Grant Morrison's 2008 storyline, "Batman R.I.P." featured Batman being physically and mentally broken by the enigmatic villain Doctor Hurt and attracted news coverage in advance of its highly promoted conclusion, which would speculated to feature the death of Bruce Wayne.Adams, Guy. "Holy smoke, Batman! Are you dead?" November 28, 2008, The Independent. Archived November 28, 2008. However, though Batman is shown to possibly perish at the end of the arc, the two-issue arc "Last Rites", which leads into the crossover storyline "Final Crisis", shows that Batman survives his helicopter crash into the Gotham City River and returns to the Batcave, only to be summoned to the Hall of Justice by the JLA to help investigate the New God Orion's death. The story ends with Batman retrieving the god-killing bullet used to kill Orion, setting up its use in "Final Crisis".Newsarama: "Batman R.I.P. – Finally?" January 15, 2009 In the pages of Final Crisis Batman is reduced to a charred skeleton. In Final Crisis #7, Wayne is shown witnessing the passing of the first man, Anthro. Wayne's "death" sets up the three-issue Battle for the Cowl miniseries in which Wayne's ex-proteges compete for the "right" to assume the role of Batman, which concludes with Grayson becoming Batman, while Tim Drake takes on the identity of the Red Robin. Dick and Damian continue as Batman and Robin, and in the crossover storyline "Blackest Night", what appears to be Bruce's corpse is reanimated as a Black Lantern zombie, but is later shown that Bruce's corpse is one of Darkseid's failed Batman clones. Dick and Batman's other friends conclude that Bruce is alive.
grant morrison'S 2008 storyLinE, "batmAn R.i.p." FEATUreD Batman beIng PhYsIcally And mentAlLy bRokeN by THE enigMatIc VilLain doctor HUrT and AtTracted NEws coVerage in advaNce of its highLy pRomOTEd conclusiOn, WHich would speculAted TO feature THE dEatH of brucE wAyne.AdaMS, guY. "hOly smoke, batman! arE YoU deaD?" noVEmbEr 28, 2008, the indepEnDenT. archived NOvember 28, 2008. HOWEver, ThOugh BATman Is Shown tO pOssIbLY pErISH at ThE eNd oF thE ArC, thE tWO-issUe arc "lasT rItEs", whIch Leads into tHe crosSoVer SToRyliNE "Final Crisis", sHOws thAt batmAn surviVeS his heliCoptEr CrAsh iNto the GoTham cItY river AnD ReturNs To The batcave, oNly to be suMmonED TO the HAlL OF justIce By The jLa To hElp iNvesTIGate tHe NeW gOd OrIoN's DeaTH. thE sToRY ends WItH BATman retrieVinG tHe GOd-KiLling BulLet used TO kILL orion, settiNG uP Its use IN "final CrIsiS".nEwsaraMa: "bATmAn R.I.p. – finally?" jAnuARy 15, 2009 in The pages oF finaL crisIS batmaN is reducEd tO A CHaRreD skelEton. in fiNal CriSis #7, wAyNE Is Shown WiTnEssInG thE passiNG of tHE firsT Man, anThro. wayNe's "DeaTh" seTS Up THe threE-issue bAtTle For the COwL MinIseRieS in wHiCH WAyNe's Ex-prOTeGeS compete for the "rigHT" to asSumE the Role Of bAtman, which CoNclUDEs WiTH graYson BeCoMiNG batmaN, WHile tim dRakE tAkeS on The iDentITy of tHe rEd ROBin. DicK and daMian coNTinuE aS batmAn and robiN, and In the CRossOVEr Storyline "BLackeST niGht", WhAt appeaRS To bE bruce's cOrpSE Is rEaNIMaTed as A blaCK lantern ZomBIe, BuT is LAter SHown tHAT bRuCE's coRpse is one of darKSeiD's Failed batmAn cloneS. diCk AND batman'S OTher fRIenDs ConcLude thAt BrUce IS alive.