Some of DC Multiverse, and they've given Batman one of his wackiest looks ever. Even though the new Batman figure seems like a knock-off, it perfectly resembles some of DC's comic books.
Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel's showing her the Batcave. Eventually, an organization known as the Black Glove infiltrates Gotham City, Batman vows to stop them. Jezebel seems confused, and she suspects the Black Glove is just a figment of Batman's imagination. Unbeknown to Batman, Jezebel Jet is a member of the Black Glove herself.
Bruce and Jezebel eventually find the phrase "Zur-En-Arrh" written on the computers of the Batcave. When she says the writings out loud, Batman collapses. Morrison and Daniels' Batman #681 reveals that the phrase "Zur-En-Arrh" is a trigger for Bruce Wayne. When he saw his parents die years ago, after seeing Zorro in the Monarch Theater, Bruce believed "Zur-En-Arrh" to be Thomas Wayne's final words. What Bruce's father really said was, "the sad thing is they'd probably throw someone like Zorro in Arkham." Bat-Mite, Batman's equivalent of Mr. Mxyzptlk, eventually shows up to offer counsel to the alternate, more violent Batman personality. However, because DC likes to ground Batman stories, the story ends by revealing Bat-Mite is only a product of Bruce Wayne's imagination to combat his Zur-En-Arrh identity.
Batman's Zur-En-Arrh costume from Batman R.I.P. perfectly resembles the Target figure. Despite the significance of Zur-En-Arrh and its modern interpretation, Batman's journey against his dark personality wasn't the original version of Zur-En-Arrh. In Ed Herron and Dick Sprang's Batman #113 from 1958, Bruce Wayne teleports to another planet. He finds a scientist named Tlano, who wants to be the Batman of his world. He then becomes the original, Silver Age version of Zur-En-Arrh Batman, who dons a colorful costume, very appropriate for its time.
The great thing about the new action figure from McFarlane is that it could be either version of Batman. If fans prefer to pay homage to history and recreate the wacky Silver Age adventures, they can do just that. However, the figure is also significant as one of Bruce Wayne's costumes in the Modern Age of Comics. Whatever DC fans prefer, the new Batman of Zur-En-Arrh figure is far from the "knock-off" people think it is, and is available for preorder now.
