The premise of Batman: Fortress By Gary Whitta, Darick Robertson, Diego Rodriguez and Simon Bowland It seems very simple at first: with Earth trapped in a global blackout due to a mysterious signal, Batman And the remaining Justice League members struggle to find the cause while Power remains down. However, the series soon diverged from the crisis at hand, ignoring the larger issues the blackout likely caused.
Batman: FortressA limited series that ran in 2022, focused on Earth’s global blackout after an unidentified alien ship landed in the atmosphere. Looking back, instead of the history Batman: Fortress Tells about Batman’s search for a missing Superman, It could have been the perfect opportunity for a pandemic story about the role of responsibility In a wounded society.
The comic’s plot sees Batman develop an unlikely team after the Justice League’s swift defeat against the alien’s enemy ship. The ad hoc team is in pursuit of Superman who – at the heart of the series – has disappeared. The end to Batman: Fortress Prompts another look at Superman’s character and discusses the responsibility of power when he comes from a tainted background.
Superman’s human heart is nowhere to be found in this story
When the Earth needed Superman, the Man of Steel stepped in
Batman: Fortress Clarified that the Green Lanterns were ordered off-world due to galactic politics that allowed the aliens to invade Earth’s atmosphere. However, unlike the Green Lanterns, who belong to an official organization, Superman should have been very present When humanity needed him most. Not just for Metropolis, but for a globe that needs a hero. The last issue of the series explains that the aliens came for Superman because Krypton is a planet of conquerors.
With a story as iconic as his, Superman is well regarded as the ideal superhero.
Fully aware of his ancestor’s wrongdoing, Superman specifically hidden in the depths of the oceans of the Earth In his fortress of solitude to avoid detection, that would have worked if not for Batman. Despite defending himself with Pa Kent’s values, Superman’s morals are just as undetectable as he was. Although Superman has unimaginable powers compared to humans like Batman or Green Arrow, he strives to do good at a level most humans will never reach. With a story as iconic as his, Superman is well regarded as the ideal superhero.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, humans with extraordinary bravery and kindness stepped up when the world stopped working, notably called “superheroes” for their actions. It would have done A good meta story For Superman in Batman: Fortress To do the same, to step up even when it puts him at risk. That was the direction Batman: Fortress Could have taken, but chose not to.
In the end, Batman gained all of Superman’s powers
Batman: Fortress Completed in early 2023
In the last issue of batman: fortress, Superman willingly surrenders, proposing that his powers be handed over to someone else. While readers never see the tribunal, Whitta and Robinson show the end result: Batman is given Superman’s powers, allowing Superman to live the normal life he’s always wanted. Ignoring that Superman’s abilities are not what make him a Kryptonian, as the aliens admitted Krypton’s heinous actions were committed under a red sun and not yellow, this twist does not detract from the fact that Superman’s powers were never the true focus of the comicAnd their handover should not be the end result.
Batman receiving Superman’s powers at the end of Fortress is a slap in the face to his decisions throughout history.
Unlike Superman, Batman does what he can during the crisis. in Batman: Fortress #1, he works around the clock to keep Gotham’s criminal underworld from erupting; in Batman: Fortress #2, Batman works with the military in an attempt to stop the blackout. Despite his lack of any power, Batman does what he can, which is exactly what humanity demonstrated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Batman’s resilience and ability to continue forwards eventually ended the blackout, not any sort of powers (for which he has a team). Batman receiving Superman’s powers at the end of Fortress is a slap in the face to his decisions throughout history.
Batman: Fortress Could have been DC’s perfect pandemic story
But there is still a huge gap
While DC Comics have made light references here and there to a pandemic (which could generally refer to any recent DC event), the only specific reference is entirely contained in Danny Devito’s non-canon Penguin story, “Bird Cat Love” by Devito, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain and Troy Peteri from Gotham City Villains Anniversary Giant #1, in which the Penguin and Catwoman steal and release vaccinations worldwide. It is Another hole in the DC Multiverse for a COVID-19 story Which highlights the heroic efforts of humanity, doing what they can with the abilities they have – real heroism demonstrated throughout the pandemic.
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Understandably, DC didn’t want to involve the pandemic in stories built on the foundation of hope — even stories with the most grim Batman – but multiverse stories like FortressWith a crisis, would be the perfect place to show human bravery. It would have made the perfect parallel, but unfortunately, Batman: Fortress Chose not to go down that route.
Batman: Fortress is available now from DC Comics.