It's been mentioned before that Batman has the best rogues gallery. His villains range in style, form and ability to be a menace to the Dark Knight. Since DC's 'The New 52,' we haven't seen too much of Batman's classic villains. There has been a focus on creating new villains for the Caped Crusader.
Creating a new villain isn't an easy task. Actually, creating a great new villain isn't easy. There have been variations on classic villains over the years in an attempt to deliver more villains (such as Talon and the Court of Owls in the pages of BATMAN). To successfully create a new villain that will stand out from the others and have longevity, the right combination between new and old has to be utilized.
In the pages of BATMAN AND ROBIN, a new threat has arrived in Gotham City. Having a past with Bruce Wayne, Nobody is proving to be a deadly threat on multiple levels. The added revelation in issue #4 makes him an even more formidable foe. (Take note there will be minor spoilers for BATMAN AND ROBIN #4).
== TEASER ==It could be questioned whether or not Nobody is actually a villain. After all, he is trying to put a stop to criminal activities, just as Batman. The difference is, Nobody's ways are much more extreme. It's an argument we've heard before. Capturing the criminals and locking them up is only a temporary solution. Upon their release, they will continue their evil ways, harming or killing more innocents. Nobody believes a more absolute solution is needed. What made Nobody's first appearance more interesting was the mention of Ducard, as in Henri Ducard, one of the men who originally trained Batman.
The idea of an anti-hero going around punishing criminals with extreme prejudice isn't a new one. That's not what makes Nobody stand out. What separates him from others is he knows Batman's secret identity. He knows Batman's past and some of his secrets. Nobody doesn't seem the type to exploit this information or sell it to the highest bidder but it does give him access to Batman's son, Damian.
The relationship between Bruce and Damian has been a little strained. Bruce is trying to keep Damian in line and trying to keep him from falling on his killer ways due to his upbringing with the League of Assassins. He is also trying to protect him. There are some things Bruce doesn't feel Damian should know. Damian sees this as an insult and lack of trust. With the line of communication crumbling between father and son, it's no surprise that Damian could be easily swayed to start listening to Nobody's advice.
This is where Nobody is taking advantage of the situation. He sees the tension between Batman and Robin and is going to exploit that. He believes a more violent stance against crime is needed and is determined to get Damian to follow his ways since Bruce refuses to see eye to eye on this.
It could just be that Nobody feels slighted by Batman refusing to agree to Nobody's tactics. There's most likely more to it than that. It was revealed that Nobody's father was Henri Ducard. Ducard was a teacher for Bruce when he was first training. Ducard taught Bruce detective and man-hunting skills. Ducard turned out not to be the best teacher as it turned out he had darker beliefs that didn't coincide with Batman's. His ways were more violent.
We get the impression that Bruce and Morgan trained together. It could be that Ducard was impressed with Bruce and taught him things he wouldn't teach his own son. There could have been an almost sibling rivalry between the two. This would add to the why Nobody would try to convert Damian. If Morgan felt Bruce caused a rift between him and his father, perhaps he wants to do the same between Bruce and Damian. Or maybe it's just that Morgan completely believes in his father's ways and is disgusted by Bruce's less violent and final ways.
Nobody knows Batman's secret and is slowly bringing Damian over to his side. When Batman and Nobody fought, Nobody was able to get the upper hand. He's not an opponent to take lightly. Batman assumed he fled after their last encounter but he returned right away to continue his play on Damian. Knowing his secrets, having Damian by his side and being able to defeat Batman in combat is a deadly combination. Batman always has a plan for everything. He'd better get started on a new better plan in dealing with Nobody.