''Batman Black and White'' refers to the
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
*Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
published by
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
featuring 8-page
black and white
Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey.
Media
The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
stories. Volumes 1, 4 and 5 of the series feature all-new stories (published in 1996, 2013–14, and 2020–21, respectively), while Vol. 2 and 3 contain stories from the back-up feature of the ''
Batman: Gotham Knights'' comic book.
The series represents the first DC Comics work for future co-publisher
Jim Lee
Jim Lee (Korean 이용철; born August 11, 1964) is a Korean American comic-book artist, writer, editor, and publisher. He is currently the Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics. In recognition of his work, Lee has received a Harvey ...
, who drew the debut issue's cover, and the final DC work for
Alex Toth
Alexander Toth (June 25, 1928 – May 27, 2006) was an American cartoonist active from the 1940s through the 1980s. Toth's work began in the American comic book industry, but he is also known for his animation designs for Hanna-Barbera throughout ...
, who drew the fourth issue's cover.
Publication history
The origin of the series is told by editor
Mark Chiarello
Mark Chiarello is an American illustrator, art director and comic book editor. Born on Halloween in 1960, he attended Pratt Institute in the 1980's.
Career
As a comic book illustrator, Chiarello painted the Batman graphic novel Batman/Houdini: T ...
in his introduction to the first collection, in which he writes about a dinner table-discussion with "a few famous comic-book artists", at which they pondered the "desert island" question in terms of a single complete run of comics one would be happy to be stranded with. Ultimately, with "half a minute"'s thought, they "amazingly... all agreed, pound for pound, page for page" that the unequivocal choice was
Warren Publishing
Warren Publishing was an American magazine company founded by James Warren (publisher), James Warren, who published his first magazines in 1957 and continued in the business for decades. Magazines published by Warren include ''After Hours (magazin ...
's ''
Creepy
Creepiness is the state of being wikt:creepy, creepy, or causing an unpleasant feeling of fear or wikt:unease, unease. A person who exhibits creepy behaviour is called a creep. Certain traits or hobbies may make people seem creepy to others. The ...
'', a high point unmatched since "there has never been such a collection of stellar artists assembled under one banner publication" as in ''Creepy'', whose pages were host to (among others) "
Toth,
Frazetta,
Williamson,
Torres Torres may refer to:
People
*Torres (surname), a Spanish and Portuguese surname
*Torres (musician), singer-songwriter Mackenzie Scott
**Torres (album), ''Torres'' (album), 2013 self-titled album by Torres
Places Americas
*Torres, Colorado, an un ...
,
Colan,
Ditko,
Wrightson,
Corben Corben is a surname. A list of people with the name includes:
People
* Gerard Corben, Australian guitarist
* Orland Corben, founder of the Ace Aircraft Manufacturing Company
* Richard Corben (1940–2020), American comic book artist
* Tim Corbe ...
etc." Chiarello notes that "most of those stories" were written by one man:
Archie Goodwin, described as "probably the very best editor ever to work in comics, probably the very best writer ever to work in comics" (and early mentor to Chiarello when the two worked at Marvel), whose Warren work was itself an "homage to the favorite comics of his youth, the
E.C. line".
[Chiarello, Mark "Introduction" in Chiarello, Mark and Peterson, Scott (eds.) ''Batman Black and White'' (DC Comics, 1998) ]
When Chiarello became a Batman editor "a whole bunch of years" later, he naturally "pitch
dthe idea of a black and white anthology". Told by many colleagues that it would not sell - both because it was an anthology and because it was a black-and-white title, neither of which were purportedly widely liked by comics readers - the idea was green-lit, and
Mike Carlin
Michael Carlin (born October 6, 1958) is an American comic book writer, editor, and executive. He has worked principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics since the 1970s.
Early life
Carlin attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan, ...
and
Scott Peterson
Scott Lee Peterson (born October 24, 1972) is an American convicted murderer. In 2004, he was convicted of the first-degree murder of his wife, Laci, who was pregnant at the time, and the second-degree murder of their unborn son, Conner, in Mod ...
joined Chiarello to "make sure
edidn't destroy the integrity of
atman Atman or Ātman may refer to:
Film
* ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto
* ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo
People
* Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...
.
Chiarello's initial thought, which was "to hire the very best artists in the business" led him and Peterson to assemble a wish list of creators to contact. The series ultimately became "a creative and financial success" when the first four-issue volume was published between June and September 1996.
There was also a free preview issued in 1996. Each of the four issues featured several self-contained short-stories, all written and drawn by a diverse group of comic artists and writers, most of whom had previously worked on
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
comics. Each story varied in theme, setting, and tone (depending on the creative team involved), offering multiple interpretations of Batman - and, in some cases, his supporting characters - usually by exploring their inner pathos and relationships. The series was the first DC Comics work for future Co-Publisher
Jim Lee
Jim Lee (Korean 이용철; born August 11, 1964) is a Korean American comic-book artist, writer, editor, and publisher. He is currently the Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics. In recognition of his work, Lee has received a Harvey ...
, who drew the debut issue's cover, and the final DC work for
Alex Toth
Alexander Toth (June 25, 1928 – May 27, 2006) was an American cartoonist active from the 1940s through the 1980s. Toth's work began in the American comic book industry, but he is also known for his animation designs for Hanna-Barbera throughout ...
, who drew the fourth issue's cover.
Contents and synopses
Volume 1
This contains all-new material.
Issue #1 - June 1996
* "Perpetual Mourning" - by
(this story was nominated for an
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...
)
** Batman conducts an autopsy on a murder victim to help find her killer.
* "Two of a Kind" - by
Bruce Timm
Bruce Walter Timm (born February 5, 1961) is an American artist, animator, writer, and producer. He has contributed to building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–1995) and the subseque ...
** A Gotham news anchor comments on the biggest story of the year: a brilliant reconstructive surgeon, Marilyn Crane, has been able to repair the damage done to
Two-Face
Two-Face is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character was created by Bob Kane and first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #66 (August 1942). As one of Batman's ...
, which cures him of his insanity and restores his Harvey Dent identity. Dent plans to marry Marilyn, but becomes nervous when he discovers that she has a twin sister named Madeline who is mentally unbalanced herself (Marilyn explains that she kept the information from him to prevent Two-Face's obsession with duality from resurfacing). Madeline and Harvey begin an affair, but when Dent decides to end the relationship and return to his wife-to-be, she is driven insane with rage and murders Marilyn. Harvey's therapy and surgery prevent him from tapping into his darker side, so he deliberately scars his face with hot coals, travels to Gotham's docks, and kills Madeline. He then waits for Batman to come and take him back to Arkham "with the rest of the crazy people", bitterly resigning himself to a life of madness as Two-Face.
* "The Hunt" - by
Joe Kubert
Joseph Kubert (; September 18, 1926 – August 12, 2012) was a Poland, Polish-born Americans, American comic book artist, art teacher, and founder of The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkm ...
** A surreal take on Batman.
* "Petty Crimes" - by
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin (; born October 7, 1950) is an American comic book artist and writer. Chaykin's influences include his one-time employer and mentor, Gil Kane, and the mid-20th century illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Parker.
Early life ...
** Batman investigates a series of murders that are apparently motivated by rudeness and lack of respect for rules; among the victims are a supermarket cashier who let someone with more than ten items into the express lane and a security guard who locked a bank door at 2:57 as opposed to 3:00 PM. The Caped Crusader eventually tracks down the culprit—a nondescript Gothamite who believes that he is doing the world a service by forcing people to pay closer attention to their behavior. After Batman apprehends the criminal, he assures the Dark Knight that the two of them are actually performing the same work to save the city, and even offers to be a "sidekick" to the hero when he gets out of jail.
* "The Devil's Trumpet" - written by
Archie Goodwin, art by
José Antonio Muñoz
José Antonio Muñoz or simply Muñoz (born July 10, 1942) is an Argentine artist. He is most notable for his influential black-and-white artwork. His hardboiled graphic novels series ''Alack Sinner'' (with writer Carlos Sampayo) is a noted sourc ...
** A jazz musician's search for a legendary
trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
leads him into the path of Batman.
Issue #2 - July 1996
* "Legend" - by
Walter Simonson
Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' ''Thor'' from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned w ...
** A mother tucking her son into bed tells the child an exciting story about a time long ago, when a masked man dressed as a bat fought criminals, villains, and all forms of evil to defend Gotham City. As her boy drifts off to sleep, the woman murmurs that the mysterious Batman swore to always be Gotham's protector, and hopes that he might resurface soon. It is then revealed that the story takes place in an
Orwellian
"Orwellian" is an adjective describing a situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free and open society. It denotes an attitude and a brutal policy of draconian control by pr ...
dystopia, with Gotham transformed into a police state—but the final panel depicts a familiar, bat-shaped shadow descending on an officer, suggesting that Batman has not abandoned his quest to save Gotham.
* "Monster Maker" - written by
Jan Strnad
Jan Steven Strnad (sometimes credited as J. Knight) is an American writer of comic books, horror, and science fiction. He is known for his many collaborations with artist Richard Corben, as well as his work in the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe ...
, art by
Richard Corben
Richard Corben (October 1, 1940December 2, 2020) was an American illustrator and comic book artist best known for his comics featured in '' Heavy Metal'' magazine, especially the ''Den'' series which was featured in the magazine's first film ad ...
** Batman has a violent run-in with several 11-year-old black children, who he deems "monsters", before launching into an extended criticism of urban society.
* "Dead Boys Eyes" - by
Kent Williams
** Batman reaches out to the soul of Gotham during a near-death experience.
* "The Devil's Children" - written by
Chuck Dixon
Charles Dixon (born April 14, 1954) is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on the Marvel Comics character the Punisher and on the DC Comics characters Batman, Nightwing, and Robin in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Early life
D ...
, art by
Jorge Zaffino
** Batman investigates a series of mysterious gangland murders.
* "A Black & White World" - written by
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...
, art by
Simon Bisley
Simon Bisley is a British comic book artist best known for his 1990s work on ''ABC Warriors'', '' Lobo'' and '' Sláine''.
Early life
Simon Bisley began drawing when he was six years old. He is self-taught, with only a short one-year stay at a ...
** Batman arrives at a strange office building, where a secretary tells him that they are "running behind" on scenes. It is revealed that all of Batman's comic book adventures are a staged affair much like a film, and that the characters are simply actors. The Caped Crusader enters the green room to prepare for his own work that day, where he chats with the
Joker about the low quality of the writing. After finishing shooting for the day, Batman and the Joker head off to get lunch together, proving that their endless rivalry is simply an act for the audience.
Issue #3 - August 1996
* "Good Evening, Midnight" - by
Klaus Janson
Klaus Janson (born January 23, 1952) is a German-born American comics artist, working regularly for Marvel Comics and DC Comics and sporadically for independent companies. While he is best known as an inker, Janson has frequently worked as a penc ...
**
Alfred
Alfred may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series
* ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne
* ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák
*"Alfred (Interlu ...
reads a note
Thomas Wayne
Thomas Alan Wayne, M.D. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the father of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and husband of Martha Wayne as well as the paternal grandfather of Damian Wayne. Wayne was introd ...
had written long ago for his son.
* "In Dreams" - written by
Andrew Helfer
Andrew Helfer (born August 17, 1958) is an American comic book creator best known for his work as an editor and writer at DC Comics, where he founded the Paradox Press imprint.
Career
Andy Helfer joined DC Comics in 1981 and assisted Joe Orlan ...
, art by
Tanino Liberatore
Gaetano Liberatore (born 12 April 1953), better known as Tanino Liberatore, is an Italian comics author and illustrator. His best known fictional character is RanXerox.
Life and work
Born in Quadri (province of Chieti), Liberatore went to high s ...
** A woman seeks help for her recurring nightmares involving Batman.
* "Heist" - by
Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner (born October 9, 1961) is an American comics artist and writer who is best known as the creator of the series ''Mage'' and ''Grendel (comics), Grendel''.
