Nightwing Goes Super Saiyan as DC Merges with Dragon Ball Lore

New art transforms a Batman icon into a Super Saiyan straight out of Dragon Ball Z. It's only the latest transformation, with Batman, Superman and various Justice League icons getting the same tribute (and yes, we're going to showcase those too.)

Robin Goes Super Saiyan in New DC Art

He Joins Batman, Superman, Flash and More

DC just revealed Mario Foccillo's art for Absolute Batman #20, turning Dick Grayson's Robin into a Super Saiyan. DC recently made headlines by debuting the Absolute Universe's version of Robin - a team of vigilantes who operate gigantic mechs in an effort to hunt down Batman.

The Robins' costumes were only just revealed, and DC has confirmed a slew of variant covers for the upcoming Absolute Batman #20 in response, with Foccillo's cover not just showing the costume, but giving it a clear Dragon Ball-inspired tribute. Foccillo has drawn similar covers in the past, starring Absolute Batman, Superman, Flash and Green Lantern.

It surely can't be long until Foccillo depicts Wonder Woman in the same style, especially given how much fans of DC and manga adore these tributes. Foccillo's art comes at a time when comic and manga fandoms have never been closer.

Comic Creators' Love for Manga and Anime Has Never Been Clearer

Manga has been growing in popularity among Western audiences since the '80s, with a major 1990s push that established a diehard fanbase that's been growing since. Now, it's increasingly common to see manga and comics sharing shelves, and especially to see Western comics paying tribute to iconic manga and anime images.

As one of the most iconic manga/anime in the world, Dragon Ball is often the focus. Recent DC covers have repeatedly paid tribute to Akira Toriyama's epic, as well as Death Note, Kagurabachi and many more.

However, Dragon Ball got a special tribute in DC K.O.: Knightfight #4, from Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora. In an alternate future, Bruce Wayne is shown hanging out with his grandson, watching what's clearly Dragon Ball Z's 'Mind Trap', where Goku and Vegeta react in disbelief to a gigantic worm.

It's a telling indication of where Western comics and manga find themselves that even Batman is a confirmed Dragon Ball fan.

Is Marvel and DC's Love for Manga Going Too Far?

Or Is It Not Going Far Enough?

While comic creators are showcasing their love for manga like never before, that relationship is also becoming more fraught. Recently, controversy ignited on social media when a poster for the MCU's upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day was accused of replicating an image from hit Shonen Jump manga Kagurabachi.

While it's not yet known whether this criticism was justified, it's the kind of link that's seen as a harmless tribute when it happens in the comics - indeed, Kagurabachi cover art has been tributed by DC in the recent past. However, in the more mainstream, big-budget world of cinema, attitudes aren't as accepting.

Meanwhile, many fans of Western comics argue that the medium is losing fans to manga at an alarming rate. Recently, chief creative officer of DC Comics Jim Lee stated that Western comics can learn from manga's success stories - comments that have invited commentary in the context of One Piece reportedly surpassing Superman as the best-selling comic series of all time, despite a 30-year head start.

Even as Western superhero stories pay tribute to manga - and vice versa - the two are seen as in direct competition by some fans, exacerbating reactions when they intersect. Absolute Batman's tribute to Dragon Ball Z is a thankful exception, with the simplicity and blatancy of these covers warding off any serious objection.

Absolute Batman #20 is coming May 13 from DC Comics.