DC Hero Turns to the Dark Side

Batman/Superman has been getting more and more intense in recent weeks. The World's Finest have started to put their plan to stop The Batman Who Laughs into action, but there is always some other horror waiting in the wings when it comes to that villain. Batman/Superman #3 shows how those initial plans ended up going sideways because of other factors that the heroes may not have accounted for. The endgame for this arc was always going to revolve around more than just the twisted version of Batman. The Secret Six have been teased over and over as this run has developed, and it looks like readers will finally get a look at this entire lineup in the next issue. For those impatient to see who will be turned to The Batman Who Laughs' side, look no further than this week's issue. *Spoilers for Batman/Superman #3 are ahead!*

So, Superman infected himself with the evil version of his partner's toxin in an effort to learn what the plan The Batman Who Laughs is concocting. Now, this took the stalwart hero deep under the Hall of Justice where Batman had been keeping the villain locked up. Superman had to free him as part of their feint. Then, things really go haywire. Blue Beetle is subtly corrupted over the course of the conflict and mentions his remorse at being viewed as a sidekick all this time. The young hero, now under the dark Batman's control, helps the villain take over the headquarters and ensnares the veteran team. Now, the Batman Who Laughs is getting ready for his endgame, facing off with Lex Luthor.

Earlier in this arc, Batman and Superman got a taste of what Shazam could do with the power provided by the Batman Who Laughs. That proved to be too much for them as Batman was hit by the wizard's lightning and Superman had to fly down to save him. With both Blue Beetle and Shazam already in the fold, who else could be a part of the six? Whoever this twisted individual chooses, you can bet they will be formidable in his beef with Lex Luthor.

Everything in the "Year of the Villain" has led up to this point as many characters are being positioned to have some role to play in the upcoming Doom War. The insignia of the Legion of Doom lit up the sky in this week's issue of Batman/Superman, just like it has over the last couple of weeks in a number of DC titles. No one knows exactly what Luthor is up to, but you can bet that he didn't help all of these villains without expecting payback in return.

Luthor would do well not to underestimate The Batman Who Laughs though. This is the same man who wiped out the entire Justice League from his reality in one fell swoop. That included taking out the Superman from that universe in one of the most brutal ways imaginable. While also calling back to The Dark Knight Returns in the act of doing it. The Batman Who Laughs will not stop until he achieves his goals either, and whatever he has planned is probably terrifying.