DC’s Future State has presented several mysteries over its first two weeks, including the disappearance of the original Batgirl, though we finally know Barbara Gordon’s whereabouts, and it’s not looking good for her. The reveal comes in Future State: The Next Batman during the second story, which focuses on Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown. They find themselves in The Magistrate’s custody and prison, and while the reunion doesn’t go quite as smooth as some might hope at first, their investigation does finally give us a clue as to what happened to Barbara, so if you’ve already read the issue feel free to keep scrolling, but if you haven’t beware spoilers incoming.
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During the issue, it is revealed that Stephanie has been undercover this whole time to find out what happened to Barbara, and once Cassandra knows this they discuss what brought her here. She had been getting messages through the computer network of ET VITAM and a bat symbol, and while Oracle is the only person capable of tracing those messages, they were easy enough to translate.
It translated to The Bat Was Alive, and they were able to piece together coordinates from those messages over time, which led them to the prison. Blueprints of the building showed a hidden level beneath solitary confinement, where they think Batman may be held.
On the next page we see that it is actually not Batman who resides below, but Barbara Gordon, who is restrained and hooked up to several machines. Her eyes are glowing as well, and it seems she is sending the message out to a screen near her. At first, it might seem like she’s sending the message for help, but if you look at the very complicated setup, it actually seems like The Magistrate has done this on purpose, and is leading the Bats into a trap.
We’ll have to wait and see if that is the case, and the next chapter of this story hits in The Next Batman #4.
Future State: The Next Batman #2 is written by John Ridley, Vita Ayala, and Paula Sevenbergen and is drawn by Laura Braga, Aneke, and Emanuela Lupacchino, and you can find the official description below.
“In this second Future State: Batman chapter, wearing a mask in Gotham City is now a crime-and when it’s compounded with murder, it can be a shoot-on-sight offense! Batman is on the trail of a murderous couple but quickly finds that all is not as it seems…and finds himself in the firing line of the Magistrate and their Peacekeepers! The gritty, street-level adventures of the new Dark Knight continue!
Also in this issue, Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown find themselves in a prison where the Magistrate throws heroes and villains alike! What no one knows, though, is that Cassandra was sent there with a mission…
And in a story of the Gotham City Sirens, some girls just want to have fun-so what do you do when you find Gotham City in turmoil and overrun by Cybers? You go shopping, of course! Join Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and a new Siren on a gal’s night out. They’re on the town, looking for trouble…and finding it!”
Future State: The Next Batman #2 is in comic stores now.
What did you think of the issue? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things Future State with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
