[5] In the White Knight universe, Jason Todd was the first Robin instead of Dick Grayson as in most comics. He then uses the sword (which contains a special form of napalm) to burn Redford alive, but not before getting her to give a list of her clients. [1][2][3] During an interview with Graeme McMillan of The Hollywood Reporter, Murphy admitted that he first came up with the idea of creating a sequel to Batman: White Knight when he was writing the script for the eighth and final issue of the series. Unlike other members of the Batman Family, Azrael is one of the few members who possess explicit superpowers, having been physically and psychologically programmed to be a nearly perfect warrior and assassin by scientists of St. Dumas. In Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight, Scott Beatty implied that Azrael's changing costumes were reflections of the changes in Azrael's life from an agent of St. Dumas to an agent of Batman to his own man. White Knight : r/batman - Reddit However, as seen in Batman Beyond the White Knight, it did not go as planned; before Batman can do anything about it, he must face Azraels legacy. [16] His Post-Flashpoint incarnation also wields a special flaming sword named Murasame.[18]. In the well, Harley asks if it is possible that Edmond killed Bakkar while Batman finds another body buried further. Harley manages to save Batman by kicking Azrael and shoots Joker, killing him and Jack. Batman: White Knight Presents Von Freeze #1 Is Compelling But Unremarkable, Batman: White Knight Creator Confirms Third 'Beyond' Sequel, How Batman: White Knight (Almost) Turned Joker Into a Hero. After doing so in front of cameras, Nightwing tells him "it's not worth it, Bruce. There they met a mysterious priest of the Order of St. Dumas, who took the journal from the Joker, and that he took it before it could reignite the blood feud between the Wayne and Bakkar bloodlines; Alfred wished to destroy the journal but Leslie convinced him that Bruce had a right to know. He is a Feature, Comic Breakouts and News writer. The character once again realizes the corruptive ways of the Order and defects from them thanks to the intervention of Red Hood, Red Robin, and Dick Grayson. Dick and Barbara discuss whether to intervene in Bruce's developing obsession in convicting Napier. Despite not being fully tested, Fries attempts to resuscitate Nora; anticipating this, Wayne hooks the system up to Fries' suit, curing him but aging him to his natural elderly state. Azrael helps Batman maintain a chaotic Gotham City, often with the assistance of the new Batgirl and protects Leslie Thompkins' medical clinic inside of No Man's Land. Batman eventually corners the Joker and chases him on foot into a pharmaceutical warehouse. Later, Gordon's funeral is held, while Batman, feeling he would not be welcome after recent events, instead investigates the reservoir and finds a town underneath, with a chapel of St. Dumas. Against Bruce Wayne's orders, Valley fights and defeats Bane, wearing enhanced battle armor he designed and built under the influence of the System after he was narrowly defeated by Bane in their first confrontation. From Nova Scotia, Canada, Liam McGuire is the Lead writer for Screen Rant's comic team. [15] Batman: Curse of the White Knight was officially announced in September 2018 by Murphy,[16] as a title under the DC Comics' Black Label an imprint designed to allow writers to submit their own unique interpretations of traditional DC Universe (DCU) characters for a more mature audience. You won't be able to live with yourself. One of the creators, Denny O'Neil, admitted to having difficulties with Azrael's transition from villain to hero: "If I'd known he was to become a monthly character, I might have set him up differently. [36], "Sean Murphy's BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT Arrives October 4", "Exclusive: Sean Gordon Murphy Returns to Gotham in Batman: Curse of the White Knight", "Joker Plays the Hero in DC Comics' Batman: White Knight", "Batman: White Knight Teases First Joker And Harley Quinn Nude Love Scene", "I've between waiting almost 10 years for this moment! 