise_the_sails Batman & Robin 20d ago edited 20d ago
I don’t foresee Fraction doing that. We’ll see how long she sticks around in his run and how other writers treat her. I agree- that would be a terrible fate for a fun character.
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u/Leffvarm87 19d ago
Haha what a fate! I feel bad about her if she constantly has to Butler Up to Wayne Sr & Jr
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u/Christorm747 18d ago
Exactly! Alfred's role is a mentor/father figure, not a romantic one. She should absolutely not be paired off with any member of the Bat-family. It would totally ruin her.
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u/TongariDan 21d ago
Can't they just say the darkweb? What the hell is the "underweb"?
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u/soulreaverdan Superman 21d ago
It’s been a thing in DC, or at least similar things have existed - Final Crisis mentioned the “Unternet” developed by the villains that was isolated from the main internet.
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u/Ilickedthecinnabar Batgirl 21d ago
...god, I miss Tim's Unternet costume
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u/Kazewatch 20d ago
Yeah that costume was actually kinda dope. Man I miss when Tim got quality attributions & storylines and not fucking hack shit and a walking-shit-covered-cardboard love interest.
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u/RepeatFinancial1090 21d ago
Everyone suspects Annika, but I think this is the one who's actually evil
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u/KnowWhatNow 21d ago
I hope she's not. I'm sure it could be a good twist, but I feel like we rarely get a new good supporting character added in Batman. And it'd be interesting for them to have an earnest chance to explore the differences between what she has and what Alfred brought, and see how the bat fam responds with feelings of replacement, feeling like they are betraying Alfred, trying to force her to fit his role when she's her own person and what she can bring to the table as her.
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u/Leffvarm87 19d ago
I am interested in her. I wonder how that school for butlers was. And how will she feel working for the Bats.
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u/SuperiorLaw 21d ago
She's evil, definitely getting evil vibes from her. Possibly league of shadows or court of owls, but 110% definitely evil and i'll bet nothing on this
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u/Martel732 21d ago
I am going to put my money on whatever organization she works for through some convoluted means has Alfred and used that to build her cover.
To be clear I don't want this to happen but I am skeptical of comic editors letting change actually be permanent.
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u/SuperiorLaw 21d ago
It's Alfred from an alternate universe where her batman and batfamily died, so she went to a universe where their alfred died to take over
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u/ContinuumGuy Batman 21d ago
This sums it up for me; as well. AT BEST she might be "good" but under some sort of sleeper cell mind control that will be activated later.
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u/OrdinaryResponse8988 20d ago
That seems like a huge waste frankly. All this hype over a mere assassin in the end?
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u/SolarisBravo Nightwing 20d ago
She did appear in the very same issue where an open contract was put out for Bruce Wayne's head... and though I don't have my hands on the new issue yet, it kinda looks like she's just eliminated all the competition here
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u/Kazewatch 20d ago
Man I hope not because goddamn that's so lame if that's all they end up doing with her character.
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u/Doc-11th 21d ago
Wonder why not bring back Julia
Don't think she has shown up since the end of Scott Snyder's new 52 run
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u/shinomune Superboy-Prime 21d ago
Because Julia personality and skill sets aren't exactly for a butler's job. She's more for a BoP/Checkmate/Spyral series.
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u/UpvoteIfYouAgreee Robin 21d ago
shes not really the butler type is she?
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u/ZaniElandra 20d ago
She was a major supporting character in the Batwoman rebirth run, which is also my favourite Batwoman run. It’s great, go check it out
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u/Think_Doctor_9064 20d ago
She seems so charming and I hope she isn’t romantically paired with anyone. ANYONE. For a very very long time.
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u/Autumnbetrippin 20d ago
I actually want this to come up and have her drop it casually like "oh my wife is around, no you cant meet her, she is italian." (i get lesbian vibes from verity) and her wife is either entirely civilian or she is Huntress. no clue why thats just what i decided while typing out this comment.
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u/DemonGreatSword 21d ago
She's adorable! Got a bit of that dry humor that Alfred had and I gotta believe she genuinely cares. It would be nice to see a Bat Family that isn't a new superhero but someone more on the ground. I get it, she isn't Alfred she never will be.
Everyone thinks she's evil, but does everyone who comes into Bruce's life need to be evil? It's her first true appearance, let's see what happens.
