Lazarus Planet
"Lazarus Planet" is a 2023 American comic book crossover storyline written by Mark Waid and Gene Luen Yang, with art by Ricardo Federici and Billy Tan published by DC Comics. The event involves Chinese deities-turned demons Nezha and King Fire Bull, whose conflict causes a volcano on Lazarus Island to erupt, causing global magic storms that both give superpowers and alter existing ones. The event received positive reviews, with critics praising the art, action, and main story while criticizing the tie-ins.
Publication history
In October 2022, during New York Comic Con, DC Comics announced a new event called Lazarus Planet which, along with Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, will kickstart Dawn of DC. Batman/Superman: World's Finest and the Batman vs. Robin act as a prelude to Lazarus Planet. Lazarus Planet was followed up with a sequel called Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods where Wonder Woman and Shazam fight. It was written by G. Willow Wilson, Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, and Josie Campbell and ran through the pages of Wonder Woman and the titular miniseries.Plot
Prelude
During Batman and Robin's early adventures, they team up with Superman and the Doom Patrol to deal with the demon Nezha who was wreaking havoc in Gotham City and Metropolis. The Doom Patrol explain that over three millennia ago, Nezha was originally a human and the son of powerful war general Li Jing. After Nezha died in battle at a young age, Li gave up his wealth and power to resurrect him, eventually entering the servitude of a magician who gave him the elixir of immortality out of pity.Nezha was resurrected by the elixir, but was enraged at his father and killed him. Nezha rebuilt his father's empire, made deals with demons and obtained magical weapons, becoming a demon. To stop Nezha, warriors from the House of Ji imprisoned him. In the 21st century, Nezha creates a new spell to free himself but is disgusted with how humans had advanced and desires to control the world.
Batman and Superman manage to stop Nezha by trapping him in the Phantom Zone, but he attempts to escape. Superman pushes Nezha and himself in Nezha's prison on Lazarus Island before escaping.
In the present, while Damian Wayne participates in a tournament on Lazarus Island, it is revealed that his great-grandmother, Mother's Soul, was brought back to life due to the Lazarus Pits, with Mother's Soul saying that they must free Nezha once more or else the world will be destroyed. One night, Bruce Wayne sees Alfred Pennyworth appear in front of him, which makes Bruce suspicious since he was killed by Bane during the City of Bane storyline. Bruce tests Alfred on a series of questions to make sure Alfred is not the imposter, and while in the Batcave they see a possessed Damian, Jakeem Thunder and Timothy Hunter. Batman subdues the Hunters but Damian wounds him and escapes to meet up with Nezha and Mother Soul, who have sent various malicious mystics to capture powerful relics across the world, causing Earth's magic to go into havoc.
Investigating the magic imbalance, Batman tries meeting with Zatanna but finds her hanging, but Zatanna reveals she is alive with Justice League Dark being preoccupied by Nezha's magic. Batman goes to Kentucky to meet a magician, Abel, where he learns about Damian's recent tournament on Lazarus Island, and learns that Mother Soul is the mother of Ra's al Ghul and that the Lazarus Pits are derived from Nezha's elixir. Batman realizes that Nezha corrupted Damian and tricked him into freeing himself from his prison, and has taken control of Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Jason Todd, and Stephanie Brown.
While traveling to Lazarus Island, Batman realizes that Nezha has incapacitated Barbara Gordon and Batwoman while Talia al Ghul is held prisoner by Damian and Mother Soul. Nezha captures his old friend Pigsy and discovers that his son King Fire Bull has resurfaced on Earth with his own plans for world domination while Mother Soul forces the captured Black Alice to augment Doctor Fate's helmet with stolen magic. Batman defeats all the former Robins and allows Alfred to be killed by Nezha, revealing that he knew Alfred was fake when Alfred answered all of Batman's questions when they first met, but not contradict Batman's question when Nezha thought Batman was telling the truth. Alfred tells Batman to try to reconcile with Damian before dying once more.
Damian confronts Batman who struggles due to his battles with the former Robins, but it is revealed that Batman freed Talia and disarms Nezha long enough for Batman to obtain Doctor Fate's helmet and frees everyone from Nezha's influence as well as teleports them away except Pigsy and Black Alice. Damian and Talia fight off Mother Soul where Mother Soul falls over a cliff. During the fight, Nezha mortally wounds Batman, but King Fire Bull arrives and fights Nezha off while Talia and Damian revive Batman by using Alice's and Pigsy's magic. Nezha flees, and King Fire Bull causes the Lazarus Volcano to explode.
Main plot
''Alpha''
Damian flies Batman, Talia, and Black Alice out of the Lazarus Volcano while Supergirl notes that there is a big storm wreaking havoc on Earth. Damian and his group crash into the Hall of Justice where Supergirl, Power Girl, Blue Beetle, Mary Marvel, the Monkey Prince, Zatanna, Cyborg, and Blue Devil are. Damian brings everyone up to speed on what has happened and that King Fire Bull is responsible for the storm. Zatanna notices that magic in general has gotten out of control, so Damian sends Mary, Zatanna, Cyborg, Blue Beetle and Power Girl to collect magical artifacts in the Tower of Fate, while Batman, Talia, and Supergirl will find Nezha in the Himalayas. While trying to breach the tower, Cyborg and Blue Beetle are attacked by King Fire Bull's bodyguard, the Silver Horn King.Batman's group are confronted by King Fire Bull's other bodyguard, the Golden Horn King. While Blue Beetle and Supergirl distract the Golden Horn King, Batman and Talia are shocked to see Nezha being attacked by Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy, who are angered that the Lazarus Volcano explosion is poisoning the plants and Earth. Batman's group defeats Nezha, but Nezha's body slowly corrupts Batman, turning him into a demon. Mary Marvel's group gets closer to the Tower, and Mary yells her name, which causes people who were imprisoned by Nezha to be free. Damian is trying to figure out what is going on when he is suddenly confronted by Fire King Bull.
One of Pigsy's clones visits the Monkey Prince at the Hall and explains Nezha's and King Fire Bull's origins. During his initial conquest as the Devil Nezha, the Chinese gods offered Nezha a chance at redemption, taking him to the Heavenly Realm and gifting him the Red Armillary Sash, which suppressed his evil and reverted him to human form. Nezha ascended to deity status and became acquainted with Pigsy and his companions Monkey King and Sandy during their quest to reunite with their master. Following the war between Apokolips and the Heavenly Realm centuries ago, Nezha adopted Red Boy as his son after Darkseid murdered his parents King Bull Demon and Princess Iron Fan. Red Boy would later be consumed by his hate, eventually becoming the demonic King Fire Bull.