34 Years Ago Today, DC Debuted Their Biggest Batman Failure and One of Its Most Fascinating Characters

Batman is DC’s biggest character, without question. He’s the single most profitable superhero in the world, even beating out Spider-Man. The Dark Knight has risen from a normal man battling small-time thugs to saving the universe alongside the Justice League practically every day. Alongside him, DC has introduced a cast of characters that have become just as beloved and essential to his mythos. There are the invaluable non-suited allies like Jim Gordon and Alfred, and amazing partners like Batgirl and Robin. Some of these characters have even positioned themselves as successors to the mantle, and they’ve made very good cases why they should wear the cowl.

However, not every Batman successor was created equal. Some are made to inherit one of the greatest superhero identities of all, and some are made to fail. The biggest hero set up to fail as Batman is definitely Jean-Paul Valley, better known as Azrael. He started as an assassin, became a deluded Batman, and grew to be a trusted ally to the Bat-Family. There’s truly no other character like Azrael, and he debuted thirty-four years ago today on August 11, 1992, in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1.

An Avenging Angel Tainted by Sin

Jean-Paul’s first appearance came about when his dying father stumbled to his home, clad in the Azrael armor. Upon his death, Jean-Paul was thrust into the world of the secret Order of St. Dumas, learning that his family was a long line of assassins who served the order. Jean-Paul had been subconciously trained for his entire life, preparing him to one day inherit the mantle, and he chose to do so to avenge his father. Naturally, his revenge mission brought him into contact with Batman, whom he later helped save, showing that, while he too was possessed by the System when he wore his costume, there was a just heart underneath it as well.

When Bane broke Bruce’s back, it was Jean-Paul they asked to fill in as the new Dark Knight. Unfortunately, he never fully broke the Azrael programming, leading him to lose his mind and become a tyrant of villainy. Eventually, the original Batman returned and put a stop to him, leading to Azrael wandering the world, seeking a new purpose. He would become a valued ally to the Bat-Family, working alongside Batgirl and Oracle until the day he died, murdered by his oldest enemy. With the New 52 reboot, he once again returned to life and still operates as a hero in Gotham, though he’s just as unstable as he ever was, which is exactly what makes him interesting.

A Broken Man Inside a Broken System

Jean-Paul was groomed since birth to take on the role of merciless assassin, and still loses himself to the role whenever he dons the mask. Yet, at his heart, Jean-Paul is not a vengeful man. He’s a shy, kind young man who never hurt a fly until he was dragged into the Order of St. Dumas. Now, he fights a constant battle between the man that he was and the weapon he was trained to be. Jean-Paul can never abandon his role as Azrael. Every time he tries, he inevitably finds himself pulled back in by either a drive to answer his delusions or a quest to help those in need. He hates his existence, but still keeps charging forward regardless.

Azrael is a broken, tortured man who spends just as much time in delusion as he does in reality. He’s a hero who operates exclusively on the edge, even when he doesn’t want to, but that inherent tension is what makes his stories so cool. He could never be Batman, and nobody in their right mind should give him the chance. He needs guidance and constant supervision, but when he’s on the right path and fights through his worst impulses, he can be just as great a hero as anyone else. He’s constantly battling himself, even more so than any villain.

At the end of the day, Azrael is a study of a man pushed to the depths of insanity, clawing his way back to being a person. He’s practically possessed by a demented order’s idea of an angel, against which he must constantly struggle. No other character in the Bat-Family faces this unique kind of challenge, nor provides this kind of look into a shattered psyche. Everyone in the Bat-Family struggles with anger and demons, but Azrael struggles with an angel, and in some ways, that’s so much worse. He’s a complex, broken man who is constantly picking up his own pieces, but he’s a hero nonetheless.

Azrael was never meant to be Batman, but he was always meant to be his own fascinating look into a dark reflection of what Batman could be like. Here’s to another thirty-four years of Azrael!

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