My hope with the Robin/Huntress book is that "Batman" is a big enough thing to warrant continuing a few alternate titles after the event winds up. (I have long wanted a bat-book where Bruce Wayne was long dead and replaced with successors.)
Like many comics of the 70s and 80s, the concept was better than the execution. Even 20+ years ago, I found myself thinking that it read like something a kid would play. ("Oh no, big bad guy shows up and only Batman can fight him!" "Oh no, the big bad guy killed Batman!") Predictable writing and stiff art do not a good comic make. But, the 70s and 80s were more about concept than execution (as so few concepts had been done in comics at that point).ut I've read the 70s All-Star revival where the death of Batman took place,
My hope for both DC and Marvel this fall.
-mainline books: Let these be "like the movie" and otherwise bound to corporate mandates. Have these be at least half of a company's output. Earth 0. Earth 616, Who cares? Just put these out.
-editorial necessity: This would be a category for quality or high-selling books ("Spider-Gwen" comes to mind) that could/should not be marketed as connected to a mainline series. Similarly, regardless of how tight editorial controls are, there is going to be a need to explain away mistakes with alternate timelines. DC made a noble effort to avoid this sort of thing in the 80s. But, they had to make allowances within a few years of "Crisis". (This category is probably what would set precedent for a multiverse, if only as a concession to fans who need stuff to fit.)
The real interesting stuff should be the alternative books.
-clean/modern start books: DC's "Earth One" line is a good alternative for people who want capes and tights with a limited scope. One or two books a year covering a linear story. This should not be revolutionary.
-legacy/retro books: There should be a few titles that pick up where old plots left off and/or go in logical directions that old runs could not. (Why should Bruce Wayne's back have healed?) Maybe mix and match to create a better starting point. (Example: Bruce Wayne is crippled or killed by a bad guy. After a failed replacement is dealt, Dick Grayson and/or Helena Wayne work to perpetuate the bat-legacy.) There is some speculation that DC might be doing this with the Bat-books and that Marvel might be doing this with the Spider-books. (Of course, with Marvel, speculation is especially dodgy at the moment.)
-creator focused books: DC's "Earth One" line arguably covers this. But, there should be isolated books where established creative teams can do their own thing with minimal interference. Think "Vertigo", but with corporate ownership and superheroes.
-kid stuff: This is a necessary component. The key will be not just pitching to little kids (crap like "Tiny Titans"), but to older kids. Marvel has tried to bridge the gap between "Archie" and mainline books. But, the bridge is still narrow and looking more like a diving board. I have no interest in reading the books that would end up here. But, they are a necessary part of the market.
-dumb gimmicks: This is more a DC thing. But, Marvel has toyed with it in recent years. Dumb stuff like the Crime Syndicate, "Marvel Zombies" or "Red Rain" would go here. Ironically, these books would probably be used for more cross-overs than others. But, that would not necessarily be all bad.