WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Dark Knights of Steel #1, on sale now from DC Comics.
Often referred to as the World's Finest, Superman and Batman may have had their differences over the years, but they've long been defined by the friendship that they've shared. They've come up against plenty of threats together, and adaptations of the two have openly depicted them as being as close as brothers. But the newest DC alternate reality tale takes that connection to a new, far more literal level.
Dark Knights of Steel #1 (by Tom Taylor, Yasmine Putri, and Wes Abbot) imagines a reality where Superman and Batman aren't just best friends -- but actual brothers thanks to an affair between Superman's father and Batman's mother that resulted in the birth of Bruce Wayne.
Dark Knights of Steel introduces the traditional origins of Superman at the heart of the series, with a single ship barely escaping the destruction of Krypton. But instead of just carrying the infant Kal-El, the ship also brings Jor-El and Lara to a medieval variation of Earth. It isn't long before the collective El family establishes themselves as powerful rulers on this world thanks to their powers and advanced technology. While there are some forces that are positioned against them, the El family also formed a close bond with another major DC family, the Waynes. In this world, Thomas and Martha Wayne were lords of their land before their deaths -- seemingly at the hand of "witchcraft" -- set up the Els to become the new kings of the realm.
Jor-El's desire to see Bruce upon the throne doesn't matter, as the subjects of this land see the Els as gods while the young Wayne is merely a "bastard." Speaking alone at the top of the castle, Jor-El confirms that in this world, Bruce's heritage isn't completely tied to the Wayne family legacy. Thomas and Martha had too much honor to hide the fact that Bruce was actually the product of an affair between the current king and Martha. While he considers their brief act a moment of weakness and a mistake, Jor-El tries to convince Bruce that he has never been a mistake, and that he truly sees him as a son.
This is a huge change and gives Batman an entirely new role in this story. On top of providing Bruce with some of the same Kryptonian powers that make Kal-el so strong (and allowing Bruce to survive injuries that should have otherwise killed him), it also gives this version of the Dark Knight a legitimate claim to the throne, as Jor-El explains he was the beloved son of two different kings. It also completely ties in the Batman/Superman legacies of this world together with a true bond, making Batman literally part of this world's Superman family. While the idea of Batman and his Robins already seems to be a major element in this world, it's exciting to see Bruce Wayne potentially tied to another one of the DC Universe's chief legacies.
This unexpected bond gives the title of the series -- Dark Knights of Steel -- additional meaning by genuinely combining the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel into a single-family unit. But it also seems that this bond might also introduce complications. With the sudden murder of Jor-El at the hands of Green Lantern and Green Arrow at the end of the first issue, a new power vacuum is sure to rise up between Kal-El and Bruce, presenting the question of who should sit ultimately sit upon the throne in this new version of the DC Universe.
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