Summary
Batman has been featured in many excellent video game titles, asTheBatman: Arkhamseriesin particular stands as the greatest triumph in superhero game adaptations. Bruce Wayne’s convictions, follies, and relationships with his villains often tread the dark end of the comic pool, and a video game adaptation that takes on his darker material could be well worth it. Most recently, a remarkably mature DC Black Label storyline, titledBatman: Damned, saw The Dark Knight embroiled in controversy as he sought to uncover the cause of a nemesis' murder and establish his role in its occurrence. The story’s mature content matter and deep dive into the horror genre could deliver a title unlike any superhero adaptation that has come before it.
Batman: Damnedis part of DC’s Black Label comics, a line of stories meant for the company’s adult readers. As such, they are able to tell stories that otherwise would prove too dark, violent, or mature to see distribution. InBatman: Damned, The Dark Knight finds himself identified as the primary suspect in the Joker’s death, as the villain’s corpse is pulled from the river beneath Gotham Bridge. The problem is, he can’t remember the events of the night, as the title opens with Batman awakening in an ambulance with life-threatening wounds. His search for answers sees The Dark Knight enveloped in DC’s darker world, with John Constantine, Swamp Thing, Zatanna, and Etrigan all proving pivotal to the story’s plot.
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Batman: Damned is The Dark Knight’s Most Mature Storyline
Batman: Damnedpresents a terrifying version of The Dark Knight, as he pursues clues to the story’s greater mystery with a violent, almost feral, tenacity. However, the controversy surrounding the title largely boils down to its depiction of mature themes. Horrific violence, dark magic, sexual assault, and full-frontal nudity are all featured withinBatman: Damned’s first two issues, all of which directly involve The Dark Knight himself. Only slightly less controversial are the answers toBatman: Damned’s core mystery, as Bruce’s entire existence as Batman is called into question. When the dust settles, the title’s final pages reveal a shocking twist, opening the door to a future Gotham in which chaos reigns.
By the final pages, Batman learns that he was fatally stabbed on the bridge (where Joker supposedly died) and died. It seems Batman, during his initial fight with the Joker, feared what would happen if he died, but Joker lived, so he let his nemesis die too. With Bruce dead the whole time, he finds his own corpse in the morgue and, letting go of his past, is able to let go of this fear and move on. That fear is realized though, as back in reality, a living Joker then emerges from beneath Gotham Bridge, as Constantine denotes the start of a new chapter forGotham City.
Why Batman: Damned Could Make a Great Video Game
Batman: Damnedwould make an incredible addition toThe Dark Knight’s video game exploits. While some of its subject matter clearly has no place in games, its main storyline and horror aspects could deliver a thrilling experience for fans. The game would include some of the most diverse locations Gotham has to offer, as it delved into the dark magic involved and could create horrific iterations of Gotham Bridge, Bruce’s past, and so forth. A handful of horror-induced sequences, drawing on Arkham Knight’s darkest points, could really help drive home the horror elements of The Dark Knight’s story too. With Constantine acting as both narrator and uncertain ally, the title’s gameplay could include a series of choices that determine Batman’s success in his mission, and really, there is a ton of potential here.
Given the success of theBatman: Arkhamseries andDC’s R-rated comic adaptations, aBatman: Damnedgame makes perfect sense. DC fans have asked for a more mature game adaptation for some time. With the recent failure of PG-13 film properties, many of which were edited for theaters, now is the perfect time to reassert the company’s dark and gritty identity. Until a new title is announced, fans hope The Dark Knight’s next game will reflect his dark and mature source material.
