DC Makes Damian The New Batman

Damian Wayne has been a lightning rod for DC fans since his rise to prominence in Grant Morrison’s “Batman and Son” storyline. The character’s latest iteration in DCeased #4 will be sure to spark some discussion as he became the newest Batman. Following his father’s untimely demise, Alfred delivers him a new batsuit in a specialized case that Bruce Wayne prepared for him ahead of time.

Alfred literally drops into the action as the heroes are still trying to figure out how to attack the problem of the Anti-Life Equation zombies running freely across their world. Cyborg quickly dispatches a rogue hero; the Bat-Family is left to cope with the loss of their father amidst the world falling apart around them. Hard not to feel for the Son of the Bat at a time like that.

Going forward in the title, it remains to be seen how Damian Wayne will choose to use the tools left to him by his father. The remaining heroes will need his help to turn the tide against the horde of zombies and possibly save their world. In other parts of the issue, it looks like many of Batman’s allies have fallen prey to the Anti-Life Equation and it is going to take some serious ingenuity to save the remaining life on Earth.

A little background on Damian Wayne…

In the comics, Talia al Ghul secured Bruce Wayne’s DNA after a desert tryst, taking place in the storyline “Son of the Demon,” and used an artificial womb and genetic editing to create the perfect warrior to lead the League of Shadows and possibly succeed Batman in the future.

Damian’s existence only comes to light when the boy is an unruly teenager during Grant Morrison’s “Batman and Son,” leaving him with Bruce Wayne in hopes that caring for the boy will derail his pursuits as Batman. But Bruce inspires his son, who forges his own path away from Talia’s group of assassins and decides to train to become a hero, eventually adopting the mantle of Robin.

After more business with the dastardly Anti-Life Equation in Final Crisis, Dick Grayson ascends to the role of Batman and Damian becomes his Robin after coming to respect his adopted brother. Over the course of Morrison’s run, Damian becomes a much more well-rounded individual and eventually a hero in his own right.

DCeased also doesn’t present the first time that Damian becomes Batman in another time. In Batman #666, Damian made a literal deal with the devil for the immortality to keep Gotham protected forever. This version of Batman is particularly ruthless and blends a lot of what Damian got from his assassin training with the lessons he received from his father.