It’s commonly agreed upon that Batman has one of, if not the single greatest, rogues galleries in all of comics. The Joker, Bane, Riddler, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Mister Freeze, and so many more are some of the most iconic supervillains ever put to page. They’re bombastic, memorable, and bring out a piece of Batman like nobody else can, challenging him in unique ways that are always interesting to watch. A huge part of Batman’s initial popularity was on the back of introducing incredible villains that kept the readers on their toes. Nowadays, however, things are different, as Batman doesn’t introduce nearly as many new villains anymore.
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Typically, stories surrounding the Dark Knight focus on pre-established villains that we all know and love, and as great as that is, it can easily get a little stale with time. New villains bring exciting dynamics and fresh perspectives, and that’s exactly what Detective Comics #1102 has given us. Batman is facing a brand new villain in the form of the Lion, and not only is he the perfect villain that Batman has been waiting for, but he’s a perfect fit for the Reevesverse movies.
The Courageous Lion Against the Frightful Batman
Batman encountered the Lion after discovering a ship just off Gotham’s shores, where the passengers had seemingly beaten each other to death. He found everyone had been infected with a disease that removed all of their fear and inhibitions, and Batman himself had been infected. With only a little over a day until he turned into a danger to everyone around him, Batman got on the case. He tracked this virus to King Chemicals, spearheaded by the mysterious Louis King. Bruce attended King’s casino in Kasnia to get info, which led him to a secret lab in the mountains.
Oracle discovered that Louis King’s entire history was faked, while Batman found evidence linking his base to Star Labs. Unfortunately, that’s when the Lion appeared. He caved in his own base to try to bury Batman along with his secrets, heavily injuring the Caped Crusader. The Lion announced himself, a man with a bright white suit and a lion-style face mask. He taunted Batman and proved he was a capable fighter by getting the upper hand, even if Batman was practically comatose. The Lion declared that he was a courageous man who had been training to meet Batman, and the Dark Knight was beaten into submission and forced to flee, his time running out.
The Perfect Villain For Batman Today
The Lion has everything he needs to become a classic Batman villain. For one, he has a unique dynamic with the Dark Knight, being that he is all about overcoming fear, which is one of Batman’s main tools in keeping the peace in Gotham. Plenty of other villains wield fear, but nobody else pushes it aside, which automatically gives him a niche. Secondly, he is exactly as charismatic as a Batman villain needs to be, his bombastic personality bouncing perfectly off Batman’s reserved, stoic nature. His shtick about ending fear, be it with this virus or something else, opens the door to plenty of other stories to be told in the future, rather than just this one.
New blood is exactly what Batman needs right now. While his villains are classic and beloved for reasons, they tend to be overused, and poor writing easily makes them caricatures of themselves. Villains like the Joker appear far too often with far too little to do beyond making a spectacle, and that’s giving the fandom fatigue with them. A new villain like the Lion is exactly what we need to shake things up. His position as a rich businessman with a goal that sounds almost grounded is also a very big point in his favor.
One of the most popular depictions of Batman nowadays is as a more grounded superhero than Superman or the Flash. He doesn’t need to be realistic, but he needs to feel plausible, and that extends to his villains. Matt Reeves’s The Batman was wildly popular and tackled Batman this way, and that’s what makes the Lion so perfect to be a villain in modern comics and those movies. The Lion is a rich man who is creating a secret virus that robs people of fear, clearly out of a delusion that all fear must be overcome or destroyed, which is exactly the kind of motivation that is just insane enough without seeming too far gone to be grounded.
The Lion is a fantastic new villain that I really hope we see more of, but what do you think of him and his plans so far?
Detective Comics #1102 is on sale now!
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