Damian Wayne

Disambiguation

Damian Wayne is the 5th Robin. For others who’ve taken on the mantle of Robin:

• 1st Robin = Dick Grayson
• 2nd Robin = Jason Todd
• 3rd Robin = Tim Drake
• 4th Robin = Stephanie Brown
• Dark Knight Returns Robin = Carrie Kelley
• Earth 2 Robin = Helena Wayne
• Dead Earth Robin = Tris Plover
• Thrillkiller Robin = Barbara Gordon
• Reign of Terror Robin = Rochelle Wayne

Introduction

Damian was the most recent Robin. He struggled with his more lethal tendencies, which clashed with his father’s strict rule against killing. He killed the villain Nobody and also defeated one of the Talons attacking Gotham City during Night of the Owls. Recently, he also fought all the past Robins (Jason Todd, Dick Grayson and Tim Drake) to show that he was the best one between them. However, they helped each other to fight the villain Terminus, who wanted to kill Batman and then destroy Gotham City before he passed away. Also, it was revealed in number #13 of Batman and Robin that Damian’s mother, Talia, put a bounty of half a billion dollars for her son’s head. Because of that, he needs to remain silent and not act as Robin. But, as always, he disobeys Bruce and leaves home as the hooded hero and in the end of the issue, he gets attacked by an army of zombies.

The “zombies” take Robin to Gotham’s underground. There, the boy finds out that they are led by The Saturn Club, and that there are many alive people, who were previously kidnapped by the secret organization. Damian takes the horrified citizens to a train. Unfortunately, the zombies follow them. When there seems to be no hope, Batman arrives at the train, and together, the son and the father fight off the horde.

With the recent release of the new Batman Incorporated series, Robin has been killed at the hand of The League of Assassins and so Damian has now taken on the new identity of Red Bird. This however only appears to be running through the Incorporated story line, as it has yet to be mentioned as part of the New 52 Universe. Batman fired Damian in the Batman Incorporated series because Talia wanted her son back and was using her army as a game of Chess to get to Batman’s son. In the eighth issue of Morrison’s run on Batman Incorporated, Damian Wayne was killed by the hands of his clone, The Heretic, leading his father to go further and further off his hinges.

Batman is right now working in bringing back his son to life.

Origin

Damian Wayne is the biological son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of one of Batman’s villains, Ra’s al Ghul. Talia would become pregnant with him after a sexual encounter with Bruce, but would keep their son’s existence from him for a decade. Instead of being birthed naturally, Damian was grown in a lab, with the intention that he would surpass his father. Shortly after his birth, Talia would leave Damian in the care of the League of Assassins so he could begin his training as an assassin. Years later, Talia reveals Damian’s existence to his father and leaves him in Batman’s custody in an effort to disrupt his work and get a step closer to her evil plan. Instead of shunning the boy, Bruce acknowledged his duties as a father, and accepted him into the Batman Family, which would eventually lead Damian to become the fifth and current Robin after the supposed death of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson taking over the cape and cowl.

Creation

Damian Wayne was created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Andy Kubert during the Batman and Son story arc in 2006 within the pages of Batman. This however was not the first technical appearance of Damian, as he was inspired by the events of Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham’s Batman: Son of the Demon in 1987 where Batman and Talia had their encounter that lead to the conception of a nameless son. Up until Infinite Crisis, Son of the Demon was considered out of continuity until it was brought back by Morrison when he took over Batman. There are slight differences in Morrison’s interpretation of the events, as he has Bruce claim that he was drugged, and essentially raped by Talia, where in Son of the Demon, their encounter was consensual. In Wizard Magazine #182, Morrison addressed the differences in his interpretation.

For a long time, [DC] said [Son of the Demon] was out of continuity. Now it’s just kind of out of continuity. I didn’t actually read it before I started writing this. I messed up a lot of details, like Batman wasn’t drugged when he was having sex with Talia and it didn’t take place in the desert. I was relying on shaky memories. But now we have this new “Superboy punch” continuity. People still don’t realize how important that single punch was to cover everyone’s ass.

The “Superboy punch” he referred to was the event within Infinite Crisis where Superboy Prime punches through the “walls of reality” resulting in many continuity resets and changes like the resurrection of Jason Todd.

