"Ra's [Al Ghul] and Melisande are at a concert greatly reminiscent of the Live Aid
charity show from July 13, 1985—which would make Talia roughly
twenty-six-years-old, which would make her somewhat age-appropriate for
the about-thirty-ish Batman currently residing in the New 52.
. . .
Melisande talks about Neptune being in Capricorn, which would also date
this page (and Talia's birth) as taking place between 1984 and 1997."
Thus, if we go by a twelve-year timeline that starts in 2001 (and is in the current year 2012) then that means Bruce impregnates Talia, who is supposedly attending university at the time, at age sixteen or seventeen! Now I'm not about to enter into a debate about legality, foreign law, etc. but I'm fairly certain that DC did not draft a new world where Bruce is tantamount to a child predator.
However, one can still work with a twelve-year timeline and have Bruce engage with Talia at a more legal age of eighteen if the Saga of Ra's Al Ghul stuff occurs in Year Two (2002) instead of Year One (2001). Here's the problem with that situation, though: It throws off Damian's age—he wouldn't have turned ten in 2011, he'd have turned nine. And if Damian's age is thrown off then that means the idea that he is a biological age of ten but actually younger is definitively true. If that is indeed true, then there is no reason not to go with the shorter seven or eight year timeline that starts in 2005.
Of course if we do go with the latter, then what I've dreaded is unfortunately true: Damian is much younger and his age referred to in the comics (turned ten in 2011) is merely his biological age, not how long he has actually lived. Here's what I'm thinking it might look like—and bear in mind the horde of zero issues coming out soon might help shape things.
YEAR ONE (2005)
-The Saga of Ra's Al Ghul
-Damian conceived
-Catwoman debuts
-Hugo Strange debuts
-Batman pays tribute to parents in Crime Alley
-Batman vs. The Mad Monk
-Bruce officially returns to Gotham (referenced in Annual #1)
-Joker debuts
-Kathy Kane debuts as Bat-Woman
YEAR TWO (2006)
-Bruce meets Victor Fries (from Annual #1)
-Kathy Kane retires, her relationship with Bruce goes cold
-Talia's relationship with Bruce goes cold
-Damian born in secret; aging sped-up via genetic engineering
-Kathy Kane fakes death
-The Phantasm debuts
-Batman collects Batcave trophies
-Mr. Freeze debuts (from Annual #1)
-Batman pays tribute to parents in Crime Alley
-Justice League debuts (from Justice League #1-6)
-Batman fights a Talon (from flashback in Dark Knight #9)
-Dick Grayson becomes Robin
-Batman begins working with Gordon, Bullock, and Dent
-David Graves publishes Justice League: Gods Among Men
-Action Comics #10-12
YEAR THREE—YEAR EIGHT (2007-2012)
exactly the same as the current YEAR SEVEN through YEAR TWELVE
So there you have it. Of course there are other variations of this that could work, based upon the information that we currently have. Joker could even debut before the Saga of Ra's Al Ghul and Damian's conception. But we'll see what happens with the zero issues before I make any changes on the website. Until then I will wait patiently.
—Collin C.
