Batman. Bruce Wayne. Terminal. The Joker (well, maybe not). Terminal’s scheme to resurrect the Joker has hit a snag, as it has been revealed that the body whom his gang thought was the Clown Prince of Crime is actually the presumed dead Bruce Wayne.

How/why Bruce “died” is explained, for those of us who came in late, and thankfully Batman – the Terry McGuinness version – has his own team, just as his predecessor once did. But Terminal also has a secret weapon, whether he knows it or not.

One thing I appreciate about Batman Beyond – animated series and comic book – is that the franchise is not beholden to the DC Universe continuity as a whole. By being set in a different era, it frees up Dan Jurgens and other writers to build from the ground up. Would that more comic books had this luxury. But it wouldn’t take more than an editorial policy from DC make it happen, and yes that’s a hint.

This issue is touted as the conclusion of the initial story arc, entitled “Escaping the Grave.” But new developments clearly dovetail into the next issue. I’m very much looking forward to how it all plays out.