Who has been healed in a Lazarus Pit?

[Lorendiac]

Which characters have successfully been dunked in Lazarus Pits in order to be reborn; healed of any diseases, wounds, etc., that had killed them (or maybe just "almost" killed them)?

Ideally, I want it to be from stories that happened "in continuity" -- or at least were supposed to be "in continuity" when they happened, as far as anyone knew at the time.

First, the three really obvious ones:
Ra's al Ghul
Talia
Nyssa

In addition, I'll mention one other to start the ball rolling:
Batman (according to Denny O'Neil's graphic novel, "Birth of the Demon," if we assume it is in continuity).

I can think of at least a couple of others, but I want to encourage audience participation, so I'll stop there and leave the rest to you! How many different customers have those Lazarus Pits had over the years, anyway?


P.S. I'm trying to put together a complete list before I finally post my second draft of "The Ra's al Ghul FAQ." I started it last year, posted my first draft, and then basically let it slide for several months. Now I'm trying to finish it up!

[CConn]

Jason Todd, Nora Fries, and Lady Shiva all have.

[MaskedManJRK]

Jason Todd, Nora Fries, and Lady Shiva all have.

Nora Fries? When?

Also put in Cassandra Cain.

[ToddIsDead]

I had no idea that Nora Fries went into a Lazarus Pit. I'd like to read that story.

[TheFalcon]

The Riddler (Hush)

[ToddIsDead]

Tommy Elliot

[trustyside-kick]

Tommy Elliot?? In what issue?

This is only Batman characters by the way right? Cause I was going to list the other superheroes too...

[Mister J]

Black Canary. She recovered from some severe injuries, had her Canary Cry restored and regained the ability to have children.

[CConn]

Nora Fries? When?

Also put in Cassandra Cain.Batgirl #69 and #70. Batgirl convinced Freeze to put her in it, and she ended up becoming Lazara, the Spirit of the Lazurus Pit or something like that.

[Mee]

she ended up becoming Lazara, the Spirit of the Lazurus Pit or something like that.
Makes perfect sense.

[The Question]

Yeah. It was kind of stupid. Because of all of Freeze's medical tests and cryogenic freezing, Nora was infused with the lazerous fire. Basically, she could summon zombies and control them.

[Mr. Socko]

Wow, sounds stupid....

back to the topic....

Bane.

[Mee]

Bane used it? Really? Wow, way more people have used it than I thought.

[ToddIsDead]

Tommy Elliot?? In what issue?

This is only Batman characters by the way right? Cause I was going to list the other superheroes too...
It's been a while since I read Hush, but didn't the Joker kill Tommy? And then he was revieved in the pit? That's what I remember anyway.

[Mee]

No Tommy never died. It was Clayface in disguise.

[ToddIsDead]

Are you sure? It's been a long while, and I'm really tired, but that's not how I remember it. Oh well, I guess I have some rereading to do :o

[War Lord]

Lazurus.

[trustyside-kick]

Are you sure? It's been a long while, and I'm really tired, but that's not how I remember it. Oh well, I guess I have some rereading to do :o

When Tommy was found "shot" and Joker above him it was actually Clayface and Harvey Dent from a roof top shot him. The only time the real Tommy Elliot was shot was at the very end; Harvey shot at him and he like dove into the water.

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Tommy never used the Pits. He never actually died........like stated above.

Off the top of my head, Jason Todd.....Edward Nygma (Riddler)....

I'm actually very surprised to hear that Nora Fries had been thrown in. I didn't know Bane had plunged in too, although I do know that he was banging Talia for a while as he almost became Ra's heir.

And Talia too.......I'm a little surprised she's dove in b/c I never thought she actually had a reason to do so.

[TheFalcon]

And Talia too.......I'm a little surprised she's dove in b/c I never thought she actually had a reason to do so.

She didn't do it voluntarily. Nyssa shot her, threw her in, shot her again etc. about ten times in Death and The Maidens.

She did it to get Talia to side with her and forget about Batman, though I didn't really understand why killing/ressurecting her ten times would make her do that.

[trustyside-kick]

She didn't do it voluntarily. Nyssa shot her, threw her in, shot her again etc. about ten times in Death and The Maidens.

