Batman
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Real Identity: Bruce Wayne
Affiliations: Wayne Enterprises and Justice League
Appearances (Movies): Justice League: War, Son of Batman, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, Batman vs Robin, Batman: Bad Blood, Justice League vs. Teen Titans, Justice League Dark, and The Death of Superman
Appearances (Comics): The Death of Superman Chapter Eight Proof: Focus!, Chapter Nine The Wake: Picking Up the Pieces, Chapter Ten The Wake: Flashback, and Chapter Twelve The Wake: Show Me!
Powers/Skills: Knowledge of Sciences and Technologies, Martial Arts, Above Average Physical Attributes, and Infiltration
Voiced By: Jason O'Mara and Griffin Gluck (Young Bruce)
Thomas Wayne would often tell his son Bruce that "tomorrow is one dream away" and the saying sticked. They would often take in a baseball game at the Gotham Coliseum and sometimes go to the fair on the grounds after. Bruce Wayne grew afraid of the Court of Owls and wondered if they were real or not. Thomas assured them they were not and promised he and Martha would keep him safe. Bruce Wayne was 10 years old when he witnessed the murder of his parents. He saw an owl fly over them and began to suspect the Court of Owls was the reason for his tragedy. After killing an owl nesting in the attic, Wayne poured over book after book. He concluded the Harbor House social club was the headquarters for the Court. Bruce sneaked in and began searching for evidence. He found nothing. Alfred Pennyworth, the family butler, stepped up as a surrogate father and comforted Bruce that not every tragedy had meaning. Bruce accepted the Court wasn't the cause.
Bruce Wayne spent the rest of his life training himself to fight criminals like the one that took his family away from him. During his journey across the world, he stayed at a monastery in the Himalayas. The monks there helped him move past feeling lost and troubled. Wayne created the costumed identity of Batman. Batman was branded as a vigilante and was a person of interest by the Gotham City Police Department. To the people of Gotham City, Batman quickly became an urban legend. Batman was fine with being feared as it was necessary to get his work done. He accumulated a rogue's gallery consisting of costumed villains and psychopaths such as the Joker, Two-Face, Killer Croc, Scarecrow, Electrocutioner, Killer Moth, Firefly, Tusk, Calculator, Hellhound, and Mad Hatter. Batman came to the attention of Ra's Al Ghul and was chosen over his protege Deathstroke to succeed him.
Batman refused and became an enemy of Ra's. Batman and Ra's' daughter, Talia, became starcrossed lovers. Talia once spiked his beverage and made him do what she wanted. Batman impregnated Talia but she kept it secret from him. Over the years, Lucius Fox supplied Batman with some technology and vehicles. He also took on a young child, Dick Grayson, as his protege, Robin. At some point, Batman conducted research on Superman from Metropolis. He concluded his power levels were off the charts but also discovered his secret identity was Clark Kent. He also followed the Flash's efforts in Central City and took note of his tight, efficient work.
A series of abductions in Gotham City conducted by a Parademon was attributed to Batman. One night, after 5:21 PM Central Standard Time (CST), Batman intervened in a fight between the Parademon and Green Lantern. He attempted to interrogate the beast and learn why it was at the docks but the Parademon spewed flames at him. Green Lantern was amazed Batman really existed but Batman didn't take to kindly to the green light given off by him. Soon enough, the Gotham City Police Department surrounded them in helicopters. Once the Parademon spewed more flames and flew off, Batman advised Green Lantern to go home. Green Lantern followed and declared Earth was part of the space sector assigned to him to patrol. Batman grappled the Parademon's foot and attempted to hold him down by connecting another grapnel but the Parademon used its strength to break free. Batman and Green Lantern followed it into the sewers, where it planted a Mother Box and blew itself up. Green Lantern was astounded when he realized Batman didn't have any super powers.
Batman deduced Green Lantern's ring was powered by concentration and managed to take it off his finger without him noticing. Lantern was not pleased. He was stunned when his ring was unable to identify the Mother Box. Batman tried to scan it and hypothesized it was an alien computer, not a bomb. They decided to seek out Superman in hopes of learning more about the device. At 9:03 Eastern Standard Time (EST), they arrived in Metropolis near the Daily Planet. Batman checked Superman's flight pattern on his tracking device and noted Superman was near them. Green Lantern sealed off Batman in a box construct and went off alone to confront Superman. Lantern was socked into a LexCorp tanker truck. Batman was freed from the construct and grabbed the Mother Box but was pinned by Superman. Batman used everything he had in his utility belt to no avail. Green Lantern continued his assault but Batman believed the best course of action was to talk to him. After Lantern sealed himself and Batman in a protective bubble, Superman knocked them around the city until Batman addressed him as "Clark."
