Detective Comics: The Mystery of the Arkham Knight Begins

Mar 27, 2019 12:00 PM PDT The holy war against Batman is beginning.

by Jesse Schedeen

Detective Comics celebrated its 1000th issue by introducing the comic book incarnation of the Arkham Knight, and we have our first clues as to the identity of this mysterious villain.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Detective Comics #1000 and the Arkham Knight video game!

The 2015 video game Batman: Arkham Knight first introduced the titular villain, revealing him to be Batman's disgruntled ex-sidekick Jason Todd. This issue marks the debut of the Arkham Knight in DC's traditional comic book continuity, and all signs point to a completely different person taking up that mantle this time.

We don't yet know who might be wearing the Arkham Knight armor this time, but it is clear this mystery person has a serious grudge against Batman. The Arkham Knight ruminates on the damage Batman has done to Gotham City, believing him to be no better than the villains he battles each and every night. The Arkham Knight seems to view his or herself as a holy warrior preparing for a righteous crusade against the Dark Knight.

Art by Doug Mahnke. (Image Credit: DC Comics)

That appears to be one key difference between the video game and comic book versions of the character. Where the original Arkham Knight was motivated by a selfish desire to punish Batman for failing to save him from the Joker, this Arkham Knight is targeting Batman out of a devotion to justice. Is that a clue as to the character's identity? Is the Arkham Knight a familiar enemy in a new form, like Two-Face? Or is this villain entirely new to the Gotham stage?

We'll find out more about the Arkham Knight over the next several months as this villain's anti-Batman crusade gets underway. For now, be sure to check out our review for Detective Comics #1000 and learn how this issue puts a fresh spin on an iconic piece of Batman lore.

Jesse is a mild-mannered writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

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