Damian Wayne
Encyclopedia
Damian Wayne is a fictional character
in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne
and Talia al Ghul
, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul
.
The character originally appeared as an unnamed infant in the 1987 story Son of the Demon, which was then never mentioned within continuity. Following this, various alternate universe stories dealt with the course of the character's life, giving him varying names. In 2006, the character was reinterpreted as Damian Wayne by Grant Morrison
, and reintroduced into the main continuity in Batman
#655, the first issue of the Batman & Son
story arc.
Having spent his gestation in a laboratory, Damian as a pre-adolescent is left by his mother in the care of his father, who was not aware of his son's existence until that point in time. Damian is violent and self-important, and was trained by the League of Assassins
, learning to kill at a young age, which creates a troubled relationship with his father who refuses to kill his opponents. However, the Dark Knight does care for his lost progeny. After the events of Batman R.I.P.
and Batman: Battle for the Cowl
, Damian takes up the identity of Robin
at ten years of age, becoming the fifth person to use the Robin identity. He first worked with Dick Grayson
- the original Robin - who temporarily took over as Batman, before going to work alongside his father, upon Bruce Wayne's return to the role of Batman.
In the Elseworlds
story, The Brotherhood of the Bat (1995), a version named Tallant Wayne appears who crusades against his grandfather, Ra's al Ghul
. Brotherhood of the Bat features a future in which Ra's al Ghul discovers the Batcave following Bruce Wayne's death, and outfits the League of Assassins in variant Batman costumes based on Wayne's rejected designs
. Talia and Bruce's son join the Brotherhood in his father's costume, to destroy it from within.
In Kingdom Come
(1996) by Mark Waid
and Alex Ross
, which functioned as a possible future to the canon of the time, the child of Batman and Talia has become Ibn al Xu'ffasch, literally "Son of the Bat", a member of Lex Luthor
's inner circle. He falls in love with Nightstar
, the daughter of Dick Grayson
and Starfire
. There is some suggestion that he is Batman's spy in Luthor's camp. In the Elliot S! Maggin
novelization of Kingdom Come, Al Xu'ffasch tells Bruce that his mother Talia is still alive and working as a Mother Superior in India
, one of Mother Teresa
's successors. Al Xu'ffasch reappears in Waid's The Kingdom. In The Kingdom: Son of the Bat, flashbacks shed new insights into his history: that he was reared by Ra's al Ghul to be the heir to his empire, that he eventually murdered his grandfather (cutting off his head to prevent yet another regeneration), and that he sought therapy from psychiatrist Dr. Gibson. He was eventually recruited by Rip Hunter
to try to stop a madman named Gog
from altering his history. He works with several other heroes of his generation - Kid Flash
, the daughter of the Flash
; Nightstar
(Nightwing
and Starfire
's child) and Offspring
, the son of Plastic Man
.
In League of Batmen (2001), the sequel to Brotherhood of the Bat, Tallant leads his own team of variant Batmen to combat the plague that was al Ghul's legacy. During the battle, Tallant discovers that his grandfather is the one who murdered his father and then cloned him. Ra's even sent the clone to murder his own daughter. Because the deaths of his parents at Ra's hands, Tallant has completed following his father's tragic path as Batman. The new Dark Knight desires justice for his parents along trying to stop his grandfather, while having to battle his father's murderous double.
Grant Morrison's story titled Batman & Son (2006) expands upon the Son of the Demon storyline as part of a remodeling of Batman's personality after the events of Infinite Crisis
. In Morrison's version, the child, Damian Wayne, is the result of a tryst by Batman and Talia, during which the Dark Knight claims he was drugged when they were at the Tropic of Cancer
.
The final issue of 52
(2008) designates the Kingdom Come alternate universe as Earth-22, thus making the Ibn al Xu'ffasch version part of the DC multiverse. Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #22 (2009) reveals that he would eventually marry Nightstar with whom he would have a daughter and son.
about the canonicity of Son of the Demon, Morrison responded:
"For a long time, [DC] said [Son of the Demon] was out of continuity. Now it's just kind of out of continuity. I didn't actually read it before I started writing this. I messed up a lot of details, like Batman wasn't drugged when he was having sex with Talia and it didn't take place in the desert. I was relying on shaky memories. But now we have this new "Superboy punch" continuity [after Superboy Prime attacked the fabric of the universe during Infinite Crisis]. People still don't realize how important that single punch was to cover everyone's ass."
Damian's origin is unknown to Batman. Genetically perfected and grown in an artificial womb, Damian was intended to be a formidable warrior. He is raised by Talia and the League of Assassins
. He becomes a talented martial artist
by the time he is a pre-teen, at which time Talia reveals Damian's existence to Bruce Wayne and leaves him in Batman's custody in an effort to disrupt Batman's work.
Precocious, spoiled, and violent, Damian battles Tim Drake, who he wants to replace as Wayne's Robin
, and sucker punches Drake off the stuffed Tyrannosaurus
in the Batcave
when Tim stops fighting to help him. Damian then escapes, dons a variant Robin costume made of Jason Todd
's old tunic and mask and assorted League of Assassin gear, and gets into a fight with and decapitates the villainous Spook. Although misguided and malicious, Damian seems to genuinely want to aid Wayne's war on crime as he sees himself as Wayne's son and wants Wayne's approval. Unfortunately, because of how he was raised, Damian lacks any sort of common sense in regards to social behavior, and believes that in order to be accepted by Batman, he must kill any rivals, which included Tim Drake.
Eventually, Batman confronts Talia to confirm Damian's true identity, but both Talia and Damian are soon caught in an explosion. They survive the explosion, but a badly injured Damian requires transplants of harvested organs, which his mother orders her physicians to carry out. Damian makes a full recovery.
, where he is tutored in the secret history of his grandfather, Ra's al Ghul
. Talia is unaware that a former servant of Ra's, named White Ghost, plans to use Damian as a shell for the soul of Ra's to return to Earth. This process would, of course, kill Damian. Talia is able to save her son from his fate at the last minute.
Ra's is still able to return, but as a rotting, shambling undead corpse, still needing Damian to stabilize his form. Damian flees to alert Batman, but is pursued by his evil grandfather. Upon entering Wayne Manor
, Damian attempts to relay to Robin the fact that Ra's has returned. Robin, suspicious of Damian's intentions, does not believe his story and begins a fist fight. Damian flees and encounters Alfred. Before he can effectively relay his news, he is attacked by Robin, who perceives Damian's attempt to help a tripping Alfred as an attack, and renews their battle. As they fight, members of the League of Assassins approach the manor with the intention of killing all others within and bringing Damian back to Ra's alive. Damian and Robin (Tim) fight side-by-side against Ra's and his minions. Their collaboration is hindered by their very different philosophies of battle. Damian is willing to betray Tim at any moment for his own safety. Ra's captures the two and tells Batman that he will use one of them for his own body. Batman offers his own body instead.
