To say the least, 2022 has been an eventful yr for Batman. There was the reconstruction of Batman, Inc., the Shadow Battle between Talia and Slade Wilson and who can overlook that he was killed in Darkish Disaster on Infinite Earths. However Batman’s biggest problem of the yr remains to be but to come back, when the extremely anticipated Batman vs. Robin assessments him and his son in opposition to the satan himself…or one particular satan. All year long, a brand new powerhouse super-villain referred to as the Satan Nezha has been rising in fame and formidability within the pages of a number of of DC’s titles—and with Batman vs. Robin, all that involves a head. Right here’s what we all know up to now concerning the new Massive Unhealthy for the Dynamic Duo.
The Legend of Nezha
The origin of the Satan Nezha is instructed in Batman/Superman: World’s Most interesting #2, by Batman vs. Robin’s personal writer Mark Waid. However Waid primarily based his story on Chinese language folklore about an ascendant deity of the identical identify. Nezha’s origins can really be traced again 3600 years to the Shang Dynasty, the earliest Chinese language dynasty identified to recorded historical past. In 1000’s of years of retelling, there have been many variations of the legend of Nezha. In Batman/Superman, Waid presents his personal account, as knowledgeable by many such legends instructed lengthy earlier than the idea of superheroes as we all know them at present was born.
Waid’s account of the legend of Nezha begins with a robust warlord, Li Jing, and his son Nezha, who inherited his father’s ambition for energy acquired by navy may. However when Nezha was slain in battle, Li Jing forfeited his kingdom to journey the world and pursue any technique of resurrecting his youngster. Li Jing spent years humbling himself earlier than a robust wizard, who ultimately took pity on the fallen warlord and granted him an Elixir of Everlasting Life. Li Jing used this elixir on his son, which not solely returned him to life, however granted him immortality. However upon witnessing the wretched creature his father had change into to resurrect him, Nezha slayed him in disgust.
Armed with immortality, Nezha reclaimed his father’s misplaced empire and expanded it ever additional, gathering mystical artifacts from each land he conquered to extend his personal energy. The Satan Nezha, as he had come to be identified, might nicely have conquered the Earth, if not for the intervention of 5 mystic warriors from the Home of Ji—considered one of whom would sacrifice himself to seal Nezha away forever in an inescapable crypt from the within. Thus was the Satan Nezha defeated, and nobody ever needed to fear about him ever once more.
Simply kidding. If that was true, we wouldn’t be right here proper now, would we?
The Lazarus Connection
So, chances are you’ll recall we talked about an “Elixir of Everlasting Life.” Isn’t there one thing like that in Batman tales, which retains an immortal enemy going for hundreds of years and infrequently restores lengthy misplaced enemies and allies alike?
In the event you haven’t figured it out by now, we’re speaking concerning the Lazarus Pits, most frequently utilized by Ra’s al Ghul. The 2019 Robin collection presents us with a wealth of latest lore concerning the Lazarus Pits as Damian Wayne journeys to a event on Lazarus Island the place a “League of Lazarus” managed by Mom Soul—who seems to be Ra’s al Ghul’s personal mom and Damian’s great-grandmother—conspires to resurrect the “Lazarus Demon” which imbues the pits with their energy.
Damian and his allies be part of forces to take the Lazarus Demon down, however in the long run, Mom Soul signifies that the true pressure behind the pits, a special satan fully, stays undiscovered. Whereas the connection between the Lazarus Demon and Nezha stays nebulous, it’s little question one thing we’ll see additional developed in Batman vs. Robin…particularly contemplating how the not too long ago concluded Robin collection ends. We’ll get to that in only a second.
The World’s Most interesting
Let’s reduce from 3600 BC to…not fairly the current day, however years earlier. Again within the prime of Batman and Superman’s careers, when Bruce nonetheless labored alongside Dick Grayson as his first and solely Robin. Such is the setting for Waid’s Superman/Batman: World’s Most interesting, an ongoing love letter to comedian ages previous.
The primary Superman/Batman story arc options the return of Nezha, whose energy to dominate the minds of whoever he chooses units Superman and Batman in battle with the world’s heroes and villains. With the assistance of Robin, Supergirl, the Doom Patrol and a few intelligent software of a Phantom Zone projector, the World’s Most interesting handle to reseal Nezha in his tomb forever. And this time…
No, we nonetheless don’t imply it. That tomb is getting opened another time.
All proper, now we are able to reduce to the current day to a scene teased on the finish of this World’s Most interesting story, and the tip of Robin as nicely. Damian Wayne initially got here to Lazarus Island with a function in thoughts. Just like the warlord Li Jing earlier than him, the son of Batman has made it his mission to revive the lifetime of a liked one: the stalwart Alfred Pennyworth. That expedition to Lazarus Island gave him the prize he sought to resurrect his surrogate father, however he finally selected to not use it.
And but, right here we discover Damian as soon as extra, unsealing the tomb of Nezha. Has Damian had a change of coronary heart? Is Nezha the important thing to returning Alfred’s sardonic wit and unconditional help and like to Wayne Manor? And is the Satan’s propensity for possession accountable for the “versus” in Batman vs. Robin? All of the solutions await us at present, as Batman vs. Robin #1 hits retailers. It’s the crescendo of a legend that was 3600 years within the making.
Batman vs. Robin #1 by Mark Waid, Mahmud Asrar and Jordie Bellaire is now obtainable in print and as a digital comedian ebook.
Alex Jaffe is the writer of our month-to-month “Ask the Query” column and writes about TV, motion pictures, comics and superhero historical past for DCComics.com. Comply with him on Twitter at @AlexJaffe and discover him within the DC Group as HubCityQuestion.
