SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read BATMAN, INCORPORATED #8 and do not wish to know what happens, stop reading this post now (MAJOR spoilers ahead!)

From the creative team of writer Grant Morrison and artist Chris Burnham, BATMAN, INCORPORATED #8 serves as the pinnacle of everything Morrison has been planning since the launch of this series – and the conclusion of Damian’s story.

Earlier this week, Morrison shared an essay reflecting on the seven years he has spent writing the Dark Knight. Within that essay, he discussed the overarching theme of his entire Batman opus: “This master theme of damaged and ruined families was nowhere more in evidence than in the creation of Damian, the first ‘Son of Batman’ to be acknowledged in the canon. In many ways this has been Damian’s story as much as it has been the story of Bruce Wayne and it’s a story that had its end planned a long time ago - for what son could ever hope to replace a father like Batman, who never dies?”

In “The Boy Wonder Returns,” Damian Wayne re-enters the battle against the terrorist organization known as Leviathan. Formed by Talia al Ghul (a.k.a. Damian’s mother) Leviathan seeks to create a “ring of terror,” ensnaring hundreds of innocent children and turning them into killers along with an army of the working class. Together, they have shared targets: Batman and his army of allies who strive to use the power of Batman Inc. on a global scale.

In the events of the war between Leviathan and Batman, Inc., Talia has decided to place a half a billion dollar bounty on her son’s head in order to gain the attention of his father, Batman. With his son’s safety in mind, Batman decides to sideline Damian and confine him to the Batcave. But that doesn’t stop the Boy Wonder!

After a distress call from Red Robin reveals that Talia has occupied Wayne Tower and has Batman as her prisoner, Damian defies his father – with the help of Alfred – and suits up as Robin once more.

When he arrives at the tower, the agents of Leviathan, both young and old, attack. Just when the agents release fire upon Damian, Nightwing busts through the window to save his former partner.

Together, they share a touching moment reflecting upon their partnership as Batman and Robin before hopping back into battle, reunited once more as partners in the fight against crime. They fight side by side like never before but are interrupted by Damian’s rival: The Heretic!

But The Heretic isn’t only Damian’s rival. He’s also a genetic copy of him! Birthed from the carcass of a whale, this young clone was forced to grow at an accelerated rate so his mother could mold him to her desires. He represents everything that Damian will never be, now that he has made the choice to follow his father’s path as a crime fighter.

Robin and The Heretic begin a bloody battle as Damian tries to plead with his mother to end the war. Damian is no match for the hulking mass that is his brother, but he passionately fights in order to save his father and Gotham City from the grasp of Leviathan.

Meanwhile, Batman frees himself from an underwater safe crafted by Talia to prove herself as his archenemy. She challenges him to choose between his city and his son, for one must die for the other to survive. But and as he escapes, Batman believes he can save both.

Yet Batman is too late. The Heretic has fatally stabbed Damian. Another Robin has died in Batman’s never-ending fight against crime. Batman arrives helpless to the scene of the unspeakable terror that has occurred. All he can do is hold his son in his arms, one last time.

How will the death of another Robin – and more importantly of his son – impact Batman in the future? Has Talia finally won? Place your bets in the comments section below.

And don’t forget to pick up your copy of BATMAN, INCORPORATED #8, in stores now.

"Little did I suspect when I accepted the BATMAN writing assignment back in 2006 that I’d wind up spending the next six years writing the longest continued comic story I’ve ever attempted. I thought I’d said most of what I had to say about the character with Arkham Asylum, Gothic, and Batman’s appearances in JLA. Clearly, I was wrong.  

The original pitch was for 15 issues winding up with BATMAN R.I.P. but something happened along the way and, as I was researching his rich history, I became fascinated by the idea that every Batman story was in some way true and biographical - from the savage, young, pulp-flavored “weird figure of the dark” of his early years, through the smiling, paternal figure of the 1940s and the proto-psychedelic crusader of the ‘50s, the superhero detective of the ‘60s, the hairy-chested globetrotting adventurer of the ‘70s, to the brutally physical vigilante of the ‘80s and snarling, paranoid soldier of the ‘90s.

By taking his entire publishing history as the story of his life, I was able to approach Batman from a different angle and the multifaceted character that was revealed became the subject of my story.

What would such a man be like, realistically? This was a man who had saved countless lives, faced innumerable perils, and even prevented the destruction of the world itself. This was a master of martial arts, meditation, deduction, yoga and big business. This was a man who had tamed and mastered his demons and turned personal tragedy into a relentless humanitarian crusade.

Taking that man seriously meant I had to throw out a few of the accepted ideas about Batman as a semi-unhinged, essentially humorless loner struggling with rage and guilt. The totality of his history and accomplishments made that portrayal seem limited and unconvincing, so instead, my Batman was a true superhero at the height of his powers and the peak of his abilities, surrounded by a network of friends and associates, all of whom had been inspired by his lead.

I chose to build my story around the basic trauma, the murder of his parents, that lies at the heart of Batman’s genesis. It seemed to me there would be a part of Bruce Wayne that resented his parents for leaving him and especially resented his father for not being Batman that night, so the principal villains were an archetypal bad father figure in the form of Dr. Hurt and a dark mother in the form of Talia, our villain for the concluding chapters of the story.

This master theme of damaged and ruined families was nowhere more in evidence than in the creation of Damian, the first “Son of Batman” to be acknowledged in the canon. In many ways this has been Damian’s story as much as it has been the story of Bruce Wayne and it’s a story that had its end planned a long time ago - for what son could ever hope to replace a father like Batman, who never dies?

And so, via Batman, Batman and Robin, Return of Bruce Wayne and Batman Inc. this epic tale has finally reached its finale.

Thanks to all the artists who helped realise the story – Andy Kubert, JH Williams, John Van Fleet, Tony Daniel, Ryan Benjamin, Lee Garbett, Frank Quitely, Philip Tan, Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke, Frazer Irving, Scott Kolins, Chris Sprouse, Ryan Sook, Yanick Paquette, Georges Jeanty, David Finch, Scott Clark and of course, Chris Burnham.

Thanks to the inkers, colorists and letters and to my indefatigable editors.

Thanks to the readers who joined in the fun and contributed to the thought-provoking debates and analyses online.

The conclusion is finally here, with only four more issues to go. Four issues which take Batman to dark places he has never had to visit before. Four issues and I’m done, while Batman himself continues into as yet unimagined future adventures. He’ll still be here long after I’m dead and forgotten; long after all of us have come and gone, there will be Batman. It’s been a joy and a privilege to spend so much time in the company of pop culture’s greatest character but it’s going to feel weird waking up and not having Bruce Wayne’s calm, commanding, ever-so-slightly cynical voice in my head.

Batman forever…

- Grant

Scotland, December 2012"

This week sees the publication of ACTION COMICS VOLUME 1: SUPERMAN AND THE MEN OF STEEL. Written by the incomparable Grant Morrison (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN) and drawn by the sensational Rags Morales (IDENTITY CRISIS), this hardcover book is the premiere collection of the acclaimed series that launched with DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. This updated Superman has been re-imagined as a more vulnerable and relatable hero. Young, naïve, and with incredible powers he’s only begun to explore, Superman is waiting to be discovered by a whole new generation.        

Collecting issues #1-8, ACTION COMICS VOL. 1: SUPERMAN AND THE MEN OF STEEL is in comic book stores now and in bookstores everywhere on August 7th. Below, take a first look at some of the bonus material from the back of the hardcover.