Ra's refuses the offer, feeling that he needs someone of a younger age. The choices are Robin or Damian. Batman offers a third alternative: "Fountain of Essence," which contains the qualities of a Lazarus Pit
. Batman and Ra's go in search of the fountain, leaving Tim, Damian, Nightwing
, Alfred, and Talia to battle the Sensei
. Damian leaves his mother and Tim to an unknown fate, while he goes off to be with his father. He ends up captured by Ra's and nearly loses his life. Batman and the others manage to save him, and Talia takes her son and escapes.
A subsequent conversation between Robin and Alfred implies that Batman has carried out a DNA test on Damian. Alfred says Bruce intended to tell him the results when the time was right. At this, Tim realizes that Damian is indeed Bruce's son, and exclaims "The son of the Devil is my brother?"
" story arc in Batman #675, Damian has sensed that someone is out to get Batman. In response to this, Talia begins to formulate a plan. That plan seems to involve getting the help of Commissioner James Gordon, whom Talia and Damian rescue from a booby-trapped Wayne Manor, while in search of Batman, who has gone insane and missing.
Damian and Alfred race to aid Batman against the Black Glove in a commandeered Batmobile
and Damian who is driving, knocks an ambulance off a bridge without any sign of remorse or even concern. When Alfred reprimands him, Damian retorts with a backhanded threat. Thankfully, the only occupant of the ambulance was the Joker
.
and trained by Dick Grayson
.
Upon the start of Batman: Battle for the Cowl, it appears that Damian is now residing in Gotham, and living under the command of Nightwing (to an extent). Where before Damian portrayed an arrogant and vicious personality, it appears the "death" of his father has regressed him to a more child-like mindset, as demonstrated when he takes the Batmobile joy-riding with an older girl. This is discovered by Oracle
, who ejects the girl and takes control of the Batmobile, intent on taking Damian home. Unfortunately, the car is blindsided by Killer Croc
and Poison Ivy, who prepare to kill Damian. The older girl Damian was with is later eaten by Killer Croc. Damian is saved by Nightwing who ends up being cornered by Black Mask
's men, until a murderous figure appears stating that he is Batman (this is later revealed to be Jason Todd
). Although shot by Todd, Damian recovers, and saves Tim Drake from falling to death inside Jason's Batcave. When Grayson hangs up his Nightwing mantle to become the newest Batman, Damian takes over the mantle of Robin by his side.
It is revealed that Damian has begun to visit his father's former friend and enemy Thomas Elliot, also known as Hush
, in the prison at the top of Wayne Tower that Dick and Tim put him in, and engages him in chess games. Damian claims that these visits are out of his curiosity for why Hush would alter his appearance to that of Bruce Wayne's. But Hush suspects that the visits are rather Damian's form of grieving for Bruce and a way to "spend time with your old man."
It becomes apparent that Grayson chose Damian to be his Robin instead of Tim Drake because he sees Tim as an equal and not as a sidekick, and thinks that Damian needs guidance and a constant eye watching him, or else he will kill again. Regardless, Damian mocks Tim for no longer being a part of the Dynamic Duo, even going so far as to offer him the Batgirl position. This causes Tim to snap, taking on the mantle of Red Robin and searching the globe for Bruce Wayne, who Tim believes is still alive. After his first fight alongside Dick, Damian gets upset with Grayson and goes looking for the villain Professor Pyg
himself. The Professor captures him, or rather, is led to believe so by Damian, who is in complete control of the situation, waiting for the right moment to make his move. Despite his good intentions, however, Damian is still overpowered by a large number of Dollotrons. Bent on catching Pyg, he is saved only by the timely intervention of Dick Grayson. While pursuing Pyg, he overlooks an earlier promise he had made to Sasha (to save her and take her to safety), the only Dollotron who has an intact personality. As a result, the young girl's sanity is bent by her traumatic ordeal and disfigurement, and she becomes ripe for the Red Hood to sway her to his side, thereby becoming the new Robin's opposite number in Red Hood's no-holds-barred war against crime (Red Hood's maxim is "let the punishment fit the crime").
Damian, who has since forgotten about Sasha, rejoins Dick and together the new Dynamic Duo take out Pyg, after which they face the Red Hood. The Red Hood (Jason Todd, the second Robin) works with Sasha to kill the new Dynamic Duo. Damian, Dick, Jason and Sasha (codenamed Scarlet)'s fight turns into a free-for-all as the Flamingo arrives, intent on killing the Red Hood. Damian attempts to stop the Flamingo, but is shot multiple times in the back. His mother has Damian picked up by the League of Shadows, during which she and Alfred Pennyworth
stay by his side while doctors perform complex and extremely advanced methods of surgery to not only repair his spine, but replace it altogether. Talia informs Alfred that Damian will be returned to him and Grayson within a few days.
It appears that Damian has a sense of empathy towards children, as was demonstrated by his behavior during a mission with the new Azrael
and more recently during a Christmas case, in which Damian and Dick find the bodies of several dismembered kids, causing Damian to vomit in horror.
Damian and Dick come to blows with Stephanie Brown, the new Batgirl
, and Barbara Gordon
, who acts as her mentor. However, even though Stephanie and Damian initially do not get along, he is intrigued by the new Batgirl, watching her in an attempt to "figure out what makes 'Stephanie Brown' tick" (something said while drawing a stick-figure Batgirl in the snow). Because of the kidnapping of Fernando Garcia, which some of the Gotham's rogues are involved, Dick and Damian find themselves working with Barbara and Stephanie despite their current situations.
Damian also becomes involved with the Wayne Enterprises' board members during a board meeting led by Lucius Fox. He manages to track down financial irregularities within the Wayne Enterprises accounts, intimidating the board of members along the way. The board becomes impressed that the young Wayne has such impressive business capabilities despite his young age, apparently inherited from his father.
After Tim Drake is revealed to have been named as Bruce Wayne's heir in accordance of his will made prior to his disappearance, Damian has filed an injunction
with the board against Drake since he is Wayne's son.