Character Evolution

When Damian was first introduced to readers, he was a very rash, arrogant and violent characteristics similar to Jason Todd when he was Robin. Among the worst of his personality traits, Damian did not stick to the Batman Family’s “no killing” rule, as his interpretation of crime fighting involved decapitating The Spook. Damian also exhibited anger issues and jealousy problems towards then Robin, Tim Drake. Damian saw Tim as his rival, since Bruce had just recently adopted him as his son. Damian felt that based off his parentage, the role of Robin was intended for him and him only, which lead him to attack Tim, in an attempt to take the mantle of Robin. Damian has even cursed at Alfred throwing a silver plate at him.

Despite all his issues, Damian would be appointed the mantle of Robin after Dick Grayson became Batman. Dick felt that it was his duty to train Damian and help him control his emotions. Under Dick’s guidance, Damian would become a successful crime fighter worthy of the mantle of Robin and the two would become close friends. With the implementation of the DC Universe in September 2011, Damian remained in the Robin role, but Dick Grayson would return to being Nightwing. Damian is set to join side by side with his father in a new father/son iteration of the Dynamic Duo.

Major Story Arcs

Batman & Son

Originally, Damian appeared as an unnamed infant in the 1987 story “Son of the Demon”, which was left out of continuity due to being unpopular. Then he was re-introduced to the Batman Family during the 2006 arc, Batman and Son. It was Talia’s intention that Damian would be left under Bruce’s care and end up sabotaging his operations, while she planned to take over England with her army of Man-Bat Ninjas. While under Bruce’s care, Damian was rash, abrasive, and violent. He would kill the Spook in an attempt to prove his crime fighting worth, and would attempt to kill Tim Drake in order to usurp the role of Robin and to get rid of Bruce’s adopted son. Trying to repent for his actions, Damian offers up his mother’s location to his father, and accompanies him to thwart Talia’s plans. Following these events, Damian returned to his mother and remained largely absent from the Batman Family with the exception of a supporting role within the crossover, The Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul.

Batman Reborn/Batman vs. Robin

Damian would return to the Batman Family after the events of Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis, where his father apparently died at the hands of the evil god Darkseid. Feeling that it was his duty to make sure Damian stayed on the right path, Dick Grayson took Damian under his wing as Robin, and the two would become the new Dynamic Duo. Early in Damian’s career as Robin, he and Dick Grayson came across Jason Todd operating as the Red Hood. With Todd trying to replace the Dynamic Duo, El Penitente (Dr. Hurt) sends the murderous psychopath Flamingo to Gotham to intervene. This confrontation leads to Damian being shot in the spine several times, needing his mother’s medical care to replace his spine. During his time recovering from his injuries, he and Alfred must fend off the Batman Clone that Dick dipped in the lazarus pit, thinking it was Bruce. Now knowing Bruce wasn’t actually dead, both Dick and Damian soon find out that he is misplaced in time. While investigating Wayne Manor during the events of Batman vs. Robin, Damian’s body was taken control of by Deathstroke thanks to an implant in his spine planted there by his mother. With Dick eventually breaking Talia’s control over her son, Damian was disgusted by the fact that his mother would do such a thing to him. During a confrontation with his mother, Damian officially renounced his maternal heritage, claiming he wished to be a “worthy enemy” to the house of al Ghul, before returning to Gotham with Dick.

Batman & Robin Must Die

In Gotham, all hell soon to broke loose as Doctor Hurt returned to Gotham, claiming to be Damian’s grandfather, Thomas Wayne. Meanwhile, the Joker had also returned and remained under the custody of the GCPD. Damian manages to lock himself into an interrogation room with the Joker, and mercilessly beat him with a crowbar, the very same way the Joker did to the second Robin, Jason Todd. But the Joker manages to trick Damian, scratching him with his poison laced fingernails. Joker who also wanted to go after Doctor Hurt, kept Damian tied up until as he felt it necessary to use Damian as his ace up his sleeve against Hurt. Damian manages to make his way to Wayne Manor where he meets up with Dick and eventually Bruce. The trio would successfully defeat Doctor Hurt and bring order back to Gotham, with Damian saving Gotham by disarming a thermonuclear bomb.

With Bruce back in the picture, both Damian and Dick were uncertain about their roles in the future of the Batman Family. After going on a mission with Damian, Bruce determined that he would not be able to work with his son as Batman and Robin. But with the introduction of Batman Incorporated, Bruce decides that Damian should remain Robin with Dick Grayson as Batman in Gotham City. Since then Damian has teamed up with other members of the Batman Family, and under Dick’s encouragement, joined the Teen Titans.

Gates of Gotham

In Batman: Gates of Gotham, Damian, along with Dick Grayson, Tim Drake and Cassandra Cain, must face the threat of The Architect, a mad bomber with ties to Gotham’s past. As with the first time he meets anyone, Damian shows animosity towards Cassandra but eventually is able to work with her, as the two prevent Gotham’s Kane Memorial Bridge from being destroyed.

