Grant Morrison didn’t just write a few comic books. They didn’t just give Bruce Wayne a new gadget or a fresh coat of paint. When we talk about Batman by Grant Morrison, we’re talking about a seven-year psychedelic odyssey that fundamentally restructured how the world views the Dark Knight. It’s a massive, sprawling epic that started in 2006 with a surprise son and ended in 2013 with a heartbreaking funeral.
Honestly, it’s a lot to take in.
Most writers pick a "version" of Batman. They want the gritty 70s detective, the campy 60s hero, or the tech-heavy modern warrior. Morrison looked at the character’s seventy-year history and said, "It’s all true." Every weird alien encounter from the 50s, every dark night of the soul in the 80s, and every goofy gadget—it all happened to one guy. That's the core "meta-textual" hook. It turns Batman from a fictional character into a living, breathing mythological constant.
The "Everything is Canon" Philosophy
If you’ve ever felt like comics are too confusing because of reboots and retcons, Morrison’s approach is basically the antidote. They operated on the premise that Bruce Wayne has been active for about fifteen years and has simply lived a very, very busy life.
This means the "Bat-Mite" isn't a hallucination. It means Batman really did go to a planet called Zur-En-Arrh. By treating the "silly" Silver Age stories as repressed trauma or strange fever dreams, Morrison added a layer of psychological depth that nobody saw coming. It’s brilliant. It’s also kinda terrifying if you think about the mental toll that would take on a human being.
Introducing Damian Wayne
The run kicked off with Batman and Son. Before this, the idea of Batman having a biological child was relegated to "What If" stories like Son of the Demon. Morrison brought Damian Wayne—the son of Bruce and Talia al Ghul—into the main DC Universe.
Damian was a literal brat. He was an assassin-trained ten-year-old with a superioriority complex the size of Gotham. Fans hated him at first. That was the point. Watching Bruce try to parent a lethal weapon while Damian tried to replace Tim Drake as Robin provided a domestic tension the book had lacked for decades.
📖 Related: The A Wrinkle in Time Cast: Why This Massive Star Power Didn't Save the Movie
The Black Glove and R.I.P.
As the story progressed, Morrison introduced a secret organization called the Black Glove. Led by the mysterious Simon Hurt, this group wasn't trying to rob banks. They wanted to break Batman's soul.
This culminated in Batman R.I.P., a story that is notoriously dense. You’ve got Bruce being buried alive, a backup personality called the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh taking over, and a whole lot of colorful madness. Morrison used this arc to explore the idea that Batman has prepared for everything—even his own madness.
- The backup personality: Bruce created a "failsafe" mind in case he was ever psychologically broken.
- The trigger word: "Zur-En-Arrh" was revealed to be a misheard phrase from Bruce's childhood.
- The resolution: Batman doesn't win because he's stronger; he wins because he's more disciplined than chaos itself.
It’s messy. It’s loud. But it’s peak Batman by Grant Morrison.
When Dick Grayson Took the Cowl
Then, Bruce "died."
Well, he got hit by Darkseid's Omega Sanction and sent back in time (it's comics, just go with it), but for the people of Gotham, he was gone. This led to Batman & Robin, arguably the most fun segment of the entire run. Dick Grayson—the original Robin—became Batman. Damian Wayne became his Robin.
The dynamic flipped perfectly. Instead of a grim Batman and a wisecracking Robin, we got a lighthearted, acrobatic Batman and a grumpy, murderous Robin. The chemistry was electric. Frank Quitely’s art in those early issues gave Gotham a neon-soaked, European aesthetic that felt completely fresh.
👉 See also: Cuba Gooding Jr OJ: Why the Performance Everyone Hated Was Actually Genius
They fought weird villains like Professor Pyg, a guy who turns people into "Dolltrons" by bonding masks to their faces. It was body horror mixed with superheroics. This era proved that the concept of Batman was bigger than just Bruce Wayne.
Batman Inc. and the Global Scale
The final act was Batman Incorporated. Bruce came back from his trip through time and realized that fighting crime in one city wasn't enough. He took the franchise global.
He started "franchising" Batman.
He recruited heroes like Knight and Squire in the UK, El Gaucho in Argentina, and Batman Japan. It was a commentary on globalization and the idea of Batman as a corporate symbol. But underneath the capes and cowls, it was still a story about a father and a son. The war between Batman Inc. and Leviathan (led by Talia al Ghul) was the ultimate family blowout.
The death of Damian Wayne toward the end of this run was a genuine gut-punch. It felt earned. It felt tragic. It was the consequence of a world where "everything counts."
Why People Still Argue About This Run
Some folks find Morrison's writing style exhausting. They use non-linear storytelling. They drop references to obscure 1950s comics that haven't been in print for half a century. You often have to read a page three times to realize that a minor character in the background is actually the main villain in disguise.
✨ Don't miss: Greatest Rock and Roll Singers of All Time: Why the Legends Still Own the Mic
But that complexity is exactly why it stays on "Best of" lists.
It treats the reader like an adult. It assumes you can keep up. There's no hand-holding. If you want a simple "Batman catches the Joker" story, this isn't it. If you want a meditation on mortality, legacy, and the power of symbols, this is the gold standard.
Practical Ways to Tackle the Morrison Saga
If you’re looking to dive into Batman by Grant Morrison, don’t just buy random issues. You will get lost. You need a roadmap because the narrative is tightly coiled.
- Start with the Omnibuses: DC has released three massive Omnibus volumes. These are the easiest way to read the story in the intended order. Volume 1 covers the Black Glove and R.I.P. Volume 2 is the Dick Grayson era. Volume 3 is the Batman Inc. finale.
- Read "The Black Casebook": This is a collection of the old 50s and 60s stories that inspired Morrison. It’s not "essential" for the plot, but it makes the references way more satisfying.
- Accept the Weirdness: Don't try to make sense of every single hallucinatory sequence on your first pass. Morrison writes for the "re-read." The first time is for the vibes; the second time is for the architecture.
- Watch for the motifs: Pay attention to the number 666, the recurring "dominoes," and the concept of the "hole in things." These aren't just filler; they are the gears moving the plot.
The legacy of this run is everywhere now. Damian Wayne is a staple of the DC Universe. The "Zur-En-Arrh" concept was recently revisited in the main Batman title by Chip Zdarsky. Even the movies have started leaning into the idea of a Batman who is more than just a man in a suit, but a mythic force. Morrison didn't just write a story; they built a cathedral for the Dark Knight. It’s huge, it’s confusing, and it’s absolutely beautiful.
To get the most out of this experience, begin with the Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 1. Avoid jumping straight into Batman Incorporated, as the emotional stakes of the finale rely entirely on the groundwork laid in the first thirty issues. Once you finish the first volume, take a break to read Final Crisis if you want the full context of Bruce's "death," though it isn't strictly necessary to follow the main character beats.