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"I hate Metropolis. It's an art deco nightmare. All bright lights and rounded corners. {...} It's a headache."
Batman[src]

Metropolis was a fictional major metropolitan city located in the state of Delaware, USA. It is best known as the home of Superman.

History[]

Earth One[]

Throughout the Silver-Age of comics, Batman and his first Robin spent a lot of time in Metropolis, often to team-up with Superman and his pal, Jimmy Olsen. In Metropolis, these four most frequently fought with the evil mad scientist Lex Luthor.

Silver Age Batman[]

Billionaire John Mayhew used Metropolis as headquarters for the, "Club of Heroes", a team including Batman, Robin, Superman, and Batman & Robin inspired vigilantes from around the world. Here the team ran afoul of the villainous, "Lightning-Man" only for it to turn out to be a split-personality of Superman's, triggered by an orbiting Kryptonite meteor. Superman was made leader of the group before it went defunct.

Batman, Robin and Superman once joined forces to fight the evil criminal, "Octopus" whose gang terrorized both Gotham and Metropolis. The heroes' attempts to fight Octopus were troubled by the bumbling new vigilante, "Crimson Avenger" who Octopus also had his men impersonate. Eventually, the heroes found Octopus' lair only for Octopus to threaten to trigger bombs hidden in Metropolis. At this point, the real Crimson Avenger impersonated one of Octopus' goons and shot the criminal with a Kryptonite ray-gun, leading to Octopus' arrest.

Batman and Superman were both regularly tormented by god-like, "Imps" from the 5th Dimension known as Mr. Mxyztplk and Bat-Mite. These two tricksters joined forces in-order to pretend to be superhuman children known as, "The Colossal Kids" Force Boy and Speed Kid. In these monikers, they began causing havoc in Metropolis to aggravate Batman and Superman, Bat-Mite wishing to prove Batman could deduce their identities and making a bet on it with the more malevolent Mxyztplk. Batman was eventually able to deduce the duo's identity and as a result, Mister Mxyztplk was banished to the 5th Dimension for one-hundred days.

On one incident, Gotham's police-commissioner Jim Gordon was sent to the Arctic with Daily Planet chief-editor Perry White. The two were given a job by Superman to catalogue evidence in his Fortress of Solitude, only to accidentally be exposed to an alien gas which gave them the abilities of Batman and Superman respectively, but evil. Using, "The Anti-Mobile", Anti-Batman and Anti-Superman began committing crimes in Metropolis to attack Batman and Superman, citing their mistreatment of Lex Luthor, Brainiac and the Penguin as justification. Batman and Superman were eventually able to cure the duo of their madness and take away their superpowers.

Bronze Age Batman[]

When Batman was believed to have been murdered by a super-criminal, Lex Luthor was amongst the four claiming credit for the killing. To find the real killer, Two-Face and Ra's al Ghul assembled a Gotham criminal court with Ra's as judge and Two-Face as prosecutor. Lex travelled to Gotham dressed like an extravagant king, aggravating Gotham criminals Killer Moth and the Cluemaster. At the stand, Lex confessed he used a satellite to trap Batman in Superman's body and Superman into Batman's body before killing them both.

However, Superman arrived in the court which he granted amnesty, revealing that this was a farce which Batman and Superman played out to get a confession from Lex. With Luthor's confession, Superman waited outside of the courtroom for Lex Luthor where his amnesty ended. An intelligent man, Lex Luthor began demanding prosecutor Two-Face reveal his source of information before Al Ghul had him silenced. Of-course, it turned out Two-Face was actually Batman in disguise and had arranged the court to find the confession for a murder committed by Joker of one who they thought to be Batman.

Black Lightning & the Outsiders[]

In Metropolis', "Suicide Slums", black school-teacher Jefferson Pierce developed electricity based super-powers to become a vigilante in the neighbourhood. Black Lightning fought enemies in the neighbourhood such as crime-lord Tobias Whale, and Batman's old adversary Ned Creegan AKA the Cyclotronic Man. Black Lightning met Batman and the Justice League while investigating and fighting the mad-scientist Barnabus Boulton AKA The Regulator. Justice League member Green Arrow bonded with Black Lightning and invited him to join the Justice League, however Jefferson declined the offer.

When Batman formed the Justice League splinter-faction, "The Outsiders" to save Lucius Fox from the nation of Markovia, he invited Black Lightning to join the team. After a successful mission fighting the evil Baron Bedlam, Black Lightning became a regular member of the Outsiders.