Damian also is present when Donna Troy
recruits Grayson for the Justice League
. Upon hearing this, Damian demands that he be accepted into the League as well. His demands are ignored.
, at whom Damian lashes out in confusion. Deadman then possesses and leaves Damian's body, subsequently passing his knowledge of the attack of the Black Lanterns
onto him. The two heroes then prepare for the Black Lanterns' assault on Gotham. After raiding the Army Reserve National Guard Armory, Dick, Damian, and the arriving Tim Drake, are able to save Commissioner Gordon, Oracle, and the surviving police officers at Gotham Central from the reanimated versions of the original Dark Knight's deceased rogue gallery members. However, they then find themselves in a horrific encounter with the parents of Dick Grayson and Tim Drake reanimated as Black Lanterns. Dick and Tim send Damian with the Gordons to their underground base while they battle the Black Lanterns. Dick eventually orders Damian through their comm-links to send one of his Wingers with Mr. Freeze's gun. Grayson uses the weapon to cryogenically suspend himself and Tim, forcing the Black Lanterns to retreat as they are unable to read any sign of life of them. Deadman later revives the former Boy Wonders.
During a confrontation with a returned minor villain the Getaway Genius, Damian is initially angry that Grayson failed to capture the foe - as well as the implication that his father failed as well during the Genius's original run back when Grayson was Robin - but when Dick explains to him that Bruce let the Genius go because he discovered that the Genius's robberies were only him stealing medicines that he needed so that he could live long enough to see his daughter grow up, Damian realises that he never really knew his father as a person, and admits that there was more to him than Batman.
After Grayson's confidant Oberon Sexton is revealed to be the Joker
in disguise, Damian tortures the villain by savagely beating him with a crowbar in order to get information, considering it to be self-defense since the Joker planned to attack him. However, the Clown Prince of Crime's apparent helplessness is revealed to be another ruse and he incapacitates Damian with his hidden Joker venom. The villain intends to use Damian and Dick in his fight against their common enemies: the Black Glove. Help arrives in the form of the original Batman. After Bruce Wayne helps Dick and Damian defeat the Black Glove and the Joker, Wayne accepts his son in additions of his role as Robin. Despite Bruce's parental responsibilities to Damian, he decides that he prefers Damian to continue working with Dick (who maintains the Batman mantle and whom Bruce sees as a positive role model for his son) rather than being with himself primarily, due to his plans with Batman Inc.
had convinced him to calm down, provoking their new foe into starting his wave of destruction again. Robin eventually begins to develop a friendship with Ravager
, who initially reaches out to Damian due to their similar upbringings (Ravager's father being the notorious assassin, Deathstroke
). Tim Drake eventually comes to the Titans for help after a robotic duplicate of the Calculator
attempts to murder his close friend, Tam Fox
, and decides to rejoin the team once the mission is completed. Damian chooses to leave the team upon Drake's return, reasoning that the Teen Titans do not need two Robins, and realizing that his teammates prefer to work with Tim. Upon returning to Gotham, Damian tells Dick that even though he'd been brought to the Titans in order to find friends, he did not need to, as he already had one, Grayson himself.
When Blackbat
, Stephanie Brown's predecessor, returns to Gotham, she and Damian are partnered together during a stake-out to catch the Architect, a new villain obsessed with destroying Gotham landmarks. Damian berates Blackbat and mocks her for being sent to Hong Kong by his father, but she ultimately saves his life by rescuing him from the exploding Iceberg Lounge. Afterwards, the two work together to stop the bomber from destroying a massive bridge, saving dozens of lives in the process.
Robin and a group of other ex-Titans later head to Titans Tower
to help the team during a battle against Superboy-Prime
and the Legion of Doom
. During the battle, Robin destroys one of Prime's evil Superboy dopplegangers
by using a Kryptonite
blade.
since birth, Damian is already a master martial artist. Under the tutelage of Dick Grayson, he was trained in the disciplines of forensics, acrobatics, criminology, disguise and escapology. Damian is skilled in mimicking voices and speech patterns of others accurately, as he was able to imitate Tim Drake's to bypass the Batcave's voice recognition security systems. Damian has demonstrated to have highly advanced engineering skills, as he was able to complete his father's plans of building a flying Batmobile, the construction of which Alfred described as "being an endless source of frustration to (Damian's) father". Damian is also a capable businessman despite his young age, and currently involves with Wayne Enterprises
and its board members. He also has been trained in every weapon known to man as shown in the Blackest Night event.
's Robin tunic and mask from his memorial case, Damian's unofficial appearance as Robin was wearing them over his black and white bodysuit with a grayish hood and cape. He carried a pair of brass knuckles
, which he incorporated as part of this costume. He also would carry a sword.
After Dick Grayson officially sanctioned Damian's role as Robin, while a standard Robin tunic was retained, the bodysuit was replaced with a black survival suit, the grayish cape with a yellow "para-cape" which grants him a gliding
capability, the black mask with a green one, a bulkier utility belt to carry more arsenal and gadgetry, a black hood, and flexible green gloves and boots.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, the now-estranged daughter of the supervillain Ra's al Ghul, a love interest of Batman, and the mother of his son Damian Wayne, the fifth Robin...
, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
.
The character originally appeared as an unnamed infant in the 1987 story Son of the Demon, which was then never mentioned within continuity. Following this, various alternate universe stories dealt with the course of the character's life, giving him varying names. In 2006, the character was reinterpreted as Damian Wayne by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
, and reintroduced into the main continuity in Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
#655, the first issue of the Batman & Son
Batman & Son
"Batman & Son" is a comic book story arc from DC Comics by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert, featuring Batman in the monthly title of the same name. It ran from September to December 2006....
story arc.
Having spent his gestation in a laboratory, Damian as a pre-adolescent is left by his mother in the care of his father, who was not aware of his son's existence until that point in time. Damian is violent and self-important, and was trained by the League of Assassins
League of Assassins
The League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
, learning to kill at a young age, which creates a troubled relationship with his father who refuses to kill his opponents. However, the Dark Knight does care for his lost progeny. After the events of Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
and Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
, Damian takes up the identity of Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
at ten years of age, becoming the fifth person to use the Robin identity. He first worked with Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
- the original Robin - who temporarily took over as Batman, before going to work alongside his father, upon Bruce Wayne's return to the role of Batman.