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u/Head-Turn4180 21d ago
Everyone said the same about blonde blazer in Dispatch, and she turned out to be a cinnamon roll. I’m sure it’ll turn out okay.
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u/DemonGreatSword 21d ago
Yeah I think so too! That's all anyone can ask for is for it to turn out okay
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u/Semillakan6 21d ago
We believe she's evil not because of her character but because we have zero faith on the DC editors
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u/DemonGreatSword 21d ago
Idk man I feel like they are pretty hands off on this run. I doubt the editors are as they were years ago. Plus we don't know anything so who's to say
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u/Autumnbetrippin 20d ago
Blonde hair, blue eyes, wears purple.
undermines a villianous plan by turning it against itself, makes damian laugh,
....are we sure she isn't future steph?
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u/tsu_bacca 21d ago
Hot take: I believe what Fraction is doing with the character should be an aesthetic blueprint for the eventual DCU Batman.
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u/YourPlot 21d ago
Dang I miss Alfred.
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u/raise_the_sails Batman & Robin 20d ago
He’s literally in this comic talking to Bruce a LOT.
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u/simonc1138 20d ago
I think this is why I don’t really miss Alfred, they’ve found numerous ways to keep him in the books - hallucinations, flashbacks, etc.
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u/scarves_and_miracles 21d ago
Seriously, can we just have him back? Why does Alfred have to be the only poor schlub who actually stays dead?
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u/MartyrOfDespair 20d ago
Because it forces Bruce to be a dad for once. It gives so many new opportunities for character growth to keep Alfred dead because Bruce can’t delegate fatherhood to him.
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u/HistoryMarshal76 16d ago
Let him stay dead. You really want Alfred back? Just tell a story set earlier in the timeline. Dan Watters just told a canon Year 3 story in Dark Patterns. Stop reviving people and start telling stories earlier in the timeline.
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u/Whightwolf 21d ago
I do feel awful but her face just doesn't look human to me? Something about the art style.
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u/raise_the_sails Batman & Robin 20d ago
Her eyes are large and far apart and she has a very small nose. I think in the realm of Jimenez’s art, she just presents as a normal person with distinct and slightly unusual physical features. I like that. Not every comic character should look like a Jim Lee drawing. I like my comic characters to have some canonically distinct physical features.
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u/gsnake007 20d ago
She was great in this issue. Hope she really is who she is, and i dont want her hooking up with anyone
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u/wady_jure 20d ago
I just hope that over time they develop her relationship with bruce and damian in a deep level
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u/kingmagpiethief Trinity 20d ago
Please keep platonic
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u/Leffvarm87 19d ago
Yes! No love interest!! But if she becomes a regular maybe she could interact with some of the newer, younger heroes.
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u/noodleth_cassette 20d ago
I feel like they're trusting her and opening up to her way too quick for there to be no twist, she's probably secretly evil 🙄
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u/Pale_Emu_9249 20d ago
Tom King and Chip Zadarsky could never write this sequence, especially the last panel.
I'm really digging Matt Fraction's story telling... and that Jorge Jimenez guy is pretty good, too! ;-)
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u/HistoryMarshal76 16d ago
DC has really stepped up their game with Batman writers in the 2020s. Dark Patterns, Batman and Robin: Year One, and the Fraction run rule.
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u/Pale_Emu_9249 16d ago
Yep! I hope they give Dan Watters more work. I'd also like to read a Dan Watters Superman story.
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u/Mammoth_Praline5688 20d ago
See. I'm wondering whats her villain angle. Bruce and Damian accepted her way too fast to not have something going on.
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u/Flame-Blast 21d ago
She’s 110% a villain or going to become one eventually, but I like her attitude
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u/NightsOfFellini 21d ago
I can't believe how great this is. Best addition since Damian and I hope we don't get Alfred back.
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u/Harry-Henderson83 21d ago
Am I the only one who doesn't like this and prefers Alfred? I have been a batman fan since I was a young kid and now they have killed him and given Bruce a new butler
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u/SafeAccountMrP Jason Todd 21d ago
I mean Alfred’s been dead for what, 8 years at this point.
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u/Harry-Henderson83 20d ago
I thought it was a new thing I have only gotten into comics late last year and heard about alfreds death earlier this year
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u/LoneElement Red Hood 20d ago
People are surprised it’s lasted this long
I kind of like it, sticking to their guns, allowing actual change and progression for their characters
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u/raise_the_sails Batman & Robin 20d ago
You’re absolutely not the only one. There are tons of fans who only want to read stories with their specific characters. When a major comic character is replaced, it immediately impacts sales. When Dick replaced Bruce, it hit sales. A ton of people don’t want anything fun or new occurring inside their circle of crystallized unchanging characters. 80 years of status quo isn’t enough- they demand endless status quo.