She did it to get Talia to side with her and forget about Batman, though I didn't really understand why killing/ressurecting her ten times would make her do that.

:eek:

Been wanting to read Death and The Maidens and now I want to even more. :)

[Fledermaus]

She didn't do it voluntarily. Nyssa shot her, threw her in, shot her again etc. about ten times in Death and The Maidens.

She did it to get Talia to side with her and forget about Batman, though I didn't really understand why killing/ressurecting her ten times would make her do that.

I think Nyssa was trying,(in a very twisted way) to imprint herself as "God" to Talia. She took away her life, and gave her back life. Over and over. Think "Lazarus Pit Brainwashing". Also Nyssa changed the fundamental flaw in the Pit that made it usable only once. Nyssa can use the same pit over and over. Fat lot of good it did her. Nysaa go BOOM!

[trustyside-kick]

Interesting...and Death and The Maidens is part of Gotham Knights? Or Detective Comics or what? My brother only buys the Batman ones so I like also I do not even have all of the War Games which I still want to read when I can.

[Fledermaus]

Death and the Maidens is a 9-part maxi-series. There is a story setting it up in Detective 783 as the back-up story.

[TheFalcon]

I think Nyssa was trying,(in a very twisted way) to imprint herself as "God" to Talia. She took away her life, and gave her back life. Over and over. Think "Lazarus Pit Brainwashing". Also Nyssa changed the fundamental flaw in the Pit that made it usable only once. Nyssa can use the same pit over and over. Fat lot of good it did her. Nysaa go BOOM!

Yeah, I took it as some kind of brainwashing, but I still think it was a weird way to do it.

As for the spoiler: Has Nyssa really died? I was really hoping they would kill her off soon and replace her with the real Ra's or Talia. When did it happen?

[Fledermaus]

In Detective 818, i'm pretty sure. Big badda boom. Car bomb.

[TheFalcon]

Death and the Maidens is a 9-part maxi-series. There is a story setting it up in Detective 783 as the back-up story.

It has also been collected in a TPB.

What happens in the Detective back-up story?

[TheFalcon]

In Detective 818, i'm pretty sure. Big badda boom. Car bomb.

That's good. I thought she was a pretty bad character. She didn't seem to have an agenda and after Death and the Maidens she's hardly been seen at all. It seemed as if the writers didn't know what to do with her.

Hopefully Superboy Prime's reality punching or something has brought back the real Ra's.

[Andy C.]

Wonder Woman was healed by one in Trinity when Ra's Al Ghul ran her through, but I don't know if that one counts since it was a stand-alone series.

[trustyside-kick]

Death and the Maidens is a 9-part maxi-series. There is a story setting it up in Detective 783 as the back-up story.

So...it is in Detective Comics then.

[Fledermaus]

What happens in the Detective back-up story?

I'm pretty sure it's just an introduction to Nyssa.


So...it is in Detective Comics then.

Yes it is, but as a back-up story, about 7-10 pages.

[Mr. Socko]

Lazurus.

Your attempt at a wize-crack would have been better if you spelled his name right:up:

[TheFalcon]

So...it is in Detective Comics then.

No, there was just a small story in Detective Comics #783.
Death and The Maidens was in it's own series which was 9 issues long.

And as I said earlier those 9 issues are collected in the Death and the Maidens TPB, so you don't have to look for the issues themselves.

[trustyside-kick]

Oh ok. Thanks. Been confused about that for a while lol.

[trustyside-kick]

And here is what I found on wikipedia about the Lazarus Pits:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_Pit

The following people have used it:

- Nyssa
- Black Canary
- The Riddler
- Lady Shiva
- Cassandra Cain

I do not know why they did not say Talia since she used it to give Jason back from being a shell (Batman Annual #25).

[Mr. Socko]

Something is wrong

Because Bane's wikipedia page says he's been in the Lazarus Pit before...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bane_%28comics%29

[trustyside-kick]

Well you gotta take into consideration the fact that wikipedia is a huge online database encyclopedia created by average people.

But I think for the most part it is accurate with this.

[ChrisBaleBatman]

She didn't do it voluntarily. Nyssa shot her, threw her in, shot her again etc. about ten times in Death and The Maidens.

