While we'll still have to wait a while longer for The Batman to make its debut in theaters, it looks like we'll soon get a unique story from the film's scribe. On Wednesday, DC announced Batman: The Imposter, a three-issue Prestige format series that will begin publishing this October. The series will be written by Mattson Tomlin, who contributed to the script for The Batman alongside Matt Reeves and Peter Craig, and also worked on films such as Project Power and Little Fish. Tomlin will be teaming up with Eisner-winning artist Andrea Sorrentino, whose work includes Green Arrow, Joker: Killer Smile, and Batman: The Smile Killer.
In Batman: The Imposter, Bruce Wayne's mission as the Batman has only been underway for a year or so, but he can tell he's making a difference. Unfortunately, he's made some powerful enemies. All the traditional power brokers of Gotham resent the disruption the Batman has brought to town…and it seems one of them has a plan to neutralize him. There's a second Batman haunting Gotham's rooftops and alleys—and this one has no qualms about murdering criminals, live and on tape.
With the entire might of the Gotham City Police Department and Gotham's rich and powerful coming down on his head, Batman must find this imposter and somehow clear his name…but how can you prove your innocence from behind a mask?
"As a lifelong Batman fan, putting my spin on Gotham City has been a dream come true," Tomlin said in a statement. "Taking the question of 'What if Batman was real?' as far as narratively possible conjured incredible potential that hasn't recently been explored in the comics. Batman: The Imposter treats Bruce Wayne and the people around him as tragically flawed and vividly real, with the obstacles Batman faces coming from a reality that closely mirrors our own."
"Having been a fan of his for years, working with Andrea Sorrentino is an absolute gift," Tomlin added. "His vividly graphic art and truly genius layouts brought this story to new heights, and Jordie Bellaire's astounding colorwork has truly spoiled me for my first outing with DC."
"I've worked on Batman as a supporting character in a couple of books, but this was the very first time I had the chance to work on a Batman title, and it was amazing," Sorrentino echoed. "I've been a huge fan of Batman ever since I was a kid and saw Tim Burton's Batman movie in 1989, so having the chance to work with Mattson and Jordie on this take on the Caped Crusader was like an early Christmas present!"
Batman: The Imposter will debut in print and on participating digital platforms (English-language version) on Tuesday, October 12th. In addition, the series will be collected in a hardcover format, available February 22, 2021. Localized print versions of the series will also launch day and date in the following territories: Spain, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, France, Russia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and Argentina.
Keep scrolling to check out a preview of Batman: The Imposter, and share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
