You’re reading The Complete Infinite Crisis, a Comprehensive and Encyclopedic look through the universe-changing superhero event published by DC from 2005 to 2006. Shelfdust are proud to provide a complete overview of the story, and everything that happens in it. We’ve had to get some experts in though – there’s so much going on that needs to be explained!

We’ve almost got through all of the various things that were going on during Lex Luthor’s Presidency – but what’s all this about Bruce Wayne having to go on the run from the police? Apparently he murdered somebody, and they’re trying to track him down? Gregory Paul Silber, please deduce the mystery for us!

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Why was Bruce Wayne a fugitive? What was he accused of doing?

Gregory Paul Silber: During the previous Bat-Family event, “BRUCE WAYNE: MURDERER?”, Bruce Wayne was accused of murdering his then-girlfriend, radio host Vesper Fairchild, when he is found with her lifeless body in his arms. Bruce is arrested and imprisoned (along with his bodyguard, Sasha Bordeaux).

While in prison, Bruce grows frustrated by having to live 24/7 as Bruce Wayne (a lot to chew on there regarding the age old question “is Bruce or Batman the alter ego?). That’s to say nothing of having been accused of a crime he didn’t commit – a mystery The World’s Greatest Detective hasn’t yet solved. Irritated, he escapes from prison, and since Bruce Wayne has been rendered a “fugitive,” Bruce temporarily retires the Bruce Wayne persona, living solely as Batman

I’m guessing he… didn’t… do it? 

Silber: Of course not! The real murderer was David Cain.

Perhaps best known as Cassandra Cain’s (Batgirl/Orphan) father, David belongs to the League of Assassins and is one of the world’s greatest assassins, even training a young Bruce Wayne before Bruce left the League and forged his own identity as Batman. Cain was hired by none other than Lex Luthor to murder Vesper Fairchild and frame Bruce. Lex was the US President at this time in DC continuity, and the crime was retaliation for Bruce’s speaking out publicly against Luther during the earlier mega-arc “No Man’s Land”.

Did he eventually manage to prove his innocence? How did he get out of the charges?

Silber: He sure did, with the help of the Bat-Family including Oracle, Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), Nightwing, Robin, and Alfred. Batgirl, for example, investigated Fairchild’s corpse, and discovered that the woman had been attacked with a “nerve strike” that her father had taught young Bruce (plus, as we all know, Batman is extremely anti-murder).

Cain even deduced Batman’s identity when he recognized Bruce from training him as a young man, but when the Bat-family confronts and arrests him, he keeps Bruce’s identity a secret in an effort to protect his daughter, Batgirl. The Batfamily, and Cain’s cooperation, helped Bruce clear his name, but it does not appear that Lex Luthor suffered any legal consequences. But hey, when has that ever happened to white male billionaires?

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Thank you Gregory! And with that, the mystery has been cleared! I dare say… we might now be able to head back into Infinite Crisis and understand it all! Let’s get back on track next time!

 

Gregory Paul Silber is a writer and editor who has appeared in Panelxpanel as well as at CBR and most often at Adventures In Poor Taste. You can find him on Twitter here!