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Drews, now the Neo Joker, recovers Clayface's remains, placing the villains under her control. [18] A hardcover edition of Batman: White Knight was released on May 15, 2019. You can follow him on Twitter at @ian_c1701 (yes, that is a Star Trek reference) for discussions, debates or pictures of really cool collectibles he probably doesn't have room for. As such, he possesses enhanced physical attributes such as superhuman strength, speed, and agility beyond normal human levels. Jean-Paul Valley (New Earth) | DC Database | Fandom Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? Valley is then sought out by Bruce Wayne, who feels responsible for his mental breakdown after attaining and losing the mantle of Batman. While she unleashed him on Bruce Wayne in order to stop the Napier Initiative, she meant for her new enforcer to quietly kill him and take his place as the new Dark Knight -- one who would work for the interests of her elitist friends. Heir to the Cowl is a Most Wanted Side Mission in Batman Arkham Knight. [4][7], Over the course of the series, Azrael wears two different outfits: the first being red and gold, designed to resemble the character's original costume in the comics, while the second outfit is an armored Batsuit that is nearly identical to the one worn by Azrael in the classic Batman: Knightfall story arc. And, on the other, Jean-Paul Valley's Azrael has emerged to claim the city, which he believes is his birthright. All Rights Reserved. Before those events, Batman sent Azrael after Nicholas Scratch, who was planning to kill another Senator who also wanted federal money to save Gotham City. The problem is that I had to turn a bad guy into a real hero, not just an anti-hero or lead. A sequel titled Batman: Curse of the White Knight ran from July 24, 2019 to March 25, 2020. You almost have to change his personality". The subsequent Azrael series, chronicling Valley's battles against the Order of St. Dumas, ran for 100 issues between 1995 and 2003. In the comic, he defeated Bane and eventually turned on his handler and the Order to assist Red Hood and Tim Drake. Azraelwho feels Batman usurped his birthright, The Bat-Family's Most Dangerous Member is Also Their Most Underrated, Azrael was once a member of the Order of Saint Dumas, DC Calls Out Why Batman Can Never Truly Save Gotham. [7] As inspiration for his version of Azrael, Murphy based him on John Rambo, giving Azrael a much older age and turning him into a special forces veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with Murphy feeling this would make Azrael a more compelling and empathetic adversary for Batman than most of his enemies. Batman hijacks a press briefing by Montoya to reveal his identity to the city, and also to state that he will be dissolving his company and his inheritance will be used to fund nonprofits to rebuild Gotham, before asking that all citizens stay inside so he can hunt Azrael without hurting anyone. With no other options, the inmates of Arkham Asylum are moved to a new facility while Batman and Harley investigate Joker's old cell again. As the two personalities fight for control, Jack throws Harley his gun to shoot him, who misses. [4] In early April 2019, Murphy, on coming up with a compelling story for Batman: Curse of the White Knight, explained to IGN: "I wanted to do a historical story about the Waynes in Gotham. Not only is Batman: Curse of the White Knight #8 a solid ending to a story about legacy, betrayal and salvation, it's a reminder as to why the best superhero stories are often ones unhampered by the fictional world in which they occur". as well as other McFarlane Toys DC Multiverse figures. Later at GTO, he explains that he will turn himself in once it is over. Batman: Curse of the White Knight is an American comic book published by DC Comics under its Black Label imprint. Batman Beyond the White Knight does not delve into the origins of the Sons of Azrael, leaving readers to fill in the details. Batwing would also reveal that Ascalon was formerly the AI present in the Suit of Sorrows responsible for the "programming" of Azrael, having studied it since Valley allowed him access to the Suit of Sorrows. He's been in love with comics for a very long time, and believes there is some good to be found even in the industry's more difficult times. [21] Four days later, a special edition of the series was launched in honor of Batman Day.[22]. Azrael - Batman Wiki | Fandom The character is typically portrayed as a vigilante with good intentions, though he and Batman have also been at odds. Curse of the White Knight's Azrael Just Stole Bane's Iconic Move Bruce reveals to Dick Grayson that he is planning to reveal his secret identity to the world after what happened the previous year. [10], His Post-Flashpoint costume is consistent with his original pre-Flashpoint version although instead of being Kevlar, it is a special suit stylized after a medieval crusader called the "Suit of Sorrows", a special armor with an advanced AI (called Ascalon) that pinpoints the weakness within an opponent and enhances his original Azrael personality, making him a more dangerous fighter. In Batman: Arkham Knight, Azrael was briefly playable in Story Mode during the Most Wanted Mission: "Heir to the Cowl". Freed, Napier visits Harley Quinn, who attacks him and insists he is not himself. Next: DC Calls Out Why Batman