Warning: Spoilers for the Batman: Hush sequel!One of the biggestBatmanstories of the 2000s is without a doubtBatman: Hushby Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee. Now, over twenty years later, the superstar team has returned to pen a sequel, and ScreenRant has everything fans need to know before jumping into this classic-in-the-making.
DC recently revealed that Loeb and Lee would be taking over the mainBatmanseries starting withBatman#158, which will kick off the long-awaited sequel toBatman: Hush. Currently, it’s unknown exactly what Hush is after or what will happen in this story. But consideringthe short preview-slash-prelude for the story that was shown at the end ofJustice League Unlimited#1by Mark Waid and Dan Mora, readers can make a few guesses.
The originalBatman: Hush,a major all-star story,included the majority of the Bat-Family, as well as Clayface, the Joker, Harley Quinn, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, Superman, and many others. It’s a massive story, and consideringthe preview showcases Hush standing in front of a board with pictures of Batman’s villainswhile he looms over a board with Batman’s allies, it’s likely that this story will also have countless characters.
Hush Is Coming Back For Revenge Against Batman in a New Sequel
Batman#158 by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair, and Richard Starkings
There are tons of"anti-Batman" characters in comics, which is the exact trope that Hush falls into, and he’s honestly one of the better ones. Childhood friends with Bruce Wayne,Thomas “Tommy” Elliot had everything a child could want - except for loving parents. While the Waynes were the pinnacle of a loving family, the Elliots were far darker. Roger Elliot was an abusive alcoholic, and Maria, Tommy’s mother, had grown up poor and was unwilling to risk her newfound wealth by leaving Roger, eventually leading Tommy to try and murder both his parents. Ultimately, he was thwarted by Thomas Wayne.
But despite this huge initial popularity, over time, Hush simply fell out of favor.
Hush is one of the most important Batman villains, yet he rarely gets much attention these days. When Hush first appeared in 2003’sBatman#609 by Loeb and Lee, he made huge waves in the DC Universe and among DC fans. He wasthenew big Batman villain, andHush even chased the Joker out of Gotham to cement him as Batman’s greatest villain at the time. But despite this huge initial popularity, over time, Hush simply fell out of favor with creators and fans.
Hush’s History with the Bat-Family Is Long-Standing - And It Deserves More Attention
2025’sBatman#158 Kicks Off the Long-Awaited Sequel
Since then,Hush has appeared sporadically, most notably inDetective Comics#1033 by Peter J. Tomasi and Brad Walker, as well as being a recurring Catwoman villain, especially inCatwoman#67 by Tini Howard and Carmine Di Giandomenico. Bizarrely, Hush was sent to Earth Negative Zero inBatman: Prelude to the Wedding - Nightwing vs. Hush#1 by Tim Seeley and Travis Moore,which was never brought up again.
Hush Officially Returns, Permanently Changing a Gotham Hero’s Body
Hush is back in the operating room, and a surprise Gotham hero is on the table. Last time, it was her heart on the line - this time, it’s her brain.
Hush has wanted revenge on the Waynes ever since Thomas foiled his plan to kill his parents and inherit their wealth. With the Waynes dead, that hatred was transferred to Bruce - especially after the Wayne murders with Bruce getting everything that Tommy wanted. Tommy is one of Bruce’s deadliest enemies, only exacerbated by the fact Tommy used plastic surgery to transform himself into an identical clone of Bruce. The news of a sequel toBatman: Hushis genuinely exciting, as one ofBatman’sgreatest villains is finally returning to the spotlight.
Batman#158is available March 2025 from DC Comics!
Batman
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.
