DC Gives the Batman Family a Major Upgrade

The latest issue of Batman vs. Robin features members of the Bat-Family receiving major upgrades. Batman vs. Robin is a limited series by writer Mark Waid and artist Mahmud Asrar, and it picks up many threads established in various titles and events like Batman/Superman: World's Finest, Robin, and "Shadow War." The Batman Family has strength in numbers, with their ranks including Nightwing, Robin (Damian Wayne and Tim Drake), Spoiler, Red Hood, Signal, Orphan, and Batwoman. Batman vs. Robin lives up to its name by pitting the Dark Knight against his son, Damian Wayne, and this Robin has some backup in the form of a heavily equipped Bat-Family.

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Batman vs. Robin #3. Continue reading at your own risk!

Batman vs. Robin #3 comes from the creative team of Mark Waid, Mahmud Asrar, Scott Godlewski, Jordie Bellaire, and Steve Wands. Damian Wayne is currently under the influence of his grandmother Mother Soul and the demon Nezha. Robin has lured Batman to Lazarus Island and taken possession of Nightwing, Red Hood, Tim Drake, and Spoiler, gifting them magical weapons in order to defeat the Dark Knight. These artifacts come from across the DC Universe: Tim Drake is given the Cloak of Cagliostro; Jason Todd the Trident of Poseidon; Stephanie Brown the Coup-Stick of Black Bison; and Dick Grayson the Sword of Sin.

Batman has to do battle with his own family, fighting them in one-on-one combat. Of course, he ends up victorious, but not before doubting that he truly had their best interests at heart. Not only did the Bat-Family attack him physically, but also emotionally. 

What Is Batman vs. Robin?

Batman vs. Robin is a five-issue DC limited event series from Mark Waid and Mahmud Asrar. The event spins out of Waid's current run on Batman/Superman: World's Finest with artist Dan Mora, while also tying into the concluding "Shadow War" crossover between Joshua Williamson's Batman, Robin, and Deathstroke series. Each part of Batman vs. Robin features five oversized issues, and also involves the Devil Nezha from World's Finest.

"What I can say is that the first arc of World's Finest is, was, and always has been, designed deliberately to lead into what is going to be Batman vs. Robin," Mark Waid teased in the announcement by Popverse. "What I was trying to do with Batman versus Robin was try to take them into a realm that I'm not used to seeing them in, which is dark magic sorcery, rather than science, rather than logic and detective stuff. We've seen Batman and sort of peripheral magic, but I want to get into the down and dirty of it."

The description of Batman vs. Robin reads, "Deep in the heart of Lazarus Island, the demonic legacy of the al Ghul family line has at last been freed, and the Devil Nezha is out for blood. To reclaim his total domination over planet Earth, Nezha has supercharged magic—anyone who dares use it is overcome by a demonic evil that supercharges their abilities to dangerous, unpredictable, and in some cases deadly levels! With Damian in Nezha's clutches and Bruce haunted by the return of an old friend, the Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder are pitted against one another in the battle of the century!"

Batman vs. Robin #2 by Mark Waid, Mahmud Asrar, Scott Godlewski, Jordie Bellaire, and Steve Wands is on sale now from DC.