Batman of Zur-En-Arrh
Encyclopedia
The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is a fictional character
in the DC Comics universe. The character first appeared in France Herron's 1958 story "Batman - The Superman of Planet-X", which was featured in Batman
#113. In this story, the character is an alien named Tlano from the planet Zur-En-Arrh.
In 2008, writer Grant Morrison
resurrected the concept, this time as a backup personality of Bruce Wayne's. The persona was stored in Bruce's subconscious
in case his mind was overwhelmed by psychological trauma
. It surfaced in Batman #678, shortly before Wayne's apparent death. This version was psychotic, seeing images of Bat-Mite
(called "Might") and other apparitions.
-like" powers through similar means of the Superman of his world.
story arc began, at which point it was brought to the forefront. The persona was re-imagined as a delusional personality manufactured by Bruce himself to keep Batman able to fight in case he was mindwipe
d, or driven to insanity.
while remaining unclear of his own actions. He soon finds that he has been teleported to another planet, Zur-En-Arrh. There he meets a scientist named Tlano who has been monitoring his activities on Earth, and has decided to become a version of Batman for his own planet. On this planet, the Batman of Earth has enhanced abilities due to the different elements of the alien planet. The two Batmen join forces to defeat giant invading robots piloted by an unidentified alien race. After the robots are destroyed, the alien Batman gives Batman/Bruce Wayne his Bat-Radia device as a keepsake, and returns him to Earth.
was hired by Batman to oversee an isolation experiment. During this process, he gave Bruce Wayne a post-hypnotic trigger connected to the phrase "Zur-En-Arrh", young Bruce Wayne's mishearing of his father's last words ("the sad thing is they'd probably throw someone like Zorro in Arkham
"). Many years later, Doctor Hurt was working with the Black Glove when they decided to target Batman and his allies, first spreading information to the effect that Batman's father somehow survived his murder by Joe Chill
. Then, using the Zur-En-Arrh trigger, in conjunction with drugs, he sent a dazed and confused Bruce Wayne onto the streets of Gotham with no memory of his life. In Batman #678, "Bat-Mite" appears on the last page, commenting, "uh-oh" to Batman's increasing delusions after Bruce has assembled a makeshift Batman costume of similar style to that worn by the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. He then, throughout the whole Batman R.I.P. storyline, appears to counsel the Batman of Zur En Arrh, revealed over the course of the story to be a back-up personality created after a hallucination Batman suffered when exposed to Professor Milo's gas, intended to take over for Bruce Wayne if he was ever psychologically attacked in such a manner as to render Batman out of action, describing himself on one occasion as Batman without Bruce Wayne, the colourful costume expressing a greater confidence and demonstrating a greater willingness to torture and possibly kill his opponents. Batman #680 reveals that Bat-Mite is indeed a product of Batman's imagination, being Batman's rationale to prevent the unstable Zur-En-Arrh persona from going too far, although he comments that he is from the 5th dimension because the fifth dimension is imagination.
had dressed this way for years, implying that it reflects the confidence of the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh.
had an "atomic-powered" motor, and he flew a rocket-shaped Batplane.
His main device was the "Bat-radia", with which he could "jam atmospheric molecules", affecting the equipment of his enemies. At the end of the story, Tlano leaves Bruce with the device.
The Bruce Wayne incarnation also possesses a Bat-radia. This may or may not reflect a continuity between the two stories, as Grant Morrison
has made efforts to treat Batman's entire publication history as his backstory. This version of the device scrambled security systems, for instance overriding and confusing Arkham Asylum's, as well as serving as a tracking device to allow Batman's allies to find him. To add a note of humour to the story, the radia is presented as a "cheap-ass radio" instead of the object seen in the imaginary story, and members of the Black Glove dismiss it as such until they discover its true purpose.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the DC Comics universe. The character first appeared in France Herron's 1958 story "Batman - The Superman of Planet-X", which was featured in Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
#113. In this story, the character is an alien named Tlano from the planet Zur-En-Arrh.