Publication history
The child from Son of the Demon was utilized in various stories before appearing as Damian Wayne.In the Elseworlds
Elseworlds
Elseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others...
story, The Brotherhood of the Bat (1995), a version named Tallant Wayne appears who crusades against his grandfather, Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
. Brotherhood of the Bat features a future in which Ra's al Ghul discovers the Batcave following Bruce Wayne's death, and outfits the League of Assassins in variant Batman costumes based on Wayne's rejected designs
Batman: Knight Gallery
Batman: Knight Gallery is a DC Comics Elseworlds special published in 1995. Written by Doug Moench, and features the art of Thomas Grummet, Michael Manley, Vincent Giarrano, James Balent, Bret Blevins, Graham Nolan, Norm Breyfogle, Neal Adams, George Pérez, Stephen De Stefano, Tom Lyle, Gary Frank,...
. Talia and Bruce's son join the Brotherhood in his father's costume, to destroy it from within.
Kingdom Come (comics)
Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book mini-series published in 1996 by DC Comics. It was written by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also developed the concept from an original idea...
(1996) by Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
and Alex Ross
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross is an American comic book painter, illustrator, and plotter. He is praised for his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. Since the 1990s he has done work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an...
, which functioned as a possible future to the canon of the time, the child of Batman and Talia has become Ibn al Xu'ffasch, literally "Son of the Bat", a member of Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
's inner circle. He falls in love with Nightstar
Nightstar
Nightstar is a fictional character from DC Comics, the daughter of Starfire and Dick Grayson, who was the first Robin and Nightwing. Her superhero name is a play on those of her parents but her civilian identity is that of Mar'i Grayson.-Kingdom Come:Nightstar first appears in Kingdom Come #1 ...
, the daughter of Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
and Starfire
Starfire (comics)
Starfire is the name of several fictional comic book characters published by DC Comics. The most prominent Starfire is Koriand'r, the fourth character to use that name...
. There is some suggestion that he is Batman's spy in Luthor's camp. In the Elliot S! Maggin
Elliot S! Maggin
Elliot S. Maggin, also spelled Elliot S! Maggin , is an American writer of comic books, film, television and novels. He was a main writer for DC Comics during the Bronze and early Modern ages of comics in the 1970s and 1980s...
novelization of Kingdom Come, Al Xu'ffasch tells Bruce that his mother Talia is still alive and working as a Mother Superior in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, one of Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
's successors. Al Xu'ffasch reappears in Waid's The Kingdom. In The Kingdom: Son of the Bat, flashbacks shed new insights into his history: that he was reared by Ra's al Ghul to be the heir to his empire, that he eventually murdered his grandfather (cutting off his head to prevent yet another regeneration), and that he sought therapy from psychiatrist Dr. Gibson. He was eventually recruited by Rip Hunter
Rip Hunter
Rip Hunter is a DC Comics character who first appeared in Showcase #20 . Following three more appearances in Showcase , Rip Hunter was given his own series, which ran for 29 issues . He later starred in the six-issue Time Masters series , written by Bob Wayne and Lewis Shiner...
to try to stop a madman named Gog
Gog (comics)
Gog is the name of several different fictional characters in the comics published by DC Comics. The first version first appeared in New Year's Evil: Gog #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Jerry Ordway.-The Kingdom:...
from altering his history. He works with several other heroes of his generation - Kid Flash
Kid Flash (Iris West)
Kid Flash is a superheroine in the alternate future of Kingdom Come in the DC Comics universe. She first appeared in Kingdom Come #3 .-Publication history:...
, the daughter of the Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
; Nightstar
Nightstar
Nightstar is a fictional character from DC Comics, the daughter of Starfire and Dick Grayson, who was the first Robin and Nightwing. Her superhero name is a play on those of her parents but her civilian identity is that of Mar'i Grayson.-Kingdom Come:Nightstar first appears in Kingdom Come #1 ...
(Nightwing
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
and Starfire
Starfire (comics)
Starfire is the name of several fictional comic book characters published by DC Comics. The most prominent Starfire is Koriand'r, the fourth character to use that name...
's child) and Offspring
Offspring (comics)
Offspring is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. He is the son of Plastic Man, and has the same stretching powers as his father.-Kingdom Come:...
, the son of Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
.
In League of Batmen (2001), the sequel to Brotherhood of the Bat, Tallant leads his own team of variant Batmen to combat the plague that was al Ghul's legacy. During the battle, Tallant discovers that his grandfather is the one who murdered his father and then cloned him. Ra's even sent the clone to murder his own daughter. Because the deaths of his parents at Ra's hands, Tallant has completed following his father's tragic path as Batman. The new Dark Knight desires justice for his parents along trying to stop his grandfather, while having to battle his father's murderous double.
Grant Morrison's story titled Batman & Son (2006) expands upon the Son of the Demon storyline as part of a remodeling of Batman's personality after the events of Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
. In Morrison's version, the child, Damian Wayne, is the result of a tryst by Batman and Talia, during which the Dark Knight claims he was drugged when they were at the Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
.
The final issue of 52
52 (comic book)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
(2008) designates the Kingdom Come alternate universe as Earth-22, thus making the Ibn al Xu'ffasch version part of the DC multiverse. Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #22 (2009) reveals that he would eventually marry Nightstar with whom he would have a daughter and son.
Batman: Son of the Demon
When asked by WizardWizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
about the canonicity of Son of the Demon, Morrison responded:
"For a long time, [DC] said [Son of the Demon] was out of continuity. Now it's just kind of out of continuity. I didn't actually read it before I started writing this. I messed up a lot of details, like Batman wasn't drugged when he was having sex with Talia and it didn't take place in the desert. I was relying on shaky memories. But now we have this new "Superboy punch" continuity [after Superboy Prime attacked the fabric of the universe during Infinite Crisis]. People still don't realize how important that single punch was to cover everyone's ass."
Batman & Son
Damian's origin is unknown to Batman. Genetically perfected and grown in an artificial womb, Damian was intended to be a formidable warrior. He is raised by Talia and the League of Assassins
League of Assassins
The League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
. He becomes a talented martial artist
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
by the time he is a pre-teen, at which time Talia reveals Damian's existence to Bruce Wayne and leaves him in Batman's custody in an effort to disrupt Batman's work.
