Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: batmanhattan, Death Metal, robin king

What Batmanhattan Means For The DC Multiverse (Death Metal Spoilers)

Published Tue, 04 Aug 2020 10:00:41 -0500

Do you have your copy of Dark Nights: Death Metal: Legends Of The Dark Knights out today? Today's sales on eBay have seen the comic with a $5.99 cover price sell multiple copies between $20 and $23. While the 1:25 cover has sold copies for $200 – $240. If you want a copy approaching cover price, you might want to contact your comic book store in advance of rocking up. We talked about the impact of The Robin King, but we get another origin story told as well, that of The Batmanhattan, courtesy of Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson, Tony S Daniel, Marcelo Maiolo and Tom Napolitano.

When talking about Death Metal #2, I used this phrase as a gag for the new version of The Batman Who Laughs, after he had his brain placed in the body of a Bruce Wayne who had become Dr Manhattan. I called him Batmanhattan, because that was clearly hilarious. But was someone listening?

We learnt that this Batmanhattan figure had a plan to built 52 Dark Dimensional realities. Hey, remember yesterday Bleeding Cool reported on some other new Death Meatl one-shots for the first time? One was called Dark Nights: Death Metal The Last 52: War of the Multiverse #1 – will these worlds of his be called The Last 52?

We also saw his final transformation into The Darkest Knight, taking on the powers of a god (or in Dr Manhattan's case, the power of the comic book reader) combined with the body and mind of Bruce Wayne, infected by the Joker.

And so Dark Nights: Death Metal: Legends Of The Dark Knights gives us the story of that Bruce Wayne from the inside. And, because this is a Bruce Wayne using the powers of Dr Manhattan, we get a nine-panel grid for what is less an unofficial sequel to Watchmen, but a Superduperman style parody of Dr Manhattan. And use a certain word in the process.

He said Batmanhattan! Which leads him to revisit his own origin as Bruce Wayne, just the same as the standard DC Comics Batman until he killed the Joker and was infected with everything the Joker was. And with the perspective of Dr Manhattan – or the reader – able to see everything as one solid, fixed narrative. And also deprive me of my one possible influence on this stories.

He is…not Batmanhattan? That is so unfair. But instead, he is recreating his own story on a macro level, putting the whole multiverse through his own childhood trauma. How very metatextual. It reminds me a little of Tom King's decision to recreate the Bane back-breaking incident from Knightfall as a macro-level event spread out over fifty issues. I get the feeling this will be bought to a swifter conclusion than that…

And he even takes on the events of Flash Forward, what a generous soul. One of the other one-shots will be called Dark Nights: Death Metal The Multiverse Who Laughs #1 too…

I bought mine from Piranha Comics in Kingston-Upon-Thames. Piranha Comics is a small south London comic store chain with a small south-east store in Kingston-Upon Thames's market centre, which runs Magic The Gathering nights on Fridays, and a larger south-west store in Bromley, which also runs Magic nights and has an extensive back issue collection and online store. If you are in the neighbourhood, check them out.

DARK NIGHTS DEATH METAL LEGENDS OT DARK KNIGHTS #1
DC COMICS
JUN200435
The DC Universe has become engulfed by the Dark Multiverse, where demons dwell and reality is overrun by monstrous versions of the Dark Knight, all ruled by the Batman Who Laughs. In this collection of short tales, learn the terrifying secrets of these new Bats out of hell and other creatures of the night like Robin King, whose origin is just the worst! Plus, read about the secret buried beneath Castle Bat, the sentient Batmobile, and…how did Batman turn into a dinosaur?
ONE-SHOT | ON SALE 07.29.20In Shops: Aug 05, 2020
SRP: $5.99

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