The Batman Who Laughs: The Full Story

Before it's untimely destruction, The Darkest Knight ruled over Earth -22. However, the citizens tried to revolt against him, leaving him no choice but to destroy everything. Having a planet with no-one to rule on it, the Batman Who Laughs is more than willing to take up Barbatos' offer when it comes to taking over the "true" multiverse above them.

In order to travel from the Dark Multiverse to the light, The Court of Owls trapped Prime Earth's Batman, infecting him with the final metal needed to make him into a portal. They expected Barbatos to emerge, as the texts prophesised, but they were instead greeted by Robins who tore them to pieces before making way for Barbatos and the Dark Knights.

Gotham became home to villainous mob as a mountain emerges in the middle of the city. They hand control of the districts to former Arkham inmates as they oversee proceedings from the mountain. By the time Superman gets there, there is nothing left of the city, leaving him to go it alone against the Dark Knights.