WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Dark Knights of Steel #1
In DC’s new limited series Dark Knights of Steel, Batman takes on a mediaeval feel similar to a Witcher.
How DC’s Heros Would Change In A Fantasy Setting
“This isn’t just transplanting the DC Universe and sticking it in a place with castles and horses,” series writer Tom Taylor explained to DC Nation in an interview. Commenting on how the company’s well-known heroes would change in a fantasy setting.
“This is an entirely new spin on the origins you know. These origins are completely different, these people are different. Their soul is similar, and their mannerisms are similar. Superman and Batman, I think, are still Bruce and Clark in a lot of ways, but their roles are different. Batman is essentially a Witcher. His job is to find magic users and lock them up.”
Taylor went on to say that this particular version of Batman considered capturing magic users as his life’s mission, similar to how the regular Batman dealt with criminals.
“What he sees as magic is anyone with powers because magic is the one thing that can threaten Superman,” Taylor said. “That’s his role, and Superman doesn’t like that Batman is always trying to protect him. Especially when axes break on his skin, he wants to be out there, he wants to help, and Batman won’t let him. It’s a different dynamic, but it’s still a fairly recognizable dynamic with recognizable characters.”
Batman Is Serving As A Knight
In a new take on classic Man of Steel mythology, Dark Knights of Steel #1 introduced Batman as a knight serving Superman’s parents, Jor-El and Lara, who left Krypton together and created a kingdom on a medieval world. In this world, Joe-El and Lara became great friends with the Waynes, and Bruce vowed to serve the El Court. Like Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher, Batman spent the majority of Issue #1 hunting a banshee with a sonic scream — a sly allusion to Black Canary — and advising Jor-El and Lara’s son Kal-El to stay in the castle’s safe boundaries.
The issue ends with the shocking revelation that Bruce and Kal-El are half-brothers in the Dark Knights of Steel continuity owing to Joe-El’s romance with Batman’s mother. Bruce’s Kryptonian blood not only explains his ability to withstand serious injuries but also connects him to Geralt. The titular monster hunters are experimented on as children and converted into mutants who can tolerate enormous torture and use minor magic spells in the world of The Witcher.