Superman stopped and used his X-Ray vision to discover Batman was Bruce Wayne. Green Lantern had no idea who Wayne was. They relocated to an abandoned printing press to compare notes. Batman believed kidnappings across the nation were all connected and the Parademons were expendable soldiers planting the Mother Boxes at all costs - a military tactic in lieu of a full scale invasion. Lantern thought he was paranoid and was about to crack the Mother Box open but a Boom Tube was suddenly generated. The three did their best to try and hold back the Parademon horde but they proved too much. Batman wanted to regroup but Superman suddenly flew off without warning. Batman and Green Lantern continued fighting Parademons and were joined by the Flash. The Flash was shocked Batman was real and clumsily greeted him despite Lantern's warning he was just a tool. Batman shook Flash's hand and noted his work in Central City. As they prepared to fight more, they encountered Wonder Woman and Superman.
Batman observed the Parademons' movements and deduced they were assembling and waiting for their master to launch the main attack. Cyborg and Shazam landed. After Flash cut off Superman from attacking and vouched for Cyborg, Batman implored him to continue with what he knew. Cyborg revealed Darkseid's terraforming plan. Batman and the others watched as Parademon Hives rose up and determined the kidnapped people were being harvested. Darkseid arrived on Earth and swiftly dispatched the seven super-humans. Before Green Lantern could fly off after the kidnapped Superman, Batman stopped him and pointed out his arm was broken. Batman revealed he noticed Lantern's real name was Hal Jordan when he took his ring briefly and revealed his face then talked about his childhood tragedy. Batman tried to get the point across this invasion was bigger than any of them alone and it was time for everyone to focus and regroup. Batman tasked Lantern with rallying them together as he posed as a civilian to rescue Superman. A Parademon carried him off through a portal to Apokolips.
Once the Parademon reached a laboratory, Batman flipped onto the beast's back and lodged an explosive in its jaws. Batman suited up and spied on DeSaad as he began to reprocess Superman. He took a Parademon corpse and walked right up to DeSaad. He tried to pull a knife but Batman grabbed him by the neck. Batman threatened DeSaad with his own blade but he activated an alert and several Parademons arrived. Batman quickly ran to DeSaad's console and recalled DeSaad's knife was on his left making him right handed. He pressed the power button. Superman awoke in time to grab DeSaad and snap his neck. Superman, still affected by the Parademon reprocessing, attacked the Parademons and Batman. Batman addressed him as Clark and tried to reason with him. Once Cyborg figured out how to activate multiple Boom Tubes on Earth, Superman and Batman returned to the battle and helped force Darkseid through a portal. With the Parademons and Darkseid sent back to Apokolips, Batman inquired about the human victims. Cyborg used his Mother Box one last time and managed to transport them all back to Earth.
Cyborg emailed a video of Green Lantern's botched plan to Batman. The seven heroes were honored in Washington D.C. at the U.S. Capitol building. Batman wanted to played along with the reports they were a team and friends on the grounds it would help keep the Gotham City Police Department off his back. Looking ahead, Batman also figured another big event requiring all seven of them could happen again.
Batman looked into drug thefts after half the biotech firms in Gotham were hit. During the next robbery, Batman confronted the thief. The thief turned out to be an enhanced Killer Croc. Batman was saved from certain death by Talia. They retired to her vessel where she apprised him of Ra's' death and the coup instigated by Deathstroke. Talia then introduced Batman to their son, Damian, and left him in Gotham. Batman believed staying with him was better than remaining with the League of Assassins. He took Damian back to the Batcave. The next morning, Bruce Wayne noticed Damian's skill with the sword and went to Wayne Enterprises. He was not pleased to find Damian already in his office. While Damian wished to put an end to Deathstroke, Wayne reiterated his methods didn't involve killing. Wayne became further annoyed when he realized Damian downloaded intelligence on Ubu, Deathstroke's second, from his computer in the Batcave. Wayne sent Damian home under strict orders.
That night, Batman went to Arkham Asylum to meet with Commissioner Gordon and interrogate Killer Croc about the drug thefts. Sensing Croc's need for medication, Batman ripped his tail off and proposed they help each other. With Dr. Langstrom's address, Batman investigated his home and lab but was attacked by a test subject. Batman barely got to safety when a UAV drone bombed the building. He used nearby water towers to put out the flames and found a throwing star used by the League. While on the road, Batman received a call from Nightwing who had just run into Damian and defeated him in combat. Batman admonished Damian for giving himself away to Deathstroke and ordered him to stay close to his side. Despite Nightwing's objection, Damian became Robin. Thanks to a tip from Gordon, Batman and Robin found Dr. Langstrom at the Gotham Coliseum. Robin gave their position away and put them on the defensive. Batman detonated the coliseum's dome upon their escape to deal with Deathstroke's Man-Bat Ninjas.
