Batman Beyond is making a comeback. After a successful miniseries and the start of the new series, we're back to seeing adventures sent in the not-so-distant future.

Batman Beyond was a great show since it combined the concept of comic book superheroes along with the added elements of sci-fi. How could a fan of both genres not enjoy the show. It ran for 52 episodes but there was always one thing that was missing.

When setting up this the new world in the comics, the creators made a wise decision. Yes we still had Bruce Wayne to tie this futuristic world to the one we knew from comics (and the previous Batman: The Animated Series), but that was about it. With Terry McGinnis, we had a new Batman. The show's aim was to establish him as Batman along with showing us this future world and (some of) the characters living in it.

What I always wanted to know was what happened to all the other characters we knew? It would have been easy to simply give us the old villains or updated versions of them, but the show's creators chose not to go in that direction. Instead we saw new characters and villains for Terry to fight.

With so many heroes and villains in the DC Universe, doesn't it make sense that we should see futuristic versions of other characters?

There has been an updated version of the Justice League in the show and comic. This served to give us the beginning of a look at the rest of the DC Universe but I never thought it was enough.

We know that Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon and Superman are still around. In the recent Batman Beyond miniseries we saw Bat-villains such as Hush, Mad Hatter, Two-Face and Calendar Man. We also saw Lex Luthor and Metallo in Superman/Batman Annual #4. There's been mention or appearances of other minor characters but what about all the other heroes and villains?

What happened to Wonder Woman, the Flash, Superboy, Martian Manhunter, Supergirl, the Teen Titans and all their villains? It's possible some have retired or died in the line of duty but with so many different DC characters, you'd think there'd be more survivors out there.

We've seen Superman's story. He was under Starro's control and sort of gave up being a superhero. In the Superman/Batman Annual he decided to leave to check out the other worlds out there. He did give Terry a signal watch, just in case he ever needed him.

DC has announced Superman Beyond #0 (by Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema). Superman will be facing a villain that's more powerful than he's ever faced before and his powers appear to be fading.

This sounds like an interesting idea but why Superman? Why not another hero that we haven't already seen in this future?

Superman Beyond #0 could be the beginning of more Beyond books. Is that a good or bad thing. I do want to see more of the Beyond world and while I have voiced my desire for this, I will admit that my wallet doesn't want to see a complete line of Beyond books.

It's clear that there is more out there. Batman Beyond may have focused on Gotham and it's plausible that Bruce could've prevented other heroes from entering his city. Now is the time to see what's happening outside of Gotham City. Let's find out what the other heroes and villains are up to. There just needs to be control over how much we get. If DC were to launch a handful of Beyond books, the concept could lose it's charm. But show me what else is out there. Is Gorilla Grodd still alive? Has Deathstroke managed to elude the grim reaper? The legacy heroes concept is big in DC so let's see who has picked up the mantle when the heroes we know today died or retired. There are so many possibilities for DC to explore and it would be a shame not to seem more of the Beyond Universe.

I would love for them to start up more beyond books, but only if the writing is good quality. So far the Batman Beyond comics have been very hit and miss for me. I loved the original Batman Beyond series though.

Wonder Woman was mentioned a couple of times in the animation, once in the Static Shock crossover episode (Cobra asked to the warden about "the amazon") and once in the "Once and Future Thing" were she was listed among the victims when Cronos blasted the Watchtower.

As a general rule I love legacy settings so I'm very interested to see more of the Beyond continuity.

Where are all the Heroes in Batman Beyond ?
I guess in the future !

Creating the Legion maybe? (in the Bruce Timm/Beyond-verse)

While I did enjoy the Superman/Batman annual a while back and the Batman Beyond miniseries, it's hard for me to get into the comic book despite the darker tone. I loved the animated series, but something is just off about the comic series. I always did wondered what happened to the superheroes in beyond besides the ones I've seen. Maybe the Superman Beyond might expand on that a little.

I would guess Bart Allen is the Flash of the Beyond universe so I'd like very much to check that stuff out

As far as I can remember the rights for Wonder Woman weren't available for Batman Beyond when they did 'the Calling' (the episode that introduced the JLU). That's why they had Big Barda standing in for Wonder Woman and some time ago I did see concept art for a Flash character that was supposed to be in that episode as well but never made it in, for whatever reason.