Career
Matt Wagner's first published comic book work was ''Comico Primer'' #2 ( ...
** A gang of thieves are hunted by Batman during a botched home robbery.
* "Bent Twigs" - by
Bill Sienkiewicz
Boleslav William Felix Robert Sienkiewicz ( ; born May 3, 1958) is an American artist known for his work in comic books—particularly for Marvel Comics' ''New Mutants'', '' Moon Knight,'' and '' Elektra: Assassin''. Sienkiewicz's work in the 198 ...
** Batman tries to mend the relationship between a single dad and his son.
* "A Slaying Song Tonight" - written by
Dennis O'Neil
Dennis Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retir ...
, art by
Teddy Kristiansen
Teddy Kristiansen (born 29 July 1964) is a Danish comic book artist, known for his work in mystery, horror, and dark, suspense-filled comics. He drew one chapter of " The Kindly Ones" story arc in Neil Gaiman's ''The Sandman'' series. In 2005, Kri ...
** Batman must protect a family from an unknown assassin during the holidays.
Issue #4 - September 1996
* "An Innocent Guy" - by
Brian Bolland
Brian Bolland (; born 26 March 1951)Salisbury, Mark, ''Artists on Comic Art'' (Titan Books, 2000) , p. 11 is a British comics artist. Best known in the United Kingdom as one of the definitive Judge Dredd artists for British comics anthology '' 2 ...
** A young man in Gotham records a video describing his seemingly mundane life. However, he explains that in order to know he is truly a good person, he needs to perform a single horrific act and thus prove that he does not want to pursue a life of evil. The young man has decided that the only appropriate crime is murdering Batman, and outlines his plot to do so, explaining that, rather than Batman's many themed villains and rogues, he will simply shoot Batman in the head and vanish. After asserting his status as an "innocent guy", the young man swears that the Caped Crusader's murder will be his only villainous deed, and imagines his life going to back to its regular banality (this story would later be packaged with the 2008 re-release of ''
Batman: The Killing Joke'', with full coloring).
* "Monsters in the Closet" - written by
Jan Strnad
Jan Steven Strnad (sometimes credited as J. Knight) is an American writer of comic books, horror, and science fiction. He is known for his many collaborations with artist Richard Corben, as well as his work in the ''Star Wars'' expanded universe ...
, art by
Kevin Nowlan
Kevin Nowlan (born 1958) is an American comics artist who works as a penciler, inker, colorist, and letterer. He has been called "one of the few artists who can be called 'artists's artist'", a master of the various disciplines of comic producti ...
** Batman uncovers a
mad scientist
The mad scientist (also mad doctor or mad professor) is a stock character of a scientist who is perceived as " mad, bad and dangerous to know" or "insane" owing to a combination of unusual or unsettling personality traits and the unabashedly amb ...
in Gotham and his abominable creations.
* "Heroes" - written by
Archie Goodwin, art by
Gary Gianni
Gary Gianni (born 1954) is an American comics artist best known for his eight years illustrating the syndicated newspaper comic ''Prince Valiant''.
After Gianni graduated from the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in 1976, he worked for the ''Chicag ...
(this story won an
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...
)
** A boy in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
-era Gotham has a run-in with Batman and learns something about his own father in the process.
* "Leavetaking" - written by
Dennis O'Neil
Dennis Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retir ...
, art by
Brian Stelfreeze
Brian Stelfreeze is an American comic book artist. Stelfreeze is a painter, penciller, inker and colorist and has worked for nearly every major American comic book publisher. He is one of the original members of Atlanta's Gaijin Studios.
Career
S ...
** During a near-death experience, Batman relives the night his family was murdered.
* "The Third Mask" - by
Katsuhiro Otomo
is a Japanese manga artist, screenwriter, animator and film director. He is best known as the creator of '' Akira'', in terms of both the original 1982 manga series and the 1988 animated film adaptation. He was decorated a ''Chevalier'' of th ...
** Batman hunts a killer with
multiple personalities
Dissociative identity disorder (DID), better known as multiple personality disorder or multiple personality syndrome, is a mental disorder characterized by the presence of at least two distinct and relatively enduring personality states.
The di ...
and finds himself questioning his own identity.
Pin-ups
The first volume also included single-page pin-up renditions of the Caped Crusader by:
*
Michael Allred
Michael Dalton Allred is an American comic book artist and writer most famous for his independent comics creations, ''Madman'' and ''iZombie''. His style is often compared to pop art, as well as commercial and comic art of the 1950s and 1960 ...
*
Moebius
Moebius, Möbius or Mobius may refer to:
People
* August Ferdinand Möbius (1790–1868), German mathematician and astronomer
* Theodor Möbius (1821–1890), German philologist
* Karl Möbius (1825–1908), German zoologist and ecologist
* Paul ...
*
Michael Wm. Kaluta
Michael William Kaluta, sometimes credited as Mike Kaluta or Michael Wm. Kaluta (born August 25, 1947), is an American comics artist and writer best known for his acclaimed 1970s adaptation of the pulp magazine hero ''The Shadow'' with writer Den ...
*
Tony Salmons
Thomas Anthony "Tony" Salmons (born January 1, 1957) is an American alternative comic book artist, film storyboard artist and character designer.
Biography
Born in Rolla, Missouri, Salmons grew up in Casa Grande, Arizona, with stops in New York ...
*
P. Craig Russell
Philip Craig Russell (born October 30, 1951) is an American comics artist, writer, and illustrator. His work has won multiple Harvey and Eisner Awards. Russell was the first mainstream comic book creator to come out as openly gay.
Biography ...
*
Marc Silvestri
Marc Silvestri (born March 29, 1958) is an American comic book artist, creator and publisher. He serves as CEO of both Top Cow Productions and Image Comics.
Early life
Marc Silvestri was born on March 29, 1958 in Palm Beach, Florida.Rosenberg, ...
and Batt
*
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries ''Marvels'', on which he collaborated wi ...
*
Neal Adams
Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and recognition for Supe ...
Volume 2
Collects back-up stories from ''
Batman: Gotham Knights'' #1-16 with five new stories.
Contents
* "Case Study" - written by
Paul Dini
Paul McClaran Dini (; born August 7, 1957) is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–1995) ...
, art by
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries ''Marvels'', on which he collaborated wi ...
(new material)
** When the
Joker is once again captured and sent back to
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane (), commonly referred to as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital/prison, named after the city of Arkham which appeared first in the stories of H. P. Lovecraft, and later appear ...
, a doctor laments that all of his work has not pierced the Clown Prince of Crime's insanity. Another doctor offers up a report written years ago, which suggests that the Joker cannot be cured because he is ''not'' insane. The report outlines the Joker's history before his accident, and suggests that his "revenge" against Gotham for ruining him is to commit perfectly sane crimes under the guise of madness. The doctors are at first convinced, but
Harleen Quinzel is then escorted past, commenting that she was the one who wrote the report prior to her personal sessions with the Joker. The doctors then wearily put the document away, realizing that though it is plausible, its origin renders it worthless - it is just another one of the Joker's sadistic jokes, left where it would someday be found, examined, and ultimately dismissed; a spot of hope that is crushed just as it shines brightest.
* "Batsman: Swarming Scourge of the Underworld" - written by
Marie Severin
Marie Severin (; August 21, 1929 – August 29, 2018) was an American comics artist and colorist best known for her work for Marvel Comics and the 1950s' EC Comics. She is an inductee of the Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame and the Harvey Awards ...
, art by
Ty Templeton
Tyrone Templeton is a Canadian comic book artist and writer who has drawn a number of mainstream titles, TV-associated titles, and his own series.
Career
Templeton first received attention for ''Stig's Inferno'' (Vortex Comics), now a cult fav ...
(new material)
** A parody.
* "A Matter of Trust" - written by
Chris Claremont
Christopher S. Claremont (; born November 25, 1950) is a British-born American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on ''Uncanny X-Men'' from 1975 to 1991, far longer than that of any other writer,Claremont, Chris. ''Marvel ...
, art by
Steve Rude
Steve Rude (born December 31, 1956) is an American comics artist. He is best known as the co-creator of ''Nexus''.
Early life
Steve Rude was born on December 31, 1956, in Madison, Wisconsin. He attended the Milwaukee School of Art and Design, the ...
and
Mark Buckingham
* "Night After Night" - written by
Kelley Puckett
Kelley Puckett is a comic book writer. He is notable for having co-created DC Comics characters Cassandra Cain and Connor Hawke.
Bibliography DC Comics
* '' Batgirl'' #1-19, 21–25, 27–29, 33-37
* '' The Batman and Robin Adventures'' #24
** ...
, art by
Tim Sale (new material)
** Bruce recalls the murder of his parents every night, and uses it as his drive for Batman to stop the Joker.
* "Fortunes" - written by
Steven T. Seagle, art by
Daniel Torres (new material)
* "To Become the Bat" - written by
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis (born 16 February 1968) is a British comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-creator of several original comics series, including ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002), ''Global Frequency'' ( ...
, art by
Jim Lee
Jim Lee (Korean 이용철; born August 11, 1964) is a Korean American comic-book artist, writer, editor, and publisher. He is currently the Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics. In recognition of his work, Lee has received a Harvey ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #1)
** A great many experiences prepared Batman for his role as Gotham's protector: he has learned what sort of wounds different bullets make, he knows the distinctive aroma of every brand of aftershave, and he has discovered how every gadget he came in contact with in his youth works. All of it is essential to some cases, such as tracking down a
pregnant
Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops (gestation, gestates) inside a woman, woman's uterus (womb). A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.
Pregnancy usually occur ...
prostitute's murderer - a political candidate.
* Untitled - by
John Byrne (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #2)
** Batman and
Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
capture Thick and Thin Lyman and their gang, but neither they nor the police can get them to reveal any further information about a major shipment of drugs due in the city. The Lymans suddenly get bailed surprisingly easily, but find their every move dogged by either Batman or Robin, night and day. When they finally find themselves alone, Thick and Thin get to a meeting place as quickly as possible. However, once there, Thick reveals himself as Batman, but refuses to tell Thin when the switch took place.
* "Broken Nose" - by
Paul Pope
Paul Pope (born September 25, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American alternative cartoonist. Pope's work combines the precision and romance of European comics artists with the energy and page design of the manga tradition. Pope's tw ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #3)
** Alfred treats Bruce Wayne for the first broken nose he has sustained in his career as a crimefighter. It was given him by Mabuse, a criminal who designed a metallic suit of armor for himself (the Dark Knight derisively calls Mabuse a "geek in a trashcan"). After Alfred reassures him that a broken nose is something of a rite of passage for people who fight, Batman tracks Mabuse down to the scene of his next crime, fights him, and emerges victorious. Though Mabuse surrenders, Batman makes sure to provide a final bit of revenge against the villain by breaking his nose.
* "Greetings from Gotham City" - written by
John Arcudi
John Arcudi is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on '' The Mask'' and '' B.P.R.D.'', and his series '' Major Bummer''.
Early life
Arcudi grew up in Buffalo, New York. He attended Columbia University as an English major and ...
, art by
Tony Salmons
Thomas Anthony "Tony" Salmons (born January 1, 1957) is an American alternative comic book artist, film storyboard artist and character designer.
Biography
Born in Rolla, Missouri, Salmons grew up in Casa Grande, Arizona, with stops in New York ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #4)
** Ivan writes a postcard to his mother from Gotham City, detailing the amazing exploits of Batman in breaking up a gang of bank robbers. What he does not tell her is that he is one of the robbers and is writing from behind bars.
* "Hide and Seek" - written by
Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz (; born October 21, 1956) is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles. Along with publisher Jenette Kahn ...