Back at the Batcave, Batman implored Dr. Langstrom to reveal his part - creating a stronger Man-Bat serum. Based on a vague description, Batman went along with Robin's hunch and took the Batplane to Interlaken to rescue Langstrom's family. He decided to bring Interpol into the case and awaited a response in London. However, he soon realized Damian went off on his own. Nightwing happened to notice a dormant oil rig belonging to Ra's Al Ghul went active a few weeks ago. Nightwing and Dr. Langstrom met up with Batman and flew to the oil rig, 50 miles off the coast of the Outer Hebrides. Upon hearing gunshots, Batman found the shaft Robin used earlier. He found himself in undersea cavern and quickly disabled Deathstroke. Batman then threw out a specialized Batarang that generated a high pitch frequency designed to put the Man-Bat Ninjas into a state of panic. Batman fought Deathstroke one on one and quickly beat him. Batman's attention turned to the fatally wounded Talia. While Robin pursued Deathstroke and Nightwing and Langstrom dealt with the Man-Bats, Batman immersed Talia into the Lazarus Pit.
Batman and Talia's reunion was short lived as the complex began to cave in. They found Robin in the oil rig but it, too, began to collapse. Talia directed them to an escape pod. Nightwing towed them to safety. After Talia thanked Batman, she offered him to join her in rebuilding the League of Assassins. Batman suggested she disband it and stated Damian would stay with him as Robin. Talia instructed Damian to learn from his father because he was very wise. Batman promised he would make Damian great. The two departed for home.
While Cyborg put out the call for all members of the Justice League to meet at S.T.A.R. Labs Metropolis, Batman was chasing the Scarecrow's henchmen in his Batplane. Batman wanted to put enough fear in them that they would turn over information about Scarecrow's threats to city hall, the supplier to the aerosol component of the fear toxin or Scarecrow's location. Instead, Green Lantern arrived and took the lead. Batman watched as Lantern knocked all the henchmen out in an improvised car crash. After Batman read him the riot act, he departed for Metropolis and called in Nightwing and Robin to finish the Scarecrow case. As Green Lantern, Shazam and Flash went over the exterior of the downed submarine S.S. California, Batman concluded the attack was choreographed and done by four squadrons. As they went over Cyborg's assault, Batman led the analysis. After Wonder Woman brought up Atlantis and Shazam suggested a professor, Batman left with Superman to question Dr. Stephen Shin about his belief in the legend.
Upon entering Shin's ransacked office, Batman concluded Shin was probably dead. They investigated the office. Once Superman found remnants of a photo and letter, Batman contacted Cyborg and used his cowl to connect. Cyborg used his programs to identify the man in the photo as Arthur Curry and extrapolate from the letter to learn Curry was allegedly half-Atlantean. He dispatched the other Leaguers to Mercy Reef to find Curry as soon as possible. The Justice League converged on Curry amid an assassination attempt by the Trenchers. Batman, Flash and Shazam returned to S.T.A.R. Labs Metropolis for monitor duty while the others went to Atlantis with Curry and Mera. During the Atlantean invasion, Batman found the injured Green Lantern and asked for any information about Orm. Lantern recalled he boasted about killing his mother, Queen Atlanna. Batman located Cyborg and was able to revive him with a taser. Cyborg verified Lantern's claim and Batman brought up how Cyborg's systems records everything. Cyborg immediately played Orm's admission and Arthur Curry defeated him. During Arthur Curry's formal coronation, Batman suggested they should consider solidifying the team. Everyone came into agreement and King Arthur joined the Justice League.
Bruce Wayne began dating a Gotham socialite named Samantha Vanaver. They shared an interest in the care and feeding of Gotham City. Three months later, Batman was still at odds with his son. Without telling him, Robin took the Batmobile and drove out of the city to Ichabod after finding a lead on several missing children. Just outside of the town, Robin apprised Batman. Batman took the Batplane and reminded Robin to continue practicing "justice before vengeance." Batman dropped into the Schott's Toys factory just as Robin was surrounded by Dollmaker's dolls. Instead of working in tandem, Robin ran off after Dollmaker. Batman put on his breather mask and knocked the dolls out with several gas balls. He began liberating the captive children, even being hugged by one of the girls. By the time Batman caught up, he found Dollmaker's body, a Batarang, and Robin. He assumed the worst and accused Robin of murder despite all the months of training under his tutelage. Robin denied doing it out of respect for Batman and walked off before revealing who the real killer was. Batman heard state police approaching and found an owl feather under Dollmaker's body.
