As a lifelong Batman fan who’s spent countless hours poring over comic books and lore, I must say, The Penguin‘s second episode hit all the right notes for me with its clever nod to the classic storyline, No Man’s Land. It’s not every day you get to see a reference to your favorite Batman stories in a live-action series, and it was a delightful surprise when Rox mentioned “No Man’s Land” in her conversation with Vic.
In “The Penguin,” we find ourselves post-Riddler’s destruction of Gotham City in “The Batman.” This city devastation has echoes of a well-known Batman comic book story, which is explicitly referenced within the new episode – the 1999 event “No Man’s Land.” However, there are connections to other Batman comic arcs that lead up to this event as well. Let me share how it subtly weaves its way into the series. Be warned, spoilers for “The Penguin” episode 2 follow from here on out.
They Lost Everything
At Oz’s residence, he gathers some of his associates, including Vic and Rox, for an informal gathering. He also invites Eve Karlo and her group, which includes Rox, and initiates a conversation between Vic and Rox before departing. While away, Vic and Rox converse, with Rox inquiring about Vic’s origin. Vic responds, “I hail from Crown Point,” to which Rox shares her experience of her cousin who resided there and the hardships that ensued following The Riddler’s actions. Rox expresses, “Yes, my cousin lived there; she described it as a lawless territory now or something. I mean, they suffered great losses.” This reference to No Man’s Land might have brought a nostalgic smile to longtime Batman fans, but for those unfamiliar with the story, we’ll explain it later on.
The Cataclysm
To grasp the concept of No Man’s Land, let’s journey back to 1996 – the year the comic book series Contagion debuted. In this narrative, Batman and Gotham City were engulfed by a mutated version of the Ebola virus, dubbed the Apocalypse Virus, which was orchestrated by the Order of St. Dumas (formerly led by Azrael). Despite finding a cure for that strain eventually, in the subsequent storyline titled Legacy, the virus underwent mutation once more and continued to spread.
This situation pits Batman against Ra’s al Ghul, who is now masterminding the virus’s dissemination. The Bat Family, including Batman, successfully thwart Ra’s and the League of Shadows, find a cure for the virus, but cannot prevent several suicide bombers from striking the GCPD headquarters.
The story unfolds in the year 1998, marked by a significant event known as the Cataclysm storyline for Batman. For quite some time, Gotham City had been earthquake-free, but this tranquility was shattered when an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale struck, leaving the city in ruins and claiming countless lives. Though structures erected by Wayne remained standing, many skyscrapers and buildings succumbed to the shock, leading to gas mains exploding and fires spreading throughout the city.
No Man’s Land
Following the earthquake and past tumultuous events in Gotham, the United States severs all ties with Gotham, both physically and symbolically. Bridges linking Gotham to other cities are demolished, and the military establishes a barrier to keep people out. Even powerful figures like Superman are instructed to maintain their distance, although in certain instances, it’s Batman, not the government, who gives the order. Matters deteriorate further when various villains vie for power, each asserting control over different parts of the city.
In the end, it was Lex Luthor who aided in rebuilding the city and repairing its ties with the U.S., but as always with Lex, this situation proved more advantageous for him than anyone else. The storyline concluded in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #94, although related storylines were presented across various Batman titles.
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2024-09-30 05:39