In the latest iteration of the “Batman” comic, it’s revealed that the beloved superhero is struggling desperately to cling to faith in anything — himself or the Catholic faith in which he was raised.
Writer Tom King tackles Bruce Wayne’s personal side in the comic book that came out this week, chronicling the Dark Knight’s journey away from faith, according to Inverse, while still paying homage to the internal war very much present in the character’s psyche.
Readers catch a glimpse of Wayne’s inner-battle over Christianity when, during super villain Mr. Freeze’s murder trial, Wayne is asked if he believes in God. In response, the hero says, “I used to.”
“Do you believe in God, Bruce?”
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— 🦇 (@bestofbatdad) August 14, 2018
Ultimately, it appears Wayne has lost faith in God, at least the God of Christianity. Now, Wayne appears to have replaced God with Batman, though the superhero vigilante isn’t all that confident in himself anymore, either.
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In the comic book’s final panel, Wayne puts on his original Batman suit and declares, “I need to remember who I am.”
The issue closes with an image of Batman alongside a reference to Job 1:20-21.
The passage reads, “ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’”
Only time will tell if an increasingly cynical Wayne will abandon his faith entirely, but it’s not looking good at the moment.