Leviathan Strikes!

In Batman, Incorporated, while Damian remains absent from his father’s quest against Leviathan for a majority of the time, he along with Dick and Tim have to go after Bruce, whose been drugged and caught in Dr. Dedalus‘ “web”. Damian finds his father just in the nick of time, before Dedalus electrocutes him to death. With no other options, Damian is forced to make a difficult decision, and throws Dedalus’ discarded blade towards the mad scientist, impaling him in the head, killing him instantly. Immediately distraught, Damian pleads with his father that it was his only choice, as Dedalus was seconds away from killing him. Bruce doesn’t acknowledge it at the time, as he knows the ordeal isn’t over, as he knows Dedalus wasn’t the true leader of Leviathan. Moments later, on a phone call, it is revealed that Damian’s mother, Talia al Ghul, was the head of Leviathan the entire time, who had been seeking retribution for the events of Batman and Son. Talia informs Bruce that she’s placed a half a billion dollar bounty on their child’s head, forcing Bruce to keep him close to protect him during the upcoming ordeal. With Dick Grayson returning to Nightwing soon after that, and Bruce returning to Gotham, Damian soon becomes Robin under his father’s watchful eye.

Born to Kill

Damian’s tenure as Robin under the direction of his father at Batman starts out very roughly. Since it is the first time the two have actually worked together as Batman and Robin, they both struggle to understand each other. Bruce feels that he needs to “fix” or “save” Damian from his violent tendencies he learned while training with the League of Assassins, while not realizing just how far Damian has come and how much of an effort he’s made to work past that. He attempts to build a relationship with his son even though he remains cold and distant with his other allies. Meanwhile, Damian feels as if his father simply doesn’t trust him, yet doesn’t adapt to the way his father operates out in the field. All of these issues begin to frustrate Damian who tries to repress his emotions, leading him to begin to lash out violently. This all comes to a head, when Nobody, son of Henri Ducard, one of the men who trained Bruce, appears in Gotham, and tries to tempt Damian into giving in to his violent nature, as a devil on the young Robin’s shoulder.

With the relationship with his father strained, and Bruce keeping secrets about Nobody from him, Damian abandons his father to train under Nobody. Damian is put through a test by Nobody to gauge his loyalty, that ends in Nobody asking Damian to shoot and kill a corrupt ambassador. Damian pulls the trigger, but the gun doesn’t fire, as Nobody simply wanted Damian to prove he’s willing to abandon his father’s “no kill” rule. Damian humors Nobody on for a short time there after, but eventually alerts his father to their position, to Nobody’s dismay. Damian points out that he knew by the weight of the gun that it was never loaded, and despite their problems, he’d never betray Bruce, simply for the fact that he’s his father. Nobody begins to badly injure Damian, having Bruce listen through their communicator. Bruce locks in on their position, then once he shows up, enters in a very brutal and personal fight with Nobody.

Driven by his anger, Bruce eventually throws Nobody into his vat of acid with the intent to kill him for what he had done, but when he looks at Damian, he comes back to his senses, pulling Nobody out before he dies, then chaining him up for the police. While Bruce tries to clear rubble to leave, Nobody begins to speak to Damian, telling them not to disappoint him, and that he’d be back to kill them both. Bruce turns around to see Damian executing the temporary paralysis technique Nobody taught him, but instead of simply hitting a certain spot on Nobody’s forehead, Damian’s fingers penetrate his skull, killing him instantly. Instead of growing angry, Bruce reacts with compassion. When Damian gets out of the hospital, they talk about how difficult it is to adjust from the life of an assassin. Despite their differences, they play with Titus and enjoy spending more time together as father and son.

Night of the Owls

During Night of the Owls, Damian tried to save some soldiers from one of the Talons. The Talon proved impervious to gunfire from the soldiers, killing all of them. Damian managed to shoot his grappling wire and hook into the Talon’s skull through it’s eye, proceeding to hang the Talon on a tree and decapitate it. Only the general of the unit survived the ordeal; all his soldiers were killed by the Talon.

War of the Robins

In the following Batman and Robin arc, Damian swore to defeat all the other Robins. The first was Tim Drake, who he managed to defeat with mind games. Damian told Tim they were more alike then he realized, and that he saw a similar killer instinct in him when they faced Harvest with the Teen Titans. The next Robin he fought was Jason Todd, who was defeated partially due to being already being heavily fatigued at the time, an advantage Damian had no problem exploiting.