She did it to get Talia to side with her and forget about Batman, though I didn't really understand why killing/ressurecting her ten times would make her do that.

Hmmm.....I've got to pick up that book. But, I'm guessing the brain damage could do the trick. I think the Pits cause slight amounts of insanity with every use......so maybe doing that to her that many times that amount of time, crazy could do it.

Death and the Maidens is a 9-part maxi-series. There is a story setting it up in Detective 783 as the back-up story.

Is there a Hardcover edition?

Wonder Woman was healed by one in Trinity when Ra's Al Ghul ran her through, but I don't know if that one counts since it was a stand-alone series.


Doesn't Wonder Woman heal naturally though? Accelerated healing, or something....?

I'm not sure if Bane used the Pits........he might have, wasn't he banging Talia for a while?

[TheFalcon]

Hmmm.....I've got to pick up that book. But, I'm guessing the brain damage could do the trick. I think the Pits cause slight amounts of insanity with every use......so maybe doing that to her that many times that amount of time, crazy could do it.

They've changed that. Ra's improved the pits so that sideffect was removed.

Is there a Hardcover edition?

No and I don't think there will be.

Doesn't Wonder Woman heal naturally though? Accelerated healing, or something....?

I haven't read much about Wonder Woman apart from JLA, but I don't think she has any extra healing powers that are powerful enough to cure major damages. In Trinity somekind of with stabbed her in the side with a huge spear and she was losing a lot of blood fast.

I'm not sure if Bane used the Pits........he might have, wasn't he banging Talia for a while?

If he did use it I would bet it was in the Bane of the Demon story. I haven't read it, thoguh so I can't be sure. I checked the summary on thebatsquad.net, but that didn't mention the pits. It did say that Ra's wanted Bane to marry Talia, but I don't think it actually happened.

[Fledermaus]

You know, its got to suck to be the daughter of a psycho like Ra's.
He's tried to pawn her off on Batman, Bane and Azrael. Not to mention her little 'crush' on Jason Todd. Ten bucks says Talia ends up playing for the other team if you get my drift.

[trustyside-kick]

Isn't there some comic series that someone was talking about Batman having a kid and it is Talia's? I remember talking to someone in a thread about that but at the moment it is mainly a blur.

[Lorendiac]

They've changed that. Ra's improved the pits so that sideffect was removed.

(For those who came in late, TheFalcon was talking here about the "temporary insanity" thing that used to happen everytime Ra's (or anyone else) got dunked a Lazarus Pit.)

I don't think I had heard about the temporary insanity glitch having been removed. When did we hear about this? If I can track it down and confirm it, preferably with a specific issue number, then it's exactly the sort of thing that needs to be added to the Second Draft of my Ra's al Ghul FAQ before I post it anywhere!

If he did use it I would bet it was in the Bane of the Demon story. I haven't read it, thoguh so I can't be sure. I checked the summary on thebatsquad.net, but that didn't mention the pits. It did say that Ra's wanted Bane to marry Talia, but I don't think it actually happened.

I read "Bane of the Demon" when it first came out, and again a few years ago. I don't remember Bane dying and going into a Lazarus Pit in that story either. Other people have said he did, in fact, go into a Lazarus Pit, but I don't know when yet.

[trustyside-kick]

Ya I do not recall Bane using the Lazarus Pit either in that. When I get home I think I am going to skim through it incase I overlooked that.

[Lorendiac]

After seeing feedback on several forums, here is my current list of people in the "regular continuity" DCU timeline who have gone into a Lazarus Pit and been "resurrected" or at least "healed." Some of them people were still alive when they entered the Pit, as I understand it.

