Warning: Spoilers for Batman #153!For as outside the law asBatmanis, he has a ton of rules that he requires every member of his Bat-Family to follow. The key rule, of course, is his no-kill rule. However, there are some smaller rules that fold into this overarching rule - namely, the use of guns. But when a new hero shows up in Gotham, firing away at criminals, he challenges everything Batman stands for.
Batmanhas a new competitor for the title of Defender of Gotham inBatman#153by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jiménez, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles. As the Dark Knight attempts to neutralize a set of criminals in a getaway van,a surprising new hero debuts on the scene to help Batmanclean up the streets. Batman doesn’t care who he is and doesn’t need his help - until he shoots one of the escaping criminals in the leg in a crowded street.
His name is Commander Star, and he’s the newest ally of Commissioner Vandal Savage, promising to bring order to the streets of Gotham in a much more succinct way that breaks every one of Batman’s rules.
Panels from “Cheer” by Chip Zdarsky, Eddy Barrows, Marcus To, Eber Ferreira, Adriano Lucas, and Becca Carey inBatman: Urban Legends#1
Batman has a simple history with guns.Bruce Wayne’s war on crime and violent criminals traces back to the reason for his parents' murder: a gun.The very flash of the gun firing will always trigger Batman into that helpless childhood feelingthat he doesn’t want anyone to ever feel again.As such, he’s decided to fight using his body as his main weapon, sharpening it into near perfection, in addition to some non-lethal gadgets that help him outsmart the brutal cowardice of guns.
Along with introducing Commander Star,Batman#153 is officially part of the DC All In initiative, meaning the issue is the perfect starting point for new and lapsed readers of theBatmantitle!
WhileBatman’s no-kill ruleis laid strictly across all heroes in his Bat-Family, he also requires his allies to never use guns either, though his former Robin, Red Hood, constantly butts heads with him on this front. But now there is a stranger in Gotham that is neither his ally nor a hero who follows his same rule.Commander Star is fashioning himself to be the savior of Gothamand is putting everything Batman has worked for at risk.
Enter Commander Star: DC’s Gun-Wielding Captain America
Commander Star Is the “Bright” Counterpart of Batman
Batman’s role in Gothamis being questioned asa stranger clad in the colors of the American flag shoots guns openly in the streets, where a bystander could easily be harmed. Commander Star debuts as a direct opposite to Batman, shooting a criminal instead of chasing after him. He makes Batman’s job look easy. Not only does he help Batman take down criminals in a way Batman despises, but then he turns on him, trying to arrest the Dark Knight and assume his mantle.
Commander Star is a reflection of the Dark Knight, but his ease with guns suggests that he has a darker side that might turn him truly villainous.
Little is known about this new character, except that he seems to be in league with Commissioner Savage.Together, they deem that Gotham only needs one hero.Commander Star looks like DC’s version of Captain America, albeit much darker, and mixed with the themes of Batman. He doesn’t seem to have any special powers, but a military background, a fantastically colored suit - and some guns, of course. With flashing colors and in service to the police force, Commander Star is a reflection of the Dark Knight, but his ease with guns suggests that he has a darker side that might turn him truly villainous.
Gotham and Gotham Girl Sought to Be the City’s Sole Protector
Commander Starisn’t the first Gotham hero who has tried to wrest the city from Batman. Created by Tom King and David Finch for theirBatmanstory, both Gotham and Gotham Girl debuted asGotham’s answer to Superman and Supergirl.Named after the very city and with a deadly new mix of Venom in their veins, they were powerful enough to take down the entire Justice League, as well as threaten Batman’s hold on his own city.
Absolute Batman Makes His Official Debut, With The Perfect Sentence to Describe His New Continuity
The Absolute Universe’s Batman just made his first appearance, and it couldn’t be a more fitting introduction to this bold new take on Bruce Wayne.
The dangerous Gotham Cityseems to attract some of the wildest people in the DC Universe. Batman is an ultimate hero, and something about him provides a challenge for heroes and villains alike. Like Gotham and Gotham Girl, who met their own varied fates, Commander Star arrives on the scene, expecting to become Gotham’s savior. But a legacy isn’t built overnight, andBatman will remain even when Commander Star is out of the pictureas the true and gun-free hero of Gotham.
Batman Is Gotham’s True Hero, Especially Without a Gun
The Dark Knight Has Been Up Against Villains with Guns Many Times Before
It’s no secret that Batman is being tested. The very thing he hates most in the world is the weapon of choice for this new American hero, and now he has the police backing him. Batman is quickly becoming a villain in his own city. But a bullet has never stopped the Dark Knight before, and if there is anyone who knows how to dismantle a gun and the coward who uses it, it’sBatman.
Batman#153is available now from DC Comics!
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
