The latest announcement from DC Comics touches the Batman Universe on the very edges. As readers know, Batman Beyond has had a series since almost the very beginning of DC Rebirth. Despite this, the book is classified as a secondary title because it is not part of continuity. The Batman Beyond universe is a place that started in comics as a secondary series accompanying the release of the television series. Over time, more volumes emerged but they all still took place firmly in the alternate future that is not part of the main continuity. That changed during the New 52.
During the New 52, the Batman Beyond series was going about its own business of continuing the alternate future story when a new series The New 52: Futures End changed things. Tim Drake was sucked to the future and suddenly became the newest Batman Beyond. This shifted things in a different direction which seemed to try and make the Batman Beyond universe part of the main continuity. Of course, with the New 52 ending and Rebirth beginning, the Batman Beyond series attempted to bridge the gap and have Terry McGinnis once again be the man under the cowl.
So Batman Beyond went back to its previous version of the following its own thing and not really being part of continuity. It strayed from the typical storylines from the television version of the universe, but still is very much rooted in that alternate future. There have been other times when the character was attempted to be brought into the fold of continuity, but none of them have really ever stuck.
Enter the latest announcement from DC which sees a new Legion of Super-Heroes series coming. Leading up to the new series, there will be a two-issue prelude miniseries. Each issue will feature four chapters focusing on different versions of the DC Universe’s future. One of those chapters will feature Batman Beyond and will have art by Dustin Nguyen.
Outside of launching a new Legion of Super-Heroes series, the premise of this prelude series is to feature a guide whose “1,000-year odyssey will connect all of DC’s future timelines for the very first time.” It seems that Batman Beyond may be attempting to be part of main continuity again.
The prelude series will be written by Brian Michael Bendis who will also write the Legion of Super-Heroes series with art by Ryan Sook. No word on whether Batman Beyond will emerge as a part of the future series, but at the very least he is included for the lead up to the new series.