Precocious, spoiled, and violent, Damian battles Tim Drake, who he wants to replace as Wayne's Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
, and sucker punches Drake off the stuffed Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
in the Batcave
Batcave
The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics superhero Batman, the alternate identity of playboy Bruce Wayne, consisting of a series of subterranean caves beneath his residence, Wayne Manor.-Publication history:...
when Tim stops fighting to help him. Damian then escapes, dons a variant Robin costume made of Jason Todd
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
's old tunic and mask and assorted League of Assassin gear, and gets into a fight with and decapitates the villainous Spook. Although misguided and malicious, Damian seems to genuinely want to aid Wayne's war on crime as he sees himself as Wayne's son and wants Wayne's approval. Unfortunately, because of how he was raised, Damian lacks any sort of common sense in regards to social behavior, and believes that in order to be accepted by Batman, he must kill any rivals, which included Tim Drake.
Eventually, Batman confronts Talia to confirm Damian's true identity, but both Talia and Damian are soon caught in an explosion. They survive the explosion, but a badly injured Damian requires transplants of harvested organs, which his mother orders her physicians to carry out. Damian makes a full recovery.
The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul
In Batman Annual: Head of the Demon, Talia takes Damian to the Australian OutbackOutback
The Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia, term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named "the bush".-Overview:The outback is home to a...
, where he is tutored in the secret history of his grandfather, Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
. Talia is unaware that a former servant of Ra's, named White Ghost, plans to use Damian as a shell for the soul of Ra's to return to Earth. This process would, of course, kill Damian. Talia is able to save her son from his fate at the last minute.
Ra's is still able to return, but as a rotting, shambling undead corpse, still needing Damian to stabilize his form. Damian flees to alert Batman, but is pursued by his evil grandfather. Upon entering Wayne Manor
Wayne Manor
In DC Comics, Wayne Manor is a fictional setting, the personal residence of Bruce Wayne, who is also Batman. The residence is typically depicted as a huge stately mansion on grounds outside Gotham City, maintained by the Wayne family's servant, Alfred Pennyworth...
, Damian attempts to relay to Robin the fact that Ra's has returned. Robin, suspicious of Damian's intentions, does not believe his story and begins a fist fight. Damian flees and encounters Alfred. Before he can effectively relay his news, he is attacked by Robin, who perceives Damian's attempt to help a tripping Alfred as an attack, and renews their battle. As they fight, members of the League of Assassins approach the manor with the intention of killing all others within and bringing Damian back to Ra's alive. Damian and Robin (Tim) fight side-by-side against Ra's and his minions. Their collaboration is hindered by their very different philosophies of battle. Damian is willing to betray Tim at any moment for his own safety. Ra's captures the two and tells Batman that he will use one of them for his own body. Batman offers his own body instead.
Ra's refuses the offer, feeling that he needs someone of a younger age. The choices are Robin or Damian. Batman offers a third alternative: "Fountain of Essence," which contains the qualities of a Lazarus Pit
Lazarus Pit
A Lazarus Pit is a fictional natural phenomenon in the . They are primarily found in the Batman titles and are commonly used by Ra's al Ghul for their restorative powers.-Fictional history:...
. Batman and Ra's go in search of the fountain, leaving Tim, Damian, Nightwing
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
, Alfred, and Talia to battle the Sensei
Sensei (comics)
The Sensei is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. He is a martial artist and sensei created by writer-artist Neal Adams as a villain to fight the hero Batman. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #215 The Sensei is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared...
. Damian leaves his mother and Tim to an unknown fate, while he goes off to be with his father. He ends up captured by Ra's and nearly loses his life. Batman and the others manage to save him, and Talia takes her son and escapes.
A subsequent conversation between Robin and Alfred implies that Batman has carried out a DNA test on Damian. Alfred says Bruce intended to tell him the results when the time was right. At this, Tim realizes that Damian is indeed Bruce's son, and exclaims "The son of the Devil is my brother?"
Batman R.I.P.
Prior to the start of Grant Morrison's "Batman R.I.P.Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
" story arc in Batman #675, Damian has sensed that someone is out to get Batman. In response to this, Talia begins to formulate a plan. That plan seems to involve getting the help of Commissioner James Gordon, whom Talia and Damian rescue from a booby-trapped Wayne Manor, while in search of Batman, who has gone insane and missing.
Damian and Alfred race to aid Batman against the Black Glove in a commandeered Batmobile
Batmobile
The Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. Kept in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is a gadget-laden vehicle used by Batman in his crime-fighting...
and Damian who is driving, knocks an ambulance off a bridge without any sign of remorse or even concern. When Alfred reprimands him, Damian retorts with a backhanded threat. Thankfully, the only occupant of the ambulance was the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
.
Battle for the Cowl
In Nightwing #153 (2009), Damian is shown being left in the care of Alfred PennyworthAlfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
and trained by Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
.
Upon the start of Batman: Battle for the Cowl, it appears that Damian is now residing in Gotham, and living under the command of Nightwing (to an extent). Where before Damian portrayed an arrogant and vicious personality, it appears the "death" of his father has regressed him to a more child-like mindset, as demonstrated when he takes the Batmobile joy-riding with an older girl. This is discovered by Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
, who ejects the girl and takes control of the Batmobile, intent on taking Damian home. Unfortunately, the car is blindsided by Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
and Poison Ivy, who prepare to kill Damian. The older girl Damian was with is later eaten by Killer Croc. Damian is saved by Nightwing who ends up being cornered by Black Mask
Black Mask (comics)
Black Mask is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. An enemy of Batman, he first appeared in Batman #386 . Black Mask was created by Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake.-Dark beginning:...
's men, until a murderous figure appears stating that he is Batman (this is later revealed to be Jason Todd
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
). Although shot by Todd, Damian recovers, and saves Tim Drake from falling to death inside Jason's Batcave. When Grayson hangs up his Nightwing mantle to become the newest Batman, Damian takes over the mantle of Robin by his side.
Batman: Reborn
Despite working as Grayson's Robin, Damian expresses a strong willingness to take over the Batman identity himself if Dick is not "up to it." Damian initially has no respect for Grayson, and tells him that he needs to earn it.It is revealed that Damian has begun to visit his father's former friend and enemy Thomas Elliot, also known as Hush
Hush (comics)
Hush is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually as an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared in Batman #609 , as part of the 12-issue storyline, Batman: Hush...
, in the prison at the top of Wayne Tower that Dick and Tim put him in, and engages him in chess games. Damian claims that these visits are out of his curiosity for why Hush would alter his appearance to that of Bruce Wayne's. But Hush suspects that the visits are rather Damian's form of grieving for Bruce and a way to "spend time with your old man."
