Bruce Wayne and Barry Allen have a lot in common. Beyond being inspired to heroism by the death of their families, they are both geniuses with a background in forensics. A flashback in Batman #147 reveals something of their shared heritage and how The Flash once helped the Dark Knight.
Written by Chip Zdarsky, with art by Jorge Jiménez, Batman #147 continues the ongoing battle between Bruce Wayne and his Zur-En-Arrh persona. Zur-En-Arrh was originally intended to act as a backup Dark Knight if Bruce was mentally compromised. However, Zur-En-Arrh recently concluded that Bruce was shirking in his duties.
Zur-En-Arrh recently took over a robot body, setting out to become the true Batman. Bruce went off the grid and took refuge in the old Justice League headquarters in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island. It was here, as Bruce considered how to fight a more ruthless version of himself, that he recalled an encounter with The Flash from the early days of the JLA.
The Flash Helped Perfect Batman’s Smoke Bombs
Batman recalled utilizing the JLA lab to increase the coverage generated by his smoke bombs. The experiment got Barry Allen’s attention and he offered his assistance. Bruce declined, until The Flash quickly assembled his own superior smoke bomb, using his chemist training.
This incident seems to have been the first bond of friendship between the two heroes. Barry tells Batman that he understands that working in a group is new to the Dark Knight. However, they both share the goal of helping other people, and that should — to Barry’s mind — include each other.
The flashback serves two purposes. It is a fun scene that shows the more light-hearted Flash sending up Batman. However, it also foreshadows the end of the issue and Bruce’s realization that his friends and family can enable him to overcome Zur-En-Arrh.
Batman #147 is now available on-line and at comic shops everywhere.