, art by Paul Rivoche (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #5)
** At the scene of a train wreck which may well be the result of malice rather than an accident, Batman seizes on the smallest of clues to follow someone's trail through the train system and up into the light. Here he finds a small boy and reassures him that he is now safe, telling him that he knows what it is like to be young and lost.
* "The Riddle" - written by
Walter Simonson
Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' ''Thor'' from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned w ...
, art by
John Paul Leon
John Paul Leon (April 26, 1972 – May 2, 2021) was an American comic book artist, known for his work on the Milestone Comics series ''Static'', and the Marvel Comics limited series ''Earth X''.
Leon also provided artwork for a number of style g ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #6)
** A wealthy Gothamite with a huge collection of
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequel ...
memorabilia has died. It is rumoured that in his possession he has Carroll's answer to the riddle "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"; This proves an irresistible target for the
Riddler
The Riddler (Edward Nigma, later Edward Nygma or Edward Nashton) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, and debuted in ''Detective Comics'' #140 in Oc ...
. He breaks into the house and negotiates his way through a maze of ''
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a ...
'' and ''
Through the Looking-Glass
''Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'' (also known as ''Alice Through the Looking-Glass'' or simply ''Through the Looking-Glass'') is a novel published on 27 December 1871 (though indicated as 1872) by Lewis Carroll and the ...
''-related
animatronics
Animatronics refers to mechatronic puppets. They are a modern variant of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films and in theme park attractions.
It is a multidisciplinary field integrating puppetry, anatomy a ...
, until he finds himself at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, where the answer is tucked into the Hatter's hatband. The Riddler declares his triumph, but Batman then appears; to add insult to injury, he tells the Riddler that the "solution" he found is one that the Caped Crusader himself made up after discovering the real answer and taking it.
* "A Game of Bat and Rat" - written by
John Arcudi
John Arcudi is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on '' The Mask'' and '' B.P.R.D.'', and his series '' Major Bummer''.
Early life
Arcudi grew up in Buffalo, New York. He attended Columbia University as an English major and ...
, art by
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #7)
** A bunch of low-lifes think they witness the death of Batman, but a derelict claims that he saw Batman climb out of Gotham River and make his way to a warehouse, badly injured. They decide to make his death a reality, and find themselves under attack from an uninjured Batman. When their leader confronts the derelict, claiming that he deliberately set them up, the derelict admits that this is true - he is Batman in disguise, after all.
* "Untitled" - written by
Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello (born August 11, 1962 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer and screenwriter who first came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series ''100 Bullets'', published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo. ...
, art by
Eduardo Risso
Eduardo Risso (born 23 November 1959) is an Argentine comics artist. In the United States he is best known for his work with writer Brian Azzarello on the Vertigo title '' 100 Bullets'', while in Argentina and Europe he is noted for his collabor ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #8)
** Batman confronts the serial killer
Mr. Zsasz at the scene of his latest massacre, and the two exchange their views on power before Batman trusses Zsasz up and leaves him for the police.
* "Blackout" - written by
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin (; born October 7, 1950) is an American comic book artist and writer. Chaykin's influences include his one-time employer and mentor, Gil Kane, and the mid-20th century illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Parker.
Early life ...
, art by
Jordi Bernet
Jordi Bernet Cussó (born 14 June 1944) is a Spanish comics artist, best known for the gangster comics series ''Torpedo'' and for American weird western comic book ''Jonah Hex''.
Career
He was born in Barcelona, the son of a Spanish comic book a ...
(an
Elseworlds
''Elseworlds'' was the publication imprint (trade name), imprint for American comic books produced by DC Comics for stories that took place outside the DC Universe Canon (fictional), canon. Elseworlds publications are set in alternate realitie ...
tale, occurring in 1943) (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #9)
** Batman encounters
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
stealing from Albion Price, who, she claims, is a
Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
spy. Incredulous, Batman stakes Price out and discovers that she was telling the truth. They take him down together, but Batman still does not allow her to get away with the Nazi's stash of
diamond
Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the Chemical stability, chemically stable form of car ...
s.
* "Guardian" - written by
Alan Brennert
Alan Brennert (born May 30, 1954 in Englewood, New Jersey) is an American author, television producer, and screenwriter. Brennert has lived in Southern California since 1973 and completed graduate work in screenwriting at the University of Cali ...
, art by
José Luis García-López
José Luis García-López (born March 26, 1948) is a Spanish-Argentine comics artist who works in the United States, particularly in a long-running relationship with DC Comics. In addition to his storytelling art, he has been responsible for produ ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #10)
** While pursuing some arsonists, Batman encounters
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
, who protected Gotham City during the 1940s and 1950s. He expresses concern at Batman's violent methods, warning him that he could go the way of the
Reaper
A reaper is a agricultural machinery, farm implement or person that wikt:reap#Verb, reaps (cuts and often also gathers) crops at harvest when they are ripe. Usually the crop involved is a cereal grass. The first documented reaping machines were ...
, but recognises the good he is doing. Batman is angry with Green Lantern for having turned his back on Gotham, but Green Lantern explains it is because he is afraid of the seemingly limitless potential of his power ring. The two of them come to a semi-understanding, and Green Lantern leaves Gotham in Batman's care.
* "Snow Job" - written by
Bob Kanigher
Robert "Bob" Kanigher (; June 18, 1915 – May 7, 2002)Social Security Death Index, social security #116-07-5117. was an American comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for ...
, art by
Kyle Baker
Kyle John Baker (born 1965) is an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a 2000s revival of the series ''Plastic Man''.
Baker has won numerous Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards for his wor ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #11)
** Batman dreams of going skiing with his son and rescuing a rich girl from her evil twin sister and assorted hired assassins.
* "The Black and White Bandit" - by
Dave Gibbons
David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #12)
** A painter who has lost his sense of colour due to toxic paint fumes exacts his revenge in a series of black-and-white themed crimes. However, he is soon fooled by Batman and the police who set up the possibility of stealing the Milan Shroud. Despite disguising himself as a nun, he is apprehended and taken away in a panda car, a concept which reduces him to helpless laughter.
* "Funny Money" - written by
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
, art by
Gene Ha
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #13)
**
Commissioner Gordon
James W. "Jim" Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane as an ally of Batman, the character deb ...
asks Batman to have a few words in his office. Here he meets U.S. Treasury agents who inform him that not only has a consignment of "the paper from Dalton" (used to manufacture U.S. currency) been stolen, but a master engraver from Switzerland has just been arrested at Gotham Airport. Batman pays the engraver, Kaes Poppinger, a visit in his cell, and persuades him to assist the police. Some time later, Batman, disguised as engraver's assistant Dirks Baekert, accompanies Poppinger and the plates necessary to create money to the arranged meeting point, and from here watches the progress of the plates until they have been used to print the money. He, the police and the treasury crash the scene, but the counterfeiters are confident that as the money they have printed is indistinguishable from the real thing, there is no actual evidence that a crime has been committed. Batman then places one of the bills under a microscope, revealing that Poppinger secretly engraved an error in the plates, a miniature Batman and the words, "YOU*ARE*SO*BUSTED*".
* "The Bet" - written by
Paul Dini
Paul McClaran Dini (; born August 7, 1957) is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–1995) ...
, art by
Ronnie Del Carmen
Ronnie del Carmen (born December 31, 1959) is a Filipino animation writer, director, story artist, story supervisor and production designer. He co-directed and was one of the story writers for the 2015 Pixar film '' Inside Out'', for which he ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #14)
**
Poison Ivy and
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn is a character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker (character), Joker in ''Batman: The An ...
, incarcerated in adjoining cells in
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane (), commonly referred to as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital/prison, named after the city of Arkham which appeared first in the stories of H. P. Lovecraft, and later appear ...
, challenge each other to a friendly $1.00 wager: which of them can get a kiss from every man in the building first? The competition starts with each kissing a passing guard, who Ivy infects with her pheromones; as the guard wanders the building, every man who smells the chemicals is entranced, and lines up outside of Ivy's cell for a kiss. Things look grim for Harley, and she becomes hysterical when the Joker enters, seemingly under Ivy's spell; however, as the Clown Prince of Crime kisses Ivy, he murmurs under his breath about how much he loves Harley. Ivy decides that Harley has won the bet, and pays her $1.00 - which Harley quickly gives, along with her own cash, to the
Ventriloquist
Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is a performance act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) creates the illusion that their voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered prop known as a "dummy". The act of ventriloquism is v ...
, the real power behind the Joker's sweet nothings.
* "Stormy Nether" - written by
Tom Peyer
Tom Peyer (born February 23, 1954) is an American comic book creator and editor. He is known for his 1999 revisioning of Golden Age super-hero Hourman, as well as his work on the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 1990s. An editor at DC Comics/Vertigo ...
, art by
Gene Colan
Eugene Jules Colan (; September 1, 1926 – June 23, 2011)[Eugene Colan]
at the Social Security Death Index via ...
and
Tom Palmer (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #15)
** Batman and Prave (a child kidnapper) battle atop the Gotham rooftops. After falling, Prave finds himself relentlessly pursued by
supernatural
Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
ly invulnerable Batmen everywhere he goes. Elsewhere, Batman and a policeman contemplate Prave's dead body and wonder whether he got what he deserved.
* "The Bat no More...?" - written by
Alan Grant, art by
Enrique Breccia
Enrique Breccia (born 1945) is an Argentine comic book artist and writer.
Biography
Enrique Breccia, the son of noted comic artist Alberto Breccia, drew his first work in 1968, when together with his father illustrated '' Vida del Che'' ("Life ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #16)
** A derelict tells a tale of Batman in a Gotham City bar. He saw the vigilante confront the
Scarecrow
A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin, often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.Lesley B ...
and then become increasingly paranoid at the sight of any of his equipment, somehow having developed a fear of bats. The Scarecrow then talks to this man, wanting to know all the details, but is himself sprayed with a gas that gives him a fear of his own books - it is Batman. The two of them then face each other, to see who will give in first in revealing their own anti-toxin - will Batman cave in to a fear of the dark, or the Scarecrow to a fear of words.
Volume 3
Collects back-up stories from ''
Batman: Gotham Knights'' #17-49 (mostly edited by
Mark Chiarello
Mark Chiarello is an American illustrator, art director and comic book editor. Born on Halloween in 1960, he attended Pratt Institute in the 1980's.
Career
As a comic book illustrator, Chiarello painted the Batman graphic novel Batman/Houdini: T ...
,
Bob Schreck
Robert Schreck (; born February 2, 1955) is an American comic book writer and editor. Schreck is best known for his influential role as editor and marketing director at Dark Horse Comics in the 1990s, co-founding Oni Press, and for his subsequent ...
and Michael Wright).
Contents
* "A Moment in the Light" - written by
Joe Kelly, art by Aaron Wiesenfeld (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #17)
** Batman encounters
Mr. Zsasz in a junkyard, where the serial killer has imprisoned several kidnapped children. As the two battle, the scene begins to fade, revealing it to be a memory that Bruce Wayne is using during a
meditation
Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...
session. Though he claims that these sessions are simply to help him relax, he uses the techniques he learns as Batman to help increase his focus, and puts his skills to the test by analyzing evidence while listening to the laughter of children, driving himself to stop Zsasz and all other criminals.
* "Fat City" - plot and script by
Mick McMahon and
Dave Gibbons
David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...
, art by
Mick McMahon (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #18)
** A monster made of grease is brought to life in a freak accident in Gotham's sewers, and begins to kill people by sucking all of the fat from their bodies. Gotham's citizens begin a fitness craze in an attempt to protect themselves, but the beast is not thwarted, and even the mayor is murdered. Eventually, Batman calls upon an odd ally to help him defeat the monster—Chloe Willow, "Gotham's fattest woman", whose noble self-sacrifice proves that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
* "The Call" - written by
Mark Schultz, art by
Claudio Castellini
Claudio Castellini (born 3 March 1966) is an Italian Comic book creator, comic book artist. According to his website, Castellini has a "love for technical details, influenced by artists like Neal Adams and John Buscema".
