The long storyline Tom King is writing for Batman will bring major changes to the character, King told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Monday, changes so dramatic King says he was surprised when his DC superiors approved them.  Current issues of Batman are leading up to "City of Bane," which begins in #75 in July and continues for eight issues (see "Three Big Sumer Arcs Flow Out of Dc’s ‘Year of the Villain’").  The events leading to the impactful changes to Batman will occur in the final 15 issues of King’s run, which ends with #105.

King revealed that the approvals he sought required attention at the highest levels.  "I’ve been talking to, not just DC, but Warner Brothers and AT&T," he told THR.  "What we’re going to do for the last 15 issues is something no one’s ever seen for the character.  It’s something that’s going to change the character for a generation, or maybe more.  Maybe forever.  I never thought we’d get this kind of stuff approved; when you’re working with a corporate character, you think you’re going to have to reset.  But this is a change that’s going to shake the world of Batman and it’s going to leave my mark on the character."

King promised late last year that the events in Batman #75 would set up the end of his run (see "Frank Miller Returns to ‘Batman’").