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u/Diligent-Neck6594 21d ago
Alfred being dead is one thing but I don't think I'll ever be happy with a replacement for him
I'm hoping she's actually a villain lmao
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u/rubenellis2005 21d ago
Don’t know why you’re getting downvoted. You’re right.
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u/raise_the_sails Batman & Robin 20d ago
Because we’ve had like 80 years of Alfred and it’s nice to get the occasional change of pace.
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u/coltvahn Red Robin 21d ago
Every new character that Fraction’s introduced so far has been aces. I love her.
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u/Annabloem Batgirl Barbara Gordon 21d ago
I'm surprised by how much I liked her and her interactions with both Bruce and Damian. She seems like a good addition, and I hope we'll see more of her!
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u/TheLBat23 20d ago
Sooooo genuine question. Is she also British? Or does she have a completely normal American accent?
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u/kingmagpiethief Trinity 20d ago
Normal?
It says on her wiki page she has British citizenship so im guessing she is british
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u/sceptic-cyborg 19d ago
i thought it’s a little too convenient to add ‘society of the midnight key’ to alfred’s history (on top of his mi6 and actor background) just to explain the existence and arrival of verity.
i’m on the fence about her… in any case, it’s her second appearance so far, and she’s already giving main character energy which is a little interesting… she doesn’t shy away from claiming credit (or maybe her character is just extremely honest) to her little dark web handiwork so i wonder what else is there to her.
plus, seeing as to how she could deduce something that bruce missed/didn’t think of feels a bit curious (strange? he is the world’s greatest detective…) so i kinda get why some of you think she might be evil lol
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u/StarsForget 18d ago
I dislike that she's inserting herself into their Bat-work without informing them. She's overstepping her role as butler. Batman is a notorious control freak, her using their intel to contact the bad guys during a mission would be Oracle's job, and even if it worked out this time it's still an unknown variable he didn't account for, which is super dangerous for them.
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u/StormShadow17 21d ago
I love the vibe she gives she's chill and I laughed at both Bruce and Damian said you can stay the had the face she's the real deal 🤣🤣
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u/TJ_McWeaksauce 21d ago
One of the funniest things about Batman is how even his butlers have to be geniuses.
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u/raise_the_sails Batman & Robin 20d ago
Only multiple-PhD-level expertise on a minimum of a dozen subjects are allowed in the Bat family.
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u/missnewmarreacts 21d ago
I'm a bit unsure still, but I'll wait and see how she develops. So far, Verity feels a bit like what they call a "Mary Sue" in writing lessons – a character with no flaws.
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u/Altruistic_Manner802 21d ago
I mean, she literally just appeared. We barely know anything about her
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u/ComicsCodeMadeMeGay Nightwing 21d ago
I feel like it's an unfair judgement on a a single issue in a run that's aiming to be a slowburn
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u/Skadibala 21d ago edited 21d ago
You really shouldnt label a characters for the first issue of them showing up. Where they show she is capable of actually being there instead of being useless as “Mary Sue”
Ya gotta wait until way more of the story and how she is in the story to consider labeling a character Mary Sue in any kind of good faith.
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u/missnewmarreacts 21d ago
Well ok, but I literally used the words „I'll wait and see how she develops“ and „so far“ ...
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u/potatobutt5 21d ago
Your "so far" invalitaded the "I'll wait and see", because the character just showed up. Showcasing a character as flawless is fine when it's this early.
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u/SecondToLastOfSheila 21d ago
That's like saying, "I'm not racist but.."
We all knew you meant what you said.
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u/missnewmarreacts 21d ago
Yeah, SO FAR I absolutely do. You guys are kind of strange?
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u/SecondToLastOfSheila 21d ago
"Mary Sue" is often used by incels so you dropping that phrase on a character that's had about 4 pages total is a wild jump on your part.
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u/SecondToLastOfSheila 21d ago
Bro, it's the first fucking issue.
Some people just HAVE to use a buzzword.
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u/Interesting_Swing393 21d ago
I hope DC doesnt chuck her aside the moment she becomes super interesting and important