Peacemaker has been bringing some of DC Comics’ goofier characters into the DCEU through clever references. The DCEU is known for exploring the darker and more dramatic side of comics, giving the franchise a reputation for being dour among some viewers, but recent films have been far more lighthearted, giving the continuity a more balanced tone. Peacemaker, the DCEU’s first TV series, combines drama and comedy in addition to canonizing two classic Silver Age DC characters whose goofiness only further improves the already comic-faithful franchise.
Man of Steel, the DCEU’s first film, was a love letter to the Superman comics and mythos, and while it included comic relief and optimistic protagonists, the film put the last son of Krypton in violent and ethically difficult scenarios. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice introduced Ben Affleck's Batman, who mourns the death of his son and breaks his no-kill rule during a period of existential dread. While a case could easily be made for both films being far more hopeful than their reputation suggests, they nevertheless resulted in the DCEU being seen as a gloomy franchise by some.
More recent installments in the DCEU, such as Aquaman, Shazam! and Wonder Woman 1984, have embraced the more lighthearted sides of DC Comics, somewhat balancing out the perception of the franchise’s darkness. Zack Snyder’s Justice League also included noticeably more comic relief than the DCEU's first two films, blending them seamlessly with the movie’s intense drama. James Gunn's The Suicide Squad takes things even further as easily the most ridiculous entry in the DCEU film library, introducing more Silver Age characters like Starro the Conqueror and Polka-Dot Man, while setting up John Cena's Peacemaker character for his own TV spinoff. Peacemaker has so far canonized two of DC’s goofiest characters: Bat-Mite and Matter-Eater Lad, showing that the DCEU can embrace the most irreverent sides of its source material.
Bat-Mite, who debuted in a 1959 issue of Detective Comics, is an imp-like being from the 5th dimension who was referenced by John Economos in the second episode of Peacemaker. Comparable to a benevolent version of Superman’s bumbling villain, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Bat-Mite is a well-meaning but occasionally mischievous fan of Batman’s whose reality-warping abilities inadvertently cause trouble for the Dark Knight. Considering how dark Batman’s DCEU stories are, it’s refreshing to know that perhaps Ben Affleck’s iteration of Batman once interacted with an interdimensional imp for more lighthearted adventures.
Similarly, Peacemaker episode 4 has Christopher Smith (Cena) mention a past mission where he worked with Matter-Eater Lad. Introduced in the early 60s as a member of The Legion of Super-Heroes, Matter-Eater Lad is a Bismollian—a human-like species who can chew through and digest all forms of matter, regardless of how indestructible it appears. Matter-Eater Lad’s powers, while extremely potent, are intrinsically quite humorous, and Peacemaker notes that the hero once ate an entire restaurant after waiting too long for his food. Given Superman’s affiliation with The Legion of Super-Heroes, his DCEU counterpart may have interacted with Matter-Eater Lad at some point too.
Whether or not the DCEU was a gloomy franchise in its early years is a matter of perspective, but its recent installments—especially The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker—have sufficiently proven that the continuity has plenty of lighthearted elements. Recent films have brought more humor and levity to the DCEU, but Peacemaker’s references are tied to Batman and Superman, who are particularly criticized for their lack of lightheartedness. By canonizing some of DC Comics’ goofiest characters, Peacemaker improves the DCEU as a whole.