After the fight off with Jason, Damian left and took Todd’s Red Hood helmet as a gift for himself. Batman and Robin and all the other past Robins came to help in a battle with a villain and they defeated him in battle. Nightwing offers Damian an escrima stick as a trophy, telling him he doesn’t have to prove that he is the best Robin, because he’s already ‘wearing the R on his chest’, after telling him he knows what he did to Tim and Jason when he visited them. After the fight off, the past Robins went home.

Pearl/Death of the Family

Damian was in his room reading about the Joker’s return to Gotham City. Bruce Wayne wakes his son up from his sleep and told him to get dressed and that they are going to see the solar eclipse in space on the Bat-Plane. Back on Earth in the Gotham City Cemetery, the graves had been open and some bodies were taken out of their graves and part of it was of the Joker’s return to Gotham City. Batman and Robin investigated the area and found what was happening to cause this event. The downtown part of Gotham City was all covered in zombies and Batman and Robin were fighting them. Batman told his son Damian to go back to the cave and he can take care of it all. Robin went in to the sewers and fought off a Big Frog and came up to the surface and was trapped in zombies and that they wanted to eat him and ran to him. Damian is fighting for his life.

Batman and Robin fought off the zombie army that was feeding Gotham City’s downtown city. As Robin saved half of the people that were not infected, Batman told him to go back to the cave. Robin did not go back at all and disobeyed his order and saved all the people from the zombie cult’s plans and found out it was part of the Joker’s return to Gotham City to rage war on the Batman Family. Batman got the Joker’s teeth and it had an eye in it. It was spying on Batman and Robin and their plans of attack in the camera of the teeth. Batman and Robin went back home to the cave and talked about what happened out there. Damian told his father about what he was doing in the sewers and found a pearl that was part of Bruce Wayne’s mother’s pearl necklace [Damian’s Grandmother] she was wearing the night Bruce Wayne’s parents was killed. It was a sign that Damian did care, which resulted in Bruce telling Damian he was proud of him and the two hugging for the first time.

After the Bat-Family got together and planned how to defeat the Joker, Batman, left to find him and Alfred. Damian went to the crime scene in Wayne Manor and found out it was at the Gotham Zoo. Damian saw the Joker and was captured by him and he saw Batman under the Joker’s laughing gas and now Damian will have to fight his father in a battle to get rid of the Joker gas in his body. Damian fought off this Batman that was gassed by the Joker after a long battle with Batman under the Joker’s control and Damian telling Batman to fight off the gas, but the Joker gassed Batman and Robin at the Gotham Zoo and took their masks off. Later, the Joker and Damian were walking in the dark together and Damian was telling the Joker what is he doing and the Joker showed Damian that he had a dinner tray of something gross to see. Damian was under the Joker’s mind control to join him and the rest of the Bat-Family to the dinner party that the Joker is planning. Batman freed the Bat-Family and he gave his son a hug and asked that if he was all right from the Joker’s kidnapping plans. After his father chased and defeated the Joker and the Bat-Family were busy with stuff going on, Bruce Wayne checked in on Alfred, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, and Batgirl and tried to get a hold of Jason Todd, but he was at a bar drinking and recovering from the events that happened.

They were texted by Bruce Wayne, but they cell-phoned back that they were busy with stuff going on that popped up at the last minute. Bruce Wayne thought he would go and see his son Damian, but he was away in Downtown Gotham City at the Wayne Complex training in the gym and left a note, and it said, “Father, at the Wayne Complex training at the gym. Don’t wait up for me”.

Batman Incorporated vol. 2

In the new Batman, Incorporated volume, his mother Talia has put a price on his head. During the first encounter with some of the headhunters, Damian saved a cow which he named Bat-Cow. Damian is ultimately shot in the confrontation, but survives. It is decided that Damian should use his apparent death as a chance to hide out while the others in the Bat-Family attempt to resolve the issue of the price on his head. Damian refuses the idea of hiding in the Bat-Cave, and creates a new identity, Red-Bird, to continue his vigilante duties. In Issue #0, Damian as Robin, now 11 years old, was helping his father [Batman] in Russia carry the criminals in the cold back to Moscow with a Russian Batman. Damian said to his father that he can not feel his body from the cold, but his father said that they were half-way there to the Bat-Plane to drop off the criminals at the police station.