Can Never Truly Save Gotham. And for this purpose, she had a special new bat-suit made. Batman is rescued from drowning by the GTO, and he explains about seeing Azrael, Ruth blackmailing him, and how they need a Batman in order to make money with the Devastation Fund. You. However, Curse of the White Knight gives a modern spin on the suit that makes it not only more practical, but dangerous. The struggle between the two formed the basis of the mini-series, and now Murphy has followed up with Batman Beyond the White Knight. Other similarities and references to Burton's work observed by Outlaw are the Joker's civilian persona of Jack Napier (actually the character's real name in the film) and the series' action sequences, something that Outlaw thought "could've been lifted right out of Burton's films". RELATED: Batman: White Knight Presents Von Freeze #1 Is Compelling But Unremarkable. The first issue is on sale now in print and digital. In late September 2018, comic book creator Sean Murphy announced the limited series of comics titled Batman: Curse of the White Knight, as a sequel to Batman: White Knight that ran from October 2017 to May 2018, with both books as part of the Murphyverse's White Knight series. Azrael once replaced Batman, and in Batman Beyond the White Knight, readers learn that Jean Paul-Valley now has a cult following. Gotham City Arkham Asylum GCPD Headquarters Stonegate Penitentiary Wayne Manor Batcave Wayne Tower Metropolis Stryker's . In the present time, Nomoz had since been systematically targeted by a former associate of the Order who believed in guiding the order in a new direction and activates a powerful AI, Ascalon, that is dispatched to assassinate key members of the St. Dumas order. Earlier, Bruce discovered Thomas Wayne funded Fries Sr. to create Freeze-Tech, circumventing U.S. laws by tunneling under Gotham's German embassy; Fries Sr. later cut ties with Thomas to build the superweapon against his wishes. In the following issue, another note says, "Azrael comes and goes". In a safehouse under the clinic, Bruce goes over the journal and Joker's cryptic statement about Gotham "drowning in secrets". [44] It is the fourth installment in the White Knight series,[45] taking place two years after the events of Batman: Curse of the White Knight, and centers on Quinn as she investigates a string of murders in Gotham City while trying to adjust to her new life as a single mother of twins. [35] It is based on the animated television series Batman Beyond, and takes place twelve years succeeding the story of Batman: Curse of the White Knight, with the plot revolving around young Terry McGinnis, who becomes the new Batman to avenge his father's murder at the hands of corrupt CEO Derek Powers, all while a middle-aged Bruce Wayne escapes from prison to stop Terry. [11] Ultimately, when questioned if he intended to write more comic books for the White Knight series, Murphy said he has at least two installments planned after Batman: Curse of the White Knight. Jean-Paul Valley, a university graduate student of computer science in Gotham City, is unaware that he is the latest in a line of assassin-enforcers for "The Sacred Order of Saint Dumas", a sinister religious secret society. By Tony_Bacala on July 6, 2020 at 4:05 pm under DC Toy News, . O'Neil modeled the series on Arthurian legends, comparing Azrael's quest to discover the truth about himself to the Holy Grail. In the aftermath, Valley recovers from his wounds and speaks to Batman about wiping out Ascalon's influence from his Azrael suit and the idea of having a Batman AI guide him. Over time, Valley would overcome his brainwashing and fight alongside Batman and his associates. However, after Azrael nearly killed Batgirl, Batman's ready for a new mindset entirely. Its sharp claws and shoulder spikes, combined with heavy highlights of purple and yellow and glowing red eyes, all call back to the character's original costume in the regular DC Universe. Instead, she makes a slow recovery. DC Multiverse Azrael (Curse of the White Knight #1) - ActionFigure411.com Revealing that he has realized that he has been taking pleasure in harming criminals and that he has allowed himself to go too far in his war against crime, Batman unmasks himself in front of Gordon to earn back his trust. In 2016, DC Comics would have a re-launch coined DC Rebirth of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comics, the initiative aiming to restore the DC Universe and have more of its story elements and characters more similar to their Pre-Flashpoint portrayals. Batman vs Azrael Batman Armor (Curse of the White Knight) Azrael (DC Comics) - Wikipedia As Batman and Azrael fight in the halls, Joker holds the twins hostage, but Jack manages to take control of the body and gives the babies