Jean-Paul Valley: My Man, Azrael is Back! - Appreciation Thread

[Aahz]

Michael Lane has not appeared in the New52, at least not canonically (i.e. Arkham Unhinged doesn't count).

he appeared in Batman Inc. Vol 2 #10, but that was probably a continuity error.

[heyevaxx]

Nice catch! Excluding Arkham Unhinged and Futures End, Michael Lane has 2 post-Flashpoint credits:
2011-12 Batwoman 002 - this is just a cameo I think
2013-06 Batman Incorporated 010 - this is substantial with dialog

I wonder if the Batman Inc appearance is canonical. It would be interesting to have old/new Michael Lane meet new Jean-Paul Valley!

[mrjinjin]

Michael Lane has not appeared in the New52, at least not canonically (i.e. Arkham Unhinged doesn't count).

For Post-Flashpoint Azrael, it's been a new Jean-Paul Valley for 8 issues from Batman & Robin Eternal 009 2016-02 until the last Detective Comics 934 2016-08.

For Pre-Flashpoint:

Jean-Paul Valley as Azrael: 343 issues including a 100 issue self-title
1992-10 Batman Sword of Azrael 001
to
2003-05 Azrael Agent of the Bat 100

Michael Lane as Azrael: 64 issues including an 18 issue self-title
2007-06 Batman 665
to
2011-06 Batman 709

Thank you for your help.

[PyroTwilight]

Wow. I wasn't even aware Azrael/Jean Paul was back at this point (new version not withstanding). Guess that's what happens when you haven't read a Bat book in years.

[EmeraldGladiator]

Still hoping and thinking that JPV will be a part of the Tec Bat team, since he was in the first issue of the run being taken down by a faux Batman (Colonel Kane?) Once he heals I am hoping he will bring a new dynamic to the team and another male character. The team has a lot of cool calculated types, maybe JPV can be more of the Wolverine type member of the team, seeing him hanging out with Orphan would be really cool.

[Caivu]

Still hoping and thinking that JPV will be a part of the Tec Bat team, since he was in the first issue of the run being taken down by a faux Batman (Colonel Kane?) Once he heals I am hoping he will bring a new dynamic to the team and another male character. The team has a lot of cool calculated types, maybe JPV can be more of the Wolverine type member of the team, seeing him hanging out with Orphan would be really cool.

Tynion has confirmed he'll be back eventually.

[EmeraldGladiator]

Tynion has confirmed he'll be back eventually.

cool did he do a recent interview? do you remember where? either way thanks for the heads up.

[Caivu]

cool did he do a recent interview? do you remember where? either way thanks for the heads up.

A Twitter Q&A about a week or two ago.

[EmeraldGladiator]

Was having a discussion in a Batman current incarnation thread but thought it belonged here.

First off since Batman just 'recently' met Azrael one can assume he didn't take on the mantle of the Bat during Knightfall, whatever that was. Which sucks because I loved the narrative of Bane being able to beat Bruce because he was a likeminded technician, but Bane couldn't defeat Az-Bats because of his instinctual beast like quality, but Jean Paul couldn't beat Bruce. Well anyway since we have Jean Paul back in Detective Comics, I am hoping Tynion rebirths the Bane/Azrael rivalry and also revisits the Knights of St. Dumas' war with the Demon Ras Al Ghul and the League of Assassins. I guess Knightfalls unexplained/explored retconning means that the Az-Bats armor doesn't exist...yet. Hopefully one day it can return as well. I am just happy that Jean Paul is a member of my 2nd favorite DC title, Detective Comics.

[Caivu]

Something I've been wondering recently is if JPV will play some sort of chaplain-type role on the team, in addition to going out on missions and stuff. That could be a neat element.

[EmeraldGladiator]

yeah will he play the Nightcrawler soul of the team (chaplain) like role or more the bezerker Wolverine type role because JPV has been shown to go both of those ways.

[EmeraldGladiator]

Azrael is talking his religious talk in Detective, which is an original aspect to the character, I wonder if Jean Paul will still have his tech side as well. He was very Anakin Skywalkerish in that the program embedded in him allowed him to see find ways to improve technology. thus the Az-Bats armor. I am curious if he will still be that way. I would like that and the Knights of St. Dumas still being a vital part of the character. I would also love he and Bane's adversarial relationship to be re-established. It would be cool if JPV's tech genius helps modify Batwings look or maybe create him a secondary suit, since the Az-Bats armor (the original not after it got too many accessories) is very similar to Batwing's look. The claws on Az-Bats and the ability to rapid fire bat throwing stars was cool, Bane obviously wasn't a fan.

[millernumber1]

Azrael is talking his religious talk in Detective, which is an original aspect to the character, I wonder if Jean Paul will still have his tech side as well. He was very Anakin Skywalkerish in that the program embedded in him allowed him to see find ways to improve technology. thus the Az-Bats armor. I am curious if he will still be that way. I would like that and the Knights of St. Dumas still being a vital part of the character. I would also love he and Bane's adversarial relationship to be re-established. It would be cool if JPV's tech genius helps modify Batwings look or maybe create him a secondary suit, since the Az-Bats armor (the original not after it got too many accessories) is very similar to Batwing's look. The claws on Az-Bats and the ability to rapid fire bat throwing stars was cool, Bane obviously wasn't a fan.

I doubt that current Azrael will become Batman this time around. But I am really excited to see him joining the team in Tec - I think I must be one of the few fans who actually really only came to know Jean-Paul through Batman and Robin Eternal and liked that portrayal. His conversation with Harper in Tec was really great, as was his grabbing the sword at the end of the issue.

[JBatmanFan05]

First off since Batman just 'recently' met Azrael one can assume he didn't take on the mantle of the Bat during Knightfall, whatever that was. Which sucks because I loved the narrative of...

All I know is that I am definitely not accepting JPV's new crappy history into my personal Bat headcanon. I will simply pretend all appearances are just a continuation of Pre-FP JPV, who was awesome and had an awesome history. Same with Spoiler and Cass (and a lot of DC characters) basically.

[millernumber1]

Something I've been wondering recently is if JPV will play some sort of chaplain-type role on the team, in addition to going out on missions and stuff. That could be a neat element.

That would be pretty awesome. I'd also love it if he found some bonds with Luke, who in his n52 series and Batman Eternal, had a Christian faith as well.