It becomes apparent that Grayson chose Damian to be his Robin instead of Tim Drake because he sees Tim as an equal and not as a sidekick, and thinks that Damian needs guidance and a constant eye watching him, or else he will kill again. Regardless, Damian mocks Tim for no longer being a part of the Dynamic Duo, even going so far as to offer him the Batgirl position. This causes Tim to snap, taking on the mantle of Red Robin and searching the globe for Bruce Wayne, who Tim believes is still alive. After his first fight alongside Dick, Damian gets upset with Grayson and goes looking for the villain Professor Pyg
Professor Pyg
Professor Pyg is a fictional character in DC Comics and an enemy of Batman and Robin. He was created by Grant Morrison and first appeared in a cameo in Batman #666 . He is a regular character in the Batman and Robin series...
himself. The Professor captures him, or rather, is led to believe so by Damian, who is in complete control of the situation, waiting for the right moment to make his move. Despite his good intentions, however, Damian is still overpowered by a large number of Dollotrons. Bent on catching Pyg, he is saved only by the timely intervention of Dick Grayson. While pursuing Pyg, he overlooks an earlier promise he had made to Sasha (to save her and take her to safety), the only Dollotron who has an intact personality. As a result, the young girl's sanity is bent by her traumatic ordeal and disfigurement, and she becomes ripe for the Red Hood to sway her to his side, thereby becoming the new Robin's opposite number in Red Hood's no-holds-barred war against crime (Red Hood's maxim is "let the punishment fit the crime").
Damian, who has since forgotten about Sasha, rejoins Dick and together the new Dynamic Duo take out Pyg, after which they face the Red Hood. The Red Hood (Jason Todd, the second Robin) works with Sasha to kill the new Dynamic Duo. Damian, Dick, Jason and Sasha (codenamed Scarlet)'s fight turns into a free-for-all as the Flamingo arrives, intent on killing the Red Hood. Damian attempts to stop the Flamingo, but is shot multiple times in the back. His mother has Damian picked up by the League of Shadows, during which she and Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
stay by his side while doctors perform complex and extremely advanced methods of surgery to not only repair his spine, but replace it altogether. Talia informs Alfred that Damian will be returned to him and Grayson within a few days.
It appears that Damian has a sense of empathy towards children, as was demonstrated by his behavior during a mission with the new Azrael
Azrael (comics)
Azrael is the name of several fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. They are a group of assassins who were created by The Order of St. Dumas to "enforce god's will"...
and more recently during a Christmas case, in which Damian and Dick find the bodies of several dismembered kids, causing Damian to vomit in horror.
Damian and Dick come to blows with Stephanie Brown, the new Batgirl
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, frequently depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman...
, and Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
, who acts as her mentor. However, even though Stephanie and Damian initially do not get along, he is intrigued by the new Batgirl, watching her in an attempt to "figure out what makes 'Stephanie Brown' tick" (something said while drawing a stick-figure Batgirl in the snow). Because of the kidnapping of Fernando Garcia, which some of the Gotham's rogues are involved, Dick and Damian find themselves working with Barbara and Stephanie despite their current situations.
Damian also becomes involved with the Wayne Enterprises' board members during a board meeting led by Lucius Fox. He manages to track down financial irregularities within the Wayne Enterprises accounts, intimidating the board of members along the way. The board becomes impressed that the young Wayne has such impressive business capabilities despite his young age, apparently inherited from his father.
After Tim Drake is revealed to have been named as Bruce Wayne's heir in accordance of his will made prior to his disappearance, Damian has filed an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
with the board against Drake since he is Wayne's son.
Damian also is present when Donna Troy
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #60 , and was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani...
recruits Grayson for the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
. Upon hearing this, Damian demands that he be accepted into the League as well. His demands are ignored.
Red Robin
Damian's second year as Robin begins with a bang, as he chooses this time to pick a fight against his predecessor, Tim Drake (Red Robin). Red Robin, who has been keeping a list of criminals and tasks he calls the Hit List, attracts Damian's fury when the Boy Wonder hacks the Hit List and discovers a hidden layer of allies to the Bat-Family considered by Tim as potential threats, among which is Robin. During a stakeout mission, Damian slices off Red Robin's line, causing him to fall from a great height. He survives, and Red Robin pulls Robin into an all-out brawl that begins with their quarry escaping, and ending in front of the theater where Bruce Wayne's parents were killed, and where Dick, Tim, and Damian's destinies were forged. Robin loses to Red Robin, but still struggles to fight when the two are stopped by Batman, who chastises the brothers for fighting in front of the theater where Batman was born. The two then enter into a grudging truce for the remainder of Robin's appearances in the series, with Batman (the one ally Red Robin trusted, and did not include in the Hit List) changing the Hit List password to make it difficult for Damian to hack.Blackest Night
After Bruce's skull was taken from his grave, Damian and Dick decide to bring the rest of his skeleton, along with those of Damian's paternal grandparents, to their base beneath Wayne Tower. Damian is quite shaken by the sight of the bones of his family. On the way to the cave, Dick's body is possessed by DeadmanDeadman
Deadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:...
, at whom Damian lashes out in confusion. Deadman then possesses and leaves Damian's body, subsequently passing his knowledge of the attack of the Black Lanterns
Black Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
onto him. The two heroes then prepare for the Black Lanterns' assault on Gotham. After raiding the Army Reserve National Guard Armory, Dick, Damian, and the arriving Tim Drake, are able to save Commissioner Gordon, Oracle, and the surviving police officers at Gotham Central from the reanimated versions of the original Dark Knight's deceased rogue gallery members. However, they then find themselves in a horrific encounter with the parents of Dick Grayson and Tim Drake reanimated as Black Lanterns. Dick and Tim send Damian with the Gordons to their underground base while they battle the Black Lanterns. Dick eventually orders Damian through their comm-links to send one of his Wingers with Mr. Freeze's gun. Grayson uses the weapon to cryogenically suspend himself and Tim, forcing the Black Lanterns to retreat as they are unable to read any sign of life of them. Deadman later revives the former Boy Wonders.
Return of Bruce Wayne
Talia begins to clone Damian as she has realizes that her son has completely sided with Dick Grayson and the Bat-Family. Damian finally stands up for his Robin mantle, telling Talia that being Robin was the best thing that he had ever done, and Talia does not need to save him from something he chooses to be. Talia then shows Damian a cloned version of himself, whom she sees as Damian's younger brother. Talia admits to Damian, that even though she loves him, she is too much of a perfectionist to admire him for choosing a path that defies her this blatantly, and he is therefore no longer welcome, and will be considered an enemy of the House of al Ghul. Damian defiantly replies that he hopes to be a worthy one. Damian (as Robin) is then seen teaming up with Dick and Alfred to begin their own search for Bruce Wayne.During a confrontation with a returned minor villain the Getaway Genius, Damian is initially angry that Grayson failed to capture the foe - as well as the implication that his father failed as well during the Genius's original run back when Grayson was Robin - but when Dick explains to him that Bruce let the Genius go because he discovered that the Genius's robberies were only him stealing medicines that he needed so that he could live long enough to see his daughter grow up, Damian realises that he never really knew his father as a person, and admits that there was more to him than Batman.
