The Justice League will undergo some dramatic changes following the events of Dark Nights: Metal and Justice League: No Justice, but that doesn't mean Batman is turning over a new leaf. Following the tams intergalactic quest to save the planet, the Dark Knight will be in possession of the Brainiac Files -- but what, exactly, are they?

According to Den of Geek, Batman has a secret side project that he's working on during Bryan Hill and Eddy Barrows' upcoming run on Detective Comics. The five-issue storyline "On the Outside" will see Batman team up with Black Lightning, and bring the likes of Katana, The Signal, and Cassandra Cain into the picture.

RELATED: Bryan Hill Joins Detective Comics, Pairs Batman and Black Lightning

Longtime readers know that this is not something new for Batman, who has worked on many secret projects in the past. Of course, some have caused more harm than good, like the creation of the Brother Eye satellite. What the Brainiac Files mean for Batman and his allies could become a mystery at the heart of the story - especially if it brings Brainiac himself to Gotham.

The Truth is Out There

Could the Brainiac Files be part of Batman's quest for knowledge? The Source Wall was breached at the end of Metal, leaving the universe exposed to dangerous new threats. During the events of No Justice, Brainiac welcome to the heroes of Earth and help them overcome what is coming for them. The Coluan knows about the cosmic entities Mystery, Wonder, Entropy and Wisdom, but what else does he know?

Brainiac is a collector of worlds, and in a way, has become a sentient encyclopedia of universal knowledge. If the Coluan people knew about these entities, what other secret threats are out there? It's possible that Brainiac's collection of worlds also holds the knowledge that will help Batman and the Justice League better prepare for what is out there. Who knows what knowledge Brainiac has squirreled away inside his Skull Ship.

RELATED: Justice League: No Justice Preview Showcases the Breach in the Source Wall

The Brainiac Files could literally be a direct download of all the data the villain has stored up for the years, covering different worlds, the knowledge they have, and the secrets they keep. Batman, who believes that knowledge is power, could be using this information to fill in the blanks about what he does and doesn't know about the universe. Through this knowledge he can better prepare for what is out there.

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From No Justice to Outsiders

Another potential explanation for the Brainiac Files is that they are Brainiac's playbook, so to speak, from the events of No Justice. In the May-releasing four-issue miniseries, Brainiac analyzes power sets and capabilities to bring the heroes and villains of the DCU together in new and exciting ways. It is only through these optimized teams that the Justice League can defeat the cosmic threats coming for them.

It is possible that Batman saw the value of this methodology and downloaded Brainiac's files on the superheroes of Earth to study. From these files, Batman may be planning to create the most optimized and efficient super team on the planet. This could lead to the formation of a new and improved version of the Outsiders, as the characters involved and the title of the storyline seem to imply.

Batman Outsiders

RELATED: Detective Comics Needs to Reintroduce Black Lightning’s Children to the DCU

It's unlikely Batman will be putting together the same old Outsiders team as before, if only because several of them are busy elsewhere. (Metamorpho is a member of the Terrifics, for example.) Instead, he may be bringing Black Lightning back into the fold in order to have him lead a new generation of Outsiders, one composed of the heroes who compliment each other in the most effective ways. In short, Batman could be using Brainiac's methodology for his own purposes, in order to create something for the greater good.

Can Batman Be Trusted?

Batman has his fair share of secrets, but the question always comes back around as to whether he can be trusted. He clearly has something in the works, but "On the Outside" could tackle whether Black Lightning and company will embrace Batman's plans or ultimately reject what the Brainiac Files have to offer. In his quest to remain two steps ahead of everyone, it is possible that the Dark Knight has finally gone too far.

The Outsiders have traditionally been a team that operates, well, outside of the conventional superhero community and sometimes of the law. Could we be getting a new Outsiders team that operates outside of Batman's parameters? Scott Snyder is launching a whole new line of Justice League comics, which promise to bring a more optimistic element to the DC Universe, but that doesn't mean Batman will be able to immediately give up his own ways right away.

The Brainiac Files seem destined to add another layer of secrets between Batman and his allies, and to what end will have to be seen in the Detective Comics storyline. We do have to get to the less-than-ideal future we're currently seeing in Doomsday Clock, after all...