WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for The Batman's Grave #4, by Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch, Alex Sinclair and Richard Starkings, on sale now.
Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's take on the Dark Knight in the maxi-series The Batman's Grave has been a refreshing, thoughtful approach to the venerable superhero, blending cheeky humor and a cerebral vision of the World's Greatest Detective. This isn't to say there isn't plenty of action and violence in the series so far, with Hitch bringing the more graphic, grounded violence to the book befitting it leaning more into the crime procedural subgenre. And this more gritty, grounded take on the series overall lends itself to create one of the most brutal Batman fights seen in a comic book in a very long time.
The series' fourth issue is largely devoted to a massive brawl, as the Caped Crusader breaks into the villainous Doctor Hellfern's residence within Gotham City, as the doctor has been developing an experimental, deadly new drug found in the city streets. Surveilling the premises before making his explosive entrance, Batman learns that three of the doctor's associates have had their physical conditions boosted through various chemical serums. Batman responds with padded gauntlets, an immense arsenal of weapons and gadgets, resulting in a much more hard-hitting combat style as the battle begins.
What follows is a no holds barred doozy of a donnybrook, with Batman immediately dispatching one of his opponents by firing a weaponized aerosol version of Hellfern's chemical weapons point blank into the goon's mouth. It is unknown if the chemical is ultimately lethal, but Batman doesn't appear concerned as he neutralizes his first foe. As the fight begins in earnest, the Dark Knight learns that Hellfern's remaining two associates have had their sense of pain removed by the doctor, leading Batman to up his brutality accordingly.
Batman quickly blinds one opponent by gouging him in both eyes with his fingers before turning his attention to a crook wielding dual machetes. In a handful of panels, Batman quickly breaks his opponents limbs in rapid succession before savagely beating his blinded foe to a bloody pulp before turning his attention back to Hellfern to confront the doctor and gain new information in his usual, interrogative way.
While this is the most brutal Batman fight seen in comics for some time -- if not, ever -- the comic book Caped Crusader still has nothing on many of his cinematic counterparts. Michael Keaton's Batman openly employed lethal force, from blowing up a chemical factory full of the Joker's men, machine-gunning Joker goons in a parade through Gotham and even blowing up one of Penguin's enforcers in Batman Returns while smiling. Ben Affleck's Batman similarly would break opponents limbs and use the Batmobile's arsenal to decisively clear out enemies, whether they survived or not.
But, for comics, Ellis and Hitch have delivered the most brutal Dark Knight in recent memory, fighting a markedly more vicious combat style to match his chemically enhanced opponents. It is a surprise sight to see at first but, as the fight unfolds and escalates, it's clear that Batman must up his game in this particular brawl to confront Hellfern. Whether Batman ever seriously considered taking a more stealthy approach is unclear, but the surveillance did reveal the presence of Hellfern's men made a physical confrontation something of an inevitability. And with Batman still left completely in the dark about Hellfern's benefactor and ultimate intentions, the Caped Crusader may have to get even more brutal to save his city and solve this new mystery.
The Batman's Grave #5 releases Feb. 12 from DC Comics.