Batman Accidentally Breaks No-Kill Rule in New Series
Warning: spoilers for The Monkey Prince #1 are ahead.
In DC Comics, Batman hasn’t always abided by his famous “No-Kill” rule, and he may have just accidentally returned to those brutal roots in a new series. The Dark Knight only ever took up this rule following the introduction of Robin, due to rising popularity with kids and the parental complaints that followed. Alternate Batmen are no stranger to bending this rule every now and then, however, and it isn't entirely uncommon to encounter a version of the vigilante that pushes the boundaries of violence. The Monkey Prince #1 written by Gene Luen Yang and illustrated by Bernard Chang explores this more violent Batman, introducing him as an antagonist to the titular hero, one that fuels his hatred for other superheroes.
In Monkey Prince #1, Marcus Sun, the Monkey Prince himself, first encountered Batman as a child when the Caped Crusader had a run in with his parents, revealed to be collaborators with The Penguin. Batman broke into their home and viciously threw his father around before fleeing the scene, permanently traumatizing young Marcus. Being exposed to this more savage side of the hero not only sets the stage for Batman to become a recurring series antagonist but functions as excellent foreshadowing to his shocking accident at the end of the first issue.
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Being traumatized by Batman at such a young age led Marcus Sun to develop several fear responses to various stimuli, such as wet floors, bats, and thunder. This left him vulnerable to bouts of bullying from his peers which only further ostracized him from his classmates. Once Marcus fully realizes his powers and becomes the Monkey Prince at
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