Over the years, Batman has had many different looks, but few have been as distinct as this one. Immortal Legend Batman is set in a distant future threatened by monsters of the shadows, and only three champions can defeat them: Robin, Nightwing, and Batman. This series is written by Kyle Higgins and Mat Groom, writers of Radiant Black and Inferno Girl Red, other comic book runs with a similar tone to this one.
Immortal Legend Batman’s story, action, and vibrant artstyle is inspired by a Japanese live-action genre that emphasizes special effects and costumes, called “tokusatsu” —a word meaning “special filming” in Japanese. A similar franchise you may recognize is Power Rangers, the western adaptation of Super Sentai. However, this comic book run is especially inspired by another tokusatsu franchise called Kamen Rider, evident through the dramatic poses and intricate designs. “I feel like you usually get a really gritty, stripped-down kind of Batman atmosphere, so something polished like that I think would be fun, just different,” says WHS English teacher and longtime comics fan Mr. Dimitriou.
This comic is part of DC Elseworlds, an imprint for stories set outside the main DC universe. In this story, humanity figured out how to utilize dark matter to travel across the galaxy. But in doing so, they accidentally allowed shadow beings to cross into their universe. Batman, Robin, and Nightwing appeared to help defeat the shadow beings.
In this story, Batman is a mantle, as are Robin and Nightwing. The mantles have been passed down from generation to generation until they finally reached Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake, and Dick Grayson, respectively. In the main continuity, Tim Drake became Robin in the 1990s. He was replaced by Damian Wayne in 2009, and Drake then went under the moniker Red Robin. Dick Grayson was the first Robin, but he quit and became his own hero, Nightwing. Batman, Robin, and Nightwing are part of a larger network unofficially called the Batman Family, featuring other allies of Batman that operate in Gotham City.
The Batman franchise is viewed as gritty and sometimes more realistic than other superhero series depending on the incarnation. Batman is only human, and often has to deal with psychotic individuals that challenge his skills, intellect, and morals. This comic manages to maintain the dark atmosphere of Batman and trades realism for the fantastic elements present in tokusatsu, such as futuristic technology, monsters, and flashy action and poses. But the spirit of Batman and what the character stands for persists, despite the new setting. “I think taking the concept of the Bat-Family and doing something that blends it with a tokusatsu style of storytelling is a really interesting bit; I definitely want to read it,” says WHS English teacher and comic book fan Mr. Hagmann. “There’s always new Batman stuff coming out all the time, but [this] feels like really something new, because it’s far out, relative to the usual.”
The first Immortal Legend Batman issue was released on August 27, and the second issue released on September 24. Issue 3 will be released on October 22. The run will span six issues. If you enjoy fun and eccentric superhero stories, or are a fan of tokusatsu, then this series is for you.
Carlo Rafael Grajo is a senior at Washington High School. He lived in Pleasanton, then moved to Fremont at 10 years old. This is his first year working for the Hatchet, and he is interested in covering art and entertainment—such as shows or music—and local news, as well as his opinions. He enjoys listening to and making music, drawing, reading, and watching movies and shows. Carlo plans on pursuing a career in journalism in the future.