Biography
Castellini ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #19)
** Batman meticulously prepares for a raid on a party being held by a group of Mafia criminals, analyzing every detail and possibility in advance. However, his careful planning is all for naught when a small-time crook reveals a hidden gun, which he blindly fires; the bullet strikes an innocent young woman in the throat, and Batman must halt his crime-stopping to save her. With no time to bring the woman to a hospital, the Caped Crusader uses a special signal to summon
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
. As the Man of Steel uses his incredible powers to save the girl's life, he and Bruce have a discussion about their respective methods of heroism. They eventually realize that while incredibly different, they are both dedicated to helping as many people as possible, and that the world desperately needs each of them.
* "The Lesson" - plot and script by
Julius Schwartz
Julius "Julie" Schwartz (; June 19, 1915 – February 8, 2004) was a comic book editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in The Bronx, New York. He is best known as a longtime editor at DC Comics, where at various t ...
and
Dan Raspler
Dan Raspler is an editor and writer of comic books for DC Comics. In the late 1990s, he created the series ''Young Heroes in Love''.
Awards
* 1997: Won "Best Editor" Eisner Award, for '' Kingdom Come, Hitman'', '' The Spectre'', ''Sergio Aragon ...
, art by Christian Alamy (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #20)
** Cleverly juxtaposing the stories of
Dick Grayson
Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman and Teen Titans. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, he first appeared in ''Detective Comics' ...
and young Bruce Wayne, the youthful central figure is reassured by the theory of Batman and led to conquer his fears, mask his pain and project a face for the rest of the world to see for the first - but never the last - time.
* "Day & Night in Black & White" - written by
Mike Carlin
Michael Carlin (born October 6, 1958) is an American comic book writer, editor, and executive. He has worked principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics since the 1970s.
Early life
Carlin attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan, ...
, art by
Dan DeCarlo
Daniel S. DeCarlo (December 12, 1919 – December 18, 2001) was an American cartoonist best known for having developed the look of Archie Comics in the late 1950s and early 1960s, modernizing the characters to their contemporary appearance and ...
and
Terry Austin (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #21)
** Day contrasts starkly with night in Gotham City as
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. The character was created by television producer William Dozier, editor Julius Schwartz, writer Gardne ...
and Pamela Isley's daytime routine is mirrored in twisted fashion by their respective nighttime pursuits as
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. Although the character Betty Kane was introduced into publication in ...
defeating
Poison Ivy. ''Note'': Listed on the contents page of ''Black and White Volume 2'' as "Day & Nite" in "Black & White".
* The Bottom Line" - written by
Michael Golden, art by
Jason Pearson
Jason Trent Pearson (August 29, 1970 – December 19, 2022) was an American comic book creator, known for his series '' Body Bags'' and for his dynamic illustration work on books featuring characters such as the Legion of Super-Heroes, Spider-Man ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #22)
** In this almost wordless comic, a group of thugs employed by the Joker has been tasked with stealing a small suitcase. Batman pursues them and snatches the bag for himself, leading to an intense game of cat-and-mouse. The struggle ends with Batman throwing the suitcase into the air—where it explodes, revealing that the apparent loot was actually a bomb which the Joker planned to use to kill both his henchmen and the Caped Crusader.
* "Here Be Monsters" - written by
Paul Grist Paul Grist may refer to:
* Paul Grist (actor) (born 1939), British actor
* Paul Grist (comics)
Paul Grist (born 9 September 1960) is a British comic book creator, noted for his hard-boiled police series '' Kane'' and his unorthodox superhero s ...
, art by
Darwyn Cooke
Darwyn Cooke (November 16, 1962 – May 14, 2016) was a Canadian comics artist, writer, cartoonist, and animator who worked on the comic books ''Catwoman'', '' DC: The New Frontier'', ''The Spirit'' and '' Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter''. ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #23)
** A mysterious villain named Madame X attempts to poison Gotham City's water supply with a powerful hallucinogen. When Batman arrives to stop her, she douses him with the toxin, which leads him to have horrific visions and doubt that he is not just as monstrous as the villains he pursues. But his powerful will manages to shake off the accusation that he himself created the evil he fights, and the Caped Crusader apprehends Madame X while asserting his heroic nature.
* "Urban Legend" - written by
Todd Dezago
Todd Dezago (born 1961) is an American comic book writer best known for his collaborations with artist Mike Wieringo on ''The Sensational Spider-Man'' and their creator-owned fantasy series '' Tellos''.
Early life
Todd Dezago was raised in Rhineb ...
, art by
Mike Wieringo
Michael Lance Wieringo (June 24, 1963 – August 12, 2007), who sometimes signed his work under the name Ringo, was an American comics artist best known for his work on DC Comics' ''The Flash'', Marvel Comics' ''Spider-Man'' and ''Fantastic Four'' ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #24)
** A reporter attempts to purchase definite photographic proof of the rumoured vigilante and shed some light on the creature of the night. Batman explains that the mystery is far more powerful than the truth, and convinces the reporter that he is merely an
urban legend
An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...
- and functions better for being in that mysterious grey area. For the opposite suggestion on Batman's status as an urban legend, there is Brian Azzarello's "Cornered". For a less scrupulous journalist's attempts to photograph Batman, there is John Ostrander's "Snap".
* "Last Call at McSurley's" - written by
Mike W. Barr
Mike W. Barr (born May 30, 1952) is an American writer of comic books, mystery novels, and science fiction novels. Barr has written for every one of the first four incarnations of ''Star Trek: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek ...
, art by
Alan Davis
Alan Davis (born 18 June 1956) is an English artist and writer of comic books, known for his work on titles such as ''Captain Britain'', ''The Uncanny X-Men'', ''ClanDestine'', ''Detective Comics'', ''Excalibur'', '' JLA: The Nail'' and '' JLA: ...
and
Mark Farmer
Mark Farmer (born 1957 in Birmingham) is a British comic book artist. He is best known as an inker, often working with Alan Davis.
Career
Farmer got his start in the UK comics industry before becoming part of the British Invasion, the wave of ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #25)
**
Matches Malone
Josephine MacDonald
Josephine MacDonald, also known as Josie Mac, is a police officer of GCPD, first appearing in ''Detective Comics'' #763 (December 2001), created by Judd Winick and Cliff Chiang.
Josie Mac had a promising career ahead of her, ...
's local bar McSurley's is threatened with closure due to unpaid debts. This is bad news for Bruce Wayne, who uses various disguises to eavesdrop on the criminals who frequent the bar and thus solve a crime a night. He eventually devises a solution, which he puts into action when Matches passes a hat to collect cash to save McSurley's; to the bartender's surprise, someone places $10,000 into the collection, ensuring the bar's continued existence. Back in the Batcave, Alfred asks about a large sum of money—specifically, $10,000—that seems to have mysteriously gone missing.
* "Bruce Wayne is Batman!" - written by
Cyrus Voris, art by
Chris Bachalo
Chris Bachalo (born August 23, 1965) is a Canadian comic book illustrator known for his quirky, cartoon-like style. He became well known for stints on DC Comics' ''Shade, the Changing Man'' and Neil Gaiman's two Death (Sandman), Death series. Chr ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #26)
** An Arkham Asylum inmate conjures a demon and discovers that Batman is Bruce Wayne. Two cleaners discuss her story, and conclude that this "fact" is not worthy of further thought, coming from such a deranged and damaged mind. The more compassionate of the cleaners does a disappearing act, secure in the knowledge that his secret remains safe.
* "Never Say Die" - written by
Dwayne McDuffie
Dwayne Glenn McDuffie (February 20, 1962February 21, 2011) was an American writer of comic books and television, known for producing and writing the animated series ''Static Shock'', '' Damage Control'', ''Justice League Unlimited'' and ''Ben 10 ...
, art by
Denys Cowan
Denys B. Cowan (born January 30, 1961) is an American comics artist, television producer, media executive and one of the co-founders of Milestone Media.
Early life
Denys Cowan was first inspired by superheroes as a child from reruns of the 1950s ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #27)
** A small-time crook nicknamed "Do-Boy", who is in the employ of the
Penguin
Penguins (order (biology), order List of Sphenisciformes by population, Sphenisciformes , family (biology), family Spheniscidae ) are a group of Water bird, aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: on ...
, is determined to prove his worth by standing up to the Batman or die trying. While "just a man", Batman proves he can thwart all manner of plans - even last-ditch, desperate attempts at criminal glory.
* "Thin Edge of a Dime" - written by
Don McGregor
Donald Francis McGregor (born June 15, 1945) is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics; he is the author of one of the first graphic novels.
Early life
Don McGregor was born in Providence, Rhode Island, where he w ...
, art by
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph Giordano (; July 20, 1932 – March 27, 2010) was an American comics artist and editor whose career included introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes and serving as executive editor of DC Comics.
Early li ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #28)
** The Batman's work is never done, and trying to talk a non-descript Gothamite out of his suicidal tendencies is every bit as important as his regular duties.
* "No Escape" - written by
Paul Kupperberg
Paul Kupperberg (born June 14, 1955) is an American writer and comics editor. He is currently a writer and executive editor at Charlton Neo Comics and Pix-C Webcomics, and a contributing author with Crazy 8 Press. Formerly, he was an editor for D ...
, art by
John Watkiss
John Watkiss (28 July 1961 – 20 January 2017) was a British artist, known for his painting and his work in comics and film production. His career led him from artist for graphic novels to storyboard artist and character designer. He is arguabl ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #29)
** Batman is captured by the
Riddler
The Riddler (Edward Nigma, later Edward Nygma or Edward Nashton) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, and debuted in ''Detective Comics'' #140 in Oc ...
and placed in an amazingly well-constructed death trap. As he struggles to escape the trap, he reflects on his training in the art of
escapology
Escapology is the practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists (also classified as escape artists) escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, coffins, steel boxes, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks, and ot ...
, which he received from Max Dodge, a master escape artist. It is then revealed that Dodge himself, now in desperate need of money, designed the mechanism which now holds Batman. As he watches the Caped Crusader try to free himself, Dodge realizes the identity of the man behind the mask, and decides to fight back against the Riddler to help his former student. Though this heroism leads to a fatal heart attack, he is able to die knowing that he refused to give into villainy—a fact which Batman acknowledges as he talks to his old friend in his final moments.
* "Punchline" - written by Doug Alexander, art by Rob Haynes (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #30)
** This dialogue-free story opens with a criminal running along the rooftops, carrying bags of cash from a bank heist. He eventually stumbles across some directional signs and the Bat-Signal, and drops the loot in terror to save himself. Harley Quinn then emerges from the shadows, giggling and clutching a flashlight with a miniature Bat-Signal, which she has used to frighten off her accomplice and take all of his ill-gotten gains for herself. However, the flashlight appears to be malfunctioning, as it continues to show a signal on the wall even after Harley turns it off. When she investigates, she discovers that the "signal" is actually the insignia on Batman's costume—he has been watching from the shadows as well, and spoils Harley's joke.
* "Hands" - written by
Scott Peterson
Scott Lee Peterson (born October 24, 1972) is an American convicted murderer. In 2004, he was convicted of the first-degree murder of his wife, Laci, who was pregnant at the time, and the second-degree murder of their unborn son, Conner, in Mod ...
, art by
Danijel Zezelj Danijel is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Danijel Aleksić (born 1991), Serbian footballer
* Danijel Alibabić (born 1988), Montenegrin singer and songwriter
* Danijel Brezič (born 1976), Slovenian football midfielder
* Dani ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #31)
** This story highlights two underexplored sides of Batman, those of
forensic
Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to Criminal law, criminal and Civil law (legal system), civil laws, mainly—on the criminal side—during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standard ...
investigator and granter of
absolution
Absolution is a traditional theological term for the forgiveness imparted by ordained Christian priests and experienced by Christian penitents. It is a universal feature of the historic churches of Christendom, although the theology and the pra ...