Damian as Red Bird helped out another version-like Batman to fight his mother’s battle army off. Damian’s father found out where he was and helped him fight off the League of Assassins’ army and Batman said to Talia that it is over. Talia wanted her son back and it was all a game of chess to get her son back from Batman. Talia told Batman that one of them was a spy as a hero and it was Jason Todd as Wingman. Batwing helps Batman and the family to fight off Talia’s army. Batman told his son Damian that she wants him back and that this war battle fight will be over. Batman was so upset that his son has to go back to his mother. Damian went back to his mother. Batman told his son to leave because that the League of Assassins were going to hunt down his son and Damian did not know this until he left the group under his mother’s orders. Damian will be seen again as Batman in 666 about the end of the World War fight battle.

After Batman fired his son as Robin, he tells him that something bad was going to happen. We see Damian as Batman fighting off a battle of the Joker’s gas that turns people into animals as villains at Arkham Asylum of the Criminally Insane. After Batman’s death, the people welcome a new Batman that was Damian. The people of Gotham City said long live the new Batman after saving these kids at a bridge and bringing them to the safety zone. Batman knew there was something wrong about to happen. The Joker’s gas took over and attacked the people of Gotham City. Batman went to rescue Barbara Gordon, but she was gassed by the Joker’s gas. Batman fought off the guards at the Arkham Mental Hospital and got Commissioner Gordon out of there, but she shot Batman and the people of Gotham, who were infected killed her. Batman releases all the criminals to a last battle to fight off the Joker’s gas, but it was too late. A nuclear bomb went off and wiped out all of Gotham City. Batman was too late to save half of the city and he knew it was his mother Talia, who was involved in the plans to attack Gotham. Batman II was killed or hurt in battle unknown at this time. Batman told Damian not to be Robin at all, because Batman knew this was going to happen to his son being Batman and all. Batman must stop Talia and her army to not let this happen at all.

Damian was in the Batcave with Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Richard Grayson and Alfred, while Damian’s father went to see Damian’s mother, who now wanted her son back and gave Batman two choices: to save Gotham City or care for his son. Damian and everyone else can hear her on the radio talking with Batman and Talia about having her son back in her family. Batman fought traps of Talia’s plans and saw old church pictures of the name Damian in AD = Anno Domini and some omens. Batman defeated her traps and plans and the League of Shadows and another trap came. Damian, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Richard Grayson and Alfred heard what was happening and the radio went dead, and Talia told Batman again to save Gotham City or his son. Batman fell down 20 feet to the ground by Talia’s super soldier, The Heretic and Batman fought him, but it was too late to save him as the Heretic had captured him as a prisoner for Talia. Damian can hear what is happening from his father’s radio on the computer. Jason Todd was in the Batcave and Damian told him to leave and find his father’s team and search for him and know what’s happened to his mother with her plans.

Damian stayed in the Batcave and Alfred gave him some food to eat and Damian gave some of it to his cat and the bats in the Batcave. Damian still can hear his father’s voice on the static radio and he told a secret story to Alfred about when his mother cast him out of the al Ghul family and that she had a sperm egg made and was her replacement son to help her in her plans of attacks. He was strong and he can shoot lasers out of his eyes [like Superman’s power’s] and was trained by the league to kill and have strength to fight off anyone weak. Damian told Alfred that it was his brother that he never met before. Damian told Alfred that he had to stop him and if not it will be to late for Batman. Damian was good at voices to get out of the locked-in Batcave. Alfred was proud of him and Damian got his costume on and suit up in the robot Robin outfit and flew off to help the Bat-Family to find Batman’s whereabouts.

Arriving at Wayne Enterprises, Damian and Nightwing take out the guards that were there to keep them from entering. The Heretic arrives to stop them, and he and Damian fight each other. Damian demands to be taken to see his mother, but The Heretic refuses to listen. When the Heretic sees that Ellie is holding the trigger for the world bomb, he attempts to take it from her, only to be stopped by Damian. The two fight once more, and Batman arrives to see that Damian had been fatally stabbed through the chest. Batman took Damian’s body away from Wayne Tower and Batman fought off the clone Damian and blinded him to death and after the battle in a flashback in the story, Bruce Wayne and the Bat-Family buried Damian next to Bruce Wayne’s parents, Damian’s grandparents. Batman will get his fight with Talia and it was personal to be a fight going to happen to avenge his son and Robin’s death. During this fight, Talia is killed by Kathy Kane. It is later found out that Ra’s al Ghul created more Damian clones and stole Damian’s body from his grave for future uses. Bruce Wayne was in shock to see the grave of Damian was empty next to his parents.

