View source for Batman (Jace Fox)

{{Notability|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox comics character
|character_name = Batman
|image = File:I Am Batman 1.png
|caption = Jace Fox as Batman, as depicted in ''I Am Batman'' #1 (November 2021). Art by [[Greg Capullo]], Jonathan Glapion and [[Dave McCaig]].
|publisher = [[DC Comics]]
|debut = '''As Timothy Fox:'''<br>
''[[Batman (comic book)|Batman]]'' #313 (April 1979)<br>
'''As Batman:'''<br>
''[[Dark Nights: Death Metal]]'' #7 (January 2021)
|creators = [[Len Wein]]<br>[[Irv Novick]]
|species = [[Human]]
|alliances = [[Terrible Trio]]<br>[[Batman Family]]<br/>[[New York City Police Department]]
|partners =[[Katana (DC Comics)|Katana]]<br>[[Batwing (DC Comics)|Luke Fox]]
|aliases = [[Terrible Trio|The Vulture]]
|supports =
|powers =
* Genius-level intellect, advanced hand-to-hand combat, marksman, and highly skilled  [[acrobat]] and [[gymnast]].
* Utilizes high-tech equipment and weapons
|subcat = DC Comics
|hero =y
|sortkey = Fox, Jace
}}

'''Timothy "Jace" Fox''' is a fictional superhero appearing in [[American comic book|American comic books]] published by [[DC Comics]]. Created by [[Len Wein]] and [[Irv Novick]], he first appeared in ''Batman #313'' (1979) as one of the sons of [[Lucius Fox]], an associate of Bruce Wayne who manages Wayne Enterprises and supplies equipment for Wayne's double life as Batman. After years of absence, the character reemerged during the [[Infinite Frontier]] relaunch with a rebooted origin and stars in the ''I am Batman'' comic series.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Polo |first=Susana |date=2020-12-10 |title=DC Comics debuts the next Batman |url=https://www.polygon.com/comics/2020/12/10/22167840/dc-comics-new-batman-identity-tim-fox |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref> 

The current version of the character is a former hedonistic playboy whose irresponsible lifestyle led to a hit-and-run killing. When his father uses his wealth to suppress his culpability and ships him to military school, Tim's relationship with his family is strained. After graduating and becoming an adult, Tim secretly spent his time as a covert [[mercenary]], trained by [[Katana (DC Comics)|Katana]] and other mentors under the name '''Jace''' before returning to Gotham, where tensions between himself and his family continues.<ref name=":1" /> Learning of his father's involvement with Batman, he adopts the '''Batman''' mantle and later begins operating in New York City while reconciling his relationship with his family. As Batman, Jace Fox differs from the original in his more restrained approach to crime-fighting and how his identity as an [[African Americans|African-American]] influences his outlook and perception as a vigilante.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=On the Streets of New York: John Ridley on Jace Fox's Big Move |url=https://www.dc.com/blog/2022/01/12/on-the-streets-of-new-york-john-ridley-on-jace-foxs-big-move |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=DC |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Publication history ==
The character first appeared in ''Batman #313'' in 1979, created by writer [[Len Wein]] and artist [[Irv Novick]]. A minor character initially, the character appeared less than ten times prior to his reemergence. In 2020, the character would be reinterpreted under the name "Jace Fox" and was provided with a new origin during the [[Infinite Frontier]] initiative, appearing as the new Batman incarnation as part of the [[Future State]] event.<ref name=":2" /> In October of 2021, the character would be the star in the ''I am Batman'' ongoing comic series, following the character adopting the Batman mantle. The character's status quo being in New York City was announced shortly after, slated to take place in the sixth issue of the series.<ref>{{Cite web |title=I Am Batman #6 - Jace Fox Makes The Big Apple His New Home This February! |url=https://www.dc.com/blog/2021/11/15/i-am-batman-6-jace-fox-makes-the-big-apple-his-new-home-this-february |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=DC |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Characterization ==
{{Quote|text="Jace’s origin is completely different. He was the one who inflicted damage on a family. He was the one who shattered a family. He was the one who literally ran from responsibility. And he realizes he has a responsibility, not just to fight crime, but to inspire people to do better. To inspire them as a person, certainly to inspire them as a young Black person. To be part of the solution and not just wait for the system, because the system too often fails, but to have a moral compass, because he saw what happens when justice is, in his opinion, perverted by his father, who had all the means in the world to put his thumb on the scales of justice."|author=John Ridley<ref name=":3" /> }}


