DC Turns a Batman Character Into a New Green Lantern

In DC vs. Vampires , an eternal darkness fell over the DC Universe. The 12-issue Elseworlds tale -- by James Tynion IV ( Batman ), Matthew Rosenberg ( Task Force Z ), and Otto Schmidt ( Green Arrow ) -- took place on the vampire-plagued Earth 63, where Dick Grayson, Lord of All Vampires, turned Barbara Gordon into his vampire queen. After the deaths of Batman and most of the Bat-Family, a vampire-bitten Damian Wayne joined the human resistance against Queen Gordon, Daughter Born of Blood, Mother of All Vampires, and Ruler of the Seven Continents. But the night is darkest just before dawn -- and in brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape the Green Lantern 's light.

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 saw Damian, dubbed the "Cursed Child" by the vampire race, continue his crusade against the biters by assassinating the Queen of the Vampires. In this week's World War V #2, the vampire Aquaman demands that a tribe of human survivors -- including Green Arrow, Black Canary, Deadshot, and John Constantine -- surrender Damian to prevent a second all-out war between humans and vampires.

Damian's mother, Talia al Ghul, has holed up in a League of Shadows safe house with Alfred Pennyworth , who vowed to look after his dead Master Bruce's son. They're attacked by the vampire goddess Wonder Woman, but the Lasso of Truth reveals that Talia doesn't know where to find her son. Wonder Woman plans to murder Talia and Alfred to send a message to the Queen Slayer, so Alfred seals himself away in a vault containing treasures and trophies from across the globe... and other planets.

"I think I shall chop you into pieces like what you did to Hal Jordan, the vampire who sired me," Wonder Woman says, referring to Alfred severing Jordan's ring hand with a yellow-painted axe back in DC vs. Vampires #6. The vampirized Green Lantern was ultimately killed by Oliver Queen, and Jordan's fellow Lanterns -- Kyle Rayner and John Stewart -- were ambushed and slain by vampires upon returning to Earth (in DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1).

Alfred rummages through the vault and wields the Power Ring that escaped Stewart's hand at the time of his death. "You have been calling to me this whole time," says Alfred, unleashing a burst of will-powered green light. "I wasn't ready to listen. I am now."

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #2 is on sale now from DC Comics, and the 12-part sequel series from Rosenberg and Schmidt continues with issue #3 on Oct. 9th.