. Batman discovers an old death, and has to decide the path of least heartache when conveying the results of his investigation into the death of a young child to her surviving family.
* "Toyride" - written by
Mark Askwith
Mark Askwith (born April 6, 1956) is a Canadian producer, writer, interviewer (and sometime-publisher/editor), and a familiar name in the fields of science fiction and comics.
Early life
Askwith was born into a military household on April 6, 1956 ...
, art by
Michael William Kaluta
Michael William Kaluta, sometimes credited as Mike Kaluta or Michael Wm. Kaluta (born August 25, 1947), is an American comics artist and writer best known for his acclaimed 1970s adaptation of the pulp magazine hero ''The Shadow'' with writer Den ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #32)
** Three little girls write a letter to Bruce Wayne in which they tell a story about their strange classmate, who has a genius-level intellect and a knack for invention. Recently, the boy tried to destroy Batman by planting computer technology in a gigantic
dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
statue; the boy used a remote control to steer the beast as the Caped Crusader struggled to contain it. The three girls saved the day by attacking their classmate and stealing his remote, defeating him. The letter ends with a "thank you", as Wayne has had the dinosaur filled with concrete and turned into the centerpiece for a playground for Gotham's children, including three small but brave heroes.
* "The Monument" - written by
Darwyn Cooke
Darwyn Cooke (November 16, 1962 – May 14, 2016) was a Canadian comics artist, writer, cartoonist, and animator who worked on the comic books ''Catwoman'', '' DC: The New Frontier'', ''The Spirit'' and '' Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter''. ...
, art by
Bill Wray
Bill Wray (born Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American musician, composer and producer. His performing career spanned the mid 1970s through the early 1980s. Since then he has written and produced a variety of artists from glam metal to cajun. He is ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #33)
** A wealthy philanthropist erects a tribute statue of Gotham's Guardian in
Robinson Park
Robinson Park is an urban park located in and administered by the city of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. The park was named after Dr. F. Byron Robinson, the original owner of the site.
The park has an area of . Amenities include a picnic shelter ...
. Mixed reactions see the silent statue act as a shrine, a deterrent, a homeless shelter and a
graffiti
Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
-covered wall. Acting as a focal point for the pro-/anti-Batman camps,
Professor Hugo Strange decides to destroy it in a symbolic gesture that emphasises his belief that Batman represents the worst of humanity. While Batman must apprehend Strange, he has more mixed feelings about saving the statue, declaring his aversion to a fan-club.
* "The Delusions of Alfred Pennyworth" - written by Danielle Dwyer, art by
Scott Morse
Scott Morse (sometimes known as C. Scott Morse or C. S. Morse) is an American animator, filmmaker, and comic book artist/writer.
Much of Morse's published work consists of stand-alone graphic novels, although he is perhaps best known for his 1 ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #34)
** Alfred becomes convinced that the benevolent ghost of
an old friend is haunting
Wayne Manor
Wayne Manor Estate (or simply Wayne Manor) is a fictional mansion appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It is the personal residence of Bruce Wayne, who is also the superhero Batman.
The residence is depicted as a large ma ...
, but decides not to tell Bruce Wayne, thinking that his master has enough delusions of his own, although Batman knows all about it.
* "Cornered" - written by
Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello (born August 11, 1962 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer and screenwriter who first came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series ''100 Bullets'', published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo. ...
, art by
Jim Mahfood
Jim Mahfood (born March 29, 1975), a.k.a. Food One, is an American comic book creator.
Apart from his creator-owned comic book series ''Grrl Scouts'' and his comic strip ''Stupid Comics'' (which appears weekly in the ''Phoenix New Times'') he also ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #35)
** A world-weary Gothamite living in a crime-riddled area of the city witnesses Batman's just-too-late attempts to stop street hoods engaging in a gunfight, and questions Batman's methods, putting a question about whether a ''real'' threat will more likely to inspire the younger generation to be law-abiding than an urban legend. For the opposite suggestion, there is Todd Dezago's story "Urban Legend".
* "Fear is the Key" - written by
Mike Carey, art by Steve Mannion and
Hilary Barta
Hilary Barta (born June 17, 1957) is an American comic book writer and artist.
Biography
Barta was born on June 17, 1957. His first comics work came in June 1982, when he helped Marvel inkers Al Milgrom, Joe Sinnott and Sal Trapani provide in ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #37)
** A
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
sorcerer conjures a Bat-demon, but is revealed to be the
Scarecrow
A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin, often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.Lesley B ...
, who has inadvertently absorbed a high dosage of an experimental
hallucinogen
Hallucinogens are a large, diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, mood, and perception as well as other changes. Most hallucinogens can be categorized ...
and his own
fear toxin. Triumphing over impossible odds, Batman returns the Scarecrow to Arkham Asylum, where he ponders the incredible resilience of Batman, who must similarly have been hallucinating wildly, and yet managed to maintain a grip on reality.
* 'Untitled' - written by
Ann Nocenti
Ann "Annie" Nocenti (; born January 17, 1957) is an American journalist, filmmaker, teacher, comic book writer and editor. She is best known for her work at Marvel in the late 1980s, particularly the four-year stint as the editor of ''Uncanny X-Me ...
, art by
John Bolton
John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948) is an American attorney, diplomat, Republican consultant, and political commentator. He served as the 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006, and as the 26th United Stat ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #38)
** The seedy underbelly of the Gotham underworld includes a large number of criminals who need the vicarious thrill of seeing Batman - and
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
- trussed, tortured and killed. One man runs a small 'business' to provide just such a thrill.
* "Sunrise" - written by
Alex Garland
Alexander Medawar Garland (born 26 May 1970) is an English writer and filmmaker. He rose to prominence as a novelist in the late 1990s with his novel '' The Beach'', which led some critics to call Garland a key voice of Generation X. He subsequ ...
, art by
Sean Phillips
Sean Phillips (born 27 January 1965) is a British comic book artist, best known for his collaborations with Ed Brubaker on comics including '' Sleeper'', ''Incognito'', the '' Criminal'' series of comics, '' Fatale'', '' The Fade Out'', and ' ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #39)
** An elderly Gothamite awakens early to capture the sunrise on film, only to tire herself out while climbing the stairs to her tenement's roof and decide that she is too old to spend her time trying to capture life. While musing about her age, she is surprised to discover Batman recovering from his nightly patrol; when he brusquely refuses to answer her questions about what happened, the woman scolds him, and he admits that he injured his shoulder during a raid on a building. The tables turn when Batman asks the woman about her camera, and she also stubbornly refuses to talk about what changed her mind. The Dark Knight smiles as he realizes the two are not so different and makes his exit—but not before taking a picture with his new friend, proving that it is never too late to create lasting memories.
* "Neighbourhood" - written by
Robert Rodi
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
, art by Jon Proctor (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #40)
** Petty criminal Rico Tagliani lives in perpetual fear of Batman for decades, getting increasingly more paranoid as time passes. Ultimately his paranoiaic delusions lead him to larger crimes, even as it is revealed that there is always truth behind the fears of the Dark Knight Detective. There is also Ed Brubaker's title "I'll Be Watching", a similar story with different actions and results.
* "I'll Be Watching" - written by
Ed Brubaker
Ed Brubaker (; born November 17, 1966) is an American comic book writer, cartoonist and screenwriter who works primarily in the crime fiction genre. He began his career with the semi-autobiographical series '' Lowlife'' and a number of serials i ...
, art by
Ryan Sook
Ryan Sook is an American comic book artist, known for his work on books such as ''Seven Soldiers: Zatanna'', ''X-Factor'' and '' The Spectre''. His style has been compared to that of Mike Mignola, Adam Hughes, and Kevin Nowlan.
Career
Sook's fir ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #41)
** The janitor at
Sprang Hall, Gotham's juvenile correctional facility, recalls the event that set him on his path to redemption and sees the guiding presence of Batman as a perpetual and comforting reminder of his new life. Meanwhile, Batman's inspirational second-chance offer is shown to be neither unique nor forgotten.
* "Gargoyles of Gotham" - by
Dean Motter
Dean Motter is an illustrator, designer and writer who has worked for many years in Canada (Toronto) and the United States (New York City and Atlanta). He is best known for his album cover designs, two of which won Juno Awards. He is also the crea ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #42)
** An art exhibition featuring photographs of some of Gotham's
gargoyle
In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry walls ...
s allows art patron Bruce Wayne to recall his own memories of such omnipresent parts of the city's landscape, including their structural integrity and the secrets some of them hide, including one nicknamed "
Clark
Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...
", who secretly guards the garb of one Bruce Wayne when his alter-ego is on patrol.
* "Snap" - written by
John Ostrander
John Ostrander (born April 20, 1949) is an American writer of comic books, including ''Suicide Squad'', ''Grimjack'' and '' Star Wars: Legacy''.
Career
Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes ...
, art by
Philip Bond
Philip J. Bond (born 11 July 1966, in Lancashire) is a People of the United Kingdom, British comic book artist, who first came to prominence in the late 1980s on ''Deadline magazine, Deadline'' magazine, and later through a number of collaborat ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #43)
** A down-on-his-luck
photojournalist
Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a news story. It usually only refers to still images, but can also refer to video used in broadcast journalism. Photojournalism is distinguished from other close branches of photography (such ...
attempts to get photographic proof of Batman's existence. Attempts to bribe
Commissioner Gordon
James W. "Jim" Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane as an ally of Batman, the character deb ...
fail, and a staged crime scene makes the photographer into a criminal himself. Both Gordon - and Batman himself - reiterate the importance of the unreality of the urban legend. For a more understanding photographer's take on the rights and wrongs of photographing Batman, there is Todd Dezago's story "Urban Legend". For the opposite suggestion on Batman's status as an urban legend, there is Brian Azzarello's story "Cornered".
* "The Best of Gotham" - by
Jill Thompson
Jill Thompson (born November 20, 1966) is an American illustrator and writer who has worked for stage, film, and television. Well known for her work on Neil Gaiman's '' The Sandman'' characters and her own '' Scary Godmother'' series, she has wor ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #44)
** A newspaper-style text and 'photos' guide to some of Gotham's "must-see" highlights, including mentions of the philanthropy of Gotham's most famous son, as well as the inspirational activities of the city's protector, which can be seen in the theaters, stand-up clubs, clothes shops, night clubs and a tailored museum: "Hideout" showcasing some of the items confiscated from Batman's rogues gallery, and funded by the Martha Wayne Outreach program.
* "Sidekick" - written by
Kimo Temperance
KIMO (107.3 FM, "The Mighty Mo 107FM") is a commercial radio station located in Townsend, Montana and serves the Helena area. KIMO airs a country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated i ...
, art by
Nathan Fox (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #45)
** Batman has to carry out his patrol while babysitting a child who has been abandoned on the
Batmobile
The Batmobile is the fictional car driven by the superhero Batman. Housed in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is both a heavily armored tactical assault vehicle and a personalized custom-built pursuit a ...
by someone eager for fame.
* "Urban Renewal" - written by
Will Pfeifer
Will may refer to:
Common meanings
* Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death
* Will (philosophy), or willpower
* Will (sociology)
* Will, volition (psychology)
* Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
, art by
Brent Anderson Brent Anderson may refer to:
* Brent Anderson (comics) (born 1955), American comics artist
* Brent Anderson (singer)
Brent Anderson (born in Pascagoula, Mississippi) is an American country music singer. He has charted on Hot Country Songs with t ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #46)
** Writer/photographer Daniel McKinley notes the changing face of Gotham - and the world - from the
kitsch
Kitsch ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as naïve imitation, overly-eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste.
