Azrael is an alias used by multiple fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original version, Jean-Paul Valley, was created by Denny O'Neil, Joe Quesada, and Peter Milligan, and debuted in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (October 1992). The second character to assume the alias was Michael Washington Lane, in Azrael: Death's Dark Knight #1 (May 2009). Both iterations are Christian vigilantes and assassins created by the Order of St. Dumas and its derivatives (i.e the Order of Purity), secretive religious organizations seeking to restore justice to Gotham City through religious extremism. They are typically portrayed as antiheroes and reluctant allies of the superhero Batman and the Batman Family, battling forms of manipulations employed by their respective orders, violent tendencies shaped by tragedies in their life, and proving themselves trusted allies to Batman.
Both Jean-Paul Valley and Michael Lane have appeared in associated DC media. Additionally, an original iteration, Theo Galavan, appears in the second season of Gotham, portrayed by James Frain.