The Dark Ages Slayer Takes Inspiration from a Fierce Batman

Here’s an interesting tidbit for you: the Slayer in “Doom: The Dark Ages” took inspiration from Frank Miller’s iconic comic series, “The Dark Knight”. Just yesterday, id Software announced that players will be able to earn the achievements for “Doom: The Dark Ages” starting May 15, 2025, the day it is set to depart from our list of upcoming releases on Game Pass.

### The Frank Miller Influence on Doom’s Creative Direction

During a recent sneak peek at “Doom: The Dark Ages”, I had the chance to be part of a lively Q&A with the team at id Software. Creative director Hugo Martin revealed something fascinating: the new Doom Slayer takes cues from the Batman in Miller’s Dark Knight comics. This concept had been brewing since the early planning stages of Doom (2016).

Frank Miller’s storytelling evidently left a deep imprint on the development of “Doom: The Dark Ages”. The game’s rendition of the Slayer is a bulked-up, more formidable presence compared to past iterations. Interestingly, when Microsoft was in negotiations to acquire Activision Blizzard, leaked documents unveiled a project titled “Doom: Year One” was underway at Bethesda.

Martin confirmed that this codename was a nod to Batman’s “Year One” comics — a shared favorite of his and Marty Stratton’s since 2016. He explained, “Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight is one of my all-time favorite comic series. Batman was depicted as this oversized, imposing figure. He exuded power and was practically a walking tank… Everything about him was just phenomenal, and it sparked the idea for a similar Slayer; one with that same powerful aura.”

He added, “We felt there was no more room to amplify the speed and agility seen in Doom Eternal. We’re immensely proud of Doom Eternal and its DLCs, as well as Doom (2016), but this offered a fresh take on the Slayer’s power fantasy that we thought would resonate well with players. We’re honing in on making this heavy feel right. His footsteps are thunderous, and each action carries weight. It’s truly exhilarating.”

Martin also shared that the team harbored hopes of delving into a prequel story. Elements of this were subtly integrated into Doom (2016) via the Slayer’s Testaments and other lore snippets. As Martin puts it, “George Lucas set the standard for this kind of storytelling in the 80s. Crafting a history for your heroes can pay off, allowing you to expand these narratives through sequels if there’s a solid fan interest.”

“The Slayer’s history was laid out right from the beginning with the legend of the Slayer in the Testaments. We were hopeful, fingers crossed, thinking, ‘Could we have the opportunity to tell this story someday?’”

Are you excited to channel your inner Dark Knight as the next-gen Doom Slayer in the upcoming first-person shooter on Xbox? Share your excitement in the comments below!