01. Bane ("Gotham Knights #49")
02. Batgirl III (Cassandra Cain) ("Batgirl #73")
03. Batman ("Birth of the Demon" graphic novel)
04. Black Canary II ("Birds of Prey #34")
05. Brian Bryan ("Azrael #6")
06. Jason Todd (Retroactively revealed to us in "Batman Annual #25" -- he was already alive again when he went into the pit, but it cured some amnesia for him)
07. Joker (The story arc titled "The Demon Laughs," in LOTDK #'s 142-145. I haven't read it, so I'm not sure which issue)
08. King Snake ("Robin #91")
09. Lady Shiva (Seen dead, hanging in the air above a Lazarus Pit, in "Batgirl #73." Apparently it is widely presumed that sooner or later she fell into the Pit and was resurrected.)
10. Nora Fries ("Batgirl #69")
11. Nyssa
12. Ra's al Ghul
13. Riddler (retroactively revealed to us in "Batman #619." We didn't actually see it happen)
14. Talia
15. What's-Her-Name (the aging actress who was the title character of the "Bride of the Demon" graphic novel. She apparently married Ra's and became pregnant with his child)
16. Wonder Woman (in Matt Wagner's "Trinity" miniseries)

I didn't bother citing sources for Ra's, Nyssa, or Talia. The Pits have been a family secret for a long, long time.

Anybody got a copy of "Bride of the Demon" handy? I remember the character, the movie star who was worried that she was losing her looks, but I can't remember her name. So I just called her "What's-Her-Name!"

Some of those stories are of "doubtful status" in continuity at the moment, but I decided to include them on this list for the time being, just to be on the safe side.

As I understand it, nobody at DC has told us that "Trinity" is in continuity, but I've seen some of its diehard fans arguing that it "could be" or "ought to be" or "will be" or whatever :)

Once upon a time, LOTDK stories were understood to be "apocryphal" -- some of them might have happened in continuity; others might not have. I don't know if "The Demon Laughs" is definitely in continuity or just "might be."

The graphic novels "Son of the Demon" and "Bride of the Demon" (sequel to "Son") were ruled to be "out of continuity" by Denny O'Neil at the time of Zero Hour. In those days he was the editor in charge of all the Batman titles, so he had the authority to make that stick. However, he is no longer in that position, and I hear rumors that Grant Morrison intends to drag "Son of the Demon" back into continuity soon. At any rate, I've heard that he plans a run on Batman; a long story arc called "Batman and Son". There are rumors that he has explicitly said this will be following up on the events of "Son of the Demon." (Does this mean that "Bride of the Demon" will also be dragged back into continuity? Beats me!)

[hippie_hunter]

In Detective 818, i'm pretty sure. Big badda boom. Car bomb.

No, she died in Robin

[trustyside-kick]

Bane's father went into the Pit?!?

[Lorendiac]

Bane's father went into the Pit?!?

Evidently in "Robin #91." I haven't read that one, so I don't think I knew about it either. And according to the people who told me about it, being dunked in the Pit restored Sir Edmund Dorrance's eyesight. However, he soon lost it again because of a new injury. (Presumably DC wanted that to happen so that they could continue the King Snake's schtick as "the world's greatest blind martial artist, who likes to fight in the dark," instead of letting him fight on more even terms with other skilled martial artists in broad daylight from now on).

[trustyside-kick]

Ah I see.

[Mr. Socko]

Isn't there some comic series that someone was talking about Batman having a kid and it is Talia's? I remember talking to someone in a thread about that but at the moment it is mainly a blur.

I've read that somewhere before too. But what happened to the child?:confused:

[trustyside-kick]

I've read that somewhere before too. But what happened to the child?:confused:

No clue. :(

[ChrisBaleBatman]

They've changed that. Ra's improved the pits so that sideffect was removed.


Really? So, the Pits doesn't create gradual insanity over a long period of time? Or the short burst of it after using it? Both?


I haven't read much about Wonder Woman apart from JLA, but I don't think she has any extra healing powers that are powerful enough to cure major damages. In Trinity somekind of with stabbed her in the side with a huge spear and she was losing a lot of blood fast.



Yeah, now that you mention it.....I've never actually seen her heal from a major injury, like I have seen Superman have.

If he did use it I would bet it was in the Bane of the Demon story. I haven't read it, thoguh so I can't be sure. I checked the summary on thebatsquad.net, but that didn't mention the pits. It did say that Ra's wanted Bane to marry Talia, but I don't think it actually happened.

Do you know if he and her ever got into it? I mean, I could see Ra's trying to push hionto her with her not wanting Bane at all (I mean, eewww.)

You know, its got to suck to be the daughter of a psycho like Ra's.
He's tried to pawn her off on Batman, Bane and Azrael. Not to mention her little 'crush' on Jason Todd. Ten bucks says Talia ends up playing for the other team if you get my drift.