The next night, Bruce Wayne had dinner with Vanaver. After finishing dinner around 7:36 pm, Wayne showed Vanaver his pet project - an ambitious modernization of the city. Damian happened to be sleeping in the room. Wayne quickly introduced Damian as his ward and admitted to keeping Damian a secret until the paperwork was finalized. After Vanaver had to leave for an emergency board meeting, Wayne decided to watch the 1948 movie version of "Oliver Twist" with Damian. However, Damian tried to sneak out again but was no match for the upgraded outgoing security system. After Robin was electrocuted, Wayne unarmed the system and proceeded to lecture him. Robin resented being kept a prisoner but Wayne insisted it was for his own protection and he should be more trustworthy. Robin countered trust went both ways. Some time later, Wayne went to the Batcave and continued his work on the Bat Armor. He was welding an arm piece when Damian entered. As Damian closed the Dollmaker case on the Batcomputer, he asked Wayne what would happen if he was one of Dollmaker's victims.
Bruce Wayne paused and replied he and Robin had to be better than their baser instincts. He suited up as the scan on the owl feather completed. Batman left on his own and Robin was to be babysat by Nightwing. Batman entered the Gotham Museum of Natural History and made his way to the Hall of Owls. The feather belonged to one of the display cases. Batman recalled the Court of Owls nursery rhyme. He was ambushed by three revived Talons sent from the Court of Owls to eliminate him. Batman soon figured out their undead and regenerative capabilities. After blowing one up, Batman continued to be wounded by the other two. Unable to gain an upper hand, Batman shot a grapnel line up through the skylight but he was followed and tackled through another. He and the Talon crashed into the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton display. Unable to get up, Batman was at their mercy. Luckily, the Talons disintegrated. He activated his distress beacon and passed out. Nightwing found Batman and took him back home. Nightwing patched Batman up in Damian's bedroom.
Bruce Wayne and Damian had words when the latter tried to sneak back into his room. Wayne threatened to send Damian to a school in Switzerland run by a retired general if he didn't shape up. While Dick Grayson spoke up in the hall, Wayne admitted he wasn't sure they had what it took to be father and son. He went back to working on the Bat Armor and was irritated to learn Pennyworth disabled the outgoing system as a gesture of trust to Damian. Pennyworth tried to invoke faith in Damian in vain. Wayne left to meet Vanaver for dinner but he was pursued by the Court of Owls on a stretch of highway. After forcing one of their cars into water barrels, Wayne was forced to play a deadly game of chicken. He collided with one of the cars and his was flipped over. The Owls pulled him out, drugged him, bagged him and took him to the Court's headquarters. Wayne awoke to a gathering of the Court. The Grandmaster offered him an opportunity to join and merge their visions to restore Gotham to her former glory. As Wayne studied the mask offered, he slipped a tracer on it and requested time to think about the offer.
The Grandmaster obliged him and Wayne was discreetly returned to his residence. He awoke at the front gate in his wrecked car. Eventually, Batman followed the bloody trail left by Talon, an agent of the Court, and Robin. He confronted the two on the roof of The Garden. Batman tried to tell Robin that he was being manipulated but Robin attacked him. As the battle spilled over into the next building, Batman took the brunt of the fall and broke the head off a statue. Robin spared Batman's life but refused to go back home. Batman shifted his focus to putting the Court down. He followed the tracer he planted on the owl mask to a section of sewers abandoned in the 1800s. He settled on a brick wall where the signal was strongest and pushed one of the bricks in. He entered the passage and lost contact with the Batcave. Batman found the Court but felt the effects of an odorless psychotropic drug they flooded the sewers with. He was dropped into their giant labyrinth. Undaunted, Batman vowed to escape and take them down.
Batman experienced an apocalyptic halluination of the future. Damian was an adult and Batman. Filled with rage and hatred, he tore out the heart of Gotham and left a trail of terrible destruction across the world. Batman realized the errors of his parental ways. As Damian shot him over and over, Batman lurched closer and embraced Damian. He apologized. Batman regained consciousness after seven hours and found himself back at Wayne Manor in a strait jacket. Nightwing and Alfred Pennyworth tried to get him to rest but Batman was worried about his son. After Robin revealed his face to demonstrate loyalty, the Grandmaster, who was Vanaver all along, realized Batman was Bruce Wayne. She ordered Robin's death, but Talon couldn't bring himself to kill Robin, a kindred spirit, and murdered the Owls present. Concluding Bruce Wayne was a complication, Talon revived every dead Talon and set off for Wayne Manor while Robin was forced to take part in the resurrection ritual.