In 2008, writer Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
resurrected the concept, this time as a backup personality of Bruce Wayne's. The persona was stored in Bruce's subconscious
Subconscious
The term subconscious is used in many different contexts and has no single or precise definition. This greatly limits its significance as a definition-bearing concept, and in consequence the word tends to be avoided in academic and scientific settings....
in case his mind was overwhelmed by psychological trauma
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
. It surfaced in Batman #678, shortly before Wayne's apparent death. This version was psychotic, seeing images of Bat-Mite
Bat-Mite
Bat-Mite is a fictional character appearing in stories published by DC Comics. Bat-Mite is an Imp similar to the Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk...
(called "Might") and other apparitions.
Origin
Zur-En-Arrh was first used as the name of a planet in France Herron's 1958 story Batman - The Superman of Planet-X featured in Batman #113. In the story, a Batman from Zur-En-Arrh brings what would become Earth-One Batman to his planet to help him battle giant robots piloted by an unidentified alien race. While on the planet, Earth's Batman found he developed "SupermanSuperman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
-like" powers through similar means of the Superman of his world.
Resurrection
When Grant Morrison took over the Batman series in September 2006, he began referencing classic moments from the character's career, including utilizing a version of Bat-Mite and reusing a costume and dialogue from the then fifty year old Batman #156. Among the references was the Zur En Arrh phrase, which appeared very nearly covering an alley and again on a dumpster in Batman #655 and continued to appear, usually as a background element graffiti, until the Batman R.I.P.Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
story arc began, at which point it was brought to the forefront. The persona was re-imagined as a delusional personality manufactured by Bruce himself to keep Batman able to fight in case he was mindwipe
Mindwipe
For the Transformers character, see Mindwipe .Mindwipe is a technique used in some science fiction scenarios, where the subject's memories and personality are erased and replaced by new memories and personality more useful to those who are carrying out the mindwiping, or to their area's...
d, or driven to insanity.
Silver Age
One night, Bruce Wayne finds himself in a daze. He dresses as Batman and takes off in the BatplaneBatplane
The Batplane, later known as the Batwing, is the fictional aircraft for the comic book superhero Batman. The vehicle was introduced in "Batman Versus The Vampire, I", published in Detective Comics #31 in 1939, a story which saw Batman travel to continental Europe...
while remaining unclear of his own actions. He soon finds that he has been teleported to another planet, Zur-En-Arrh. There he meets a scientist named Tlano who has been monitoring his activities on Earth, and has decided to become a version of Batman for his own planet. On this planet, the Batman of Earth has enhanced abilities due to the different elements of the alien planet. The two Batmen join forces to defeat giant invading robots piloted by an unidentified alien race. After the robots are destroyed, the alien Batman gives Batman/Bruce Wayne his Bat-Radia device as a keepsake, and returns him to Earth.
Modern Age
In the past, the psychiatrist Simon HurtSimon Hurt
Dr. Simon Hurt, commonly known simply as Doctor Hurt, is a fictional character from the DC Comics universe. Hurt was created by writer Grant Morrison and first appeared in Batman #673 ....
was hired by Batman to oversee an isolation experiment. During this process, he gave Bruce Wayne a post-hypnotic trigger connected to the phrase "Zur-En-Arrh", young Bruce Wayne's mishearing of his father's last words ("the sad thing is they'd probably throw someone like Zorro in Arkham
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
"). Many years later, Doctor Hurt was working with the Black Glove when they decided to target Batman and his allies, first spreading information to the effect that Batman's father somehow survived his murder by Joe Chill
Joe Chill
Joe Chill is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is best known for murdering young Bruce Wayne's parents , thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
. Then, using the Zur-En-Arrh trigger, in conjunction with drugs, he sent a dazed and confused Bruce Wayne onto the streets of Gotham with no memory of his life. In Batman #678, "Bat-Mite" appears on the last page, commenting, "uh-oh" to Batman's increasing delusions after Bruce has assembled a makeshift Batman costume of similar style to that worn by the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. He then, throughout the whole Batman R.I.P. storyline, appears to counsel the Batman of Zur En Arrh, revealed over the course of the story to be a back-up personality created after a hallucination Batman suffered when exposed to Professor Milo's gas, intended to take over for Bruce Wayne if he was ever psychologically attacked in such a manner as to render Batman out of action, describing himself on one occasion as Batman without Bruce Wayne, the colourful costume expressing a greater confidence and demonstrating a greater willingness to torture and possibly kill his opponents. Batman #680 reveals that Bat-Mite is indeed a product of Batman's imagination, being Batman's rationale to prevent the unstable Zur-En-Arrh persona from going too far, although he comments that he is from the 5th dimension because the fifth dimension is imagination.
