Warning: Spoilers for Batman and Robin #1 forward!
Abstract
- Batman and Robin #1 introduces the idea of splicing, a course of the place people inject animal DNA into themselves to realize animalistic options, just like the depiction in Batman Past.
- The Horrible Trio within the comedian remodel into human/animal hybrids, retaining their human physiques however gaining the animalistic properties of their masks.
- The storyline in Batman and Robin #1 means that splicing could turn into a prevalent risk within the current day DC Universe, laying the groundwork for the future-noir legacy of Batman Past.
Batman Past launched many iconic components and foes in its Neo-Gotham. Now, one explicit future Batman Past risk seems to have emerged to problem Batman and Robin within the current: the scourge of “splicing” and the vicious human/animal hybrids it creates.
Batman and Robin #1 by Joshua Williamson, Simone Di Meo, and Steve Wands picks up within the wake of the Gotham Struggle that has ripped Catwoman and the Bat-Household aside. This leaves Bruce and Damian now on their very own in Bruce’s brownstone constructing. As the 2 work to comprise a collection of crimes comitted by numerous animal-themed villains, they discover that every occasion is linked to the DNA analysis of 1 “Dr. Kafira.” When Batman and Robin try to rescue Dr. Kafira from being kidnapped by Orca, Man-Bat, Killer Croc, and the Horrible Trio, Damian knocks Fox’s masks off — solely to search out the villain’s human options have been changed with the snout of an precise fox.
The remainder of the Horrible Trio take away their masks to disclose that they, too, now have the heads of the animals they emulated. Within the confusion, Man-Bat carries Dr. Kafira away and Batman is struck by a chemical pellet that causes a swarm of bats to assault him.
Neo-Gotham’s Scourge of Splicing in Batman Past
There’s a lot right here that appears to pay homage to Batman Past‘s depiction of splicing. Making their formal debut within the Season 2 episode “Splicers,” splicers are the product of Dr. Abel Cuvier’s makes an attempt to introduce “splicing” — injecting oneself with animal DNA to realize animalistic options — to the general public (whereas secretly utilizing his military of splicers to violently silence naysayers, after all). Splicing has made its manner into Batman Past‘s comedian continuity as nicely, with Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Max Dunbar, Sebastian Cheng, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s Batman Past: Neo-Gothic miniseries that includes “catbois“: people spliced with cat DNA who revere and identify themselves after Selina Kyle.
The Horrible Trio’s transformation in Batman and Robin #1 is an ideal instance of splicing, with the Trio retaining their human physiques whereas gaining the animalistic properties of their respective masks. Moreover, the similarity between the names of Dr. Kafira and Dr. Cuvier, whereas not excellent, is to not be dismissed. Lastly, Batman is dosed with a wierd chemical that causes bats to assault him; Terry McGinnis suffers an identical bat-related mishap in “Splicers,” when Cuvier injects him with a concentrated dose of vampire bat DNA.
Taken all collectively, this collection of occasions means that this storyline is able to set up the bottom analysis for splicing within the “current day” DCU. Maybe the prevalence of splicing will develop into the scourge it turns into within the animated collection’ Neo-Gotham. Splicing supplied Batman Past with considered one of its most placing and iconic threats; by laying the groundwork for it now whereas Bruce and Damian Wayne are Batman and Robin, Batman Past secures yet one more aspect of its future-noir legacy.
Batman and Robin #1 is now obtainable from DC Comics.