What if Batman existed in the real world? That's the concept behind the upcoming mature-readers DC series Batman: The Imposter. Consider this an unofficial prequel to Matt Reeves' upcoming The Batman film, as Batman: The Imposter is written by the co-writer of the film, Mattson Tomlin.
"As a lifelong Batman fan, putting my spin on Gotham City has been a dream come true," Tomlin said when Batman: The Imposter was first announced. "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."
Some will remember previous Batman storylines that aimed for a more realistic approach to DC's Dark Knight such as Batman: Earth One, Gotham Central, and the 'Year One' Batman arc, but Tomlin appears to be aiming for something more with Batman: The Imposter.
"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," Tomlin continued.
Check out this preview of Batman: The Imposter #1, from Tomlin, artist Andrea Sorrentino, and colorist Jordie Bellaire:
According to DC's description of the series, you can consider Batman: The Imposter as a new 'Batman: Year Two' for the Dark Knight. It takes place just as the vigilante has become known in the city, and is known enough to be considered a bad element by those on both sides of the law. At the same time, a Batman doppelganger has emerged in the city, but without the Dark Knight's hesitation to kill whoever he views as criminals. In Batman: The Imposter, he must put a stop to this other Batman, while also clearing his name and staying out of the crosshairs of the Gotham power brokers.
Batman: The Imposter #1's primary cover is drawn by Sorrentino himself, with variant covers from Lee Bermejo and Kaare Andrews. Check out all the Batman: The Imposter #1 covers here:
Batman: The Imposter #1 (of 3) goes on sale on October 12. A hardcover collection of Batman: The Imposter is scheduled for February 22, 2022.
Keep track of this and all the other new Batman comics, graphic novels, and collections coming in 2021 and beyond.
