Azrael (DC Comics)

Azrael
Jean-Paul Valley as Azrael on the cover to Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (1992), art by Joe Quesada and Kevin Nowlan.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (October 1992)
Created by	Jean-Paul Valley: Denny O'Neil (writer) Joe Quesada (artist) Peter Milligan (writer - uncredited)[1][2] Michael Lane: Grant Morrison (writer) Tony S. Daniel (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Jean-Paul Valley Jr. Michael Washington Lane Theo Galavan (Gotham)
Species	Metahuman
Team affiliations	The Order of St. Dumas The Order of Purity
Partnerships	Jean-Paul Valley: Sister Lily Nomoz Brian Bryan Batwing II
Abilities	The chief suit piece of Azrael, the arcane Suit of Sorrows, grants various abilities dependent on the continuity: Pre-Flashpoint: Suit of Sorrows grants Azrael superhuman attributes, the skills of previous bearers, and the ability to revive the bearer akin to a Lazarus Pit should they die while having the armor on. Post-Flashpoint: Suit of Sorrows possess an advanced artificial intelligence that enables Azrael to strike at the weak point of his targets. The suit itself is also protective, considered bulletproof.

Azrael is an alias used by multiple fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original version, Jean-Paul Valley, was created by Denny O'Neil, Joe Quesada, and Peter Milligan, and debuted in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (October 1992). The second character to assume the alias was Michael Washington Lane, in Azrael: Death's Dark Knight #1 (May 2009). Both iterations are Christian vigilantes and assassins created by the Order of St. Dumas and/or its derivatives (i.e the Order of Purity), secretive religious organizations seeking to restore justice to Gotham City through religious extremism. They are typically portrayed as antiheroes and reluctant allies of the superhero Batman and the Batman Family, battling forms of manipulations employed by their respective orders, violent tendencies shaped by tragedies in their life, and proving themselves trusted allies to Batman.

In media, the Michael Lane incarnation of Azrael has been featured in the Batman: Arkham series of video games, voiced by Khary Payton, while an original iteration of Azrael, Theo Galavan, appeared in the second season of the television series Gotham, portrayed by James Frain.