The avant-garde opposed kitsch as melodramatic and superficial affiliation with ...
architecture of "buildings shaped like cash registers" to the faceless conformity of the modern era. Turned down by publisher after publisher, he has almost resigned himself to writing a book about "gargoyle-covered skyscrapers", when his proposal is accepted by Signal Publishing, a division of
Wayne Enterprises
Wayne Enterprises, Inc., also known as WayneCorp and Wayne Industries, is a wealthy fictional company appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Wayne Enterprises is a large, grow ...
. Bruce Wayne, like McKinley, has a keen sense of nostalgia. A related story - Dean Motter's "Gargoyles of Gotham" - explains more on these iconic structures.
* "Riddle Me This" - written by
Judd Winick
Judd Winick (born February 12, 1970) is an American cartoonist, comic book writer and screenwriter, as well as a former reality television personality. He first gained fame for his stint on MTV's ''The Real World: San Francisco'' in 1994, before f ...
, art by
Whilce Portacio
William "Whilce" Portacio (; born July 8, 1963) is a Filipino American comic book writer and artist noted for his work on such titles as ''The Punisher'', ''X-Factor'', ''Uncanny X-Men'', '' Iron Man'', ''Wetworks'' and ''Spawn''. Portacio was als ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #47)
** The Riddler, in a series of highlights from across his career, runs through a series of riddles before settling on one which describes his nemesis, as well as indulging in a spot of soul-searching, concluding that he ''wants'' to be caught.
* "The Mob is Dead, Long Live the Mob" - by Eric Cherry (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #48)
** A former snitch tries to set himself up as a new mob boss, using Batman as a cover by feeding him information about minor drug deals while the major ones are carried out with impunity. The new "boss" is ultimately brought low by another snitch who fears that Batman is now in the employ of the gangs.
* "Fear is the Key" - written by
Geoff Johns
Geoffrey Johns (born January 25, 1973) is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, and film and television producer. Johns's work on the DC Comics characters Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash and Superman, has drawn critical acclaim.
He serve ...
, art by Tommy Castillo and Rodney Ramos (originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #49)
** The Scarecrow runs through a litany of phobias, and regrets that his own addiction to fear has been compromised by an increasing immunity to his toxins. There is always something to fear, however, and for the Scarecrow, Batman is both the ultimate fear and the ultimate thrill.
* "The Gasworks" - written by
Mike Mignola
Mike Mignola (; born September 16, 1960) is an American comics artist and writer best known for creating ''Hellboy'' for Dark Horse Comics, part of a shared universe of titles including ''B.P.R.D.'', '' Abe Sapien'', '' Lobster Johnson'', '' Wit ...
, art by
Troy Nixey
Troy Nixey (born 12 April, 1972) is a Canadian comic book artist and film director.
Comic books
Nixey has written and illustrated for comic books such as '' Neil Gaiman's Only the End of the World Again'', ''Harley Quinn'', and ''The Matrix Com ...
(originally published in ''Gotham Knights'' #36)
** Two villains attempt to use a powerful hallucinogenic compound to incapacitate Batman and kill him. In an ironic twist of events, they manage to disable him enough that he cannot subsequently come to their rescue.
''Note'': "The Gasworks" is the only ''Black and White'' story to include color - red permeates the story, the color of both the hallucinogen and the blood. This is likely the reason this story was moved to the end of the volume.
* DC Direct Gallery - showcasing the first dozen
DC Direct
DC Direct was a Division (business), division of WarnerMedia that sold collectibles based on DC Comics characters (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc.).
Prior to 1998, merchandise sold by DC Comics was branded with the DC Comics logo rather th ...
-produced statues in the ''Batman: Black and White'' series.
**
Eduardo Risso
Eduardo Risso (born 23 November 1959) is an Argentine comics artist. In the United States he is best known for his work with writer Brian Azzarello on the Vertigo title '' 100 Bullets'', while in Argentina and Europe he is noted for his collabor ...
's statue (sculpted by Tony Cipriano) and
Simon Bisley
Simon Bisley is a British comic book artist best known for his 1990s work on ''ABC Warriors'', '' Lobo'' and '' Sláine''.
Early life
Simon Bisley began drawing when he was six years old. He is self-taught, with only a short one-year stay at a ...
's statue (sculpted by William Paquet).
** Sketches by
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries ''Marvels'', on which he collaborated wi ...
.
** Sketches by
Paul Pope
Paul Pope (born September 25, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American alternative cartoonist. Pope's work combines the precision and romance of European comics artists with the energy and page design of the manga tradition. Pope's tw ...
(designs for his ''Batman: Year 100'' Batman).
**
Brian Bolland
Brian Bolland (; born 26 March 1951)Salisbury, Mark, ''Artists on Comic Art'' (Titan Books, 2000) , p. 11 is a British comics artist. Best known in the United Kingdom as one of the definitive Judge Dredd artists for British comics anthology '' 2 ...
's statue (sculpted by Jack Mathews).
** Small rough sketches and statue by
Tim Sale (statue sculpted by Jonathan Matthews).
**
Steve Rude
Steve Rude (born December 31, 1956) is an American comics artist. He is best known as the co-creator of ''Nexus''.
Early life
Steve Rude was born on December 31, 1956, in Madison, Wisconsin. He attended the Milwaukee School of Art and Design, the ...
's statue (sculpted by Jonathan Matthews).
** Sketches by
Steve Rude
Steve Rude (born December 31, 1956) is an American comics artist. He is best known as the co-creator of ''Nexus''.
Early life
Steve Rude was born on December 31, 1956, in Madison, Wisconsin. He attended the Milwaukee School of Art and Design, the ...
.
** Rough sketches by
Jim Lee
Jim Lee (Korean 이용철; born August 11, 1964) is a Korean American comic-book artist, writer, editor, and publisher. He is currently the Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics. In recognition of his work, Lee has received a Harvey ...
.
** Sketch and statue by
Jim Lee
Jim Lee (Korean 이용철; born August 11, 1964) is a Korean American comic-book artist, writer, editor, and publisher. He is currently the Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics. In recognition of his work, Lee has received a Harvey ...
(statue sculpted by Erick Sosa).
** Individual cowl and close-up sketches by
Kelley Jones
Kelley Jones (born July 23, 1962) is an American comics artist best known for his work on ''Batman'' with writer Doug Moench and on '' The Sandman'' with writer Neil Gaiman.
Early life
Kelley Jones was born in Sacramento, California and grew up ...
.
**
Kelley Jones
Kelley Jones (born July 23, 1962) is an American comics artist best known for his work on ''Batman'' with writer Doug Moench and on '' The Sandman'' with writer Neil Gaiman.
Early life
Kelley Jones was born in Sacramento, California and grew up ...
' statue (sculpted by Ray Villafane).
**
Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner (born October 9, 1961) is an American comics artist and writer who is best known as the creator of the series ''Mage'' and ''Grendel (comics), Grendel''.
Career
Matt Wagner's first published comic book work was ''Comico Primer'' #2 ( ...
's statue and sketches (statue sculpted by Paul Harding).
Volume 4
This contains all-new material.
Issue #1 - November 2013
* "Don't Know Where, Don't Know When" - written by
Chip Kidd
Charles Kidd (born 1964) is an American graphic designer known for book covers.
Early childhood
Born in Shillington in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Kidd grew up being fascinated and heavily inspired by American popular culture. Comic books w ...
, art by
Michael Cho
The shooting of Michael Sungman Cho occurred on December 31, 2007, in the Orange County city of La Habra, California. Cho, a 25-year-old Korean-American artist, was brandishing a tire iron outside a store and was shot by two police officers. Th ...
* "Batman Zombie" - by
Neal Adams
Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and recognition for Supe ...
** The Caped Crusader has seemingly been turned into a ghoulish
zombie
A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in whic ...
, but still attempts to pursue his rogues gallery. As he does, he encounters various Gotham citizens who are suffering from unjust laws and cruel practices, including a woman being evicted from her home because of a bank's miscommunication and a man serving a life sentence for breaking a "three strikes" policy. The story's events are then revealed to be a nightmare Batman is having; when he awakens, he decides that is time to use his Bruce Wayne identity to help in the fight against a less dramatic, but still oppressive, evil.
* "Justice is Served" - written by Maris Wicks, art by Joe Quinones
** Harley Quinn robs Gotham Burger, a new fast food restaurant, only to discover that anyone who eats its products bloats into a spherical ball covered in leaves. Harley suspects Poison Ivy of tainting the meals, but Ivy claims innocence and realizes that Max Glyson, a rival scientist who studied with her under
Jason Woodrue, is trying to frame her. The women team up to defeat Glyson and expose his crimes, with Batman providing support and a means for Ivy to cure the citizens suffering from Gotham Burger's effects—including the Joker, who inadvertently ate some of the food that Harley brought to his lair.
* "Driven" - written by
John Arcudi
John Arcudi is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on '' The Mask'' and '' B.P.R.D.'', and his series '' Major Bummer''.
Early life
Arcudi grew up in Buffalo, New York. He attended Columbia University as an English major and ...
, art by
Sean Murphy Sean Murphy may refer to:
Sports
* Seán Óg Murphy (1897–1956), Irish hurler
* Seán Murphy (hurler) (born 1947), Irish hurler
* Seán Murphy (Gaelic footballer) (born 1932), Irish Gaelic football player
* Sean Murphy (footballer, born 1995), Sc ...
** Batman works on repairing the
Batmobile
The Batmobile is the fictional car driven by the superhero Batman. Housed in the Batcave, which it accesses through a hidden entrance, the Batmobile is both a heavily armored tactical assault vehicle and a personalized custom-built pursuit a ...
after a chase with Roxy Rocket, a daredevil stuntwoman-turned-supervillain. As he works on the car's amazing technology, he recalls the intense pursuit—which surprisingly ended in the Batmobile ''not'' breaking down. Eager for the chance to work on the vehicle further, Batman deliberately sabotaged the engine and claimed that Roxy's actions were to blame; a sharp-eyed Alfred sees through the ruse, but decides to let Bruce have his fun regardless.
* "Head Games" - written by
Howard Mackie
Howard Mackie (born January 22, 1958) is an American comic book editor and writer. He has worked almost exclusively for Marvel Comics and is best known as the co-creator of the Danny Ketch version of the Ghost Rider character.
Early life
Macki ...
, art by
Chris Samnee
Chris Samnee is an American comic book artist. He received the 2011 Harvey Award for Most Promising Newcomer for his work on the '' Thor: The Mighty Avenger'', and won a 2013 Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker for his work on '' The Rocketeer: ...
Issue #2 - December 2013
* "Manbat Out of Hell" - written by
Dan Didio
Dan DiDio (; born October 13, 1959) is an American writer, editor, and publisher who has worked in the television and comic book industries. From February 2010 until February 2020, he was the co-publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee. '' Wizar ...
, art by
J. G. Jones
Jeffrey Glen Jones is an American comics artist who is known for his work on titles such as ''Wanted'' and ''Final Crisis''.
Early life
Jones hails from Walker, Louisiana and attended Louisiana State University and the University at Albany, SUN ...
** Batman pursues
Dr. Kirk Langstrom, who has broken out of Arkham Asylum to attack an orphanage. The Caped Crusader fears that Man-Bat is after the children staying in the building, but discovers them unharmed in a bedroom upstairs. Closer investigation reveals that the orphans are being abused by their caretaker, who is Man-Bat's actual target. Batman helps Dr. Langstrom apprehend the criminal, and Man-Bat takes a few moments to spend time with two of the orphans, who are revealed to be his own children that, despite his monstrous transformation, he remembers and swears to protect.
* "Into the Circle" - by
Rafael Grampá
Rafael Grampá is a Brazilian comic book artist and film director, best known for his creator-owned graphic novel '' Mesmo Delivery'' and DC Comics' '' The Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child''.
Career
At the age of 14, Grampá drew flags for ...
* "A Place in Between" - by
Rafael Albuquerque
Rafael Albuquerque (born April 12, 1981) is a Brazilians, Brazilian comic book creator primarily for his artwork on titles such as DC Comics' ''Jaime Reyes, Blue Beetle'' and as illustrator and co-creator of ''American Vampire''. Though primarily ...