After Grayson's confidant Oberon Sexton is revealed to be the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
in disguise, Damian tortures the villain by savagely beating him with a crowbar in order to get information, considering it to be self-defense since the Joker planned to attack him. However, the Clown Prince of Crime's apparent helplessness is revealed to be another ruse and he incapacitates Damian with his hidden Joker venom. The villain intends to use Damian and Dick in his fight against their common enemies: the Black Glove. Help arrives in the form of the original Batman. After Bruce Wayne helps Dick and Damian defeat the Black Glove and the Joker, Wayne accepts his son in additions of his role as Robin. Despite Bruce's parental responsibilities to Damian, he decides that he prefers Damian to continue working with Dick (who maintains the Batman mantle and whom Bruce sees as a positive role model for his son) rather than being with himself primarily, due to his plans with Batman Inc.
Teen Titans
Damian joins the Teen Titans when Dick Grayson concludes that the team needs a Robin, while also feeling that Damian would benefit from the friendship of other heroes, having progressed to the point where he can be trusted not to kill if left 'unsupervised'. Although Wonder Girl objects to this decision, Grayson convinces her to let Damian stay on the team as he needs to learn that he can trust others not to betray him, only for his temper to jeopardize his first mission with the team when he attacks an opponent just after RavenRaven (comics)
Raven is a fictional superheroine who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26 , and was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez...
had convinced him to calm down, provoking their new foe into starting his wave of destruction again. Robin eventually begins to develop a friendship with Ravager
Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She is a member of the Teen Titans and the illegitimate daughter of Deathstroke the Terminator.-Fictional character biography:...
, who initially reaches out to Damian due to their similar upbringings (Ravager's father being the notorious assassin, Deathstroke
Deathstroke
Deathstroke the Terminator , originally simply the Terminator, and known by the Teen Titans as Slade, is a fictional character, a supervillain and sometimes antihero in the DC Comics Universe. He is a mercenary and assassin who first appeared in The New Teen Titans #2...
). Tim Drake eventually comes to the Titans for help after a robotic duplicate of the Calculator
Calculator (comics)
The Calculator is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Detective Comics #463 , and he was created by Bob Rozakis and Mike Grell.-Publication history:...
attempts to murder his close friend, Tam Fox
Tamara Fox
Tamara "Tam" Fox is fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, specifically a supprting character in the Batman franchise. She first appeared in Batman: Family #1 and was created by John Francis Moore and Stefano Gaudiano.-Publication history:...
, and decides to rejoin the team once the mission is completed. Damian chooses to leave the team upon Drake's return, reasoning that the Teen Titans do not need two Robins, and realizing that his teammates prefer to work with Tim. Upon returning to Gotham, Damian tells Dick that even though he'd been brought to the Titans in order to find friends, he did not need to, as he already had one, Grayson himself.
When Blackbat
Cassandra Cain
Cassandra Cain is a fictional character in the , one of several who has served as Batgirl, an important character in the Batman comic book franchise. Cassandra's backstory presents her as the daughter of assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva, she was deprived of speech and human contact during her...
, Stephanie Brown's predecessor, returns to Gotham, she and Damian are partnered together during a stake-out to catch the Architect, a new villain obsessed with destroying Gotham landmarks. Damian berates Blackbat and mocks her for being sent to Hong Kong by his father, but she ultimately saves his life by rescuing him from the exploding Iceberg Lounge. Afterwards, the two work together to stop the bomber from destroying a massive bridge, saving dozens of lives in the process.
Robin and a group of other ex-Titans later head to Titans Tower
Titans Tower
Titans Tower is a fictional building in the DC Comics universe. Its various incarnations have been home to the superhero team called the Titans...
to help the team during a battle against Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
and the Legion of Doom
Legion of Doom (comics)
The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains led by Lex Luthor that appeared in Challenge of the Super Friends, an ABC animated series that starred superheroes from DC Comics.-History:...
. During the battle, Robin destroys one of Prime's evil Superboy dopplegangers
Match (DC Comics)
Match is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe. He is a clone of Superboy. Match appeared in the Superboy title, issues of Young Justice and the Sins of Youth and Joker's Last Laugh crossover events...
by using a Kryptonite
Kryptonite
Kryptonite is a fictional material from the Superman mythos —the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. It is famous for being the ultimate physical weakness of Superman, and the word kryptonite has since become synonymous with an Achilles' heel —the one weakness...
blade.
After the universe changes again
Following the Flashpoint event, Bruce returns to being Gotham's Dark Knight, while Dick returns to his previous role as Nightwing. Damian serves as his father's partner. After reading the letter written by his father from an alternate timeline, the Dark Knight decides that it is time to stop being fixated on his family's tragedy and instead look at the positive by trying to remembers his parents' anniversary, birthdays, and other important events of their lives. He tries to teach Damian the same values they have instilled within him as he finally assumes his role as a father. However, despite Bruce's attempts to build a relationship with his son, he remains cold and distance with his progeny, which Alfred worries of the two as he witnesses.Possible future
References in current continuity have been made to the future of Bruce and Talia's son.- In DC One MillionDC One Million"DC One Million" was a crossover storyline that ran through a self titled, weekly limited series and through special issues of almost all "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998...
(1999), written by Grant Morrison, a Batman from 853rd Century references a Dark Knight's battle with Two-Face-Two, which Batman #700 (2010) depicts with Damian Wayne. - In Teen Titans (vol. 3) #18 (2006), when the Titans were transported 10 years into the future, a graveyard full of deceased Batman allies and villains is depicted. One tombstone reads "Ibn al Xu'ffasch".