Batman and Nightwing fought off the Talons while Pennyworth activated the Panic Room Protocol and went to work on quickly finishing the Bat Armor. Eventually, Batman put the wounded Nightwing through a passage to the Batcave and briefly fought Talon. He blew up the study and ran for the lawn. He took a secret elevator in the toolshed down to the Batcave. The battle raged on. Batman made his way to Sub-Level 3 and entered the Armory. After suiting up in the Bat Armor, Batman cleared the Talons off the floor. He and Pennyworth jumped down to the utility core to change the cave's temperature levels and froze the Talons. Talon drove the Batmobile off the edge and shot up the Bat Armor then crashed into it. Batman emerged from the suit and remarked he was going to enjoy hurting Talon for his role in the Court's plan to take the city, destroy Wayne Manor, and manipulate his son. Talon got the upper hand and stabbed Batman in the side with one of his gauntlet blades. Talon repeatedly kicked him in the face then stomped his back with spiked boot soles.
Robin arrived in Batman's defense. Talon declared Batman's death would set Robin free and with the Wayne fortune, they could escape the Court of Owls' revenge. Robin defeated Talon and declared he would never replace Batman. As Robin in shock from Talon using him to commit suicide, Batman hobbled to him and told him he was proud of him. Batman welcomed him home but Robin pulled away. Robin stated he couldn't be Batman's son without knowing who he was first. His head was filled with the voices of Batman, Ra's al Ghul, and Talia. Batman hinted about a monastary in the Himalayas that he stayed when he was in a similar situation. The two made amends and hugged. Damian packed and left. Batman pointed the Gotham City Police Department to the Court's headquarters to gather evidence and gave remains of the Talons to S.T.A.R. Labs to analyze. Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Alfred Pennyworth started packing books up. While Grayson voiced his concern for Robin, Wayne remarked there wasn't another child on Earth like Damian and he would be back when he wanted to. When Pennyworth asked how he knew that, Wayne remarked it was just a little faith.
Half a year later, Batman intervened in a battle between Batwoman and the Heretic gang. He knocked Tusk to the ground, sidestepped Electrocutioner's blast, ducked Hellhound's kick, backhanded him then used him as a shield for Electrocutioner's blast, fired his grapnel line and crashed Killer Moth and Firefly into each other, shoved Hellhound into Electroctioner then unleashed a combo of attacks on him. Batman chided Batwoman for wearing a Batsuit and making herself a target. She aimed her handgun at Hellhound but Batman pulled it upward. She fought Hellhound then Batman pushed her out of the way of Electrocutioner's blast. He kicked Electrocutioner in the ribs, grabbed one of his hands and electrocuted Tusk then palmed him in the face. Batman leaped up in the air and descended on Tusk with a hard punch utilizing the momentum. Killer Moth unleashed his flying drones. After one carried Batwoman off into a warehouse, Batman shot a grapnel and zipped past Moth, leaving an explosive on his suit's back. Moth was launched into Tusk.
As Batwoman recovered, Firefly tossed grenade cannisters at her. Batman tackled her out of the way and tossed two Batarangs. One of Firefly's wings was blown and he crashed. Batman kicked his flamethrower out of the way and interrogated him. Batman deduced he was working for someone new. The leader revealed himself, the Heretic. The Heretic admitted it was an honor. Batman got a sense of deja vu and realized he matched an adult Damian Wayne from his drug-induced hallucination caused by the Court of Owls. Batman and Batwoman battled Heretic. Batwoman was no match and was tossed over the rafters. Batman snagged one of her legs with a grapnel. While he was distracted, Batman was nailed with Onyx's throwing knives. Heretic detonated explosives planted in the warehouse. Batman swung Batwoman outside into the dock waters. Batwoman thought he was killed. Batman survived but was captured and taken to Heretic's master, Talia, at the Sisters of Perpetual Grace convent outside of the city. He was subjected to Mad Hatter's brainwashing programming without pause.
Two weeks, one day, and 15 hours after Batman's disappearance, there was already a palpable uptick in underworld activity. Pennyworth feared it would only get worse and reached out to Nightwing for help. Nightwing made the tough call and donned one of Batman's older suits. Wayne supplied Talia's group with the location of a secret vault on Sub-Level 3 at Wayne Tech. Heretic led the team on a raid and secured a crucial technological component. Wayne endured strange visions. From sleeping with many women at once to suddenly reliving the murder of his parents, to being pulled underwater by the people in his life. Talia ordered Mad Hatter to dig deeper and push past the trauma to the child Wayne was before he lost his parents. Disobeying Talia's orders, Heretic kidnapped Robin and brought him to the convent. A tracker was hidden on Robin's suit as a precaution for his moonlighting. Soon, Batwoman, Batman (Grayson), and Batwing converged on the convent. Talia ordered a retreat but left Bruce and Damian Wayne behind. Damian got him free, slapped him out of his daze, and walked him out. They soon encountered Grayson.