Batman wants his son back

In Batman and Nightwing issue 23, we see Batman in a flashback in the events of Batman Incorporated trying to fight Talia and trying to save his son Damian in a game simulation. He has tried all week and failed in the game, but Nightwing came to see him and joined him in the game to fight off the Heretic and try different ways to kill him after fighting him to the death in the game. Batman saved his son Damian and said his goodbyes to him and left the game with Nightwing. Alfred tried it and it was sad and hard for him to do the game simulation and Alfred told Bruce Wayne to turn it off and carry on as Batman and life to fight crime and remember the good time they had with Damian up to his tragic death.

Damian in the DC NEW 52 series

In 2013, the series called Damian: Son of Batman, is about Damian’s life with his father as Robin and some stuff about his missing life that we never saw in the old DC Comics era about his future. It is only a short miniseries about 4 issues.

Powers and Abilities

Skilled Assassin/Fighter

Damian is a skilled martial artist, has a keen intellect, is a skilled weapons user especially with a sword, escape artist and can mimic a person’s voice all from his training in the League of Assassins. His voice mimicry is so good that he could fool the Bat Cave’s voice recognition security system, copying Tim Drake’s voice. Despite being the youngest Robin, Damian Wayne is one of the most skilled and has even given Jason Todd a good fight. He was trained by both the League of Assassins, Batman, and Talia al Ghul. He claimed that he knows “a thousand ways to kill a man.” He has trained intensely from a very young age. He also claimed that he knows as many martial arts as Batman, though it may be due to his arrogant nature. In “Blackest Night” it is said that he is trained in every weapon known to man.

Healing

Damian’s mother Talia Al Ghul, anticipating that her highly trained and slightly insane son may be hurt in his adventures, has apparently cloned Damian. The clones are designed not to replace him, but to replace any vital organs or bones that may be irrecoverably damaged (depicted in Batman and Son). This in essence makes him immortal, as not only can he not die from wounds that WOULD kill him eventually, but every time he is healed in this manner, his NEW organs wont have the wear and tear of life on them, technically extending their life and effectiveness.

Detective

As the son of the ‘World’s Greatest Detective’ Batman, Damian must have been given some training in the arts of being a detective. Throughout his appearances Damian has shown some detective skills in the field whether that’s with a partner or just on his own.

Stealth

Damian is possibly the most silent of the Robins, due to his small nature and light body. He has proven to be able to sneak into the Bat Cave undetected by any of the Bat family whenever he wanted to. His training under the League had stressed stealth to be just as important as the death of their foes, placing it’s importance very highly as a skill.

Business/Intellect

His mother taught him how to not only completely take over and merge a business, but also to control a company. He is involved with Wayne Enterprises’ board members. He was even able to track down financial irregularities with a keen eye. He is educated in forensics, criminology, and many more subjects.

Super Strength/Speed

Having since being brought back from the dead, Damian found that his strength has been increased to a very high degree, as he could trade blows with Kalibak on a equal level. On top of that, Damian showed that he’s capable of moving at incredible speeds, as he had traveled from Gotham to nearly past the southern Atlantic in just over an hour.

Flight

In addition to Damian’s new powers, he also has shown the capability of flight. First flying above the clouds, Damian then flew across the Atlantic Ocean with ease.

Equipment

Damian wears a suit similar to that of past Robins. That includes the red top, along with green boots. He wears a hood, which separates him from the others. He has gauntlets like those of Batman and can be used for protection and as a weapon. He carries an utility belt which includes “birdarangs” (Batarangs), smoke pellets, tear gas, and most of the same weapons that the Bat-family is in possession of. Damian’s uniform is most likely slightly resistant to bullets, shock, and fire. Although his suit isn’t as durable as that of the other Bat-family members.

Character Profile

• Height: 4’6″
• Weight: 84 lbs
• Eye Color: Green
• Hair Color: Black
• Citizenship: American
• Marital Status: Single
• Occupation: Vigilante, adventurer, student
• Known Relatives: Ra’s al Ghul (maternal grandfather), Thomas Wayne (paternal grandfather), Martha Wayne (paternal grandmother), Talia al Ghul (mother), Bruce Wayne (father), Richard Grayson (adoptive brother), Jason Todd (adoptive brother), Tim Drake (adoptive brother), Mara Al Ghul (cousin)
• Base of Operations: Gotham City; Mercy Hall, New York City

Other Versions

A Possible Future

A possible future showed Damian becoming Batman of the future after he is unable to save Batman from being killed by an unknown killer. Damian has some supernatural power, is willing to kill, as well as having a cat he has named Alfred. He seems to have developed a rivalry with Commissioner Barbara Gordon (who strongly condemns his actions, claiming that he killed someone close to her). When asked why she hates him so she says “That monster was responsible for the death of… of a good friend. He can’t be trusted.” This Batman is darker than his father, more willing to injure and kill opponents if he judges it necessary to do so and possesses some form of supernatural ability (most visibly, the ability to heal catastrophic wounds in moments). It is implied that, in this possible future, Damian made a literal deal with the Devil: his soul in exchange for the immortality and healing abilities he felt he needed to protect Gotham.

