io9Books & Comics

DC Nation Teases Trouble Ahead for Batman and Superman (and All of Reality, Actually)

Some pretty major storylines are coming to a head in DC Comics’ series this summer—and so to set the stage, DC has released DC Nation, a collection of stories being offered free digitally (or for a quarter or less in comic book stores) that give some hints at interesting and troubled times ahead for the … Continued

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Infinity War Puts Adam West’s Batman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Just Hear Me Out

With the recent worldwide release of Avengers: Infinity War, many comic book fans spent the weekend processing the movie’s grand implications on the larger Marvel universe. Perhaps the most surprising revelation of all, however, isn’t being discussed in forum posts or on social media. Hidden among the movie’s numerous crossover characters is one passing cameo … Continued

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Batman Ninja Is Ridiculously Fun, and Also Utterly Ridiculous

Batman Ninja is a gorgeous, almighty mess. Its frenetic incoherence is matched only by its desire to top itself again and again with vivid, striking imagery. I spent almost 90 minutes barely having a clue what was going on, but somehow despite that, also knew that I loved every goddamn second of it. Warner Bros.’ … Continued

io9Books & Comics

The Best Superman Stories of the Modern Era

As of last week, Superman celebrated his 80th year as the world’s most recognizable superhero. Tons of conversations have been happening about favorite stories and moments in the Kal-El canon, and it’s worth thinking about the ones that came out since dawn of the new millennium. Superman’s been in near-constant publication in comics and other … Continued

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Adorable Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Figures, and More of the Most Totally Radical Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular dosage of all things merchandise. This week, we’ve got claws out for a very cool Iron Spider figure, Lego’s descent into chibi-figurine madness continues, and Overwatch’s premiere edgelord slinks into action figure form for the first time. Hide those wallets, the toys are here! Hot Toys Sixth-Scale Avengers: … Continued

io9Movies

This Stunning New Batman Ninja Clip Explains How Gorilla Grodd Sends Gotham’s Finest to Feudal Japan

In Warner Bros. Animation’s upcoming Batman Ninja film, the Dark Knight, his allies, and his Rogues Gallery all find themselves suddenly transported back in time from modern-day Gotham to feudal Japan. It’s a wild, curious premise for an adventure, so of course it’s got a weird-as-hell explanation to go with it. Time travel’s nothing new … Continued

io9Television

Rare Adam West PSA Will Make You Miss the Bright Knight Batman Even More

If you’re a fan of the 1966 Batman show, the first thing that will hit you as you watch Adam West in this retro PSA is a strong wave of nostalgia. There he is, smooth as a silk Bat-cape, purring through his lines about pedestrian traffic safety. But, by the time the clip ends, things … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Injustice’s Batman Recruits He-Man to Fight Asshole Superman

Injustice is already one of DC’s most delightfully loopy alternate universes. Now, it’s going to get even better with a new crossover series that mashes that world up with the Masters of the Universe. Spinning out of the stellar Injustice digital comic series—filling in the gaps in the stories before and between Netherrealm Studio’s excellent … Continued

io9Television

Gotham Might Have Solved Its Joker Problem (in an Appropriately Ridiculous Way)

Ever since Gotham introduced Jerome Valeska in season one, a character that over the course of the show acted increasingly like the future Joker and dressed like the future Joker and laughed like the future Joker and also had his face cut off and stapled back on like the Joker of the comics, fans have … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Batman: White Knight Gives the Joker an Even More Tragic Reason for Killing Jason Todd

In the winter of 1988, thousands of people across the country voted to decide whether Jason Todd, the second Robin, would live or die in an upcoming issue of Batman. Some 5,271 people wanted Jason to survive the Joker’s brutal assault and torture; 5,343 did not. You do the math. It’s wild to think that there … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Batman Beyond Just Introduced an All-New, All-Schway Robin

The world of Warner Bros.’ Batman Beyond franchise has given us fascinating glimpses of what could be in store for Gotham City in the not-too-distant future—like a withered, old Bruce Wayne and a new generation of Joker acolytes. Now, the DC Comic’s title based on the beloved animated series has given us a new Robin. … Continued

io9Books & Comics

This Video Series Asks, What Sort of Hero is Batman, Anyway?

The tradition of the hero in fiction is long and complicated. The first type of “hero” we find in literature, the Classical Hero of old epics, weren’t good, exactly: they were just big. They did great deeds, but they were also fatally flawed, and sometimes monstrous. Only later, during the Middle Ages and the Romantic … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Superheroes are Ridiculous in This Dramatic Reinterpretation of Superman’s Origins

Superheroes are, at their core, a basically silly idea, pulled from old circus heroes and tasked with a permanent legacy of gimmicks, costumes, and other things that just wouldn’t happen in the real world. In a recent video, Studio C dials into all of that absurdity for a great video about Superman’s origins. His real-world … Continued

io9Television

Burt Ward’s Greatest Feat on the 1966 Batman Show? Surviving His First Few Days on Set

Apparently it wasn’t only the bad guys who got biffed and pow’d on the 1966 Batman show. Speaking to Syfy Wire in a lengthy interview, Burt Ward looked back fondly at his time as Robin on the beloved Batman TV show, but with a surprising acknowledgement: his time filming the show didn’t start off great. … Continued

io9Books & Comics

The Most Important Changes Dark Nights: Metal Has Brought to the DC Comics Universe

DC Comics’ ongoing Metal event finally came to a dramatic finish yesterday, but the epic ended with a lot more than the defeat of a squad of evil, broken Batmen (and one woman) from the alternate, dark universes devoid of hope. It’s also made some significant developments for the DC comics multiverse that are going … Continued

io9Games

An Even More Tragic Version of the Joker Exists and It’s All My Fault

It was a foregone conclusion that when the Batman: The Enemy Within video game was done, John Doe would complete his metamorphosis into the Joker. What remained to be seen was how culpable players would feel at the end of it all. Personally, I was so exhausted and guilt-ridden that I made my Batman do … Continued

io9Movies

Here’s Your First Full Look at George Miller’s Scrapped Justice League Team… Just About

We’ve heard a lot over the years about Justice League Mortal, George Miller’s scrapped attempt to bring DC’s finest heroes to the big screen, but we’ve barely seen anything from it. A piece of concept art here, a costume there. But now we actually have our look at the League that could’ve been, suited up. … Continued

io9Games

Two Very Different Jokers Could Be Born in the Season Finale of Telltale’s Batman Game

The second season of Telltale’s excellent Batman game has seen players wrestle with a plotline quite unlike anything they’ve been tasked with before: befriend the man who could one day become the Joker, and have the chance to mold his future. Now two new trailers show how that could come to pass in some very … Continued

io9Books & Comics

Batman and Archie Andrews Are Teaming Up for a Wholesome, Family-Friendly Adventure

Though the versions of Batman starring in the vast majority of DC Comics’ ongoing series are all dark and brooding characters, the publisher’s still keeping the spirit of Adam West’s high camp take on the Dark Knight alive in Batman ’66. And soon, Batman will have a new sidekick: Archie Andrews. Even though Batman ’66 … Continued

io9Toys & Collectibles

‘The Best Batman of All’ Takes the Spotlight in This Batman: The Animated Series Art Show 

Artist Justin Erickson has been immersed in the animated version of the Dark Knight’s hometown of Gotham City, doing his damnedest to pay tribute to an all-time classic superhero television show. Last week in Austin, Mondo Gallery hosted an art show centered on Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski’s Batman: The Animated Series, featuring work by … Continued