The first issue of Batman: The Adventures Continue: Season II features the return of Deadman to the DCAU as Batman investigates the Court of Owls.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Batman: The Adventures Continue: Season II #1 by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Ty Templeton, and Monica Kubina, on sale now.
Deadman has been part of the DC Animated Universe since in Justice League Unlimited to help stop the machinations of Gorilla Grodd. During that time it was established that he had some kind of connection to Batman, although whatever history existed between them was not clarified.
However, Batman: The Adventures Continue Season II returns to the world of Batman: The Animated Series to reveal how this unseen team-up between Batman and Deadman really happened. Deadman appears here as another hero drawn into the mysterious threat that is the Court of Owls. While Deadman never had anything to do with the Gotham City cabal previously, he brings a unique insight into their Talons.
Created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino in 1967’s Strange Adventures #205, Deadman was originally Boston Brand, a circus performer. When he was murdered by a mysterious assassin known simply as “the Hook” Boston’s spirit remained behind, gifted with the ability to possess the bodies of others from the Hindu deity Rama Kushna. Boston became a hero in his own unique way, taking on the moniker he used in the circus as his official codename. This origin remains virtually unchanged in the DCAU. But at this stage of his career only a handful of people in the world know that the spirit of Boston Brand still inhabits the world.
Deadman existed as a wanderer, drawn by inexplicable forces to wherever he was needed most. His latest travels brought him back to Gotham City, where he took a moment to watch a show at Haly’s Circus, spotting Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon. Leaving the two be, he began flying through the city when he stumbled upon the gruesome murder scene of Mayor Hamilton Hill. Intrigued, he observed as Batman investigated the crime scene and realized that he found what had drawn him back to the city.
Deadman never anticipated that the threat Batman now faced had some kind of mystical element attached to it. Continuing to shadow Batman, Deadman managed to interrupt the murder of the Vreeland family at the hands of a Talon. In the process, Deadman discovered that not only could the assassin see him, but injure him as well. This was a shocking first for the spirit of Boston Brand.
After an impromptu fight, Deadman clued Batman in on the Talon’s undead status, prompting the Dark Knight to visit his old friend, Zatanna, for more information. She knew about Brand and offered Batman a way to communicate with him so that together they could stop the Court of Owls. Batman then sat for over an hour in meditation to prove that he was a believer in the mystical arts (even if he didn’t trust them), before Deadman finally appeared, ready to work with him in the investigation.
This is a reflection of the partnership between the two that exists in the main DCU. While Deadman does not have an official spot in the Bat-Family, he has helped the Dark Knight plenty of times in the past. Oftentimes, Deadman appears in Batman’s life when one of his investigations involves one of the many mystical elements found in Gotham City.
About The Author
