DC Comics

RA'S AL GHUL

Ra's al Ghul ("The Head of the Ghoul" or, in a rougher translation, "The Chief Demon") is a fictional super-villain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the crime-fighting vigilante, Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared in Batman #232's "Daughter of the Demon" (June 1971). The character is one of Batman's most enduring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman's rogues gallery, though given his high status as a super-villain, he has also come into conflict with Superman and other heroes in the DC Universe. Most notable as the leader of the League of Assassins, Ra's al Ghul's name in Arabic translates to "Head of the Ghoul". He is the son of Sensei, the father of Talia al Ghul, Nyssa Raatko, and Dusan al Ghul, and the maternal grandfather of Damian Wayne. Stories featuring Ra's al Ghul often involve the Lazarus Pits, which restore life to the dying. The Lazarus Pits have considerably prolonged Ra's life, making him particularly dangerous as he has honed his combat skills for centuries.