- BatmanBatman (comic book)Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
#666 (2007) features an adult Damian Wayne as Batman. He takes on the mantle after he is unable to save Batman from being killed. This Batman is darker than his father, more willing to injure and kill opponents if he judges it necessary to do so (although he mentions that he promised his father not to kill). He sets his base beneath Wayne Tower, suggesting that he inherits his paternal family's resources. He also has a pet cat he calls AlfredAlfred PennyworthAlfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
. He seems to have developed a rivalry with Commissioner Barbara GordonBarbara GordonBarbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
(who strongly condemns his actions, claiming that he was responsible for the death of someone close to her) and possesses some form of supernatural ability; most visibly, the ability to heal catastrophic wounds such as multiple bullet wounds in moments. It is implied that, in this possible future, Damian made a literal deal with the DevilDevilThe Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
: his soul in exchange for the immortality he felt he needed to protect Gotham. Damian states he knew he could not match his predecessors, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, but makes up for it by "cheating" as he calls it. By setting booby traps throughout the city (mostly prominent buildings), Damian turned Gotham itself into a weapon. Even further into this future in Batman #700 he is seen mentoring Terry McGinnisTerry McGinnisBatman is a fictional superhero in comics published by DC Comics as well as the main protagonist of the animated television series Batman Beyond , in which he has succeeded Bruce Wayne as the protector of Gotham City. He was voiced by Will Friedle...
, who takes the mantle of Batman. - Superman/BatmanSuperman/BatmanSuperman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
#75 shows Damian as he appears in Batman #666 and #700 with Conner Kent, who is now Superman. Unlike his father and the original Superman, Damian is apparently completely at odds with the new Man of Steel due to his disapproval of Damian's violent approaches as Batman. In issue #80 also shows Damian as Batman and another Superman of the future. - Justice League: Generation LostJustice League: Generation LostJustice League: Generation Lost was a year-long comic book limited series that premiered July 2010. It ran twice a month for 24 issues, alternating with Brightest Day written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi.-Publication history:...
#14 shows another alternate future for Damian, this time taking place over 100 years in the future, where Maxwell LordMaxwell LordMaxwell Lord IV is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a shrewd and powerful businessman who was very influential in the formation of the Justice League International in DC Comics.-Before the League:...
has plunged humanity into a massive MetahumanMetahumanMetahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
war. Here, Damian and his sidekick, the Red HoodRed HoodRed Hood is the alias used by several fictional characters, usually antagonists for Batman in the DC Universe.-Joker:The Red Hood first appeared in Detective Comics #168 "The Man Behind the Red Hood" . In the original continuity, the man later known as the Joker was a master criminal going by the...
(Thomas Grayson) serve on a new incarnation of the Justice LeagueJustice LeagueThe Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, dedicated to destroying Lord's army of OMACs. It is implied that Damian was able to survive and maintain his longevity by taking repeated baths in a Lazarus PitLazarus PitA Lazarus Pit is a fictional natural phenomenon in the . They are primarily found in the Batman titles and are commonly used by Ra's al Ghul for their restorative powers.-Fictional history:...
.
Skills and abilities
Having been trained by the League of AssassinsLeague of Assassins
The League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
since birth, Damian is already a master martial artist. Under the tutelage of Dick Grayson, he was trained in the disciplines of forensics, acrobatics, criminology, disguise and escapology. Damian is skilled in mimicking voices and speech patterns of others accurately, as he was able to imitate Tim Drake's to bypass the Batcave's voice recognition security systems. Damian has demonstrated to have highly advanced engineering skills, as he was able to complete his father's plans of building a flying Batmobile, the construction of which Alfred described as "being an endless source of frustration to (Damian's) father". Damian is also a capable businessman despite his young age, and currently involves with Wayne Enterprises
Wayne Enterprises
Wayne Enterprises is a company in the DC Universe, owned by Bruce Wayne and run by his business manager, Lucius Fox. It was founded by merchant ancestors of the Wayne family in the 17th century as a merchant house, although the company changed when the heir of Judge Solomon Wayne, Alan, utilized...
and its board members. He also has been trained in every weapon known to man as shown in the Blackest Night event.
Appearance
After stealing Jason ToddJason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
's Robin tunic and mask from his memorial case, Damian's unofficial appearance as Robin was wearing them over his black and white bodysuit with a grayish hood and cape. He carried a pair of brass knuckles
Brass knuckles
Brass knuckles, also sometimes called knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, or knuckledusters, are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles are pieces of metal, usually steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the knuckles...
, which he incorporated as part of this costume. He also would carry a sword.
After Dick Grayson officially sanctioned Damian's role as Robin, while a standard Robin tunic was retained, the bodysuit was replaced with a black survival suit, the grayish cape with a yellow "para-cape" which grants him a gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
capability, the black mask with a green one, a bulkier utility belt to carry more arsenal and gadgetry, a black hood, and flexible green gloves and boots.
Television
- Damian Wayne made his television debut in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "The Knights of Tomorrow!", where he was voiced by Patrick CavanaughPatrick CavanaughPatrick Cavanaugh is an American television actor.-Actor career:He is best known as one of the leads in National Lampoon's Dorm Daze 2, portraying the half of the goofy stoner duo of Pete and Wang . He also appeared in the original movie...
for most of the episode, and by Diedrich BaderDiedrich BaderKarl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
when shown as an adult. Here in a stark departure from the comics, he is presented as the son of Bruce Wayne and Selina KyleCatwomanCatwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
rather than the child of Bruce and Talia al Ghul. He is initially portrayed as being reluctant to follow in his father's footsteps, telling his parents that he does not want them to plot out his life for him. In this portrayal, Damian is notably not like his comic book counterpart as he bares no intent to kill at all and acts much more like his father and his costume is similar to Tim DrakeTim DrakeTimothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
's second Robin costume. After Bruce and Selina are killed by the Joker's successor Joker Jr., Damian takes up the Robin mantle and fights alongside Dick GraysonDick GraysonDick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
(Bruce's protege and the current Batman). Ultimately, the two bring Joker Jr. and the original aged Joker to justice and save Gotham from a poison gas attack. It shows that Damian goes on to fight the Club of Villains, Flamingo and Professor PygProfessor PygProfessor Pyg is a fictional character in DC Comics and an enemy of Batman and Robin. He was created by Grant Morrison and first appeared in a cameo in Batman #666 . He is a regular character in the Batman and Robin series...
. The episode ends with an elderly Dick passing on the Batman mantle to Damian who is shown fighting crime with his own child (voiced by Sebastian Bader) as the new Robin. The pair are seen fighting the mutants from The Dark Knight Returns, a reference which is further established by the new Robin's resemblance to the Robin from The Dark Knight Returns, Carrie Kelly. It ultimately turns out that the events of the episode were part of a book that Alfred Pennyworth was writing titled "The Knights of Tomorrow."