In Batman #700, Damian is fighting a villain who is using old Joker Gimmicks. He is seen interrogating Max Roboto for information before leaving him to be eaten alive by carnivorous rats. The Joker Gas is affecting all the people of Gotham City, however it is not killing them. Barbara Gordon is requesting the help of Batman to fight off the people of Gotham. However, Damian only has 8 minutes left until his oxygen mask runs out. He eventually confronts 2 Face 2, a criminal who is trying to use Joker’s book of Jokes to control Gotham City.

He also has a young Terry McGinnis, whom he is holding hostage. In the end, Damian saves Terry McGinnis and gives him an antidote to the Joker formula that was in his body. Several years later, Damian is shown to be partners with Terry McGinnis, where he is the current Batman. This story is set after the events of Superman/Batman #75’s annual with Damian having retired giving the mantle of Batman to Terry.

In Superman/Batman #75, Damian Wayne is seen meeting with Conner Kent, who is the future Superman at a memorial every year, despite the two not getting along. But for the sake of Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent, they put aside any conflict. Damian shows some doubt over whether he should allow Terry McGinnis to pick up the cowl after him.

Justice League: Generation Lost

In another possible future started by Maxwell Lord, Damian Wayne survives 150 years into the future utilizing Lazarus Pits. He leads a Justice League and wears a suit similar to the Batman from Kingdom Come. He’s killed by Maxwell Lord.

Kingdom Come

On Earth-22, the child birthed between Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul that was the inspiration for Damian in the story Batman: Son of the Demon grew up as Ibn al Xu’ffasch. Through out his childhood, Ibn was mercilessly trained by his grandfather Ra’s al Ghul to become a master assassin and heir to his empire. Ibn would eventually be driven to murdering his grandfather by cutting off his head. Due to the events of his childhood and his shaky relationship with his father, Ibn would seek help in the form of therapy in order to try and deal with some of his torment. Ibn eventually falls in love with Nightstar, the daughter of Dick Grayson and Starfire. During the great crisis of Kingdom Come, Ibn would apparently side with Lex Luthor, eventually joined by his father Bruce on Luthor’s side. But after Bruce reveals that he had deceived Luthor it is suggested that despite their shaky relationship, Ibn could have been working as a spy for his father within Luthor’s inner circle. After the crisis, Bruce meets with Superman and Wonder Woman, informing them that he and Ibn are trying to work through their problems, but it is hard for Ibn, as he has many personal issues to deal with. Years later, at Bruce’s funeral, Ibn shows up married to Nightstar with children of his own.

Multiversity: Earth-16

Another version of Damian exists in Earth-16. A more empathic and relaxed Damian is one of the Supersons and friend of Christopher Kent, son of Superman. Living in a world without crime, Damian’s only source of excitement is a romance with Alexis Luthor (Lex’s daughter). Even if he considers himself less than his father, he still is a outstanding detective and the only one who discovers that his universe is being attacked from external forces throught comic-books.

In Other Media

Television

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Damian Wayne gets his first appearance in television in the Batman: The Brave And The Bold episode, “The Knights of Tomorrow!” When Bruce Wayne marries Catwoman (Selina Kyle), he and Selina retire to raise their son in a normal life. While Bruce might be retired from being Batman, Batman’s name and mission continues! Dick Grayson becomes the second Batman. However, a new Joker appears to battle Grayson, working with the old Joker. Shortly after his parents are killed, Damian Wayne joins Dick Grayson to fight against this new Joker. Later, he is seen as the future Batman. In the end, it is revealed that the whole episode is merely a story conjured up by Alfred. He was voiced by Patrick Cavanaugh.

Young Justice: Outsiders

Damian makes a cameo appearance in the episode “Rescue Op,” where he is seen as an infant being raised by Talia on Infinity Island.

