DC Revives Classic Superman Villain for Wild New Batman Story

The latest arc in writer Chip Zdarsky’s new run on Batman has taken the Dark Knight down an unexpected rabbit hole. After falling to the hands of Failsafe in the first story arc, Bruce was shot with an unknown ray gun that seemingly obliterated him from the main DCU and saw him wake up in a world he didn’t recognize, one where different versions of his villains were running about Gotham and a city that didn’t even have a Wayne Tower at the center of it all. DC’s latest issue, Batman #131, plants a couple of seeds as for what this alternate world really is and who is the mad man behind it, and it’s a deep cut Superman villain now in the sights of Tim Drake.

Though the main story for Batman #131, titled The Bat-Man of Gotham, takes place in this alternate world that Bruce is trapped in, the back-up story offers a tease of what it means and where it actually is set. Titled “The Toy Box,” the story is mostly focused on Tim Drake and Jon Kent reacting to what happened with Batman in the arctic while also pondering the weapon used against him. The pair lament that the gun could have been used to bring back Batman, which is why Failsafe destroyed it before leaving the planet, noting that the only person that could tell them about it is dead. It would be easy to assume that they’re talking about Batman at that point, but if you pay attention to the opening page of the storyline a clear villain is shown, with those unmistakable glasses and bowtie, the former Supervillain baddie Toyman.

Largely known just for using toy-themed gadgets and shenanigans, Toyman now seems to have upgraded his arsenal to creating entire worlds with his victims, not unlike a child creating their own storylines as they play with their toys. As the story begins, Toyman’s narration notes: “I’ve spent years chasing this feeling. Those precious moments when I was a boy creating worlds and battles. Now those worlds are real. Now the toys are everything. And I am their god.” The page concludes with a juxtaposition of Superman and Batman toys in the same position as they were previously seen in Batman #130.

The story ends with a unique reveal however with Jon calling Tim with the sudden realization that apparently Toyman is dead, having died by suicide. Jon goes on to say that maybe he left clues behind about his weapon, something that the series will need to explore fast if they want to get Batman home safe. You can find the cover and solicitation for the next issue of Batman below, which offers a tease of the next steps for Toyman.

Batman #132
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A) Mike Hawthorne, Adriano Di Benedetto (CA) Jorge JimenezThe mean streets of Gotham City have gotten meaner as the likes of Harvey Dent and Killer Croc roam free, brutalizing the population. Where is Batman and why hasn’t he responded to the cries of a city in peril?! Can Bruce Wayne find the answers before the mysterious Red Mask captures him? And in the backup story, Tim Drake’s hunt for Batman continues. Will Metropolis’s newest Superman, Jon Kent, be able to help the Boy Wonder with this Multiversal mystery, or will they both run afoul of an overpowered Toyman?!

In Shops: Feb 07, 2023

SRP: $4.99