As for the other heroes? Seeing as how they had their glory days in the Justice League and Justice League animated series I'm going to say that they all retired and let their sidekicks, protegees, ex cetera...or they're pushing up daisies.

Passing dialogue in the Chronos episode of JLU  suggested Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter were still either on the team or in action.

Even that they're not showing us any of the other heroes I like very much the Beyond world

The DCAU never said what happened to Nightwing, although Barbara Gordon did suggest Terry look him up so he is alive.  

i remeber in the show that there was on old stativ shock an the JLA

Bane was in an episode of Batman Beyond, he was crippled and hooked to a heart and lung machine that was keeping him alive XD

Bingo.
  

Batman Beyond does not interest me I think the concept presented in Batman 700 is something that should be shown Damian becoming Batman then he trains Terry to be Batman after him. Why not have a crossover between both universes?

Really I think we did not see the other characters because Bruce Timm and crew wanted to focus on new characters I always assumed many of them died in something.

I really, really don't want to see an entire line of Beyond books. My reasoning is because it will detract from Batman Beyond. I'm okay with Superman Beyond; I think the series can work well with the right creators, but to expand the Beyond universe into an entire line would make it too similar to the regular DCU. In my opinion, there's nothing that anyone could do to make the Beyond universe different enough from the DCU proper if most of the same characters are running around.

Batman Beyond is about a dystopian future -- one where heroes aren't really around; about a cynical, old and tired Bruce Wayne, and about a new hero coming into his own under that mantle of the Bat. You start adding all kinds of characters to that story, or at least telling those stories, you lose the dystopia, you lose the charm of Terry McGinnis rising up in a world where not much else is good, etc..

I love Batman Beyond. It's a book that I can't wait to get every month. I'm excited for Superman Beyond, but anything after that will really disappoint me. I wouldn't mind a Justice League mini down the road or something, but I'd hate to see ongoings start popping up.

I really enjoyed Batman Beyond and I want to read these new stories. I tend to enjoy these DC "Elseworlds" stories better than the actual DC Universe. I can imagine them doing a Justice League Beyond if the Superman one is successful.

It is surprising that DC hasn't already mined this little gold vein.  They could have had Justice League Beyond, Teen Titans Beyond, Young Justice Beyond, Birds of Prey Beyond... Arkham Beyond?    

I love Batman beyond! I will be collecting this series in trade for sure.

So DC may be making a new alt. universe. Keep Loeb away and all will be well.

I love Batman beyond! I will be collecting this series in trade for sure.

question: Does the series take place in a continuity of its own? Does it exist in the world of the DCAnimatedU? Or is it supposed to be the future of the current DCU?

I would like to see something like DC Showcase Beyond.  Rotating creative teams telling various stories from the beyond universe instead of several books that would most likely get very stale, very fast.

Its an interesting idea. I believe it addresses that old question of whether comic book characters should age. This allows DC to have their cake and eat it too. We get to see a universe where these characters are older, and the stories get to evolve in a way that they have never had an opportunity to before. I think it is a great idea.

I want to know what's happened with the Flash legacy. Wally's kids maybe? And Martian Manhunter since he's a few centuries old isn't he? He should still be exactly the same.

Would be interesting to see what else is out there in the Beyond universe, but i am not getting my hopes up for any of the lesser known heroes.

Why not?  Something different, an approach which appears some fans are open to.  I like that Superman design by the way.

Does the current Batman Beyond series follow the original DCAU series, and in effect the old tie in comics from at that time (and then from there all of the DCAU tie ins)? Or is it a remake using only major elements from the series, and infusing it with most of the DC canon that the DCAU ignored or wasn't around for?

Either way, it's very cool that they brought this concept back. I never would have imagined it.

Titles I'd like to see: Justice League Beyond. Superman Beyond.

I don't want to see Wonder Woman. What could make sense is the future analogue of Suicide Squad (remember the military men that destroyed Terrific Trio? they are surely not above using supervillains).

Good article.

I dont like the DCU but I love the beyond stuff

I would like to see more of the Beyond verse, there's a lot you can do with stories set in an alternate future without continuity tying the writers down.  Id like to see Captain Marvel beyond myself.