The convent partially collapsed in the battle. Wayne, Robin, and Grayson fell to a certain death but Batwing saved them. Wayne coldly declined any further assistance from Batwing and Batwoman then ordered Nightwing and Robin back to the city. A week later, Wayne was in surprisingly good condition. On the eve of the World Tech Summit, Wayne stated they would hunt down Talia after he was finished hosting the event. Grayson disagreed and wanted to involve Batwing and Batwoman. Wayne and Grayson came to blows over it. Wayne was none to pleased to have their secrets also revealed to them. Pennyworth reiterated he was absent and Grayson had to make the hard call. Wayne conceded to Pennyworth's point but wanted to keep it in the family going forward. Grayson revealed Batwoman was still working on the hard drive recovered from the convent. Wayne stated she was done after the drive was hacked and stated he called the shots. Wayne was still under the control of Talia's programming and alerted her Batwoman had the drive.
The next day, Bruce Wayne gave his keynote address at the World Tech Summit. He formally introduced beta versions of Wayne Tech's cutting edge translators then revealed the venue was actually the Watchtower Initiative, a joint venture between Wayne Tech and S.T.A.R. Labs to combat threats to the modern world. All the while, Talia and the remains of her team infiltrated the summit and set up shop. Nightwing, Robin, Batwoman, and Batwing realized the truth about Wayne and Talia's plans. They conducted an air drop into the Watchtower but were quickly met with Talia's team. Nightwing was forced to fight a brainwashed Batman. Batman eventually broke Nightwing's left shoulder and toyed with him until Talia tossed him her gun and ordered Nightwing's death. Robin caught up to them and realized she only cared about control and not Ra's al Ghul's vision of a better world. Talia ordered Batman to start with Robin instead but Nightwing begged him not to kill and lose his soul to her. Nightwing reminded Batman he brought them all together because he understood their pain and lonliness better than anyone ever could. They needed a family. They needed Batman.
Batman struggled. Nightwing declared he wasn't just a mask. He was the best man he ever knew. Batman turned the gun on himself, unable to keep fighting the programming. Talia drew her sword on Nightwing but Batman shot it out of her hands. Nightwing and Robin held Batman up. Batwoman and Batwing caught up and surrounded Talia. Talia wondered how she could ever love him. Batman doubted it was love. Talia admitted she thought of little else for the last 12 years. She pulled a grenade and feigned suicide to escape outside onto her transport, only to crash into the ocean after Heretic's second, Onyx, attacked her. Back at Wayne Manor, Bruce had a heart-to-heart with Damian over Talia's demise. Some time later, Batman accepted Batwoman and Batwing into the family. They all met atop the Gotham City Police Department headquarters but noticed a police pursuit of the Penguin on the streets below. They joined in the chase unaware of a Batgirl starting her first night.
Batman attended the unveiling of the Justice League's new headquarters, the Hall of Justice, in Metropolis. It was interrupted by a group of supervillains calling themselves the Legion of Doom. Solomon Grundy attacked Batman. He lured Grundy to a nearby Metropolis Electrical station and tricked him into running into live transformers, electrocuting himself. Grundy collapsed. Batman checked in with Robin, who wasn't happy to be in charge of crowd control. After Weather Wizard was possessed, Flash and Batman focused on evacuating remaining civilians away. Robin had a better idea to keep them safe and summoned the Batplane against Batman's orders. He flew the Batplane at the Weather Wizard and ejected himself. The three kiloton blast knocked Wizard out of the air and Wonder Woman captured him with her lasso but the Corruptor demon left his body. Wizard had no memory of what just happened. Batman wasn't pleased they had no answers. He decided Robin needed to learn how to be part of a team. He had Nightwing drive Robin to the Titans Tower, where he would train with Starfire and the Teen Titans.
Batman worked into the night at the Hall combing through footage from every camera on the grid in the area. He noticed odd dark spots. After Cyborg cleaned up the footage, Batman immediately noticed the sun direction was wrong and the shadow in question was disconnected from the surface. He deduced it was looking for something or someone. Batman and Wonder Woman found Superman, now possessed, at the scene of a battle with Atomic Skull. Batman exposed Superman to a piece of Kryptonite to try and drive the Corruptor out but it wasn't enough. He stated the "rising" was coming and they couldn't stop it but they had their parts to play so the girl would be taken. Batman alerted Steve Trevor of the situation and he dedicated military satellites to track Superman. Batman warned Wonder Woman that anyone in the League could be a target. He returned to the Hall and had Cyborg run a search on the Internet for Superman sightings and recent supernatural events with a subsection for "female."