Dude.....did Ra's actually try to pawn her off to Azrael??

She seems sluttier and sluttier.......

I read "Bane of the Demon" when it first came out, and again a few years ago. I don't remember Bane dying and going into a Lazarus Pit in that story either. Other people have said he did, in fact, go into a Lazarus Pit, but I don't know when yet.

Well, one of the things I would believe that Ra's would want is for his heir to have a taste of the fruit.....or something, think like a madman and it could make sense.

Also, you don't have to be dead or dying to use the Pits. I think something as simple as a cold, or something as uncurable as actually aging, gets fixed up by the Pits.

Evidently in "Robin #91." I haven't read that one, so I don't think I knew about it either. And according to the people who told me about it, being dunked in the Pit restored Sir Edmund Dorrance's eyesight. However, he soon lost it again because of a new injury. (Presumably DC wanted that to happen so that they could continue the King Snake's schtick as "the world's greatest blind martial artist, who likes to fight in the dark," instead of letting him fight on more even terms with other skilled martial artists in broad daylight from now on).

Wow....what a downer. You go blind, you then get it cured by the Pits....only to lose yor eye sight again. What's the saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me?

[trustyside-kick]

One of the Batman comics I have on my computer happens to be Bane of the Demon so gimme some time and I will answer both of your questions. :P

[Lorendiac]

I see people wondering about an old story where Talia got pregnant with Batman's child. Yeah, that's a subject that's caused a lot of confusion over the years. I'll be going into that in my "Ra's al Ghul FAQ." But here's a quick version.

1987. DC publishes "Batman: Son of the Demon," an original graphic novel written by Mike Barr. In it, Batman and Talia regard themselves as married, and she gets pregnant. Then she tells him she miscarried. Then they break up as if they were never "married" after all. Then, on the final page of the story, we see a healthy baby boy that's just been adopted by what appears to be a nice normal American couple. It is heavily implied that this is Batman's son that he doesn't know he has.

For the next seven years: None of the stuff from the plot of "Son of the Demon" is ever referred to in the regular continuity of Batman's monthly titles, as far as I know. Maybe it "really happened"; maybe it didn't.

1994. As one of the retcons that use Zero Hour as an excuse, Denny O'Neil (editor in charge of all Batman's series at the time) decrees that Batman has never had sex with Talia under any circumstances, "married" or "unmarried." Therefore, "Son of the Demon" never happened. ("Bride of the Demon" didn't happen either. It was a graphic novel also written by Mike Barr, but it hardly matters here because although it was a "sequel" to "Son of the Demon", it told us absolutely nothing new about the child of Batman and Talia!)

For the next twelve years: "Son of the Demon" is definitely "out of continuity" and, as before, its events never get mentioned in any of the monthly issues of the regular Batman titles that come and go during this time. However, an awful lot of fans apparently ended up reading copies of "Son of the Demon" during this twelve-year span, and often they didn't know it was officially supposed to be "out of continuity" because there was nothing on the cover to tell them so. Thus, a great deal of confusion.

2006. There are rumors that Grant Morrison intends to drag "Son of the Demon" back into continuity in his run on the Batman titles that will start in another couple of months. Allegedly, he will be using the long-lost kid as a character (much older than he used to be) and the story arc will be called "Batman and Son."

[trustyside-kick]

Okay for those of you who have not read Bane of the Demon here is what basically happens. If you do not wish to read it and spoiler it for you then do not highlight it. But to answer one of your questions..not Bane never uses the Lazarus Pit in this story.

This is a really long spoiler too...I went pretty good into detail.

The story starts off with Bane traveling the world trying to find out who is father is and about his past. They reveal how he was put in jail as a boy for merely being a son of a revolutionary in the caribbean. Bane finds men along his journey seeking names and answers and a priest tells him of two men that could possibly be his father that he refers to as "The Englishman" and "The Swiss".

Bane goes down the "pipeline" of people with information and while getting some information about The Swiss from someone Talia and her father's league happens to attack the same place. Bane takes Talia hostage but that does not last for long, she breaks free with an elbow to Bane and then Bane gets captured.