Interesting 

You know, I never really cared...not one bit. The show was about Terry Gotham, and the legacy of Batman. I think they did it perfect by making it about that and keeping the focus there. 

Man I was all hyped up thinking it was going to be  a return to the show batman beyond but now I'm just mildly interested.

Maybe YOU were wondering about all the other heroes of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini's DC Universe, Tony, but I'd frankly prefer to avoid the stupid crossover b.s. that inflates comics to the point of forcefully tearing characters away from their impact and individual story for the sake of fanboys going "OMG IT'S SUPERMAN AND BATMAN TEAMING UP!!!!"

There are characters that I don't care for much on their own.  Certainly.  Usually, it's because the characters themselves kinda suck, or don't have enough depth to them to let them stand on their own two feet.  But there are some, like Batman, like Spider-Man, like the X-Men, etc. that have enough going on in their own world that having to constantly shove cameos of other heroes in just ruins the personal struggle of their stories.  It's hard to care about Spider-Man struggling to stop some big evil villain (or try and fix the problems plaguing his personal life) when the entire time you just think "Well why doesn't he just call Iron Man to come fix this in a second?"  Yeah... that's... that's really great tension.  Hell, even the fantastical and inspiring thought of this kid becoming a superhero gets completely buried when New York is already home to a bunch of superhero teams, mutants, and other comicbook crap.  Suddenly that amazing idea just seems mundane...  You'd almost expect the people in that city to be bored at the thought, going "Oh... another freak.  Great...  I should make fish tonight."

Terry from Batman Beyond had enough of an interesting dynamic and enough going on with his own story that it didn't need all the extra DC b.s.  The second they started throwing in all these other DC heroes (who you think would've stopped by a bit earlier than when they did 3 seasons in...), the show starting losing all of its personal nature...

 @Deadknight said:

@FLStyle: Haha! That was great! Especially the bit about Batman as the good cop. 

I think it would be cool if they made a main Beyond series and alternated by arcs who starred in it.

i'm enjoying this series.
and I look forward to seeing what they do with superman beyond.

I would like to see more of the Beyond Universe.

 There was a time travel Justice League Unlimited Episode where there was a future where almost of the the Justice League died. Im guessing it was that. I wouldnt like to see them all in the Beyond universe because it makes sense that not a lot would live to the age of Beyond. They fight for their lives every day. Not all of them should make it.

so how  does Terry McGinnis   as Batman going to fit in with Batman Inc?

Hopefully the Gold AMAZO will make an appearance, being the replacement for Dr. Manhattan, and a large role in the JLU animated series! 

I found this article here at first. Like I said over there, I really don't want to see a whole slew of Beyond books. Bruce Timm and Paul Dini had a good thing going. Why ruin it with potentially mediocre spinoffs?

Personally, I'd rather they keep Batman Beyond in the universe that Timm and Dini created. They don't need to go crazy trying to tie it in to all of the other DC stories. I think that would just muck up the story. Keep it simple, and it'll be fine. #5 was really, really good, and if they stay on the path they're on now -- playing within the universe of the animated series -- this series could really rock.

As a side note, am I the only person who isn't a huge fan of the art? It wasn't too bad in #5, but I'd much rather have the artist that guested in #4.

I thought the cartoon established that Gotham is Batman's town an that he did not like others enterin it. Plus the future JL eps in the series werein the last season, so maybe if it had had more time they might have gone further. After all, Static Shock added Static an Gear, Justice League Unlimited covered Static and Amanda Waller, and the Batman Beyond movie added Tim and Joker's end to the future. So really, it's all about time allotted an idea placement. Batman Beyond was probably just tryin to establish a world for the future to exist as, thus new villains and few upgrades. But more importantly to the focus on the new Batman in Gotham.

But since the stage is now set it makes lots of sense to add in other heroes an villains now. I would love to see who's legacy will continue with new characters in old roles (new Wonder Woman?), or someone older still workin the beat~ They've already started just by addin a Catwoman and Dick Grayson(an Waller) to the new comic series~ ^_^

I agree a Line of Beyond books might not be such a good idea, but I would definitively like to know what happened to the other heroes after Justice League Unlimited. Who married who, what did they do with their lives, who takes after them, and all of that. 

That could be interesting.  I know I like Beyond so maybe Supes Beyond would be a good avenue to pursue.