The Batman: Arkham version of the Dark Knight has returned at long last, at least in the pages of the ongoing Batman comics. Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham titles are considered by many to be the greatest video games to highlight DC Comics's legendary detective thanks to their emotional plots, gripping gameplay, and superb voice acting that allowed players to step into the role of Batman as few games did before. This is especially true for the Caped Crusader himself, with the late Kevin Conroy turning in a defining performance as Batman as he defended Gotham across three dark, action-packed adventures.
Warning: This article has MAJOR SPOILERS for Batman: Arkham Knight and Batman #135
This journey came to a head in 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight, where Batman was forced to confront both his past and present while facing the dual threat of Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight. After being haunted by his memories of the deceased Joker and faced with the return of a vengeful Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne is eventually forced to unmask himself to the world. With his greatest secret out in the open, Batman Arkham Knight ends with Bruce apparently being killed by a bomb exploding in Wayne Manner, but a secret ending hints that he might have faked his death to continue his crusade against crime under a new, more threatening persona.
Eight years after Batman: Arkham Knight’s cryptic ending, the Dark Knight of Rocksteady’s superhero gaming universe has returned in the pages of Batman #135, as noted by Reddit user AgadhAgadh. In this issue (which marks the 900th Batman comic overall), the mainline Caped Crusader visits various sections of the DC multiverse, including the world of the Arkham games. There, he finds that universe’s version of Batman processing the Joker’s final death in Arkham Knight alone in the Batcave.
This is the first mainstream appearance of the Arkhamverse Batman since Arkham Knight, but it won’t be the last. Rocksteady is continuing its DC-based game series in next year’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, in which Task Force X is charged with eliminating Earth’s greatest heroes after they go rogue. One of these heroes is Batman himself, with Kevin Conroy returning to voice the iconic Dark Knight one final time. There had previously been speculation that Dick Grayson or another Bat-Family member would take up Batman’s mantle following Bruce’s “death,” but Conroy’s signature tone leaves little doubt that this is the same Caped Crusader from the previous Arkhamverse games.
Players will likely have to wait until the delayed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches next February to find out how Batman is still alive in the Batman: Arkham universe, but comic readers can see the return of this beloved version of the character ahead of time in the latest Batman comic. There, the defender of Gotham appears in the flesh once more, still haunted by the events of his last video game outing and preparing himself for his eventual return.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League releases on February 2, 2024, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.