New Earth[]

Background[]

In the early 20th century, wealthy Gotham physician and psychologist Dr. Amadeus Arkham studied in Metropolis. Amadeus' mother Elizabeth was also committed to the Metropolis State Psychiatric Hospital until she commit suicide. This inspired Amadeus to establish and construct The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum in Gotham City.

Dr. Thomas Wayne once had a medical convention to attend in Metropolis. Thomas took his butler Alfred Pennyworth, a young Bruce Wayne and Bruce's close-friend Tommy Elliot to Metropolis when the boys were young. While waiting for Doctor Wayne, the two young boys happened upon a fight in the skies between the original Green Lantern and the criminal, "The Icicle". As watching the fight caused the boys to arrive at the hotel late, Doctor Wayne forced the two to spend the rest of the trip in their hotel-room; neither telling anyone of what they saw in the skies. Not long after this incident, Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne were shot dead by Joe Chill and Bruce hardly saw Tommy anymore.

The Falcone Crime family had ties to Metropolis through the Gazzo family and Metropolis mafioso Bobby "The Don" Gazzo. By around Batman's 3rd year active in Gotham, mobster Sal Maroni killed Gazzo gangsters Mickey and Frankie Gazzo killed. Much of Metropolis was ruled over by evil scientist/businessman Lex Luthor of LexCorp through a serious of ruthless business tactics.

The Man Who Laughs[]

Superman's existence first became known to Gotham around the time of the Jokers first crime-spree in Batman's second year of crime-fighting. His flight was discussed by citizens of Gotham and compared to Gotham's changing criminal/crime-fighting landscape

Dark Victory[]

After Gotham's don Carmine Falcone was shot dead by Two-Face during Gotham's, "Long Halloween", and the city's criminal-underworld was being taken over by, "The Freaks", the Falcones had Don Gazzo travel from Metropolis to Gotham. Gazzo was however killed as part of the Columbus Day Massacre organized by these freaks, having been shot dead in his hotel room by the Joker.

To Laugh and Die in Metropolis[]

For unknown reasons (possibly following a manic impulse), the Joker travelled to Metropolis and built a robotic Superman. Joker had this robot rob the Metropolis diamond exchange and killed everyone in the building with Joker Venom. When Superman fought the robot, Joker detonated a bomb within the robot. As Superman flew the bomb out of harm's way, Joker kidnapped Lois Lane and took her away in a lead-lined truck. Superman was able to use his x-ray vision to detect the one truck in Metropolis which he couldn't see-through, deduce it to be Joker's truck, and captured Joker.

Dark Knight over Metropolis[]

A homeless-man from Metropolis moved to Gotham while in possession of a stolen Kryptonite Ring which formerly belonged to Lex Luthor himself. Batman found the ring and uncovered its bloody history, while teaming up with Superman to fight Lex Luthor and the criminal-syndicate Intergang. After the adventure, Batman would come to give the ring to Superman which made Superman trust Batman more than ever.  As such, Superman later visited Bruce in the Bat-Cave and gave him back the ring, saying that if he ever lost control he trusted Batman to use the ring to stop him.

Funeral for a Friend[]

When Superman was murdered by the alien behemoth, "Doomsday", Batman with Tim Drake's Robin and Nightwing alongside Starfire all attended his funeral in Metropolis. Batman and Robin watched much of the memorial service from a distance while Nightwing was more directly involved with the mourning.

Hush[]

As part of his war on Bruce Wayne, Dr. Tommy Elliot, now the villainous, "Hush" equipped Batman's enemy Poison Ivy with Kryptonite lipstick so she could use her mutant plants brainwash Superman. The Riddler would imply said Kryptonite may have originated from president Lex Luthor. After Ivy mind-controlled Catwoman into stealing money from Killer Croc at bait, Poison Ivy lead Batman and Catwoman to Metropolis. Bruce travelled alongside Tommy, unknowing of his villainous alter-ego while reminiscing about their childhood in the city. Bruce also appeared in the Daily Planet to bring flowers to Lois Lane and meet-up with Clark Kent.

During this same period of time, Batman's other enemy Talia Head was serving as CEO of LexCorp during Luthor's presidency. Batman confronted her in Lex Luthor's tower to interrogate her about a transport of ethylene, a chemical used by Poison Ivy. Batman and Catwoman met-up on a moving train where Catwoman exclaimed her contempt for Metropolis, saying, "Does it ever get dark in this city? Even at night, it's lit up like it's important or something". Catwoman and Batman tracked down Ivy where Catwoman tries to attack her for controlling her mind, only for Ivy to summon Superman to defend her.

Batman was able to use Lex Luthor's lead-lined sewers to hide from the Man of Steel and fight him with a Kryptonite ring, before breaking through to Superman's humanity. Poison Ivy was apprehended following this incident and returned to Gotham. While Batman and Superman reconnected, the two were unknowingly being watched from a distance by Hush, laughing at Batman saying, "What are friends for?" to the Man of Steel.

