Deadman - Other Versions

Other Versions

Deadman appeared twice briefly in Mark Waid and Alex Ross' Elseworlds story Kingdom Come, first as an extra in a metahuman bar (Alongside Rorschach, Obsidian, and the Question) where he offered some words of encouragement to Norman McCay. His appearance is notable because by the time of the story (set 10 years in the future) he has either lost or foregone his normal appearance, and appears as a skeleton wearing his Deadman uniform. He introduces himself as simply "Boston," and also appears in the sequel The Kingdom as a guide to time-lost, deceased versions of Superman. This version of Deadman was made into an action figure by DC Direct for Series 3 of their Kingdom Come line. Ross states that Brand's more skeletal appearance was a result of Brand accepting his role as a spirit.

Deadman also appears in Neil Gaiman's story The Books of Magic, looking very similar to his appearance in Kingdom Come. He possesses the body of several people throughout the comic, trying to warn Timothy Hunter about a coming danger.

In 2006, Vertigo a DC Comics imprint, announced that it would trade some of its trademark characters with others of DC's. Among the swaps was Vertigo's Jonah Hex in exchange for Deadman. The result was a continuing series published later that year.

Deadman also had a brief comic in the book Bizarro World where he was interested in meeting girls and dating while in Limbo.

During Superman & Batman: Generations II, Deadman is summoned by Doctor Occult to assist the third Batman- Bruce Junior, the son of Bruce Wayne- to investigate the elderly Joker's apparent delusions that Batman is trying to kill him. By possessing the Joker's body, Deadman is able to discover that the Joker is being haunted by the ghost of Dick Grayson after he killed the second Batman in their last battle (Although the public believe that he actually killed Robin as Bruce Junior switched costumes with his mentor to maintain the illusion of a single Batman), although his attempt to 'possess' Grayson to make him back off was only a short-term solution, and the chaotic nature of the Joker's mind left him reluctant to go back in.

Deadman appeared briefly in Jeph Loeb's "Absolute Power" story arc in Superman/Batman, in which he attempted to possess Superman after he and Batman killed off all the monks of Nanda Parbat (under orders from their adoptive parents, who saw the monks as a threat to their plans in an alternate timeline). Deadman is prevented from using Superman's strength to kill Batman when Batman uses a spell from Zatanna to trap Deadman inside a crystal.

In the alternate timeline of the "Flashpoint" storyline, Boston Brand is a part of the Haley Circus, featured in a show alongside the Flying Graysons. Boston is still as obnoxious and arrogant as he was before he died and does not wish to be a part of the circus. Brand makes fun of the circus' fortune teller Doctor Fate until Fate gives him a vision of Boston himself standing over a dead Dick Grayson. Before the next show, Boston tries to convince Dick to go solo as he himself had. However, Dick tells him that family means too much to him. Dick poses the question that Boston's seeming fearlessness could stem from his insecurity of being alone. Haley Circus is attacked by Amazons who want the Helm of Nabu. While Boston, along with the circus, is running away from the Amazons, they are rescued by the Resistance member Vertigo. When they are hiding, Boston tells Dick to leave his father since he's fatally wounded, but Dick refuses. Before he dies Dick's father asks Boston to protect his son. Later, Boston and Dick are running around the countryside looking for reinforcements, when they are soon caught in a explosion. It appears that they both survived the explosion, but when Boston tells Dick he is okay, Dick walks through him towards Boston's dead body behind him. Boston realizes that he is now a ghost whose presence cannot be seen or heard. He helps Dick, keeping him safe from the Amazons. Meeting up with the Resistance, Boston aids Dick who has become the new Doctor Fate and lets him know that he is not alone.

Deadman is featured in the 2011 DC Universe reboot, in Justice League Dark.

Deadman was in issue #6 of the comic book Batman: Gotham Adventures (based on Batman: The Animated Series) where his origin was very much alike to his mainstream comic except he was in the Haley Circus and Rama Kushna was male. He was friends with Dick Grayson, and he was in an issue before he gained his powers in The Batman and Robin Adventures #15.

Deadman previously appeared as a "Haley Circus" performer in the Batman & Robin Adventures comic and meets Dick Grayson for the first time since taking over for The Flying Graysons. Issues of the follow-up series, Batman: Gotham Adventures, featured his assassination and transformation to the supernatural Deadman. His killer, Hook, appears as well.