Scottish writer 'to kill off' Batman after 70 years

Batman is set to be "killed off" after almost 70 years of crimefighting.

Scottish writer Grant Morrison has penned a dramatic new instalment of the Dark Knight's adventures, called Batman RIP, in which fans will see "the end of Bruce Wayne" as Batman.

The storyline, which was due to reach its climax in the latest issue of the Batman comic, released today , is said to see Wayne so shaken by a secret from his past that a new Batman must be found.

Mr Morrison, from Glasgow, said: "What I am doing is a fate worse than death, things that no-one would expect to happen to these guys at all."

The writer has previously penned storylines for the likes of the X-Men for Marvel and Superman for DC Comics. He took over writing the Batman series for DC in 2006.

Batman was co-created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger for DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics in May 1939, and was given his own series in 1940.

Christian Bale has played the character in the last two films, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, which also starred the late Heath Ledger.