While discussing the character's status quo in relocating to New York City, Ridley explained the series was intended to focus on a Batman story with a character whose ties were to the Fox family. While Luke Fox's character was considered for the exploration, Ridley believed Tim to be a better fit due to Luke's character being established and required reconceptualizing Luke to fit a new direction. Ridley believed that Jace also represented the discord within the Fox family in the narrative and was already estranged from prior stories and wanted to build off of those previous stories. Ridley also added that he intended for Jace's origin and approach to be different from one another, whereas while Batman operates using fear in part of making villains feel the same kind of fear he had when witnessing his parents' death, Jace was the individual who caused rifts in his family due to evading responsibility thanks to his father's wealth and influence within the criminal justice system and seeks to both own up to it ultimately and inspire others (including African Americans) to do the right thing rather than wait for the criminal justice system to address moral failings.<ref name=":3" /> 

Ridley also intended for Jace's methods to include a reluctance in how he uses his wealth to fight crime, the character having witnessed how it can obstruct justice and also operates with a different level of restraint in which makes him more compliant with local law enforcement's methods.<ref name=":3" /> In the ''I am Batman series'', the character is deputized as part of local law enforcement by the mayor.<ref name=":4" />

==Fictional character biography==
===Pre-''Crisis on Infinite Earths''===
Timothy Fox was the son of [[Wayne Enterprises]] CEO [[Lucius Fox]]. The two fell out due to Wayne competitor Gregorian Falstaff, who fabricated evidence that [[Batman|Bruce Wayne]] was a slumlord. Protesting his father and his business, Tim joined a gang led by his friend Ron Watkins, who was secretly an employee of Falstaff. After learning the truth about Watkins and Falstaff, he left the gang and made up with his father.<ref>''Batman'' #333 (January 1981)</ref>

Later on, Tim fell in with the criminal group, [[Terrible Trio|The Terrible Trio]], taking on the identity of The Vulture and attempting to rob guests of Bruce Wayne's penthouse, but was subdued and captured by Batman.<ref>''DC Retroactive: Batman - The '70s'' #1 (July 2011)</ref>

===Infinite Frontier===
After years of absence, Fox returned under DC's ''[[Infinite Frontier]]'' relaunch.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=2021-01-05 |title=Everyone Meet Jace Fox - The Next Batman #1 Spoilers |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/everyone-meet-jace-fox-the-next-batman-1-spoilers/ |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=Bleeding Cool News And Rumors |language=en}}</ref> In his rebooted origin, Tim, due to his family's immense wealth, became a hedonistic playboy, indulging in a jet set life of non-stop partying and promiscuous affairs.

On the night before his seventeenth birthday, an angry Tim stormed out of his party after a failed attempt to seduce a girl who had caught his eye. While driving on the phone with another girl, Tim failed to notice a man crossing the street, ramming into him with his car. Tim went to check on the man, who was terribly injured, and, despite the man's pleas, Tim ran away to his father. Lucius hired a team of lawyers and private investigators to protect his son from the legal consequences. It was discovered that the victim was an alcoholic domestic abuser, and the team made the case that he was too drunk to notice the traffic light change. When Tim protested his father's actions, he was shipped off to military school.<ref>''The Next Batman: Second Son'' #8-9 (March 2021)</ref> After a decade abroad being trained by multiple teachers, including that of [[Katana (DC Comics)|Katana]], Timothy, now going by his nom de guerre of "Jace", returned home as his father inherited the Wayne Family's fortune. His return home briefly upended the family, with his sister Tamara falling into a coma, his brother [[Batwing (DC Comics)#Luke Fox|Luke]] refusing to acknowledge him, and his sister Tiffany becoming estranged from Luke. Eventually, Jace discovered one of Bruce Wayne's old Batsuits in an abandoned area in Wayne Enterprises.<ref name=":1">''The Next Batman: Second Son'' #12 (May 2021)</ref>

===The Next Batman===
{{Update|date=October 2022}}
Jace officially takes up the mantle of Batman,<ref name=":0">''I Am Batman'' #0 (August 2021)</ref> choosing to appropriate the Dark Knight's identity under the notion that his father and Bruce Wayne were corrupt. Subsequent skirmishes with the Magistrate led him to reconcile with Lucius, moving to [[New York City]] where Tamara would undergo her recovery.<ref>''I Am Batman'' #5 (January 2022)</ref> His arrival in New York resulted in him being forced to join the [[New York City Police Department|NYPD]]'s Special Crimes Unit, nicknamed "Strike Force Bat", by Mayor Villanueva.<ref name=":4">''I Am Batman'' #6 (March 2022)</ref> He soon after faces off against Manray, his first villain, in an encounter that ends with Batman being forced to run, much to his embarrassment.<ref>''I Am Batman'' #8 (June 2022)</ref> Their next fight ends with Batman finally gaining the upper hand, though it sets off his tumultuous relationship with other NYPD officers.<ref>''I Am Batman'' #10 (August 2022)</ref>

[[Jon Kent (DC Comics)|The new Superman]] asked for Batman's help amidst the [[Dark Crisis|death]] of his [[Superman|father]] and the [[Justice League]], seeking to form a new one, though Batman rebuffed him, not wanting to end up like his dead predecessor.<ref>''Dark Crisis'' #1 (August 2022)</ref>

