Silver Saint Cloud
(Every cloud has a silver lining)
It has been announced that the character of Silver Saint Cloud is set to appear in the 2nd season of the Gotham TV series. I’m sure all non-comic book fans said “Who?”. The tragic up and down romance of Bruce Wayne and Silver Saint Cloud began when they first met in Detective Comics #470 (June 1977), written by Steve Englehart.
The pair started to date soon after. Silver started to suspect that Bruce had a hidden secret due to various disappearances and odd behavior. Silver eventually deduced Batman’s secret identity, mostly by recognizing Bruce Wayne’s chin!
Silver breaks up with Bruce, which causes him to take out his frustration on some of Gotham’s criminals and to question whether he should retire his Batman identity. After a difficult battle with the Joker, Batman confronts Silver, who tells him she knows he is Bruce Wayne. Silver also tells him it will never work between them, saying she could never stop worrying about himendangering his life, after which she runs away and leaves town for many years.
Silver (and Steve Engelhart) would return to town years later in the miniseries Batman: Dark Detective #1-#6 (July-September 2005). Silver meets with Bruce to ask for a campaign contribution for her fiancé, a Senator running for re-election. Silver falls back in love with Bruce and intends to leave her fiancé.
Eventually, Batman has to save Silver and the senator from a house filled with lethal booby traps by the Joker. The senator loses and arm and leg to the booby traps. Bruce tells Silver to stay with the senator until his campaign is over. Silver, angered by this, leaves Bruce’s life again. Silver would next appear in another miniseries, Batman: Widening Gyre (August 2009-July 2010) written by director/actor/podcaster Kevin Smith and illustrated by his long time friend and Comic Book Men costar Walt Flanagan. Silver returns yet again to Bruce after the death of her senator fiancé. They rekindle their love affair, spending their days on a private island owned by Silver and flying back to Gotham at night so Bruce can continue his crusade as Batman. At the same time Batman meets a new hero Bapomet. Batman sees an ally and a possible successor in Bapomet ashe decides to share all his secrets with the new hero. This decision is probably made mostly due to the fact that Bruce decides to propose marriage to Silver, who accepts.
Bruce then brings Bapomet back to the Batcave and show the new hero all his secrets, including his secret identity and to introduce Silver. But in the final pages of the last issue we see Batman turn his back and take off his utility belt as Baphomet, who is revealed to be theKevin Smith created villain Onomatopoeia, slits Silver’s throat.
Smith was supposed to write a follow up miniseries, but 5 years later there is no sign of one.
In happier news, as I stated in the beginning, Silver Saint Cloud is set to appear on Gotham, portrayed by Natalie Alyn Lind.
What kind of relationship will Silver and Bruce have this time, now that they will meet at such a younger age? Only time (and Gotham season 2) will tell. Let me know your thoughts through the following ways:
nightwingpdp@gmail.com or beforethebat@gmail.com
@Nightwingpdp or @Beforethebatpod on Twitter
You can hear me and my friends discuss this and everything else to do with Gotham (and all things Batman) on my podcast Before the Bat: the Gotham podcast.
I also write for 2 other blogs, The Flash/Arrow blog and the True Believers blog, both of which can also be found at www.southgatemediagroup.com
That’s it for this week. Come back next week and be good. Remember, Love cures all (except psychotic villains with vendettas)!