Dark Nights: Death Metal has been upping the ante at basically every turn, providing an unexpected take on the DC Comics canon that fans know and love. One of the biggest highlights of the event has been seeing the alternate versions of recognizable characters, which are taken to dark and twisted heights. The latest issue of the series is certainly no exception, as it further fleshed out the world of the Dark Multiverse, taking its ragtag band of heroes to Apokolips. In the process, fans were introduced to a mashup of two DC quantities — a memorable sidekick, and a terrifying band of alien soldiers. Spoilers for Dark Nights: Death Metal #3 below! Only look if you want to know!
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The issue opened with a few members of the Resistance – Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Batman, and the like – arriving on Apokolips, and rigging a trap that would explode their giant robot ship and kill several other alternate Batmen in the process. As they made their way further into Apokolips, they spotted a horde of Parademon-Robin hybrids flying towards the explosion, with many of them remarking “Holy boom, Batman!” as they flew.
As Wonder Woman explained, The Batman Who Laughs corrupted this version of Apokolips and stole it from Darkseid, and it is now ruled by a Batman who has taken on the powers of Darkseid. Harley remarked that these underlings are his “Pararobins”, and that even the most evil versions of Bruce are good at branding.
While the moment is only just some of what Death Metal #3 has in store, it’s an interesting bit of worldbuilding nonetheless. The mashup of parademons and the Boy Wonder is slightly terrifying as well, especially when you couple it with the vintage, Burt Ward-style catchphrases.
This certainly isn’t the only twisted version of Robin that Death Metal has brought thus far, with the increasingly-popular Robin King bringing his own incredibly evil backstory into the fray. As the event marches on, it’s safe to assume things will only get weirder from here.
“I’ve been waiting to do this story since we finished Dark Nights: Metal,” writer Scott Snyder said in a statement when the series was first announced. “As much as it was a complete event, we left some threads hanging there for sure. I’d hoped that if people liked the first series enough, we’d have a chance to set up something bigger, and that’s our plan for Death Metal.”
“For all of us, Dark Nights: Death Metal is about the fun factor,” artist Greg Capullo said. “Comics should be fun, bombastic, and over-the-top. This series is going to be exciting and jam-packed with great ‘metal-esque’ moments that will make fans lose their minds when they see them.”
What do you think of Dark Nights: Death Metal introducing “Pararobins”? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
