A Fan-Favorite DC Hero Returns as a Villain

We’re just a few weeks into DC’s Infinite Frontier publishing initiative, and it is already making some surprising changes to the canon that fans know and love. In addition to creating trail-blazing stories for new characters, Infinite Frontier is remixing the status quos for a slew of existing heroes and villains — and the latest issue of Detective Comics was absolutely no exception. The issue, and particularly the Robin backup stories at the tail end of it, reintroduced a character who has been absent from the canon for several years now, and remixed him in the process. Spoilers for the Robin story in Detective Comics #1034, from Joshua Williamson, Gleb Melnikov, and Troy Peteri below! Only look if you want to know!

The majority of the story focused on a conversation between Damian Wayne and his mother, Talia al Ghul, as she convinced him to join a sort of battle royale tournament hosted by the League of Lazarus. At the tail-end of the story, we saw a group of League of Shadows members strategizing for the tournament — and watching their prize fighter prepare for battle. As the final page revealed, this fighter was none other than Connor Hawke.

For those who might need a refresher, Connor Hawke is the son of Oliver Queen and Sandra Hawke. After Oliver was killed in an explosion, Connor would go on to succeed him in the mantle of the Green Arrow, even joining the JLA in the process. Even when Oliver did return back from the dead, Connor still had a significant role in the “Arrowfam” — but he largely hasn’t been seen in comics in recent years.

That gap in time definitely works to the advantage of the storytelling happening in the upcoming Robin solo series, as the nature of exactly how Connor joined the League of Shadows can definitely still be explored. Plus, with Green Arrow getting his own 80th anniversary special later this year, it’s safe to assume that the newest chapter in Connor’s story is only just beginning.

What do you think of Connor Hawke returning to DC Comics in Detective Comics #1034? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!