Talia decides to bring him to her father. To answer some other questions about Bane and Talia's "love life" here is your answer: Talia is swimming and an eel attacks her and Bane kills the eel. She gets all mad saying she does not need a man to protect her and that no man is to see her dressed that way. Bane basically says "so what" and grabs her and kisses her. Next page you see them in bed and talking.

Next big thing is that you find out Ra's has a big plan in mind. He is looking for old writings/papers about something called the wheel of plagues. He sends Talia and his assassins along with Bane to find more of the papers. Bane finds the book but tears out some pages to keep for himself. When Bane finds it he tells Talia and talks to her saying stuff like "My Love" which Talia does not like. You later find out that Talia no longer has no interest in Bane.

Ra's is happy to recieve the book but then notices there are pages missing and gets furious. While he is talking to Talia about this Bane is in the library and some librarian comes in and Banes asks him about some stuff. This leads to the librarian showing Bane one of the Lazarus Pits and the history behind it and Ra's Al Ghul. Bane then decides he wants to use the Pit for himself and makes plans of his own.

Bane confronts Talia in a garden and kisses her and talks to her about what happened between them. Talia refuses his love again and gets all mad and her father along with some men come. She tells him that she wants Bane dead and Ra's instead throws him into like a well-prison. Bane escapes the prison and finds Talia in her room and tells her of his plans to kill her father and her and he will be together forever no matter what she wants and he will be immortal with the lazarus pits.

This plan of Bane fails when after killing many of Ra's men he duels Ra's in a fencing match and loses. Before Ra's is about to kill Bane he tells him about the papers he stole from the book that Ra's wanted. Ra's seems to admire Banes cleverness or something and says that he wants Bane to be Talia's mate.

The story ends with them looking for the last part of finding the wheel of plagues and Bane is with Ra's and Talia in the desert.

Hope I did not leave anything out...that answer some of your questions guys? :P

[TheFalcon]

Anybody got a copy of "Bride of the Demon" handy? I remember the character, the movie star who was worried that she was losing her looks, but I can't remember her name. So I just called her "What's-Her-Name!"

Her name was Evelyn Grayce.

As I understand it, nobody at DC has told us that "Trinity" is in continuity, but I've seen some of its diehard fans arguing that it "could be" or "ought to be" or "will be" or whatever :)

The write up on the back of the HC collection of Trinity says that this is the story of the first meeting between Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman and it also says it's from their formative years.

Because of that I've always though it was in continuity, but then I read on a message board somewhere that it was not.
I think it should be. I can't see anything that contradicts other continuity, but as I mentioned earlier in the thread I'm not very familiar with Wonder Woman, so if there are any contradictions I would guess that they are about her.
There's also "the kiss", but that's a minor thing.

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Wow......I think I see why Batman doesn't even want to touch Talia with a 50 foot stick.

[trustyside-kick]

Wow......I think I see why Batman doesn't even want to touch Talia with a 50 foot stick.

You read my huge ass summary? lol.

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Well, I mean......she's had a thing with Bane. That dude, I mean.....I would never even want to touch a chick who's even kissed that guy. That dude is just.......ewwww. And she slobbered into Jason's mouth. I mean.....is there anyone else I should know about that has rung her bell?

And then Catwoman....well, aside from her being a hooker and not knowing who the father of her daugther is.....she's not so slutty.

Sigh.....why can't my boy Batman find a good girl. That Superman fellow has such a great girl.....sigh......

[trustyside-kick]

Meh. Bruce is a rich playboy. :P

[TheDarkKnight_NL]

in the Batman/Superman series : Martian Manhunter/Flash and i think one other person have been healed in the Lazarus Pit in the dimension where Ra's was ruler of the world and Batman's parents were still alive

[Fledermaus]

Yeah he brought the whole JLA back to life.

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Yeah, that's right.....I think Barry, Aquaman, Manhunter....maybe someone else, were brought back to life. But, seeing as how that took place in a time that never existed......I dunno, continuity time pardox, anyone?

Bruce being a rich playboy......ya know, up until that Morrison quote....I wouldn't have thought him being one meant anything. But, seeing as how he should have some fun (ya know....to keep up the whole act....) yeah.....it's good to be Wayne.