Batman Kicks Off 2026 With His Most Mysterious New Foe Yet

The new year has only begun, and already, Batman is coming face-to-face with unexpected and new antagonists. The current Batman ongoing by Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez has been a major success, and for the last few months, it’s given fans a lot of exciting, pulse-pounding reads. The creative team has gone above and beyond with this new chapter of the Dark Knight’s history, fleshing out Gotham more than ever before, with new territories, more diverse cultures, and best of all, powerful threats. There are a lot of moving pieces in Batman, including Arkham Towers’ newest doctor, Annika Zeller.

Now Annika Zeller isn’t the new antagonist we’re talking about, but she’s become a big part of this title, largely due to her invention, the Crown of Storms, a powerful device that can supposedly cure mental illness by reworking the electric impulses in a patient’s brain. Batman has reason to believe Zeller is using patients in Arkham to test out her device, and so he’s keeping her close by taking her out on a date. But their first outing brings out a curious new foe who’s out to eliminate Zeller by any means necessary.

DC Comics Debuts the Ojo, a Skilled (and Mysterious) New Foe

Batman #5 begins with Bruce Wayne picking up Dr. Annika Zeller for their date (though they disagree on whether or not it’s actually a date). There’s a bit of awkwardness to their conversation, but things really start to pick up when Bruce realizes that they’re being followed by a couple of gangsters on motorcycles who Wayne believes are out to kill Annika. Thankfully, Bruce’s excellent stunt driving prevents the cyclists from hurting his date. But the cyclists refuse to let up, forcing Bruce and Annika to make a run from their pursuers on foot.

That, sadly, turns out to be a mistake because almost as soon as the two are out of the car, they encounter moving smoke accompanied by crows. The smoke dissipates and reveals a young woman in regal clothing, wielding two glowing swords. Bruce places Annika in a dumpster for safety and takes on the mysterious woman himself. Thankfully, the cyclists show up again, and the swordswoman deviates from her fight with Bruce to take them out. Bruce surmises that there’s a bounty on Zeller’s head, and the duo flees as the villainous parties fight over who gets to claim it.

Bruce and Annika flee to a nearby building and head to the top to wait for help. But as Annika discovers, the woman with glowing swords is waiting for them. Bruce readies himself for a fight, but in a serendipitous turn, Robin appears on the scene, utilizing a special electric ‘Batsnare’ to shock the strange killer. After one jolt, the woman disappears back into a wisp of smoke and leaves with her birds. Damian reveals that her name is the Ojo, and that she’s a famous killer he studied back when he was still with the League of Assassins.

What’s the Deal with the Ojo in Batman?

One thing I’ve loved about this series so far is that it has simultaneously given us a lot of great single-issue stories while also setting up bigger mysteries. As big a character as she is in this issue, the Ojo raises a lot of questions. What exactly is the nature of her powers? Does she use magic or advanced tech? And how long has she been around if Damian studied her in his youth with the League of Assassins? But most importantly, is she really just out for a bounty, or does she want Zeller dead for another reason?

Also, I don’t know if it means much to the character in-universe, but the Ojo’s name was changed at the last minute, having previously been advertised as Lady Death Man in DC Comics’ official solicitations for this issue. I don’t know if she was meant to have a connection to Lord Death Man or if something changed mid-production, but it does add to her mysterious allure. There’s unfortunately not a lot of information to go off of right now, but with Dr. Zeller playing a big role in this story, I’m positive we’ll be seeing more of the Ojo.

As Batman said, the Ojo could just be an assassin trying to claim a bounty on Zeller’s head, which is reinforced by Damian confirming she’s a gun for hire. But why show up now? And why for Zeller in the middle of this whole issue with her Crown of Thorns project? Sure, Bruce assumes that some criminals don’t like the prospect of what Zeller’s work could achieve. But sending the Ojo after her is the definition of overkill. Hopefully, Batman hasn’t seen the last of the Ojo, and he’ll find out the truth of what she wanted with Zeller.

What do you think of Batman’s newest villain? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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