Home Comics & Toys The Death of Superman and Batman: Knightfall are getting retold in DC’s new Dark Multiverse titles

The Death of Superman and Batman: Knightfall are getting retold in DC’s new Dark Multiverse titles

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Dark Multiverse (7)

Marvel may have had What If? when it came to publishing comic book stories that took established characters and spun familiar stories in new directions, but this year will see DC copying the House of Ideas with their own wild take on landmark storylines. Called “Tales from the Dark Multiverse”, this series will revisit some of the bigger storylines of the past and “put a twisted and terrifying spin on some of the biggest, most game-changing events” that ever hit DC’s biggest icons according to the press release.

The Dark Multiverse itself was introduced in Dark Nights Metal, and its existence is nothing but pain and misery, much like when anyone is stuck in a car with me and I try to explain Final Crisis to them. A collection of realities that are in constant turmoil, the Dark Multiverse is home to wrong decisions, twisted origins and horrific endings that paint very different pictures of time-honoured heroes. The first two stabs at alternate history? None other than a revisit to the pages of Knightfall and The Death of Superman.

Knightfall still stands as one of my favourite Batman stories, dealing with the Dark Knight as he is run ragged by a gauntlet of foes that were sprung out of Arkham Asylum by Bane. Weary, damaged and having been pushed well past his limits, Batman would eventually be broken by Bane and left out of action for a few years as the current successor of the Azrael persona, Jean-Paul Valley, took up the mantle of the Bat and reclaimed Gotham City.

Azrael’s quest would eventually end in misery, the programming of the Azrael persona driving him to commit more violent acts and become a totally 90s Batman in the process until he was finally stopped by rejuvenated Batman. What if Bruce Wayne failed to take back the identity of Batman in the finale to KnightsEnd? That’s the question that Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Knightfall wants to answer. Here’s the synopsis for that mini-series:

TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE: BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL #1

Co-written by Scott Snyder (DARK NIGHTS: METAL, JUSTICE LEAGUE, THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS) and Kyle Higgins (DEATHSTROKE, BATMAN ETERNAL, NIGHTWING: THE NEW ORDER), with art by Javier Fernandez (JUSTICE LEAGUE) and a cover by Lee Weeks (BATMAN), this one-shot takes place in a Gotham City 30 years after a broken Bruce Wayne failed to take back the mantle of the Bat.

In his place arose Jean-Paul Valley, also known as Saint Batman. Under his iron rule, Saint Batman has turned Gotham into the city of his dreams – killing has become commonplace and criminals live in constant fear—all in the name of justice. But just when all seems lost, a new hope for Gotham rises: The Son of Bane.

Next up, the death of Superman! Y’all know the story by now: The last son of Krypton, tragically dies in a last-ditch attempt to stop the nigh-unkillable Doomsday from levelling Metropolis and the rest of the world. His beloved city protected (sort of) by four new heroes in the Reign of the Supermen saga, Superman would eventually get better and return to the neverending fight for truth and justice in the world.

What if Superman’s death had more unintended consequences though? You’d get this story:

TALES FROM THE DARK MULTIVERSE: THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN #1

The Dark Multiverse takes on the highest-selling comic book event of all time, courtesy of writer Jeff Loveness (Rick and Morty, DC’S NUCLEAR WINTER SPECIAL, DC’S MYSTERIES OF LOVE IN SPACE), with art by Brad Walker (DETECTIVE COMICS) and Andrew Hennessy (SINESTRO, THE DEMON: HELL IS EARTH, TITANS), with a cover by Lee Weeks.

In a broken world much like our own, Lois Lane, twisted by rage and grief over the Man of Steel’s death, becomes the Eradicator, taking revenge on those who let Superman die and the corrupt world he could never defeat. Now, with the power of a god, she’s going to end the “never-ending” battle by any means necessary, halting the Reign of the Supermen before it even begins.

Well consider me sold. Each Dark Multiverse book will clock in at 48 pages, are prestige-sized and will arrive in October. Now can we get a Dark Multiverse title where Sinestro runs Hal Jordan over with a taxi before he overcame the Yellow Impurity weakness inherent in all Green Lantern rings?