The next day, the League boomed to the Titans Tower. Batman inquired if Raven was at the center of what was going on. Starfire revealed she was the daughter of an interdimensional demon. Batman wanted Raven to come with the League but Robin objected on the grounds he felt the Titans could protect her. The Corruptors revealed themselves and possessed the League. Batman pulled out a device and injected himself with a nerve toxin designed to counteract Bane. As Batman succombed to the toxin, the Corruptor left his body. The Titans hooked him up to life support in the Tower. Batman was still unconscious 24 hours later. 10 days after Trigon was imprisoned once again, the League contacted the Titans. Batman reported he sifted through all the data and found no signs of the Corruptors. After Superman and Wonder Woman congratulated the Titans, Batman agreed they were proud of them. Cyborg suddenly boomed into the Tower, ready for pizza night. Batman broke the silence and implored the Titans to carry on then signed off.
Destiny's spell to draw power from torment began to affect several in Gotham City. Batman tried to talk a mother down from throwing her infant off a church. She believed she gave birth to the devil. She threw the infant and cowered. Batman leaped after it, caught the infant, and fired a grapnel line to an arch. The mother jumped to her death and landed on the pavement below. Batman looked at the infant and apologized. The Justice League soon held a meeting at the Hall of Justice about the global outbreak of homicides induced by nightmare visions. Wonder Woman suggested there could be a paranormal element. Batman disagreed magic was at play. Wonder Woman reminded him they fought magical threats before, including Circes, Trigon, and Felix Faust. Superman added Shazam's powers were also based in magic. Batman cited the criminally insane didn't need magic as an excuse. He recommended they spend more time on the streets instead of flying over them then he left the meeting.
Wayne cut his right cheek while he shaved and saw "Constantine" written on his mirror. He wiped his face and walked into his bedroom where "Constantine" was written all over. Batman approached Zatanna in her dressing room at the Gotham Square Garden after she concluded her magic show for the night. He warned her PETA would be on her back if those elephants didn't survive the disappearing act. Zatanna teased he was assuming they were real in the first place. Batman ended the small talk and asked her where he could find John Constantine. She replied she didn't know. Batman pressed but she said they didn't keep in touch. Deadman suddenly possessed Batman and informed her it was important they talk and she should come along, too. Deadman started to strain. Batman's mind was too tough and he left his body. Zatanna briefed Batman on Deadman on the way to the House of Mystery. Destiny, through Felix Faust, conjured a demonic tornado. Zatanna shielded the Batmobile as it was enveloped but she couldn't hold on. Batman revved the motor and shot out of the tornado. They ran into the House of Mystery.
Batman briefed Constantine on the situation at hand. Uninterested in playing "telephone", Constantine incanted and made Deadman's presence known to Batman. The House manifested its corporeal form, Orchid, and studied its visitors. She looked at Batman last and saw he exuded pain. She noted his life was a patchwork of blackness with no time for joy. She asked how he coped with it. Batman remarked he had a butler. Constantine decided to look into the case, alone. Deadman and Zatanna objected. Constantine and Zatanna started arguing. Batman pointed out Deadman was already dead and he accepted the risks. The House took them to Washington D.C., where Ritchie Simpson lived. Constantine saw Shrouds outside Simpson's home and realized he was dying. They were drawn to Batman. One remarked it was vexing how he cheated death so many times. Constantine dismissed the Shrouds with a spell. They were greeted by Simpson. He was naturally shocked to see Batman among them. Simpson soon realized Constantine didn't come to make amends and refused to help.
Batman got him to reconsider for the sake of the innocent lives at stake. Simpson lent them his Keshanti Key. They went to the Metropolis Health Center, where a man afflicted by the spell was being held. Constantine and Zatanna used the Keshanti Key to open a portal to his mind in order to search his memories for any clues about what caused the outbreak. Destiny, through Faust, conjured a Golem at the health center. It went straight to Steve. Batman tried throwing exploding Batarangs at it but triggered the sprinkler system. He turned on a crash cart then threw it on the Golem. Deadman possessed an orderly and tried to relocate Steve but the Golem grabbed him. Zatanna and Constantine exited in time and the Golem was discorporated. Batman took a look at the mess then left with the others. Neither Constantine nor Batman recognized the ring the former found in Steve's memories. Constantine believed Simpson could identify it but the Shrouds were back. Batman was able to revive Simpson just in time by injecting a syringe into his chest.
