Batman Names The 1 Villain He’ll Use Lethal Force Against (And It Isn’t Joker)

Published Sep 18, 2026, 5:08 PM EDT Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot. Batman’s no-kill rule is one of the DC character’s most defining traits. It’s a compass that’s helped shape many of his most compelling stories, regarding his outlook on society and authority, as well as informing how he chooses to fight crime. There’s a beautiful palette of violence bearing several colorful shades that Batman has dabbled in against his rogues’ gallery of villains, but his commitment to not intentionally killing someone is stalwart (usually, at least, depending on the continuity or iteration). For instance, Joker would’ve been dead decades ago if it wasn’t for Batman’s insistence on not employing lethal force, and yet he’s content to maim a petty mugger on occasion. In Scott Snyder’s Absolute Batman, especially, Batman goes as far as he possibly can to inflict debilitating harm and injury without actually killing them. However, Detective Comics #1113 has revealed the one supervillain whom Batman has no compunction about blasting with a miniature explosive. Batman Blows Up Vandal Savage, Because He Can Detective Comics #1113 follows Batman #13 in DC’s Batman: Bad Seeds crossover event and depicts Batman and Vandal Savage’s confrontation on the roof of the GCPD building. This fight is hardly a fight at all, however, as Batman says, “And I am not too weak to do what must be done,” and swiftly beats Savage by slapping an explosive to his chest and detonating it, sending him hurtling from the roof and crashing into a GCPD cruiser below. Batman thinks to himself—explaining to the reader, essentially—that “He is immortal. And he heals. Savage can handle a fall…” To be fair, while an explosive blast such as this could clearly be lethal to an ordinary human, Savage isn’t blown apart into a handful of dismembered pieces or reduced to a pile of ash, which he’d survive and eventually recover from. Instead, all we see is a small smoke plume rising from his chest, meaning that Batman may have only intended to do enough damage to briefly incapacitate him, anyway. Batman could have taken this as an opportunity to be as creative and unconstrained as possible concerning how he’d subdue Gotham City Police Commissioner Vandal Savage if he wanted, but he obviously didn’t. Either way, Batman understands that Savage can take hits that few others can, and that informs how conscientious he must be when deciding how he’ll defeat him. How Can Batman Truly Thwart Savage And His TUCOs? Interestingly, beyond Detective Comics #1113, it’s unknown when or where Savage might appear next. The solicitation for Batman #14 reads as follows: FRACTION AND SCALERA TURN UP THE HEAT ON BAD SEEDS WITH THE COLDEST VILLAIN IN TOWN! As the night wears on and the threat of dawn looms, Batman must search for answers from the one man capable of stopping Ivy and the bloom. Elsewhere, Verity Pennyworth must defend the Manor from all manner of threats—and they’re about to discover they picked the wrong house to mess with. Afterward, Detective Comics will tackle Clark Kent being investigated as a potential murder suspect, while Batman will tackle what’s believed to be the assassination of Bruce Wayne. Savage doesn’t seem to be as focal of an antagonist in either of these books as he’s been lately, and perhaps he and his TUCO squads are somehow overthrown by the end of Batman: Bad Seeds. Detective Comics #1113 is out now. Created By Bob Kane, Bill Finger First Appearance Detective Comics Alias Bruce Wayne Alliance Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family Race Human Franchise D.C. One of DC's most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world's leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City. FIRST APP Detective Comics #27 (1939)