The Monster Men are coming to the Batman family of books but a classic villain made a creepy surprise return in this week’s Batman #9.
Batfans will spot another familiar name in this week’s chapter of I Am Gotham.
This week’s comeback follows last issue’s revealed rogue and a new conspiracy in Gotham City.
Tom King and David Finch gave us the part of the secret origin of Bruce Wayne’s new super powered sidekicks.
King (former CIA analyst and Grayson co-writer) definitely brings themes of espionage, plots within counter-plots and is taking the book outside of Gotham City’s boundaries.
What does this villainous return mean for the Dark Knight?
Before we talk about this week’s big reveals and what it could mean here’s a SPOILER ALERT!
If you have not ready Batman #3 yet stop reading now.
Seriously.
OK.
Here it comes.
The issue begins with a familiar story: a young boy walking with his parents one night in Gotham City when they take a tour into a dark side street and come face to face with an armed criminal. This is not young Bruce Wayne. This is Hank Clovis.
The Clovis family was spared from the same fate of the Waynes by Batman.
King reveals Hank’s encounter with the Dark Knight inspired him and his sister Claire to train their bodies for battle, push their minds, volunteered for the needy and even rescued the innocent when tragedies hit the city. The brother and sister disappeared, the father wired them money then they returned in their new secret identities: Gotham and Gotham Girl.
The Clovis kids’ history is revealed by the father in an interview with a FBI agent named Malone…Matches Malone. This is the secret identity used by Bruce Wayne. Malone is usually a mob figure Bruce portrays to get intel on the underworld.
Gotham City is being plagued by acts of terror. In the last issue we learned those operatives are brainwashed victims of Professor Hugo Strange. The scientist is in league with Suicide Squad boss Amanda Waller and Superman villain General Lane.
When Gotham and Gotham Girl arrive in the aftermath of a building explosion they met Strange and the Psycho-Pirate, master of emotions.
Psycho-Pirate (Roger Hayden) a villain with a Medusa Mask and the power of manipulate emotions. He fought Justice Society era heroes Hourman and Dr. Fate. The lower tier bad guy was elevated into the big time when he became an operative of the Monitor and Anti-Monitor in the epic Crisis of Infinite Earths. The villain was killed off in Infinite Crisis but returned to menace Superman in The New 52. With a bad guy with this kind of history, is this a sign Tom King’s Dark Knight book will tie into the greater conspiracy involving the Watchmen as revealed in DC Universe Rebirth?
How did the Clovis kids get their super powers?
What is the endgame of Strange, Waller and Lane?
Who is the secret mastermind behind this trio’s conspiracy?
Will Strange turn Gotham and Gotham Girl into his next suicidal operatives?
How will I Am Gotham lead into Night of the Monster Men, the first crossover of the DC Rebirth?
By Editor