Warning: Spoilers forDetective Comics #1089!Batmanhas a long history of crime fighting, starting in tights and ending up in some surprising, world-shattering events. He’s a flagship hero for DC, but that doesn’t mean he’s the most hero-like out of the Justice League. In fact, he’s one of the darkest heroes DC has to offer, and his most recent version will have fans keeping their nightlights on.
It’s been eighty-five years of Batman comics withdozens of versions of Batman, but he’s finally transforming into a true symbol of the night inDetective Comics#1089by Ram V, Dan Watters, Guillem March, Christopher Mitten, Luis Guerrero, Tríona Farrell, Steve Wands, and Ariana Maher. The Orgham family’s hold on Gotham is loosening as Batman and the rogues of Arkham begin to turn the tide of this all-out war. Batman fights his way to the center of their operations and takes hold of the Scarecrow’s Jonathan Crane.
Turning the Reality Engine against his enemies, he decides to show Scarecrow his worst fear - andit’s the most horrifying, demonic version of Batman ever seen, which will change his image forever.
Batman Has Always Been DC’s Darkest Figure
The Essential Darkness at the Heart of Bruce Wayne
InBatman’s first appearancein 1939’sDetective Comics#27by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, his sole purpose was to stop crime in ways that Superman couldn’t. He now serves as a sort ofantithesis to Superman’s cheery nature.Already, in his very conception, the seeds were sown for what he would become in his future, but he was still far from a symbol of fear. What he did have was a low tolerance for killing his enemies.
DC Declares a Non-Gotham Hero the Best Fighter in the World (Yes, Better Than Batman)
Batman is one of the best fighters, but this unexpected hero has had some training the Dark Knight is missing, including not needing to see to fight.
The real history of Batman’s no-kill rulereveals a retcon very early into his career that tried to steer Batman into a hero who cared about life first and justice second. But this dark crusader of the night couldn’t be kept down forever. Batman doesn’t kill because he knows what he would become if he crossed that line. Now fans know exactly what he would become:a demon wreathed in bloody muscles with a pentagram above his head.There is a thin line separating Bruce Wayne from becoming this monster in reality, and the possibility of his becoming this God of Fear has only been increasing through the years.
Batman’s Purpose Has Long Been Creating Fear
From the Very Beginning of the Dark Knight’s History
Batman is known for having some incredibly dark comicsthat blur the line between heroism and horror. One of the primary creators of Batman’s fear-based mythos is Frank Miller, whose vision of Batman was almost tyrranical. InBatman: Year Oneby Miller and David Mazzucchelli, the beginnings of Batman as an acolyte of fear are seen as he appears in a haze to confront every dirty Gotham politician at a dinner party, saying,
Ladies. Gentleman. You have eaten well. You’ve eaten Gotham’s wealth. Its spirit. Your feast is nearly over. From this moment on — none of you are safe.
For another take on Batman’s iconic origins, check out the brand-new Absolute continuity, which begins inAbsolute Batman#1 by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, available October 9th, 2024 from DC Comis.
Miller’s Batman is no superhero. He is a spirit of vengeance.Year Onealso includes an iconic moment that is echoed in Grant Morrison’sBatmanrun. Bruce is visited by a dark presence, a wild bat, and in it, he sees the ghost of his father. Considering it has beenrevealed that Batmanhas donned his persona precisely because he is afraid of bats, he shows his purpose from the very beginning.Batman was only ever created to be a symbol of fear, which is manifested most purely in the villain Scarecrow.
Scarecrow Echoes Back Batman’s Fears
Panels fromBlackest Night#6 by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Oclair Albert, Joe Prado, Alex Sinclair, and Nick J. Napolitano
Unlike many DC villains, who have plans for world domination or a bloodlust that can’t be tamed,Scarecrow has a disturbing reason for being a villain.Dr. Jonathan Crane isn’t robbing banks or trying to sow chaos for the fun of it, but instead,he is purely addicted to the feeling of fear.After dosing himself too many times, Crane doesn’t feel any effects of his own fear serum. He behaves like an addict, trying to chase a high he can no longer achieve - that is, unless he’s being chased by Batman.
Batman doesn’t shy away from the fear either: he welcomes it like a god welcomes worship.
Batman is the only thing that still sparks fear into Scarecrow’s heartand gives him that hit of adrenaline. Being chased by his greatest fear is the sole reason for his being a villain, but in this issue, it seems like the chase has turned from an addiction to a full nightmare, as Batman transforms past Scarecrow’s fears into the most horrifying aspect of himself ever seen. If this is how Scarecrow views the Dark Knight, then no wonder every other fear pales in comparison. Batman doesn’t shy away from the fear either: he welcomes it like a god welcomes worship.
The Dark God Barbatos Is Being Surpassed By Batman
Batman Has Been Evolving Into a Dark Creature of the Night
To understand how dark Batman is,his disturbing villainsare evidence enough. Like calls to like,and as Batman inspires fear, he also attracts those who inspire a likewise fear.Even the events ofDark Knights: Metalby Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, with the debut of the Dark Multiverse, showed how terrifying Batman could become should he wish to become a dark god, like Barbatos.
Batman has even been chosen by the Sinestro Corps for his ability to instill great fear out of all candidates in the entire galactic sector of 2814.
Barbatos is the Bat-God of the Dark Multiverse whoclaims to be the bat that Bruce Wayne saw on the night he decided to become Batman.Whether his past retains an aspect of Barbatos or not,Batman has evolved past Gothamand has well surpassed even Barbatos - as Batman realizes before his utter transformation in the perception of Jonathan Crane,
In Jonathan Crane’s eyes,the symbol of Batman has reached its rightful conclusion. This myth of Batman is much more akin to a folktale boogeyman who comes to punish those who do wrong. He’s an angel of death that stalks the city at night, looking for blood to spill in his city.
Gotham Will Fear the Batman, No Matter the Cost
Batman Has Completed His Evolution Into a God of Fear
Scarecrow, as the fuel for the Reality Engine and because of his innate connection to the fear centers of the brain,turns Gotham on its head and restores order to the cityby demanding that they fear Batmaninstead of the monsters he slays. The citizens of Gotham send his signal up to the sky to pay homage to their dark avenger and ask for his help. This “prayer” of sorts becomes a group rite, a summoning that brings Batman as the God of Fear into this world.
“I Miss Gotham”: Batman Officially Names the 1 DC Location Weirder & More Dangerous than Gotham City
Batman is known for being prepared for every situation possible, but there is one place on Earth where the Dark Knight is always at a disadvantage.
The tights have gone, even the billionaire playboy is dead, and the only thing coming back from the dead is a nonhuman entity thatdemands Gotham’s fear. As Batman continues his descent into the darkness of his soul, he loses his humanity for the sake of the symbol he’s trying to project. He’s completed a full apotheosis into a god of fear, and what is left behind is only theBatman.
Detective Comics#1089is available now from DC Comics!
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