Costume
The costumes of the two incarnations of the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh are the same, consisting of gaudy, outlandish colours. In the modern continuity, the crazed Bruce Wayne comments that despite the ostentatiousness of the costume, RobinRobin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
had dressed this way for years, implying that it reflects the confidence of the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh.
Skills, abilities, and resources
Tlano possessed much high-tech equipment, owing to his residence on a futuristic planet. His version of the BatmobileBatmobile
The Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. Kept in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is a gadget-laden vehicle used by Batman in his crime-fighting...
had an "atomic-powered" motor, and he flew a rocket-shaped Batplane.
His main device was the "Bat-radia", with which he could "jam atmospheric molecules", affecting the equipment of his enemies. At the end of the story, Tlano leaves Bruce with the device.
The Bruce Wayne incarnation also possesses a Bat-radia. This may or may not reflect a continuity between the two stories, as Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
has made efforts to treat Batman's entire publication history as his backstory. This version of the device scrambled security systems, for instance overriding and confusing Arkham Asylum's, as well as serving as a tracking device to allow Batman's allies to find him. To add a note of humour to the story, the radia is presented as a "cheap-ass radio" instead of the object seen in the imaginary story, and members of the Black Glove dismiss it as such until they discover its true purpose.
Television
- The Silver Age Batman of Zur-En-Arrh appeared in the series Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
voiced by Kevin ConroyKevin ConroyKevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
. This version of Batman of Zur-En-Arrh has a Clark KentClark KentClark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
-like identity, and has a robot butler named Alpha-RedAlfred PennyworthAlfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
. He also appears, in close ups, to resemble Batman from the 1992 animated series, as well as the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited shows. He shows an image of the "bats" from Zur-En-Arrh (brightly colored demonic winged creatures) explaining his garish costume. After Batman crash lands on his planet in the city of Gothtropolis (the Zur-En-Arrh version of Gotham CityGotham CityGotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
and MetropolisMetropolis (comics)Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
), he meets his doppelgänger while stopping a mugger. The Caped Crusader also learns he gets Superman-like powers while on there due to an alien element called Rodon. Together they battle the mad genius Rohtul (Zur-En-Arrh's version of Lex LuthorLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
whose name is "Luthor" spelled backwards) after being called in by Chancellor Gor-Zonn (Zur-En-Arrh's version of Commissioner GordonJames Gordon (comics)James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
). Following his defeat at the hands of both Batmen, Rohtul was locked away. While Tlano was working at the Solar Cycle Newspaper CompanyDaily PlanetThe Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper in the , appearing mostly in the stories of Superman. The building's original features were based upon the AT&T Huron Road Building in Cleveland, Ohio...
with Vilsi Vaylar (Zur-En-Arrh's version of Lois LaneLois LaneLois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
and Vicki ValeVicki ValeVictoria Vale is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Batman #49 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.-1940s-1960s:...
), Batman fought the threats to Zurr-En-Arrh. In prison, Rohtul soon learns that Batman was from Earth and figures out his weakness upon learning that he was exposed to Rodon. When Batman fights Rohtul upon his escape from prison, he finds himself weakened by Quartz (Rodon and Quartz do not mix well). After Rohtul corners Earth's Batman, the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh comes to his rescue and the doppelgänger defeats Rohtul after he attempts to take Visli Vaylar hostage. The Zur-En-Arrh Batman gives both Earth's Batman and Green ArrowGreen ArrowGreen Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
(who arrived some time later) an antidote and the two leave for Earth. The entire episode was an homage to previous DCAU projects as well as Superman with Kevin ConroyKevin ConroyKevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
playing Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, Clancy BrownClancy BrownClarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
playing RohtulLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
and Dana DelanyDana DelanyDana Welles Delany is an American film, stage, and television actress, producer, host and health activist.After various roles in the early career, Delany garnered her first leading role in 1987 in the short-lived NBC sitcom Sweet Surrender and achieved wider fame in 1988–1991 as Colleen McMurphy...
playing Vilsi Valar.