Last Updated: July 16, 2019

23 Comments

    • Dr Webster Flexington the 3rd

      July 16, 2019 at 13:24

      When life gives you lemons, you rock on

      m/

      Reply

    • The D

      July 16, 2019 at 13:39

      You joke, but that series is properly metal to the extreme. It’s the Brutal Legend of comic book events.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Umbra

        July 16, 2019 at 14:11

        It was between that gif and the BRUTAL one

        Reply

      • BradeLunner

        July 16, 2019 at 14:30

        There’s a pretty cool soundtrack too, available on spotify

        Reply

        • The D

          July 16, 2019 at 14:40

          Yeah! It’s pretty much my morning go-to playlist.

          Reply

  1. Dr Webster Flexington the 3rd

    July 16, 2019 at 13:24

    When you’ve become so cowardly and myopic that you’re afraid to write new stories and would rather hide behind nostalgia and established storylines from the 90s and 00s. Comeon DC… don’t be as lame as Marvel.

    I like the idea of revisiting knightfall, but that was nearly 20 years ago. I mean I loved it. I had the comics, but this just feels like laziness and cowardice. No wonder comic book sales have been so poor in the last few years.

    Reply

    • The D

      July 16, 2019 at 13:39

      Dude, it’s a one-shot comic book that features great creative teams teaming up for cool new takes on classic storylines in addition to the dozens of comics that DC prints every month. C’mon.

      Reply

      • Dr Webster Flexington the 3rd

        July 16, 2019 at 13:49

        My wallet says “No!”.

        I’ll probably take a look at it down the line but I really don’t like this current trend. It’s like with the current run of Doomsday Clock. I get why it could be awesome. How can it not be? You’re taking Adam Moore’s mini series and you thrust those characters into the mainstream DC line up. How can it not be awesome…?

        But, they’re looking too much at the past and hoping to recapture the glory of the past. Those days are gone, and speaking as an old comic book collector, it just feels so lazy. Like I said, I collected knightsfall, knightsend etc. but revisiting it like this is like rebooting a beloved cult movie and then throwing a Rian Johnson at it.

        Reply

      • Admiral Chief Umbra

        July 16, 2019 at 13:49

        • Yahtzee

          July 16, 2019 at 13:49

        • The D

          July 16, 2019 at 13:49

          Nah, I’m kind of getting tired of this. Webster or Sir White Knight or whatever it is that Jim is calling himself has been beating the same dead horse all day since he came back and it’s kind of becoming a bit much.

          Reply

          • Dr Webster Flexington the 3rd

            July 16, 2019 at 14:10

            What’s going on, my dude. Having someone disagreeing with you about a comic book shouldn’t affect you like this. That’s not healthy.

          • The D

            July 16, 2019 at 14:11

            I don’t care about comic book disagreements. That’s cool and all, but since you’ve come back it’s been the exact same schtick: Stirring up crap in the comments and going on about Brie Larson, SJWs and Rian Johnson for *teh gigglez*.

            It’s just getting old and tiresome to see this stuff again.

          • For the Emperor!

            July 16, 2019 at 14:11

          • For the Emperor!

            July 16, 2019 at 14:20

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 16, 2019 at 14:20

          • For the Emperor!

            July 16, 2019 at 14:20

            Hanz does not stand a chance against Elsa!

          • Admiral Chief Umbra

            July 16, 2019 at 14:20

            Nein, ze flammenwerfer korp vill purify zem

          • Dr Webster Flexington the 3rd

            July 16, 2019 at 14:30

            Oy, you fool. Nothing wrong with Elsa – after all, this song might just be appropriate

          • Dr Webster Flexington the 3rd

            July 16, 2019 at 14:20

            “Teh gigglez”? That’s a bizarre way to see things. I really think you need to take a deep breath, chat to me on PSN or something. I’m not your enemy, dude. I hold no ill will against you, but I really think the fact that you get so worked up about my views on SJWs, Rian Johnson or Brie Larson isn’t healthy.

          • The D

            July 16, 2019 at 14:20

            I’m not worked up at all bud. I’m not sitting here screaming, I’m just sighing because you’re beating a dead horse with the same schtick once again.

          • Dr Webster Flexington the 3rd

            July 16, 2019 at 14:30

            Clearly something is up with you and you are getting worked up. I’m trying to be sympathetic, and while this isn’t a forum for this sort of discussion, I do want to understand. Where is this anger coming from? I even saw your tweet now. What’s going on with you guys?

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