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In Deathstroke Inc. #2, a surprising Superman ally gains access to a powerful piece of Batman’s tech…and uses it better than the Dark Knight.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Deathstroke Inc. #2, on sale now from DC Comics.
Even though Batman is no longer able to afford his usual arsenal of gadgets, weaponry, and vehicles, that doesn’t mean the Bat-Tech has been completely decommissioned. Hiro Okamura is still innovating new advances in that department and even enhancing existing work, having previously supplied Batman with a lot of his tech. But in Deathstroke Inc. #2 (by Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter, Hi-Fi, and Steve Wands) Hiro reintroduced the Bat-Armor, now capable of surviving the harsh environment of space, showing just how far Hiro’s ambitions and intellect can take the remains of Batman’s earliest days of crimefighting.
First introduced in Superman #177 (by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness), Hiro Okamura is a genius in every sense of the word, gifted in fields ranging from physics to engineering. He would later take on the formerly villainous moniker of Toyman and become a useful ally to both Batman and Superman, even helping them save the world when a kryptonite-laced meteor was headed towards the Earth. In the years since, Hiro has been a source of innovation that Batman has turned to when he’s in need of some cutting-edge tech.
Recently events have conspired to strip Bruce Wayne of his fortune. All of his money was stolen by the Joker before being transferred over to Lucius Fox for safe-keeping. This meant that Batman couldn’t afford his usual arsenal and as a consequence, Hiro lost his biggest cash cow. Then the mysterious organization known only as T.R.U.S.T. offered to hire Hiro’s services, not merely intending for him to be an engineer, but the tech support for heroes in the field. Hiro not only got to innovate for a substantial paycheck, but he also got to be a part of the action.
Hiro’s ambitions to be an active hero proved greater than anyone could have anticipated. A mission on a space station required an onsite hacker. Hiro enhanced the Bat-Armor, the advanced robotic suit Batman uses to face physically superior foes, in order to actively join the mission. Although he was considered too valuable to be risked, Hiro designed the armor to be remote controlled, giving the impression that he was operating it from afar. However, Hiro actually got inside the armor and piloted it to the space station alongside his allies. While Deathstroke engaged Cyborg Superman, Hiro set about freeing his captive, the Weird.
Thanks to Hiro’s direct intervention the Weird was freed, undoubtedly sparing him further torturous experiments at the hands of the station’s scientists. However, Hiro also discovered that the station belonged to T.R.U.S.T. Even stranger, Hiro discovered a message T.R.U.S.T. was sending to the multiverse at large to stay away from Earth.
This is the first concrete evidence that T.R.U.S.T. is not so benevolent as it seems, and it was all thanks to Hiro’s creative and daring mind. Had he been remotely piloting the armor, he might never have been able to discreetly sneak past T.R.U.S.T.’s notice. And it was only thanks to his enhancements that Hiro was able to survive long enough to gain this valuable information, in the process proving that he is more capable with Batman’s tech than the Caped Crusader himself.
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