Warning! Spoilers for Batman: The Knight #2
DC Comics has reintroduced Henri Ducard, who is famously known through Liam Neeson’s portrayal in Batman Begins. Although Ducard turned out to be a false persona in the film, he has been a real character in Batman’s comic book history. Now, DC is reimagining him as a deadlier character who threatens Bruce Wayne from the start of their relationship.
Originally conceived by writer Sam Hamm and artist Denys Cowan in Detective Comics #599 (1989), the Paris-based assassin played a decent role in Batman’s origin story. As Bruce was preparing to become the Caped Crusader, he crossed paths with Ducard and gained a very particular set of skills from him. The assassin made him his apprentice, but their student/teacher dynamic ended when Bruce discovered Ducard killed his targets. In The New 52, Ducard made a comeback in comics with a similar backstory. Naturally, he returns yet again in the latest retelling of Batman’s origins in Batman: The Knight #2, written by Chip Zdarsky with art by Carmine Di Giandomenico.
As Bruce travels to Paris to begin training, it’s soon revealed that Henri Ducard isn’t far away. His appearance in the issue is somewhat a deep cut, but is a no-brainer for longtime fans who might put together the various pieces, considering the timeline and location of the issue. While Ducard investigates a murder scene, the comic emphasizes the differences between him and his Batman Begins semi-counterpart. Instead of operating on the fringes of society, he is essentially a private eye working with police. When he first encounters Bruce by breaking into his room, he threatens his love interest, creating a tense dynamic right away. At the end of Batman: The Knight #2, Bruce meets Ducard for the first time as he holds a cat burglar at gunpoint. Bruce’s love interest who predates his iconic cat burglar girlfriend, Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman, could meet her end in the next issue.
It’s a bold way for the new retelling of Batman’s origin to reincorporate Ducard, as he doesn’t even attempt to make friends with Bruce, let alone train him. Similar to Batman Begins, Ducard names Bruce right away, demonstrating that he is in over his head. Gotham City might eventually belong to Batman, but Paris is under Ducard’s jurisdiction.
In this version of events, it doesn’t seem like Ducard will play such a role in Bruce’s progression to the cowl. Instead, he might supply motivation as he takes the cat burglar from their bedroom. Rather than inspire Bruce’s combat skills, Ducard is providing new context to his relationship with Catwoman years into the future. Batman: The Knight #2 is currently available in print and digital platforms.
