Tomasi Teases Batman: Arkham Knight Digital Comic with “More of a Hard Ass Batman”

Easily the most anticipated video game of the year for ComicBook.com readers, Batman: Arkham Knight finishes Rocksteady’s run on the character in video games. The “Arkham” trilogy concludes on June 2, 2015, finishing the story told by Rocksteady Studios in Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City (with a side-story prequel from WB Montreal in-between, Batman: Arkham Origins), but people who want more Arkham can get it this week with the debut of the digital-first comic from DC Comics with the same title as the new game.

“My story picks up right where the last game left off,” Tomasi told ComicBook in an interview. The writer worked closely with Rocksteady on the comic to make sure it fit in with their story.

“DC and Rocksteady have been great to work with. They asked for an outline and once it was approved it was off into the bowels of Gotham that Rocksteady has visualized with horrible beauty and detail!”

Of course, the titular Arkham Knight, a new character created by Rocksteady as the latest in a long line of “Anti-Batman” characters, has been largely mysterious, with the developer holding back any major information on the character. That doesn’t stop Tomasi and company from using him.

“Right from the start, we’ll be seeing the Arkham Knight as he starts to insinuate himself into Batman’s world,” Tomasi teased, cautioning that he can’t say too much about the character just yet. There will be plenty of other characters from the video game world making their way into the comic, though.

“We’ll see everyone from Gordon to Cash, Penguin to Croc, and Lucius to Alfred. I’m also having a blast with Harley right now! I’ve never had a chance to really write her and she’s taking control of me and doing all the talking!” Tomasi told us. In fact, he says Harley has some of the best moments in the first couple of chapters, along with a surprise pair that gets a new take. “My favorite moments I’ve written so far deals with Harley being Harley as she bust Batman’s chops and bringing a cool ugly twist to Tweedle Dee and Dum.”

As for the transition into the digital comics space, Tomasi is enjoying making shorter, punchier stories that fit into the larger tale.

“I have to say, it hasn’t been as tough as I thought it would be,” he said when asked about the new format. “It’s been kinda fun doing 10 page hit and run stories and ending with a cool cliffhanger. The only real true adjustment is understanding the template and making sure the visual cues and transitions work well when viewed digitally ala double page spreads and splashes but also bearing in mind that these will also be printed, so I’m serving two platform masters and making sure the story shines when presented in both.”

Of course the other side of this is that many people look on stories like this as a mere tie-in, which can be a barrier of entry. Not so, says Tomasi.

“I’m not really seeing this as a tie-in to be honest. For me, this is an opportunity to tell a great story with great characters in the world of the game that Rocksteady created. This is simply a new book where fans of the amazing games and Batman can dive into all that insanity that Gotham has to offer,” he said.

In fact, he’s making sure the story flows well for all readers, promising accessibility to gamers, comic book fans, and newbies alike. But fans of the game series so far shouldn’t be concerned, as they’ll “find plenty of easter eggs” in the first 12 chapters he has worked on so far, Tomasi promised.

Tomasi, having written Batman extensively in both the pre-Flashpoint and New 52 DC Comics Universes, told us the Batman he found in the Arkham games, and the one he’s carried over into the Arkham Knight digital comic, might be the toughest one he’s ever written.

“If you can believe it, I’d say he’s a bit more of a hard ass, especially when it comes to taking down the bad guys. He doesn’t suffer fools and take much crap from anybody, especially after everything he’s been through.”

Are you excited for Batman: Arkham Knight? Tell us your favorite moment from the Arkham series so far in the comments!