Unveiling the Dark Knight’s Family Secrets: Does Bruce Wayne Have a Hidden Brother?

A lingering inquiry surrounding ‘The Dying Metropolis,’ the outstanding storyline from Chip Zdarsky’s near three-year tenure as writer of DC’s primary Batman comic, is: Who is William, and is he truly Bruce Wayne’s sibling? In this week’s final installment, we indirectly uncover the truth…

The presence of William Pureford – or Wil, as he prefers – was introduced at the end of last October’s Batman #153, where this enigmatic adversary initiated legal action against Wayne in the pursuit of gaining “legitimacy” as the heir to his wealth. This isn’t the first time Batman comics have toyed with the idea of Bruce having a hidden brother, yet ‘The Dying Metropolis’ saga commits to this by quickly revealing that Thomas Wayne indeed did have a brief affair with Pureford’s mother many years prior. But does that make Wil his child?

Spoilers for Batman #157

Let’s get straight to the point: No, Wil is not Bruce Wayne’s brother. A DNA test is conducted, and it is swiftly confirmed that the two are not related.

Perhaps more intriguing, however, is Wil’s motivation behind dropping the case against Bruce – he does so before the DNA test results arrive. In a reflective moment between the two men towards the end of the story, he reveals what this has all truly been about.

Wil was persuaded to file the lawsuit against Bruce and chose to pursue it mainly to prove a point and instill fear. He grew up believing they might be connected while also hearing about Bruce’s heroic exploits. He has become frustrated at how Bruce appears to squander his wealth instead of using it to help others (Wil, for his part, is a doctor and is completely unaware that Bruce secretly allocates his funds to support his role as Batman). His goal with this entire charade was to remind his “brother” that his fortune could vanish at any moment. “You should always feel in danger of losing it,” he declares in the story’s most pointed statement. “That’s how the rest of the world feels, paycheck to paycheck.”

The two part on reasonably amicable terms. Wil doesn’t desire any of Bruce’s wealth, nor does he care to know whether they are related or not. He is content with his own life and simply wishes for things to return to normal. However, he uses this opportunity to give Bruce a (somewhat unnecessary) pep talk about utilizing his life to benefit others. While it’s a commendable sentiment, one might wish to shake Wil, and exclaim, “He’s bloody Batman! He’s done far more to assist than you, mate.”

Elsewhere in the series, Zdarsky and artists Jorge Jiménez and Tony S. Daniel concluded the arc with an action-packed finale. Batman shot the wings off an aircraft that Leonid Kull was escaping in and miraculously landed it in Gotham without causing casualties. He subsequently grappled with and defeated Commander Star – also known as the KGBeast. Meanwhile, Jim Gordon subdued the Riddler, resulting in Edward Nygma’s latest arrest.

Speaking of Jim, he plans to return to the force, although this means working under Vandal Savage. In a classic Batman and Gordon brooding rooftop meetup, he confesses to still feeling intense guilt over his affair with Koyuki and his involvement (albeit mind-controlled) in Nakano’s death. Bruce encapsulates the overarching theme of this remarkable arc and the lessons he has learned from Wil, that people a