‘Creature Commandos’ Just Casually Dropped a Huge Reveal About the DCU’s Batman

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  • Was Doctor Phosphorus the First Foe Batman Faced in the DCU?
  • It Can’t Be Robert Pattinson in the DCU
  • The DCU Batman Must Be in His Late 40’s or Early 50’s

There’s been a lot of discussion lately about the future of Batman within the DC Universe. People can’t seem to agree if Matt Reeves’s Batman, portrayed by Robert Pattinson, will stay separate or be incorporated into the larger DCU, or if Andy Muschetti’s announced Batman-led film, titled “Brave and the Bold,” is still in production and whether it has been delayed. Moreover, there have been brief hints of Batman in the animated series “Creature Commandos,” firstly in a vision of a future where he and other DCU heroes perished, and secondly in a flashback for the villain Doctor Phosphorus.

The last episode of Creature Commandos contained a significant dialogue hinting at the origins of the DC Universe’s Batman. In this episode, Doctor Phosphorus stated that he hadn’t been physically touched in 15 years. This line references the episode “Priyatel Skelet,” which occurred 15 years prior to the events depicted in Creature Commandos and the upcoming Superman film. Consequently, if the storyline takes place early in Batman’s crime-fighting career, it implies that he was active in Gotham City for at least 15 years, potentially even longer. This implication suggests that the Batman of the DCU might not be Robert Pattinson’s portrayal, as his version seems too young to have been patrolling Gotham for that length of time.

Was Doctor Phosphorus the First Foe Batman Faced in the DCU?

In the comic series Creature Commandos, it’s revealed that Doctor Phosphorus was once a regular person who was turned into a radioactive metahuman. This new identity led him to murder Gotham crime boss Rupert Thorne and seize his criminal empire. However, Batman managed to subdue the flamboyant villain, despite the fact that Batman’s appearance remained concealed by darkness and flashes of lightning during their encounter. Given that neither Doctor Phosphorus nor Rupert Thorne ever mentioned Batman in their dealings, it seems this confrontation took place early on in Batman’s career as a crime fighter in Gotham City.

In the comic series “Creature Commandos,” Doctor Phosphorus appears to be caught off guard or even fearful upon encountering Batman. Although Batman is a well-known figure among Gotham’s criminal elements and likely someone Doctor Phosphorus would have anticipated, his reaction suggests that this may be one of the earliest encounters between Batman and a supervillain in the DCU.

One indication that this story could be among Batman’s early escapades, possibly even before his first year as a vigilante, is that Robin does not seem to be accompanying him in this tale. However, it’s worth noting that Robin plays a significant role in James Gunn’s vision for Batman within the DCU. The upcoming series The Brave and the Bold will introduce Damian Wayne, who became the fifth Robin in DC Comics. Gunn has hinted at an existing Bat Family, implying that the movie might showcase a more seasoned Batman with a well-established history, encompassing multiple Robins.

In an upcoming animated film titled “Dynamic Duo“, scheduled for release in 2028, two Robins – Dick Grayson and Jason Todd – will take center stage as main characters. It’s important to note that the Batman in this film may not be the same one portrayed by Robert Pattinson, given the long history of the DCU Batman which could suggest a different interpretation from the one seen in “Creature Commandos”.

It Can’t Be Robert Pattinson in the DCU

“There are several indicators suggesting that the Batman from DCU is unlikely to be Robert Pattinson’s Batman.”

Firstly, there’s a dancing, glowing skeleton in zoot suits along with henchmen wearing skeleton makeup. This seems incongruous with the realistic tone of The Batman and The Penguin. Secondly, if the DCU’s Batman is to be an older, more seasoned crime fighter, it would necessitate significant changes for the Robert Pattinson Batman series.

In the narrative, “The Batman” unfolds during Bruce Wayne’s second year as a crime fighter. Following this is “The Penguin,” set a week later, and “The Batman – Part Two” is expected to continue the storyline shortly after. There’s speculation that “The Batman” might be repositioned as part of the DCU timeline in retrospect. Meanwhile, “Brave and the Bold” may present an older iteration of Robert Pattinson as Batman, although this could potentially create complications by introducing another version of the character.

Despite Robert Pattinson being 41 when The Batman – Part Two premieres, viewers might continue to see him as the youthful Batman. Instead of recasting the role, it could be beneficial to introduce a fresh version of Batman that isn’t tied to the continuity of previous Batman films and series. This would allow Matt Reeves to avoid fitting The Batman into the DCU, as having two different actors playing the same character could lead to complications. A standalone Batman, separate from the established universe, might simplify matters and provide a clean slate for its own storyline.

The DCU Batman Must Be in His Late 40’s or Early 50’s

In most iterations of Batman, we find Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham and assuming the role of Batman around his early thirties. The ending of “Batman Begins” takes place on his 30th birthday. If we were to follow this timeline for the Batman portrayed in “Creature Commandos,” it would imply that Bruce Wayne is currently in his mid-40s. This calculation assumes that the capture of Doctor Phosphorus took place early in his crime-fighting career.

However, if we consider the possibility that Batman had been active for a few years prior to this and started his career in his 30s, it could suggest he is now in his 50s, having been Batman for close to two decades. This would mean that the DCU’s Batman is significantly older than Superman, whose movie does not retell his origin but instead sets him as a superhero early on.

In “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice,” directed by Zack Snyder, a narrative was set up where Bruce Wayne had been the caped crusader (Batman) for 20 years in Gotham City before the movie’s story unfolded. This portrayal of an older Bruce Wayne/Batman was designed to emulate Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns,” which introduced a 55-year-old Batman character.

Gunn appears to be opting for a seasoned Batman character, possibly around ten years older than Superman, as a method to develop a well-established Robin lineage and an expansive Bat Family without revisiting the origin story. Potentially, Gunn and Brave and the Bold director Andy Muschietti might select Josh Brolin for this role, given his previous ties to DC, having declined the part of Hal Jordan in Lanterns, and even being considered for the Batman role prior to Ben Affleck’s casting in the DCEU.

There’s also a chance that Bruce Wayne, as portrayed by Gunn, donned the Batman cape in his twenties. If Doctor Phosphorus was indeed his first adversary, this means that by the time Creature Commandos and Superman began, Batman would have been around 36 years old. This scenario might have enabled him to have had two previous Robins, such as Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, and also father Damian Wayne early in his backstory with Talia al Ghul. The writers of the DCU have a wide range to explore Batman’s history, and this seemingly minor detail from Creature Commandos could potentially establish an entire narrative for the character. By the way, you can catch Creature Commandos on Max.

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2025-01-11 03:31