Batman Just Upgraded His Secret Identity to Protect the Entire Planet

Summary Batman's secret identity is crucial to his superhero activities in Gotham City, and on Earth – but DC's Batman: Off World miniseries just revealed that it has an equally vital interstellar purpose.

While making enemies in space, Batman's secret identity proves to be crucial to protecting Earth from their retribution, as not only do the alien villains not know what a "bat" is, they have no idea for tracing him back to his home planet.

Bruce has always had to protect his secret identity, to protect those around him, but now this extends to the entire population of Earth.

Warning! Contains Spoilers For Batman Off-World #4!

Batman has always gone through great pains to keep his identity secret, and in his latest adventure emphasizes how important having a secret identity really is – in fact, the fate of the entire Earth depends on it. While trapped in space, the only thing between Earth and an alien invasion is Batman's identity.

Batman: Off-World #4 – by Jason Aaron and Doug Mahnke. – features Batman coming into contact with a group of aliens that don't even know what a bat is. At first, Batman is completely outmatched, but over time, he gains his footing, and the fact that aliens don't know what Batman is ends up being what saves Earth.

After Batman begins disrupting the business of the Blakksun twins, they seek retribution. However, when the elder twin specifically asks what planet "Batmans" come from, no one knowing the answer, meaning Earth is safe from the Blakksun twins' for now.

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Because Batman is only ever referred to as "Batman" and none of the aliens who've seen him are aware he's human, the Blakksun twins are completely powerless to find what planet Bruce is actually from.

Bruce Wayne's Secret Identity Is More Important Than Ever

Secret identities are important for superheroes, and Batman is no exception. When a hero's identity is leaked, it almost always destroys their life. Over in Marvel, Daredevil was a perfect example of this where his life was nearly destroyed by his identity leaking. Batman has done everything he can to prevent it, and so far his identity hasn't leaked. While a few criminals are aware that Bruce Wayne is Batman, the public isn't, and it seems that Batman's secret identity even expands all the way out into space.

Batman has recently made enemies of the Blakksun twins, two villainous aliens who run an organization that steals orphans and sells them off into the slave trade, among many other despicable things. Naturally, Batman does everything he can to disrupt their business, which makes the Blakksun twins want to deal out retribution on Batman's home planet. However, because Batman is only ever referred to as "Batman" and none of the aliens who've seen him are aware he's human, the Blakksun twins are completely powerless to find what planet Bruce is actually from.

Not only does the entire Bat-Family, like Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl, depend on Bruce keeping his identity secret, but the entire planet is made safer because of it.

Batman's Secret Identity Keeps All Of Earth Safe

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While it's a bit ridiculous to think, Batman's secret identity is even more effective in outer space, than it is in Gotham City, where it has perennially proven vital. Not only does the entire Bat-Family, like Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl, depend on Bruce keeping his identity secret, but the entire planet is made safer because of it. Being part of the Justice League, it's not unusual to see Batman going off into outer space to fight alien warlords or other cosmic threats. If any of those enemies ever wanted to enact retribution on Earth, it wouldn't be Batman who leads them back there.

Batman: Off-World #4 is available now from DC Comics!