How do you follow up a lauded run on DC Comics‘s Dark Knight by writer Chip Zdarsky, and the presumed-to-be-blockbuster return of Hush from Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb? You relaunch with a new Batman #1, of course. And who better to take it on that writer Matt Fraction, and artist Jorge Jiménez, starting this September.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Batman. It was the first comic I ever read,” said Fraction via a press release provided to Comic Book Club. “Jorge and I have a very superhero-forward kind of take on Batman. We’ve got a new Batmobile, we’ve got a new costume, we’ve got new characters, and we’ve got a lot of old ones too—good and bad; all the stuff that makes Batman the coolest character in comics. We want to celebrate it all.”
Added Jiménez, “As a DC artist, I have to say this is something I’ve always dreamed of, and getting to do it alongside someone as amazing and talented as Matt is just incredible for me. As for my work on Batman, the artistic side, I’ve poured years of hard work into this series. Over time, I’ve had to adapt to different styles and paces alongside James and Chip, learning and enjoying every step of the way. I’ve explored Gotham City from multiple angles, but more importantly, I’ve gradually built up more and more artistic tools that have led me to the current synthesis of my style.”
As DC notes, this is only the fourth time the Batman title has been renumbered in the series’s 85 year history (as of publication date for the new Batman #1), a rarity for a modern comic book title. And to mark the occasion, along with Fraction and Jiménez, colors by Tomeu Morey, and letters by Clayton Cowles, Batman will get a brand-new blue and gray costume, a brand-new Batmobile… And Gotham City is getting updated, too.
Said Jiménez on the new designs, “For this new chapter, we’re crafting a revamped aesthetic, bringing back Batman’s blue suit in a definitive way. It’s a small shift meant to feel both classic and fresh, subtly evolving while staying true to the original design we’ve used in recent years. At the same time, I’m working on Gotham City’s visual identity, giving it a fresh approach that sets it apart from my previous takes. I’m aiming for a slight pop influence, something that subtly nods to classic stories while keeping the dark and ominous feel of contemporary Batman.
Added Fraction, “Part of the reason Batman has lasted as long and has resonated as loudly as he has as character is that he’s incredibly resilient. He can be all kinds of things to all different people all at the same time — whether that’s in the comics or in animation or in movies.”
Batman #158 will kick off a six-part storyline by Lee and Loeb, “H2SH,” with the new Batman #1 debuting in September. And when the “new” title debuts, it will be a series of “connected but self-contained stories,” where every issue may be in a new style, and offer up a new challenge for the creative team — and Batman.
You can check out Jimenéz’s cover to Batman #1, as well as several unlettered interior pages and a look at the new Bat Symbol, below. Click for larger versions.
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