[[Renee Montoya|The Question]] came to New York City, seeking Batman's help with solving the murder of [[Anarky]]. Their investigation led them to discover that, although Anarky had been shot by a kid named Morris Caulfield, the lethal wounds had already been inflicted by someone else. They were able to solve the mystery, apprehending a group of radicals named The Rest of Us, with the Question passing on her mantle to Hadiyah, a friend of Batman's. However, Tiffany Fox had recently donned her own vigilante outfit, seeking to help a friend, and briefly fought with members of Strike Force Bat. Looking into the recent encounter, Batman was attacked by [[Sinestro]], who manipulated his sense of reality to make him believe he'd murdered an officer.<ref>''I Am Batman'' #14 (December 2022)</ref>

===Dark Crisis===
Being quickly defeated by Sinestro, Jace resolved to face his fears, going to confront him directly. Though Sinestro employed numerous constructs to whittle down the new Batman's hope, handing him a ring to end his own life, Batman used the ring to defeat him before Pariah retrieved him through a portal. Recognizing that Superman needed a Batman, he traveled to the [[Hall of Justice (comics)|Hall of Justice]], where the heroes and [[Deathstroke]]'s forces were having their final battle.<ref>''I Am Batman'' #15 (January 2023)</ref>

Arriving at the Hall of Justice with multiple other heroes, Batman worked with [[Mister Terrific (Michael Holt)|Mr. Terrific]] to alter [[Pariah (character)|Pariah]]'s Anti-Matter Cannon, while [[Yara Flor]] used her lasso to distract him, and Superman held off his Dark Army. Batman successfully altered the machine, using it to defeat Pariah, and then joined the other heroes in the final battle, along with the returned Justice League.<ref>''Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #6 (January 2023)</ref>

== Abilities and equipment ==
Similar to Batman and other human crime-fighters in Gotham, Fox possess no inherent superpowers but is skilled in hand-to-hand combat due to both his military training and mentorship under Katana. Furthermore, despite the character's view that both Luke and Lucius are geniuses, Jace also possess a high level of intelligence within his own right. Jace also demonstrated a strong will from enduring experiences in a Markovian secret prison and Sinestro's yellow power ring, a trait credited to making him worthy of the Batman mantle.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hampton |first1=Morgan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xlqqEAAAQBAJ |title=DC Power: A Celebration (2023) #1 |last2=Clark |first2=Jordan |last3=Quick |first3=Dorado |last4=Narcisse |first4=Evan |date=2023-01-31 |publisher=DC Comics |language=en}}</ref> Supplied by his friend Vol, Jace has a [[Batsuit]] designed with [[Non-Newtonian fluid]], allowing his armor to be powerful but lightweight.<ref name=":0" /> 

== Other versions ==
* In the possible future of "[[Future State]]", Jace succeeds Bruce Wayne as Batman, fighting to topple the Magistrate. He is also a member of the [[Justice League]].

== In other media ==

* Jace Fox as Batman appears in ''[[DC Legends]]''.

== Collected editions ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Title
!Material collected
!Published date
!ISBN
|-
|''Future State: The Next Batman''
|''Future State: The Next Batman'' #1-4 and material from ''Future State: Dark Detective'' #1-3, ''Future State: Nightwing'' #1-2
|June 2021
|{{ISBNT|978-1779510648}}
|-
|''Batman by [[John Ridley]] The Deluxe Edition''
|''Future State: The Next Batman'' #1-4 and material from ''Batman Black and White'' (vol. 5) #1, ''Batman: The Joker War Zone'' #1
|June 2021
|{{ISBNT|978-1779511263}}
|-
|''The Next Batman: Second Son''
|''The Next Batman: Second Son'' #1-4 (original published online as ''The Next Batman: Second Son'' chapters #1-13)
|September 2021
|{{ISBNT|978-1779513601}}
|-
|''I Am Batman Vol. 1''
|''I Am Batman'' #0-5
|August 2022
|{{ISBNT|978-1779516619}}
|-
|''I Am Batman Vol. 2''
|''I Am Batman'' #6-10
|March 2023
|{{ISBNT|978-1779519979}}
|-
|''I Am Batman Vol. 3''
|''I Am Batman'' #11-18
|September 2023
|{{ISBNT|978-1779520548}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Batman characters}}

[[Category:African-American superheroes]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1979]]
[[Category:DC Comics superheroes]]
[[Category:Batman]]
[[Category:Characters created by Len Wein]]
[[Category:Characters created by Irv Novick]]
[[Category:DC Comics American superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics male superheroes]]
[[Category:DC Comics American supervillains]]
[[Category:DC Comics male supervillains]]
[[Category:DC Comics martial artists]]
[[Category:Superheroes with alter egos]]
[[Category:Superhero detectives]]
[[Category:Batman characters]]