** Batman finds himself in a boat with
Charon
In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon (; grc, Χάρων) is a psychopomp, the ferryman of Hades, the Greek underworld. He carries the souls of those who have been given funeral rites across the rivers Acheron and Styx, which separate the wo ...
, crossing the
River Styx. Charon tells him that he has died; to determine where he spends the afterlife, he must stay in the boat while witnessing horrific scenes from his own past. Batman struggles to contain himself and eventually breaks the rule by rushing to rescue
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in '' Batman'' #357 in March 1983, Todd was created to succeed Dick Grayson as Robin, the superhero Batman's vigilante partn ...
. As he succumbs to grief, Charon inadvertently mentions that the Caped Crusader now understands fear—at which point Batman realizes that he is in another of the
Scarecrow's toxin-induced hallucinations. He overpowers Scarecrow and congratulates him on a nearly-perfect ruse.
* "Winter's End" - written by
Jeff Lemire
Jeff Lemire (; born March 21, 1976) is a Canadian comic book writer, artist, and television producer. He is the author of critically acclaimed titles including the '' Essex County Trilogy'', '' Sweet Tooth'', and '' The Nobody''. His written work ...
, art by
Alex Nino
Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis.
People
Multiple
* Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people
* Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people
* Alex Harris (disambiguation), multiple ...
* "Silent Knight…Unholy Knight!" - written by
Michael Uslan
Michael E. Uslan (; born June 2, 1951) is an American lawyer and film producer. Uslan has also dabbled in writing and teaching, he is known for being the first instructor to teach an accredited course on comic book folklore at any university.
Ear ...
, art by Dave Bullock
Issue #3 - January 2014
* "Rule Number One" - by
Lee Bermejo
Lee Bermejo is an American comic book writer and artist whose published work includes interior illustrations and cover art. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Brian Azzarello including '' Lex Luthor: Man of Steel'', the '' Joker ...
* "Hall of Mirrors" - by
Damion Scott
Damion Scott (born 1976) is a comic book artist and writer, known for his work on books such as ''Batman (comic book), Batman'', ''Robin (Tim Drake), Robin'', and ''Cassandra Cain, Batgirl'', ''Web of Spider-Man'', and ''Duppy (comic book), Dupp ...
* "An Innocent Man" - written by
Marv Wolfman
Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's ''The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade, and DC Comics's '' The New Te ...
, art by
Riccardo Burchielli
Riccardo Burchielli (born 27 February 1975) is an Italian artist known for his work on the DC/Vertigo comic book series ''DMZ'', his first work in the United States.
Early life
Burchielli was born in Peccioli, near Pisa, Tuscany.
** A criminal condemned for murder is set to be executed in twenty-four hours, but new evidence makes Batman believe that he might be innocent. He works against the clock to explore the new leads and discovers that the true killer was the victim's wife, who discovered her husband's infidelity and murdered him in a rage. Batman returns to release the condemned man, who is revealed to be none other than the Joker. The Caped Crusader further remarks that he knows the entire situation is one of the Clown Prince of Crime's trademark jokes—he arranged everything, including telling the victim's wife about her husband's affair, just to force Batman to rescue him. The Joker gloats that his release means that Batman shares culpability for his future crimes, but the Dark Knight responds that the villain now owes him his life, and that when he ''does'' defeat him, it will be in the name of justice, not revenge.
* "Namtab: Babel Comes to Gotham" - by
Rian Hughes
Rian Hughes is a British graphic designer, illustrator, type designer, comics artist and novelist.
Overviews
Hughes has written and drawn comics for '' 2000 AD'', Vertigo CMYK and Batman: Black and White, and designed for DC Comics and Marvel ...
* "Role Models" - written by
Paul Dini
Paul McClaran Dini (; born August 7, 1957) is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–1995) ...
, art by
Stéphane Roux
** Batman and Commissioner Gordon receive a note from "Playground", a child abuser and kidnapper who targets prepubescent girls. Meanwhile, Playground's latest victim manages to escape her bonds and flees to Gotham's streets, hoping to find a superheroine to save her. Instead, the girl stumbles across Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, who are preparing to rob a bank. Despite their criminal pasts, Ivy and Harley realize the girl's distress and work to defeat Playground, who even they find reprehensible. When Batman arrives on the scene to arrest the kidnapper, he is forced to let Ivy and Harley go at the child's request. The girl praises them as heroes, and Batman cannot help but smile as he agrees that for tonight, at least, the women are on the side of the angels.
Issue #4 - February 2014
* "Ghost of Gotham" - written by
Nathan Edmondson
Nathan Edmondson is an American comic book writer, best known for his creator-owned series ''Who is Jake Ellis?'', published by Image Comics, as well as the runs on ''The Punisher'' and '' Black Widow'' for Marvel Comics.
Edmondson is the co-fou ...
, art by
Kenneth Rocafort
Kenneth Rocafort (born 1983) is a Puerto Rican illustrator of comic books, known for his work on titles including ''Superman'', ''Red Hood and the Outlaws'', ''Astonishing Tales: Wolverine/Punisher'', '' ''Teen Titans', '' ''The Ultimates', ...
* "Tea-Minus Party" - written by
Michael Allred
Michael Dalton Allred is an American comic book artist and writer most famous for his independent comics creations, ''Madman'' and ''iZombie''. His style is often compared to pop art, as well as commercial and comic art of the 1950s and 1960 ...
and Lee Allred, art by Michael Allred
* "Long Day" - by
Dustin Nguyen Dustin may refer to:
Places in the United States
* Dustin, Nebraska
* Dustin Township, Holt County, Nebraska
* Dustin, Oklahoma
Other uses
* Dustin (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname
* Dustin ...
* "Even In The Darknest Moments" - written by David Macho, art by Rubén Pellejero
* "Missing in Action" - by Sean Galloway
Issue #5 - March 2014
* "Hell Night" - written by
Ivan Brandon
Ivan Brandon (born 1976) is a comic book writer known for his work on titles such as DC Comics' ''Final Crisis, Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape'' and ''Men of War (comics), Men of War'' as well as creator-owned series ''Viking (comics), Viking'', ' ...
, art by
Paolo Rivera
Paolo Manuel Rivera is an American comic book artist. He is known for illustrating the ''Mythos'' series of one-shots and several issues of Spider-Man as well as his collaboration with writer Mark Waid, his father/inker Joe Rivera and colori ...
* "Cat and Mouse" - written by
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen (born November 30, 1952) is an American comics artist and writer. He is known for his work for DC Comics on their ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Justice League'' titles as well as for being the co-creator of Lobo.
Biography
K ...
, art by
Javier Pulido
Javier Pulido is a Spanish comic book artist working primarily for the American market. His notable works include ''Human Target'', '' Robin: Year One'', '' She-Hulk'' and ''The Amazing Spider-Man''.
Early life
Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ...
* "I Killed the Bat" - written by
Blair Butler
Blair Butler (born June 28, 1977) is an American stand-up comic, television host and screenwriter, known for her work on the "Fresh Ink" and other segments on the G4 program ''Attack of the Show!''.
Career
Butler's father is Robert Butler, longti ...
, art by
Chris Weston
Chris Weston (born 1969) is a British comics artist who has worked both in the US and UK comics industries.
Biography
Weston was born in January 1969 in Rinteln, Germany, and lived in various countries as a child. His career began when he was ...
* "Flip Side!" - written by
Len Wein
Leonard Norman Wein (; June 12, 1948 – September 10, 2017) was an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men ( ...
, art by
Víctor Ibáñez
* "Hope" - written by
Jimmy Palmiotti
James Palmiotti (born August 14, 1961) is an American writer and inker of comic books, who also does writing for games, television and film.
Early life
Palmiotti attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City.
Career
Palmiotti star ...
, art by Andrew Robinson
Issue #6 - April 2014
* "Clay" - by
Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang is an American comic book artist. Formerly an assistant editor at DC Comics, he is now an illustrator, known for his work on ''Human Target'', '' Beware the Creeper'' and ''Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre'', '' Green Arrow/ Black Canar ...
* "Bruce" - written by
Olly Moss
Oliver Jonathan Moss (born 24 January 1987) is an English Graphic designer, graphic artist, best known for his reimagining of movie posters. His work has been released by Mondo (American company), Mondo and is regularly featured in Empire (film ...
and
Becky Cloonan
Becky Cloonan (born 23 June) is an American comic book creator, known for work published by Tokyopop and Vertigo. In 2012 she became the first female artist to draw the main '' Batman'' title for DC Comics.Beck, Laura (February 8, 2013)"Meet the F ...
* "The Batman: Hiding in Plain Sight" - by Dave Taylor
* "She Lies at Midnite" - by
Adam Hughes
Adam Hughes (born May 5, 1967) is an American comics artist and illustrator best known to American comic book readers for his renderings of pinup-style female characters, and his cover work on titles such as ''Wonder Woman'' and ''Catwoman''. H ...
* "To Beat the Bat" - by Dave Johnson
Volume 5
This contains all-new material.
Issue #1 - December 2020
* "The Demon's Fist" - written by
James Tynion IV
James Tynion IV (born December 14, 1987) is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his work on the Batman franchise at DC Comics, his DC Black Label series ''The Nice House on the Lake'' and his independent series '' Department of ...
, art by
Tradd Moore
* "Weight" - by
JH Williams III
* "Metamorphosis" - written by
G Willow Wilson, art by Greg Smallwood
* "Sisyphus" - by
Emma Rios
Emma may refer to:
* Emma (given name)
Film
* ''Emma'' (1932 film), a comedy-drama film by Clarence Brown
* ''Emma'' (1996 theatrical film), a film starring Gwyneth Paltrow
* ''Emma'' (1996 TV film), a British television film starring Kate Be ...
* "First Flight" - written by
Paul Dini
Paul McClaran Dini (; born August 7, 1957) is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–1995) ...
, art by
Andy Kubert
Andrew Kubert (; born February 27, 1962) is an American comics artist, letterer and writer. He is the son of Joe Kubert and brother of Adam Kubert, both of whom are also artists, and the uncle of comics editor Katie Kubert. He is a graduate of an ...
Issue #2 - January 2021
* "The Unjust Judge" - written by
Tom King, art by Mitch Gerads
* "All Cats are Grey" - by
Sophie Campbell
Sophie Campbell (formerly Ross Campbell) is a comic writer and artist known for her indie comics such as ''Wet Moon'' and ''Shadoweyes'', and for her art on the ''Jem and the Holograms'' comics. She primarily writes and draws characters who are a ...
* "The Spill" - written by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko, art by Gabriel Hardman
* "Dual" - by Dustin Weaver
* "The Devil is in the Detail" - by
David Aja
David Aja (born April 16, 1977) is a Spanish comic book artist, best known for his work on ''The Immortal Iron Fist'' and '' Hawkeye''.
Career
Aja obtained a degree in Fine Arts at the University of Salamanca and served as a member of the facult ...
Issue #3 - February 2021
* "The Cavalry" - written by
John Ridley
John Ridley IV (born 1965) is an American screenwriter, television director, novelist, and showrunner, known for '' 12 Years a Slave'', for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also the creator and showrunner of the a ...
, art by
Olivier Coipel
Olivier Coipel (; November 7, 1969) is a French comic book artist, known for his work on books such as ''House of M'', ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Thor''.
Career
Olivier Coipel started as a movie animator, working as an assistant on ''Balto ...
* "A Kingdom of Thorns" - by Bilquis Evely
* "I am the Bat" - by Bengal
* "Unquiet Knight" - written by
Tim Seeley
Tim Seeley is an American comic book artist and writer known for his work on books such as '' Grayson'', '' Nightwing'', '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'', ''G.I. Joe vs. Transformers'' and ''New Exiles''. He is also the co-creator of the Im ...