Harley Quinn

Damian Wayne appears as Robin in the adult animated series, voiced by Jacob Tremblay (best known for his roles in movies like Room and Doctor Sleep). In the episode “Finding Mr. Right,” Damian goes on TV and lies about Harley Quinn being his arch nemesis in order to improve his reputation and make other superheroes take him more seriously. Offended by this, Harley kidnaps Damian and threatens to feed him to King Shark unless he confesses to having lied. In Season 2, he attempts to take on the mantle of Batman after his father goes missing, but is sent home by Commissioner Gordon due to being too young.

Movies

New 52 Animated Universe

In the shared DC animated universe that began with Justice League: War, Damian is a major recurring character. Stuart Allan voices him in each of the films.

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  Son of Batman (2014) Damian appeared in the DC Animated movie inspired by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert’s Batman and Son storyline.

• Batman vs. Robin (2015) Damian appeared on the direct sequel of 2014 DC Animated movie Son of Batman. The film is partially based on the Batman: Court of Owls story arc that was written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Cappullo and Jonathan Glapion.

• Batman: Bad Blood (2016) – Damian once again returned to the direct sequel of Batman vs. Robin (2015). The movie is heavily inspired by Grant Morrison’s “Batman and Robin” and “Batman Incorporated” storylines.

• Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016) Damian appeared as a main character in the crossover between the Teen Titans and Justice League.

• Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017) – Damian also appeared again as a member of the Teen Titans.

• The Death of Superman (2018) – Damian makes a cameo appearance at Superman’s funeral.
• Batman: Hush (2019) – Damian makes a cameo appearance.

• Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020) – Damian appears for the final time in the last film of the New 52 animated continuity. He retires from crimefighting after the Teen Titans are killed by Darkseid’s forces, but returns one more time when the surviving heroes of Earth decide to wage one last desperate stand against the cosmic tyrant. He is last seen with Raven and the other few survivors just as the Flash reboots the universe, erasing the entire continuity from existence.

Other Animated Films

• Damian appears in Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants (2016), voiced by

• Damian appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League – Gotham City Breakout (2016), Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis (2018) and Lego Batman: Family Matters (2019), voiced by Scott Menville.

• Damian Wayne appears as a major character in Batman: Ninja (2018), voiced by Yuri Lowenthal in the English dub and Yuki Kaji in the original Japanese audio track.
• Damian Wayne appears in Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019), voiced by Ben Giroux.
• Damian Wayne appears as an infant in Batman: Death in the Family (2020).

Video Games

• Damian Wayne is a playable character in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, voiced by Charlie Schlatter.
• Damian Wayne appears in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.
• Damian is a playable character in the fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced by Neal McDonough. He is the alternate reality as their version of Nightwing, older and sporting a red version of the costume. He serves Superman in the Regime and is desperate to take down Batman, seeing him as a criminal. Damian is first seen when The Regime raids the Joker Clan’s headquarters in Arkham Asylum. After Joker defeats Hawkgirl, Nightwing fights him and is defeated as well. Hawkgirl is able to fly the two of them out before Joker or the real-world heroes can do anything. Later when the alternate reality Batman and Prime Earth Green Arrow are trying to rescue the Prime Batman from Stryker’s Island, Damian and Catwoman attack the pair with Damian first fighting Green Arrow. During this fight, it is revealed that Damian joined with Superman and killed Dick Grayson, earning Batman’s hatred. Batman defeats him in combat, leaving him tied up with the words, “You’re dead to me.”
• Damian Wayne appears in Infinite Crisis, voiced by James Arnold Taylor.
• Damian Wayne returns as a playable character in Injustice 2, this time voiced by Scott Porter. In addition to appearing as Nightwing in the story mode, Damian is also playable as Robin, wielding a ninja sword as a nod to his League of Assassins training.
• Damian Wayne appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Stuart Allan.

Merchandise

• Damian Wayne was featured in DC Direct’s Batman Incorporated line of action figures.
• Damian Wayne was featured in Mattel’s DC Multiverse line as part of the King Shark Collect-and-Connect wave.
• Eaglemoss Publications produced a Damian Wayne bust.
• DC Collectibles has produced Damian Wayne statues and busts.
• Damian Wayne was featured in the HeroClix figure game.
• Damian Wayne was featured in Mattel’s DC Signature line.
• Kotobukiya produced a statue of Damian Wayne.
• Damian Wayne was featured in DC Collectibles’ Batman vs. TMNT line as part of a two-pack with Raphael.
• Damian Wayne was featured in the Batman: The Caped Crusader line from Spin Master.
• Damian Wayne was featured in the DC Multiverse line from McFarlane Toys.