back to Harley before Joker reasserts control. It's part of his moral code and has led to numerous conflicts within his own Bat-Family. The character later becomes a member of the Batman Family, most notably under the Gotham Knights team led by both Batman and Batwoman. DC Multiverse White Knight Wave - Batman, Joker, Azrael Gallery - Toyark Warning he knows of the collateral fund, he offers to reallocate it to the GCPD as councilman, giving Gotham a culpable Batman equivalent known as the GTO - the Gotham Terrorism Oppression unit. [40] As part of the DC Multiverse toy line, the pack included two Batman and Azrael figures, both at 7-inch scale and with up to 22 points of articulation, plus two art cards, swords, a Batarang and flame effects. Azrael appears in Blackest Night #4 as an undead member of the Black Lantern Corps, although at first it had not been confirmed whether it was Jean-Paul Valley or another Azrael (such as Ludovic Valley, who died in Gotham City). DC-White-Knight-vs-Azrael-2-Pack-55 UPC: 787926154559 Maximum Purchase: 2 units. Batman: Curse of the White Knight makes Azrael more shocking and deadlier than ever, killing Bruce Wayne's oldest Gotham ally and friend. [16] Pre-Flashpoint, his mental state and physiology were also damaged from exposure to toxic chemicals, which heighten his enhanced abilities but furthered his mental illness and affected his physiology, slowly killing him. However, he refuses to tell Batman anymore, but does reveal his name as Jason Blood. [9], For Batman: White Knight, Murphy drew influences from a variety of Batman-related media, including television series, live-action films, and video games. The series also took the top spot on Diamond Comic Distributors' list of graphic novels for the month of October 2018. In Booster Gold (vol. [8] In Batman: Curse of the White Knight, there is a set of Batmobiles that are used throughout the comic book, each with a design based on a previous incarnation of the vehicle from different media, such as the one seen in the 1960s Batman TV series, the one from Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns films, the Tumbler from Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy and others as well. He is a Feature, Comic Breakouts and News writer. [17] The eight issues of Batman: Curse of the White Knight were released by DC at monthly intervals,[18] with the first being published on July 24, 2019 and the last on March 25, 2020. The GTO manage to get Valley's DNA off the bullet Gordon fired, and find more about his history with military black ops. [11] The Batmobile from that film, along with the Tumbler featured in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy, also inspired the look of Murphy's version of the car in the comic book. Bruce breaks out of prison at the end of the issue, thus leaving the Sons of Azrael behind, but has he truly encountered them for the last time? Unsure how to be Bruce Wayne anymore, Harley comforts him and points out that Gotham forgave Jack/Joker, and if he reveals his identity he will still have his friends. They piece together the presence of the Order of St Dumas using Edmond's journal, Azrael's color scheme, and a medallion form Joker's cell; Bruce explains that Bakkar was to be given half of Gotham once Arkham was dead. And it's bound to be a real challenge for Bruce Wayne who, following the destruction of his home, now finds himself without additional suits, gadgets or vehicles. Using Napier's remaining funds, Quinzel begins restoring Backport. He's been in love with comics for a very long time, and believes there is some good to be found even in the industry's more difficult times. Napier develops a tolerance to his medication, making him periodically revert into the Joker. [41], A special one-shot issue written by Murphy and illustrated by Klaus Janson, Batman: White Knight Presents Von Freeze, was released on November 20, 2019. However, he does see himself as the rightful ruler of Gotham, something which prompts him to put on the new suit and challenge the real Caped Crusader. [36] Lissete Gonzalez of DC Comics.com expressed her opinion on how unique and exciting the trajectory Batman: Curse of the White Knight was taking was, with her conceding that what she most admired about the storytelling was the way past events still have major effects and consequences in the current events of the comic book. Nightwing follows on a motorcycle, saving a man from nearly being hit by the Batmobile. [32] Kofi Outlaw of ComicBook.com compared Batman: Curse of the White Knight to Tim Burton's 1989 film, mainly due to the Batmobile featured in it, which is an exact recreation of the one seen in the film. She then tells the Joker that he unwittingly adopted a hostage named Marian Drews as the new Harley during