Batman Brings Back Fan-Favorite Alternate Identity

Spoilers for this week's Batman #106 below! In the pages of DC Comics' Batman titles, the Dark Knight Detective has fallen on hard times. Strapped for cash and without most of the equipment he's used to, heck he doesn't even have Wayne manor anymore, the hero is having to make due with what he can in his quest to fight crime. This week's issue presented a unique challenge for the Batman though which has forced him to dig deep into his box of tricks and pull out one fan-favorite accessory that doesn't get used nearly enough, the faux-gangster identity of Matches Malone.

The reason that Batman dusts off the disguise is to investigate a new group of players in Gotham dubbed "the Unsanity Collective." According to the leader of this group he's gotten his hands on old Mad Hatter technology and intends to use it to "reboot" Gotham by removing the traumas of the citizen's past. Their MO so far has just been to "rob the rich to pay for the technology the need to build their new future," according to Oracle. Finding the group won't be easy though with Barbara telling Batman they're hiding in an abandoned mall that offers easy escape. So to get inside and blend in, Bruce becomes Match once again.

It's worth noting that "Matches Malone" was at one time and actual character in DC Comics, albeit very briefly, and since his death Bruce has used him as one of his many disguises to find out first-hand information from the underworld. Bruce previously used the identity in recent years to get to Harvey Dent behind bars in Arkham, and even wore it on a date with Catwoman. Based on how this month's issue ends it seems we can expect Matches to be featured pretty prominently in Batman #108.

You can find the full cover art and solicitation for the next issue of Batman below.

BATMAN #108
written by JAMES TYNION IV
art and cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
backup story art by RICARDO LOPEZ ORTIZ
card stock variant cover by STANLEY "ARTGERM" LAU
1:25 card stock variant cover by RICCARDO FEDERICI
ON SALE 5/4/21
$4.99 US | 40 PAGES | FC | DC
CARD STOCK VARIANT COVER $5.99 US
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