While this last year has certainly had its ups and downs, the same can be said for DC Comics and its vast multiverse of superheroes. The DC Universe has certainly had its share of good moments, but there's also been a handful that was quite shocking for readers and no doubt the characters themselves. Whether it was the deaths of DC characters, dramatic shifts to the status quo, or other characters coming back from the dead, here are the most shocking moments from DC Comics' 2020 (in no particular order).
Joker Steals The Wayne Fortune To Finance His Joker War
DC Comics' summer months in 2020 saw Gotham City thrown into the chaos of Joker War from the mind of James Tynion IV. Jorge Jimenez, and Guillem March. While there were plenty of significant twists to be had for Batman and his allies as the battle with the Clown Prince of Crime progressed, the most shocking was how the war began: with Joker's successful theft of the Wayne Fortune. This effectively cut Batman off from the resources and gadgets he had long grown accustomed to wielding in his crusade against Gotham's criminals. Now that Joker was a billionaire himself, he was able to finance his dark desires and equip his forces on a scale he had never been able to achieve before, allowing him to torment both Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight simultaneously.
Even when the money was recovered, it was largely unavailable for Bruce's use as Batman, as too many eyes are now on his money in the aftermath. Batman is no longer able to create a plethora of gadgets on a whim or have vast stores of Bat vehicles at the ready. Joker's shocking theft has forced Batman to rely more on his skills and his Bat-Family, leading to a pretty strong status quo change for the Dark Knight and Gotham as a whole.
Wonder Woman Kills The Batman Who Laughs
As if Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Dark Nights: Death Metal wasn't hardcore enough, its very first issue introduced readers to the dark world created by Perpetua and the ending is still arguably one of the most shocking moments in the event thus far. The entire prime world of Earth had been remade and covered in legions of Dark Batmen in service to the Batman Who Laughs, Perpetua's second in command. However, Wonder Woman ed how the world once was. While she tried to get from the real Batman, Bruce declined, more focused on winning smaller battles and saving those that they could. However, Diana is resolved. Crafting an invisible Chainsaw of Truth from her invisible jet and lasso, Wonder Woman killed the Batman Who Laughs who had been set up to be the event's primary villain.
While his death by Wonder Woman's hand was all part of the Batman Who Laughs' plan to become even more powerful as the Darkest Knight, it doesn't change the initial shock felt from seeing Wonder Woman ripping through him with her Chainsaw of Truth in the very first issue.
Rorschach Is Alive... And Then Died Again
DC's 2020 also saw the release of the new Watchmen Rorschach series from Tom King and Jorge Fornés, creating a massive mystery of epic proportions. Remarkably, Rorschach is revealed to perhaps be alive, with the possibility existing that he might have survived his encounter with Dr. Manhattan at the end of the original Watchmen graphic novel from Alan Moore. However, the Rorschach that's been seen could also be a popular comic book writer posing as the classic Watchmen character. It's as of yet unclear. It's up to one detective to solve the case and figure who was really under the iconic mask.
However, as if the shock of the real Rorschach potentially being alive wasn't enough, whoever this Rorschach really is was also shot and killed during an attempt by this Rorschach to assassinate a presidential candidate. As the mystery continues to unfold, one has to wonder: was it the comic book writer, the real Rorschach, or perhaps both at the same time? Who knows?
Damian Wayne Is Batman's Robin No More
Teen Titans Annual #2 from Robbie Thompson and Eduardo Pansica was another big game-changer for DC's 2020, seeing the Son of Batman leave his role as Robin... and not on good . The events of the prior City of Bane event and Bane's murder of The Bat-Family's butler and surrogate father Alfred was traumatic for young Damian Wayne. Furthermore, The Dark Knight was not nearly as present or emotionally available as he should have been being Damian's father, too torn by his own grief at Alfred's ing to care for his son. Eventually, Damian decided to take a stronger, darker, and more lethal approach to seeking justice, one which neither Batman nor his fellow Teen Titans could condone.
