Summary

• DC's new Batman debuts in DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1, after Bruce Wayne was killed in DC vs. Vampires #6.
• The new Batman suit features a full-face cowl and a deadly sword.
• Considering most of Bruce's male heirs are dead, the question of who is under the cowl remains unanswered, leaving fans in suspense.

WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers For DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #1!In DC vs. Vampires, Nightwing, drove a fist through his chest after the younger had secretly claimed the mantle of DC’s new vampire king back in 2022. With Bruce Wayne's death, it seemed the Dark Knight’s time had ended in this vampire Elseworlds saga. However, the debut of a new Batman has proven otherwise.

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 by Matthew Rosenberg, Otto Schmidt, and Pierluigi Casolino marks the return of the best-selling Elseworlds series, and with it, the stakes (pun absolutely intended) have reached unprecedented heights.

What was once a two-sided war between vampires and humans has now escalated into a three-sided conflict between Earth’s remaining humans, Queen Barbara Gordon’s vampire army, and Damian Wayne’s guerilla fighters. Adding even more intrigue, a mysterious new Batman makes his debut, leaving us with the pressing question: Who is under the cowl?

Read DC vs. Vampires (2021-2022) & DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War (2022) to catch up on DC's war against the undead!

The New Batman Officially Debuts in DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 (Who’s Under the Cowl?)

The new Batman swiftly establishes his heroism by rescuing a vampire who is desperately shielding a newborn baby from a pack of bloodthirsty attackers. As the vampires close in, the Dark Knight intervenes with precision, driving a sword through one of the attacker's chests and dispatching the rest with speed. However, before he can offer any further assistance to the vampire and baby, the duo vanishes into thin air, adding another layer of mystery to the already burning question: Who is this new vampire and human-saving Batman?

After Bruce’s heart was ripped from his chest by Dick, his other young adult sons soon followed him in death: Tim Drake and Jason Todd died in the same issue as Bruce, while Duke Thomas perished in a later one. This leaves no obvious Batman heirs with the physical characteristics of the new Dark Knight—adult and male. Luke Fox could be a possibility, given his prominent role within the Bat-Family. However, aside from being male and adult, there is no evidence to confirm that it’s him. Thus, the mystery of who is under the cowl remains unsolved.

The New, Sword-Wielding Batman’s Suit Is One of the Dark Knight’s Coolest Costumes

Despite the new Batman’s identity remaining a mystery, one thing is certain—the new Batsuit is utterly badass. It retains the classic black and grey color scheme and features the recognizable bladed gauntlets. However, the suit includes a yellow bat symbol that subtly deviates from the traditional logo. The most striking changes, though, are the full-face cowl and the sword. The full-face cowl, in particular, is intriguing as it’s typically associated with Terry McGinnis, the future Batman. Discovering who is beneath the cowl may shed light on the unique design elements of this new Batman suit.

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 is available now from DC Comics!