It all ends here! Batman's been to the hells of Apokalips and back just to retrieve his son's body. But what has he brought back with him? And who is the new Robin?

Concentrating primarily on contemporary depictions of Batman in the comic books, this book analyzes why Batman is so immensely popular right now in America and globally, and how the fictional Dark Knight reveals both new cultural concerns and longstanding beliefs about American values. The organizing premise is that while Batman is perceived as a very clearly defined character, he is open to a wide range of interpretations and depictions in the comics (what Henry Jenkins refers to as "multiplicities"), each of which allows access to different cultural issues. The idea of Batman functions as an anchoring point out of which multiple Batmen, or Batman-like characters, can occupy different positions: Grim Batman, Gay Batman, Female Batman, Black Batman, Cute Batman, and so on. Each iteration opens up a discussion of different cultural issues pertinent to modern society, such as sexuality, ethnicity, feminism and familial relationships.

A shadowy figure emerges from Bruce Wayne's past. His name is NoBody, and he's not happy that Batman Incorporated is shining a light on his own shadowy war against evil.

Superman created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, by special arrangement with the Jerry Siegel family.

The penultimate chapter of "Robin Rises" is here! Can Batman bring Damian Wayne back from death? Concluded in this month's ROBIN RISES: ALPHA #1!