Warning: contains spoilers for “The Diamond That Steals Back,” appearing inDC Horror Presents#4!
Don’t blameBatman, because there is a dark and supernatural reason all of Gotham’s villains are insane. Over the course of the Dark Knight’s 86-year history, some commentators have speculated that Batman is responsible for attracting the most vile criminals to Gotham, but in “The Diamond That Steals Back,” appearing inDC Horror Presents#4,a far different, and somehow even darker, origin is given as the reason.
“The Diamond That Steals Back,” appearing inDC Horror Presents#4, is written by Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum and drawn by Danny Earls. Catwoman steals a cursed diamond, one giving her horrible visions and slowly eating at her sanity. She learns the diamond’s history: that at one point, the diamond “traded hands through half the inmates in Arkham.”She then learns the real, horrifying truth: none of Arkham’s inmates actually started insane–the diamond made them that way.The diamond chips away at a person’s humanity, leaving their sanity in shreds.
Batman’s Rogues Gallery is the Best in Comics–Bar None
Many of Batman’s Villains Share One Trait: They Are All Insane
Batman has arguably the best rogue’s gallery in comic book history, one that sets the standard for all others. From classics such asthe Joker and Two-Faceto new additions such as Professor Pyg and Punchline, Batman’s villains are some of the most evil in comics. Nearly all of Batman’s villains also possess some sort of gimmick, the Mad Hatter, Firefly and Poison Ivy among them. Finally, nearly all of Batman’s villains are certifiably insane, a majority of them committed to Arkham Asylum.Comic book creators, fans and other commentators have tried to come up with reasons as to why.
Proponents of this theory point to Batman possessing many of the same qualities as his villains.
One theory puts forth that Batman himself is the reason so many of his villains are insane and why so many of them have a flair for the theatrical. Proponents of this theory point to Batman possessing many of the same qualities as his villains. While costumed villains have been a part of superhero comics from its earliest days,Batman’s rogues still possessed an edgethe others did not. These proponents argue that Batman, by dressing up in a costume and using psychology in his crusade against crime, is attracting like-minded individuals, all looking to pick a fight.
8 Batman Villains Who Are Overdue for a Comeback (and 2 Who Just Came Back)
Batman has one of the greatest rogues gallery in all comic books, but with a rogues gallery so large, it’s expected to forget a few here or there.
But “The Diamond That Steals Back” offers an alternate reason why so many of Batman’s villains are considered insane. The Le Monde D’Azure, the cursed diamond Catwoman steals, slowly eats away at whoever owns it. The descriptions of what the diamond does to people are particularly horrifying, painting a picture of a truly cursed object that leaves nothing but madness and despair in its wake. Catwoman’s source tells her that the D’Azure drove nearly everyone in Arkham insane, showing images of some of Batman’s most depraved villains, like the Mad Hatter. Firefly finds the diamond and becomes a monster.
DC Can Make Batman’s Villains Even Scarier and More Tragic
Giving Batman’s Villains a Supernatural Reason for Their Madness is Super Disturbing
The debate around why so many of Batman’s villains are considered insane is not likely to die down, and working the Le Monde D’Azure into the Dark Knight’s Earth-0 mythos would go a long way to settling the question.
While “The Diamond That Steals Back” is not part of the mainstream DC Universe, and thus not binding on any Batman stories moving forward, it does present a fascinating premise they could still explore. The debate around why so many of Batman’s villains are considered insane is not likely to die down, and working the Le Monde D’Azure into the Dark Knight’s Earth-0 mythos would go a long way to settling the question. Far from being a cop-out, it makesBatman’svillains even scarier: there is nothing left inside of them. It also makes them more tragic as well.