a bank robbery. Gotham seems to be perpetually cursed by crimethis story talks about that curse, and how it's linked to the founding of Gotham Village in 1665". Jean-Paul Valley Jr. is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Expert assassin, hand-to-hand combatant, and sword fighter through a arcane-scientific physiological conditioning known as "The System". Joker further explains that he is always smiling because of "the joke": that Gotham's greatest hero is descended from criminals, and that Bruce is not a Wayne, but a fraud, and Azrael is the true Wayne. Product Features Batman SHOCKINGLY Will Break His Most Important Rule [20], Upon its release, Batman: White Knight quickly became one of the most popular Batman comics in recent years,[6] with its massive success causing it to be compared to some of the greatest Batman comics of all time, such as The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: Earth One and other series. and found on Twitter at @LiamRMcGuire. Joker finds Batman and Azrael fighting, and reveals the final pieces of the truth: Bakkar was the one who stabbed Edmond Wayne and threw him down the well, stealing his family ring and his identity, flooding the valley and making the deals to build Gotham under Edmond's name. In an attempt to move the villains to a less-populated area, Batman baits them into attacking Backport and Napier's library, thinking that they would not attack a property owned by the Joker; the villains proceed to damage Backport and raze the library. Batman manages to catch Azrael, but as he fires a gun at him is unable to hit him, and Azrael captures him. Batman's lineage to the Wayne's is revealed as false, Batman's JEALOUS of Superman, But Not Why You Think, Batwoman Incorporates A Rejected Batman: The Animated Series Idea, X-Men Confirms a Classic Villain's True Name After 37 Years, Spock's Kelvin Timeline Ship Has a Huge Next Generation Connection, TMNT: Last Ronin Reveals How Michelangelo Became the Deadliest Brother. In the series, Harley has killed the Joker, Batman's lineage to the Wayne's is revealed as false (instead Azrael is a true Wayne), his origin became even more tragic, and now, Batman's taking a different approach as a hero - he's willing to kill Azrael. The character was created by Denny O'Neil, Joe Quesada, and Peter Milligan, and debuted in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (October 1992) as an ally of the superhero Batman, after which he would go on to make appearances in several Batman titles. This marked the first proper appearance of a living Jean-Paul Valley in the DCU in over a dozen years, with previous appearances relegated to either minimal cameos or the aforementioned Black Lantern revival of the character. [18][19] Prior to Flashpoint, these abilities originated from his slightly altered physiology, his DNA having been grafted with animal DNA to enhance his abilities[19] while after Flashpoint, these abilities originate simply from genetic alternation. Outside of pop culture, Shaun enjoys spending time with friends. As a charismatic and intense presence on his own, Azrael was no doubt able to sell his brand of righteous fury to many disaffected young men. At the GTO, Barbara is angry and in tears at the events, and mad at Batman and the other officers before running off. [20][18][19] His combat skills make him competent enough to either match or defeat opponents such as Bane, Deathstroke, Batman,[21] Batwoman,[16] and Cassandra Cain.[16]. Explaining he only learned the truth from the Joker, Quinzel explains she did it to break their stalemate before they destroyed Gotham. At Gotham Terrorism Oppression's (GTO) headquarters, Batman and Batgirl analyze the remains, confirming they belonged to Lafayette Arkham. One of Batman's definingpersonal rules is that he won't kill his enemies. The two argue, and Dick pleads for Bruce not to kill Azrael. At Redford's burned office, Montoya and Duke find her hard drive, which survived the fire, containing information on the new suit and the Elite clients. See details and links below. The end of the story would reveal the rogue member of the Order to be Valley's father, Jean-Paul Valley Sr. who is collaborating with Ra's al Ghul. After the events of Deus Ex Machina, Valley has a new AI built based on Batman's best personality attributes, enabling him to battle against the dogma of St. Dumas without compromising his mental state. Batman asks Quinzel for help taking down Napier, convinced he is pulling a long con; Quinzel refuses, certain Napier is legitimate. [6] Starting with issue #47,[7] it was retitled to Azrael: Agent of the Bat in an attempt to boost sales by tying the series in with the rest of the Batman mythos, including Azrael as part of the team of Batman, Robin, and the new Batgirl.