, art by
Kelley Jones
Kelley Jones (born July 23, 1962) is an American comics artist best known for his work on ''Batman'' with writer Doug Moench and on '' The Sandman'' with writer Neil Gaiman.
Early life
Kelley Jones was born in Sacramento, California and grew up ...
* "Legacy" - by Nick Dragotta
Issue #4 - March 2021
* "A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham" - written by Joshua Williamson, art by
Riley Rossmo
Riley Rossmo is a Canadian comic book artist and illustrator, known for his work on various Image Comics titles, as well as Marvel Comics' ''Daken: Dark Wolverine''. Rossmo is an instructor at the Alberta College of Art and Design.
Personal lif ...
* "Davenport House" - by
Karl Kerschl
Karl Kerschl is a Canadian comic book artist, best known for his work on DC Comics books, including '' Adventures of Superman'', '' Majestic'', ''All-Flash'', '' Teen Titans: Year One'' and ''Gotham Academy''.
Early life
Kerschl was born in Toron ...
* "The Green Deal" - written by
Chip Zdarsky
Steve Murray (born December 21, 1975), known by the pen-name Chip Zdarsky, is a Canadian comic book artist and writer, journalist, illustrator and designer. He has also used the pseudonym Todd Diamonte. He worked for ''National Post'' for over a ...
, art by Nick Bradshaw
* "Checkmate" - by Daniel Warren Johnson
Issue #5 - April 2021
* "A Father and Son Outing" - by Jorge Jiminez
* "Signals" - by
Lee Weeks
Lee Weeks (born 1962) is an American comics artist known for his work on such titles as ''Daredevil''.
Career
Lee Weeks attended The Kubert School and made his professional comics debut penciling, inking, and lettering a short story ("Friends ...
* "Blue" - written by
Mariko Tamaki
Mariko Tamaki (born 1975) is a Canadian artist and writer. She is known for her graphic novels '' Skim'', ''Emiko Superstar,'' and ''This One Summer'', and for several prose works of fiction and non-fiction."Mariko Tamaki". CBC Radio, '' The Next ...
, art by Emanuela Lupacchino and
Wade Von Grawbadger
Wade von Grawbadger is a comic book artist who is known mostly for his inking work for Marvel and DC comics. He is well known for his collaborations with Stuart Immonen.
Inker DC Comics
* ''Alpha Centurion Special'' #1
* ''Batman Black and White ...
* "The Riddle" - written by
Kieron Gillen
Kieron Michael Gillen (; born 30 September 1975) is a British comic book writer and former video game and music journalist. In comics, Gillen is known for ''Phonogram'' and ''The Wicked + The Divine'', both co-created with artist Jamie McKelvie ...
, art by
Jamie McKelvie
Jamie McKelvie is a cartoonist and illustrator, known for his both work on books such as ''Phonogram'', ''Young Avengers'' and ''The Wicked + The Divine'', and his approach to comic character design.
Career
Since 2003, McKelvie has collaborated ...
* "The Man Who Flies" - by Jamal Campbell
Issue #6 - May 2021
* "The Second Signal" - written by Brandon Thomas, art by
Khary Randolph
Khary Randolph (born January 10, 1979, in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American comic book artist. He has worked on such series as ''Starborn'', ''Charismagic'', ''Tech Jacket'', ''Mosaic'', and ''Excellence''; and for such publishers as Marvel C ...
* "The Abyss" - written by Pierrick Colinet and Elsa Charretier, art by Elsa Charretier
* "Opening Moves" - by Nick Derington
* "Like Monsters of the Deep" - written by
John Arcudi
John Arcudi is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on '' The Mask'' and '' B.P.R.D.'', and his series '' Major Bummer''.
Early life
Arcudi grew up in Buffalo, New York. He attended Columbia University as an English major and ...
, art by James Harren
* "A Thousand Words" - written by
Scott Snyder
Scott Snyder is an American author. He is known for his 2006 short story collection ''Voodoo Heart'', and his comic book writing, including ''American Vampire'', ''Detective Comics'', ''Batman (comic book)#The New 52, Batman'', ''Wytches (comics) ...
, art by
John Romita Jr.
John Salvatore Romita (; born August 17, 1956), known professionally as John Romita Jr., is an American comics artist best known for his extensive work for Marvel Comics from the 1970s to the 2010s. He is the son of artist John Romita Sr.
Early ...
and
Klaus Janson
Klaus Janson (born January 23, 1952) is a German-born American comics artist, working regularly for Marvel Comics and DC Comics and sporadically for independent companies. While he is best known as an inker, Janson has frequently worked as a penc ...
Pin-ups
The fifth volume also includes single-page pin-up renditions of Batman by:
* Max Fiumara
* Dexter Soy
*
Stjepan Šejić
Stjepan Šejić (born November 27, 1981) is a Croatian American comic book, comic book writer and artist, known for his work on the series ''Witchblade'', ''Aphrodite IX'', ''Sunstone (comics), Sunstone'', and ''The Darkness (comics), The Darknes ...
* Ramon Villalobos
* Ariela Kristantina
*
Andie Tong
Andie Tong is a comic book artist, known for his work on books such as ''Green Lantern: Legacy'', ''Legend of Shang-Chi'', ''Tron: Betrayal'', ''Spectacular Spider-Man UK'', ''The Batman Strikes!'' and ''Tangent Comics#Earth-9, Tangent: Superman' ...
* Simone Di Meo
*
Jen Bartel
Jen Bartel is an American illustrator and comic artist, best known for her work for Marvel Comics and Image Comics. She co-created the comic ''Blackbird'' for Image with Sam Humphries. She won an Eisner Award for her work as a cover artist in 2019 ...
*
James Stokoe
__NOTOC__
James Stokoe (born September 4, 1985) is a Canadian comic book artist who is known for his work on such titles as ''Wonton Soup'', '' Orc Stain'' and '' Godzilla: The Half-Century War''.
Along with Corey Lewis, Brandon Graham and Mar ...
*
Amy Reeder
Amy Reeder (born August 25, 1980), formerly known as Amy Reeder Hadley, is an American comic book artist and writer known for her work on titles such as ''Fool's Gold'', ''Madame Xanadu'', ''Batwoman'', and '' Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur''.
Ea ...
*
Jesus Merino
*
Babs Tarr
Barbara Tarr (also known as Babs Tarr) is an American freelance comic book artist who has worked for DC Comics and Image Comics. She is best known for her work on ''Batgirl'' and for her Japanese-style illustrations.
Early life
Babs Tarr grew ...
Collected editions
Motion comics
Warner Premiere
Warner Premiere was an American direct-to-video label of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, itself a subsidiary of Warner Bros.
History Early years (2006–2008)
In 2006, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced that they would enter the market ...
, Warner Bros Digital Distribution, and
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
produced semi-animated adaptations of several of the ''Black and White'' short stories and released them as
motion comics
A motion comic (or animated comic) is a form of animation combining elements of print comic books and animation. Individual panels are expanded into a full shot while sound effects, voice acting, and animation are added to the original artwork. Tex ...
. The motion comics were produced and directed by Ian Kirby and feature an original musical score by composer Adam Fulton and voice-actors, such as
Michael Dobson as the voice(s) of
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
, the
Joker,
Thomas Wayne
Thomas Alan Wayne, M.D. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the father of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and husband of Martha Wayne as well as the paternal grandfather of Damian Wayne. Wayne was introd ...
and
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman.
Pennyworth is depicted as Bruce Wayne's loyal and tireless butler, ...
, John Fitzgerald as
Commissioner Gordon
James W. "Jim" Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane as an ally of Batman, the character deb ...
and
Two-Face
Two-Face is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character was created by Bob Kane and first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #66 (August 1942). As one of Batman's ...
,
Janyse Jaud
Janyse Jaud (, born November 26, 1969) is a Canadian actress, musician and author. Her major voiceover roles include '' Hulk Versus'', '' My Little Pony'', ''Inuyasha'', ''Ed Edd n Eddy'', '' Batman: Black & White'', ''Baby Looney Tunes'', ''War ...
as
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn is a character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker (character), Joker in ''Batman: The An ...
,
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
and
Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne ( Kane) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. She is the mother of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and wife of Thomas Wayne, Dr. Thomas Wayne as wel ...
and
Joseph May
Joseph May is a British-born Canadian actor, who has appeared in television and film. He is best known for his role as Andy Button in the television series ''Episodes'', Paul who was the boyfriend of Sam Colloby, in ''Casualty'', Luke in ''I Live ...
as
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
. Currently 10 episodes divided into two seasons are available via online streaming off of TheWB's website. The episodes are also available for purchase online via Apple's iTunes Store and other distribution channels, such as Amazon's Video On Demand for $0.99/two-episodes.
Season 1 Episode List (debuted on 12/8/2008):
* 1 - Here Be Monsters
* 2 - Broken Nose
* 3 - Two of a Kind
* 4 - Case Study
* 5 - Black and White Bandit
* 6 - Punchline
* 7 - Good Evening Midnight
* 8 - Hide and Seek
* 9 - Night After Night
* 10 - Perpetual Mourning
Season 2 Episode List (debuted on 7/23/2009):
* 1 - I'll Be Watching
* 2 - The Call
* 3 - Monsters in the Closet
* 4 - A Game of Bat and Rat
* 5 - Hands
* 6 - Sunrise
* 7 - In Dreams
* 8 - Heroes
* 9 - Legend
* 10 - Blackout
Critical reaction
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
Comics ranked ''Volume 1'' of ''Batman: Black and White'' #13 on a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels, saying: "Though having just eight pages to tell a story can certainly be confining, it also proves to be liberating. Forced to scrap complex plots but create something indelible, these tales are often parables, send-ups or unforgettable vignettes surrounding the Batman".
Merchandise
Statues
Several ''Batman: Black and White'' statues have been released by
DC Collectibles. Some of these are based on designs used by various artists for their contributions to the three volumes of ''Black and White'' stories, but the line has expanded to include artwork from other titles as well as other characters.
Action figures
Starting in June 2018, some Batman action figures were re-released as black-and-white variants. They come with base stands that are similar to the ones used for the statues.
Mini PVC sets
Starting in May 2019, DC released mini PVC versions of some of the statues. These PVC versions were released in grouped box sets of seven at comics shops and in blind bags/boxes elsewhere.
Awards
* 1997:
[1997 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners]
Comic Book Award Almanac
** Won "
Best Short Story" Eisner Award, for "Heroes"
** Won "
Best Anthology" Eisner Award
** Nominated for "Best Limited Series" Eisner Award
** Nominated for "
Best Short Story" Eisner Award, for "Perpetual Mourning"
** Scott Peterson/Mark Chiarello nominated for "Best Editor" Eisner Award
* 2003: Won "Best Graphic Album--Reprint" Eisner Award, for ''Batman: Black and White Volume 2''
2003 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners
Comic Book Award Almanac
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
*
External links
* DC page
BB&W2013
Digitalmotioncomics reviews of the two collections of motion comics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Batman Black And White
Comics anthologies
Comics by Alan Grant (writer)
Comics by Archie Goodwin (comics)
Comics by Brian Azzarello
Comics by Chris Claremont
Comics by Dave Gibbons
Comics by Dennis O'Neil
Comics by Don McGregor
Comics by Ed Brubaker
Comics by Geoff Johns
Comics by Howard Chaykin
Comics by Jim Lee
Comics by Joe Kelly (comics writer)
Comics by John Byrne (comics)
Comics by John Ostrander
Comics by Keith Giffen
Comics by Len Wein
Comics by Marv Wolfman
Comics by Matt Wagner
Comics by Mike Mignola
Comics by Neil Gaiman
Comics by Paul Dini
Comics by Paul Kupperberg
Comics by Robert Kanigher
Comics by Warren Ellis
Eisner Award winners for Best Anthology
Katsuhiro Otomo