io9 was presented with an exclusive one-page look at Neil Gaiman‘s upcoming comic, Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?.

The comic book two-parter, which comes out in February 2009 with Batman iissue #686, supposedly has Bruce Wayne retiring before what’s expected to be a new Batman steps in. Gaiman’s work is being described as a sort of tribute to Batman, an idea that comes from the 1986 work of Alan Moore for Superman called Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

As you can see, it looks like we have some Catwoman action going on, and maybe a little animosity toward cats. Either Selina Kyle is angry at her fellow felines, or another chick GTA‘d her ride and is off to do who knows what kind of Gotham City craziness.

The two-part comic comes out in February, 2009. Where Batman goes from there is anybody’s guess.

Check out the full-page preview at io9.