Batman Can Be a Bit Extreme, But He Believes One Justice League Hero Is Even Worse
Warning: contains spoilers for Challengers of the Unknown #2!
Batman can be a bit extreme in his tactics, but he admits that one Justice League hero has the potential to be even worse. Batman is known throughout the DC Universe for employing fear and intimidation, and sometimes he can go overboard. Yet in Challengers of the Unknown #2, Batman admits that a fellow Justice League member has tactics that even he cannot wrap his brain around.
Challengers of the Unknown writer Christopher Cantwell also writes Star Trek: Defiant for IDW.
Challengers of the Unknown #2 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Jorge Fornes, Sean Izaakse and Amancay Nahuelpan. Mister Terrific believes the Challengers of the Unknown, who are currently running Operations in the Justice League’s new Watchtower, are somehow connected to Darkseid’s recent “death.” Mister Terrific is quarantining the Challengers and leaving them in the dark about his plans. Batman later admits to June Robbins that he sometimes has “difficulty swallowing” Terrific’s strategies. A text piece in this issue, made to resemble one of Mister Terrific’s logs, seems to reinforce Batman’s assertion.
Mister Terrific's DC Universe Origins, Explained
Mister Terrific Michael Holt Surpasses His Golden Age Inspiration
Seeing something of himself in Sloane, Holt took up the Mister Terrific mantle.
The current Mister Terrific, Michael Holt, continues a heroic legacy that began in the Golden Age of Comics. Terry Sloane, the first Mister Terrific, was a member of the Justice Society and the All-Star Squadron. Sloane died pursuing his old enemy, the Spirit King, in 1979’s Justice League of America #171. Years later, Holt, despondent over the death of his wife and unborn child, nearly took his life, and would have succeeded if not for the Spectre’s timely intervention. The Spectre tells Holt about Sloane. Seeing something of himself in Sloane, Holt took up the Mister Terrific mantle.
Michael Holt was created by writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake.
Michael Holt is the ideal superhero, a winning combination of mental acumen and physical prowess. Holt is regarded as one of the smartest people on Earth in the DC Universe, holding 14 doctorates in a variety of sciences. Holt is also a businessman, and his TerrifcTech corporation often works with other heroes. Mister Terrific is often brought into tough cases as a consultant. Since his first appearance in 1997’s The Spectre #54, Mister Terrific has become a fan favorite, and is set to break into the mainstream by appearing in James Gunn’s forthcoming Superman film.
Mister Terrific’s vast intelligence puts him on a whole nother level in the DC Universe, and this is sometimes reflected in the tactics and methods he uses. In his capacity as founder and CEO of TerrificTech, he employs Wally West, the Flash. As seen in the Flash’s solo title, Mister Terrific is a fair but demanding boss, and Wally sometimes has trouble keeping up with Holt. At times, Mister Terrific can come across as arrogant, but his confidence is well-earned. Furthermore, he has earned the respect of nearly every hero in the DC Universe, except for Batman.
Batman and Mister Terrific Both Use Extreme Methods
Yet is Batman Hypocritical For Criticizing Mister Terrific?
Batman’s methods and tactics are known for their extreme nature throughout the DC Universe. From the beginning of his career, Batman has drafted several different teenagers for the role of Robin. Putting children, no matter how well trained they are, in the line of fire raises serious moral and ethical questions. Furthermore, Batman’s paranoia over being powerless next to the likes of Superman has driven him to create failsafes to take out every hero on Earth. However, these failsafes and contingencies, which Batman often keeps secret, have backfired on him several times, leaving chaos and destruction in their wake.
Hearing Batman critique Mister Terrific’s methods may seem to make the Dark Knight hypocritical. For all of his arrogance, Michael Holt would never employ children or teenagers in his crime-fighting adventures. As one of Earth’s smartest people, Mister Terrific possesses a great deal of information on the planet’s heroes, but he does not share Batman’s paranoia. Mister Terrific has used this knowledge to actually help the Justice League, not try to tear it down from within. Next to Batman, Mister Terrific should look positively sane, yet the Caped Crusader has his doubts about Holt’s tricks of the trade.
Batman May Have Been Paying Mister Terrific a Compliment--Or Maybe He Wasn't
Mister Terrific Confounds Batman--And This May Be Driving the Dark Knight Bonkers
If Batman has difficulty wrapping his brains around Mister Terrific’s strategies, then it can be viewed as a condemnation of Holt. The text pieces scattered throughout the issue show Mister Terrific developing an obsessive nature over the deadly goings-on at the Watchtower, and these journals raise serious questions about the ethics of what he is doing. The Challengers of the Unknown are growing fed up with Mister Terrific and his lack of transparency, perhaps confirming Batman’s doubts about his strategies. Mister Terrific might know more than he is letting on to Batman or the Challengers.
However, it is possible that Batman was paying his Justice League teammate something of a back-handed compliment. Batman is a master tactician, and can defeat anyone with enough prep time. If Mister Terrific’s strategies confound him, then there is a “thinking outside the box” quality to them, and they would be extremely difficult for him to compensate for in a fight. Mister Terrific is one of the few DC heroes who stump even Batman, and this can actually give him a serious edge should he ever come to blows with the Dark Knight.
Challengers of the Unknown #2 is on sale now from DC Comics!
