The Next Batmans Horrific Origin Story Is Finally Revealed

The Next Batman: Second Son has been hinting for a while now that Tim "Jace" Fox once did something so egregious as a kid that he ran away from home to Vietnam, and the truth about what happened has finally come out in court.

Written by John Ridley with art by Travel Foreman and Mark Morales, the series' eighth issue finds Jace testifying in court about what he did as a kid, with no help from his mother, Tanya Fox. In Second Son #7, Tanya writes a false testimony for Jace to read while under oath that will clear him of all charges once she uses her vast influence and resources to ensure that the truth gets swept under the rug. But Jace is so concerned about doing what's right that it trumps his need to keep himself out of jail. At least, that's what's presumably happens, because he pretty much damns himself in his testimony. It's obvious that his mother didn't write what he inevitably says because it definitely won't accomplish what she wants: to clear her son of all charges.

It takes quite some time for Jace to get to the point in his testimony where he explains the deed that got him in the mess he's in now. Leading up to it, he doesn't pull any punches on himself, which definitely doesn't help his case. But then Jace finally says it. He was not only texting and driving at the moment in question. He hit a pedestrian and then drove off. He was involved in a hit and run. Jace was so scared that he even turned to his father, Lucius Fox, for help despite how he felt about him.

If convicted of felony hit and run, Jace could get a one-year jail sentence if he's lucky, or a maximum of 10 years if he's not. Otherwise, he could pay a fine of up to $10,000. Obviously, the latter is the preferred method of punishment as the Fox family is incredibly rich and paying the fee wouldn't even put a dent in their fortune.

The real question is if this horrible mistake is what caused Jace to embrace vigilantism before becoming Batman. It definitely could have been his way of trying to atone for what he did. Although Jace has yet to officially become Batman, it's apparent that being involved in a hit and run is what causes him to flee to Vietnam where he became a vigilante. Even if Jace doesn't get incarcerated, the trauma of being convicted of a felony could eventually push him to adopt the cowl of Batman to right his wrongs, especially since Jace has already proven that he's obsessed with doing what's right, regardless of whether or not the pursuit thereof will be detrimental to him.

The Riddler is one of Batman's most legendary Gotham City foes, and here's a look at every actor to play the iconic villain in live-action. If there's one member of The Caped Crusader's rogues' gallery that's clearly his arch-nemesis, well, that's the Joker. Still, the Riddler is definitely one of Batman's worthiest opponents, with his intellect and strategy often proving a true match for The World's Greatest Detective. Unlike the Joker, who usually thrives on chaos, the Riddler loves to plan his capers out step by step, toying with Batman and the GCPD along the way.