Ritchie Simpson and Jason Blood, who tried to flee the scene, were taken to the House of Mystery. Blood came clean he was trying to find a way into the House so he could steal the Dreamstone and safeguard it then revealed how his own origins were connected to it and its creator, Destiny. Batman suspected the timing of the Dreamstone's appearance on the Earthly plane and its power to cause madness indicated it had something to do with the nightmare visions breaking out around the world. Simpson woke up and identified the ring as Faust's. Batman recalled the Justice League had a run-in with him but they didn't have his location in their database. Constantine remarked evil wizards didn't make it a habit to sign up for credit cards or social media then cast a locator spell. Faust took precautions against being found conventionally and magically. The House took them to a swamp where Alec Holland was reputed to dwell. Constantine claimed Holland was currently the most current Avatar of the Green. Batman stuck with facts and stated Holland was murdered by terrorists and his body was never recovered.
Swamp Thing told them to go away but Constantine threatened some posies. Swamp Thing was enraged but Zatanna appealed to him to do the right thing. Swamp Thing gleaned Zatanna had a garden. So they would no longer bother him, Swamp Thing took them to a place were dark magic infected the earth below. Zatanna confirmed Faust's Observatory of the Cosmos. Etrigan, Zatanna, and Deadman went first. Constantine and Batman followed up with fireballs and exploding Batarangs. Constantine taunted Faust and ended up trapped in a cube of water. Batman fired his grapnel line at Faust's book then whipped it into the cube. The pages' contents vanished and the cube dissipated. Batman yanked Constantine to the ground. Constantine remarked his grapnel was useful after all. Zatanna lost control and nearly killed Faust but Constantine intervened. Faust had no idea why they attacked him nor knew what artifact they were talking about. Blood pointed out Faust had the power to summon the Demons Three at his choosing and thus, could have taken the Dreamstone beforehand. Batman deduced it was Simpson all along.
Simpson powered up on the Dreamstone and took control of the House. Batman threw a Batarang but it simply deflected off his force shield. Simpson raised everyone in mid-air and declared his new found immortality. Destiny reformed the Dreamstone and rematerialized using Simpson's body then blew up the House. Zatanna saved everyone at the last second with a force shield. While she healed, they followed after Destiny into the city. Batman issued an alert to the rest of the Justice League but they watched as Green Lantern was infected by Destiny. Batman tried to reach him but all Lantern saw was a Bat demon and attacked. Batman dodged Lantern's constructs until an opportunity presented itself. Lantern got in close and punched Batman. He managed to slip off his power ring on the sly. John Stewart lost his costume and powers. Batman took him down with a taser. To his disdain, Wonder Woman charged next. Zatanna suddenly appeared and incanted the Lasso of Truth around her.
Batman was glad to see her but she suddenly incanted once more. He turned around and realized she just barely immobilized Superman before he punched the back of his head. Batman ran off to find the others and Destiny while Zatanna held Superman and Wonder Woman in stasis. Constantine tricked Destiny with insults and Deadman possessed him. While Destiny was distracted, Blood impaled him through his chest with Etrigan's sword and dislodged the Dreamstone. As Constantine cast a spell to burn Destiny away, he tried to summon the Dreamstone. Batman blew it up with an exploding Batarang. They watched as Shrouds dragged Simpson's soul to hell. With Merlin's spell broken, Blood passed on. Batman contacted Zatanna with an offer to join the Justice League. She visited the Hall of Justice and considered joining, as it was time to make a difference. Batman informed her he wanted Constantine to join, too. Zatanna predicted Constantine would think he was joking. A few days later, Zatanna told Constantine about it and reacted like she thought.
The Justice League responded to a monster sighting in the Suicide Slum area. With half the team taken down, Batman pursued it and found it at the remains of a building charging Jimmy Olsen. Batman threw several exploding Batarangs at its back. Doomsday threw a wrecked school bus but he leapt over it and continued his barrage. Wonder Woman arrived and tossed Doomsday with her Lasso of Truth.
Batman found the lead-lined box holding a Kryptonite crystal. He told the rest of the League about how Superman confiscated it off Lex Luthor's War Suit after the West River Bridge incident and gave it to him as a contingency in case he ever went out of control. Cyborg Superman appeared above them and arrogantly offered to repair the Hall. The Flash and Aquaman spoke up and declined. Flash admitted he concluded he wasn't one of them. Batman stated he felt tempted to expose Cyborg Superman to the Kryptonite and wondered if it would work on any of the four Supermen.