After this incident, Catwoman kidnapped Talia Al Ghul from a LexCorp helicopter so that Batman could interrogate her father, Ra's al Ghul, on Hush. Catwoman held Talia captive in Gotham until assassin Lady Shiva was hired (presumably by the League of Assassins) to beat Catwoman in a fight and recover Talia.

Super-Bat[]

By this point in time, Superman would insist Batman protect Metropolis on nights when Bruce Wayne was in the city on business while Superman filled in for Batman in Gotham. This was done as Superman believed it was important to see from one-another's point of view, though Batman hated Metropolis and Superman was, "Not particularly fond of Gotham". Batman described Metropolis as an, "Art-deco nightmare" which had rounded and polished architecture that made grappling difficult.

On one of these incidents, Batman caught Superman's supernatural enemy Silver Banshee robbing an antiques gallery. Enhanced by the stolen, "Cawdor" artifact, Banshee was able to seriously injure Batman, causing Superman to speed him back to the Batcave to be patched-up by Alfred. For a period of time after this incident, Batman developed some of Superman's super-powers.

Prime Earth[]

In other media[]

Movies[]

Batman Forever[]

In the 1995 film Batman Forever, Bruce Wayne remarks to Dick Grayson that it would be tough going if he left Wayne Manor in order to strike out on his own as the circus he performed with had concluded in Gotham and "by now the circus must be halfway to Metropolis" . To this Dick replies that all he wants to do is avenge his family's death by killing Two-Face.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice[]

Metropolis will be depicted as the sister city to Gotham City which is located across a the big bay in the film.

Television[]

The Batman[]

In the TV show "The Batman", one of the main characters, Ellen Yin, is from Metropolis. While the city is mentioned in other episodes, Batman and Superman team up to stop Lex Luthor in Metropolis in the episodes "The Batman/Superman Story ", Pt.1 and 2.

Beware the Batman[]

In this CGI show, Metropolis is mentioned in the episode "Monsters ".

Video Games[]

Batman: Arkham Asylum[]

Warden Sharp mentions Amadeus Arkham's history in Metropolis on one of the Spirit of Arkham messages.

Batman: Arkham City[]

Metropolis is mentioned often in Batman: Arkham City. These mentions show that Batman and Talia had a date in Metropolis and Hugo Strange was planning to build another prison in Metropolis similar to Arkham City. Also, the password for a lock you can break with the cytographic sequencer in Arkham City is Metropolis. That lock is near the museum on the subway and it is on one of the cars and opens a door to a car which has a Riddler Trophy to collect inside.

Injustice: Gods Among Us[]

Metropolis appeared in the fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us, both as the Prime Universe incarnation and the Regime Universe. In the Regime Universe, the Joker stole a nuclear device and had timed it to detonate at the precise moment Lois Lane died as part of an elaborate scheme to corrupt Superman. The city was wiped out after Superman, drugged by a strain of Fear Toxin by the Joker, killed Lois Lane and his child under the belief they were Doomsday, leaving millions dead. Metropolis was eventually rebuilt as the capital of Superman's One World Regime, which became dictatorial. In the Prime Universe, Lex Luthor, as part of his schemes for Metropolis, had Black Adam, Doomsday, Ares, Sinestro, and Black Adam attack Metropolis, while he leads Bane, Catwoman, and Solomon Grundy on an assault on the Watchtower. His forces eventually ended up defeated, although he anticipated this possibility and arranged to have Deathstroke attack Batman as well as have the Joker released and supply the latter with a nuclear bomb timed to blow up Metropolis as insurance, with plans to rebuild Metropolis in his image as well as tarnish the reputation of the Justice League members. Metropolis was ultimately saved due to Regime Batman teleporting Wonderwoman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Green Lantern and, albeit unintentionally, the Prime Batman and Joker to the Regime Universe to stop High Councilor Superman.

Behind the Scenes[]

  • Within the DC Universe, Metropolis is the home of Superman, it is portrayed as one of the largest and wealthiest cities on Earth. Since then, Metropolis has become a city inspired by New York City, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Toronto, Vancouver, and Los Angeles. Most of the notable landmarks in Metropolis are based on real-life landmarks in New York City.
  • In 1972, to captialize on the success of DC Comics, an unincorporated community in Illinois named itself Metropolis. There is a 15-foot statue of Superman in the town square, and the local newspaper is called The Daily Planet. The town's leaders had plans to build a theme park based on the Man of Steel, however that fell through.
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