While Batman did take responsibility and asked for forgiveness from his son, it was apparently too little and too late for Damian, who ripped the "R" from his uniform and went off on his dark path alone. Now, recent comics have seen Damian working on his own, though Bruce has just recently tried to reconnect with his son, but it seems as though it might take some time. In the interim, Tim Drake has returned to the Robin mantle in Damian's absence, though Damian's departure could be permanent and could lead to darker consequences in DC Comics' future.
Bizarro Kills Trigon And Takes His Throne... On Accident
In the finale issues of Scott Lobdell's run on Red Hood and the Outlaws, the demon lord Trigon was threatening to come to Earth through the Chamber of All, and Bizarro was the only one able to hold him and his legions back. However, Bizarro killed Trigon in their battle, despite the fact that Bizarro had taken a zen approach to life and was a committed pacifist at this time. Unfortunately, Bizarro didn't know his own strength and murdered Trigon on accident.
Even worse and more surprising than Trigon's death was that by the traditions of the demons, Bizarro now had to take the throne of Hell and rule in Trigon's place. While this new job was something the Superman clone was not keen on taking, it soon became apparent that he had no choice. If Bizarro didn't rule them, all of the demons would try to escape and would overrun the world completely unchecked. As a result, Bizarro is now the ruler of Hell and it seems that's where he'll be until something changes in the future of DC Comics.
Deadshot Was Shot Dead On His Last Suicide Squad Mission
Another shocking moment from DC Comics' 2020 was the tragic death of Floyd Lawton, also known as Deadshot of the Suicide Squad. In Tom Taylor's Suicide Squad, Deadshot was so close to being out of the game for good. He and Harley Quinn learned that their time had been served with Task Force X, and all that was left was for them to help the latest of the Squad take out the program that had been purchased in a hostile takeover by Ted Kord, who was really Black Mask in disguise.
During the Squad's attack on Kord Industries, the team initially thought that Superman had beaten them to the punch and captured Kord himself. However, Lawton was suspicious, choosing to stay behind while his allies headed to leave. This was when Black Mask played his hand, revealing himself as the false Superman and that he had been posing as Kord for months. Black Mask shot Deadshot, which was truly sad and shocking, especially considering how close Deadshot was to leaving his life as an assassin behind to be with his daughter.
Batman's Known Joker's True Identity All Along
Joker also provided another big shocker in 2020 during Geoff Johns' Batman: Three Jokers miniseries. Finally paying off the tease from 2015 that there have been Three Jokers in existence, Batman, Batgirl, and Red Hood faced off against the Clown, the Comedian, and the Criminal, three Jokers who represented the Clown Prince of Crime at different stages of the Joker's life. Together, they sought to enact the Criminal's plan to create a superior Joker that would have strong ties and the ability to cause Batman great personal pain. They eventually found the perfect candidate in Joe Chill, the man who killed Bruce Wayne's parents when he was a child in Gotham's Crime Alley. However, the mystery of the Three Jokers and how they came to be became much less intriguing with the reveals at the end of the story from Johns and artist Jason Fabok.
In the final issue of Three Jokers, it was revealed that the Comedian had a grander, secret plan. Once he ensured the deaths of the other Jokers, he then orchestrated events so that Batman would save and subsequently forgive Joe Chill, who had become an old man seeking repentance for the awful thing he did to Bruce. By providing Batman with closure and healing of his greatest wound, Joker could then step in and truly become Batman's greatest pain going forward. However, two big reveals came to light in the aftermath from Batman himself. The first one was that Batman has known Joker's true identity since the first week he and the Clown Prince fought one another. He is the World's Greatest Detective after all. The second was that the reason Batman had kept it a secret all these was to protect the Joker's family (revealed to still be alive) who had started new lives away from the monster The Comedian became.
While there have been plenty of twists and shocking moments in the comics to be enjoyed by readers in 2020, these are simply some of the best ones that DC Comics featured this last year. As the DC Universe gets ready to usher in 2021 with its new Future State event and more engaging arcs to come, there will no doubt be more shocking and wild moments in its future for readers to enjoy even more.
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