Summary
The villains of Gotham have all had some curious looks over the years, but a new cover gives them their most intriguing redesign yet, including theJoker.Batman: Dark Ageputsa new spin on the Dark Knight’s mythos and fans are getting a look at his classic foes, all of whom have gotten costumes fit for the circus.
Batman: Dark Agehas alreadymade a few interesting tweaks to Bruce Wayne’s history such as his days honing his skills in the jungles of Vietnam. But a look at an upcoming issue adds another change to Batman’s continuity that his fans almost certainly didn’t see coming.
July 24th, 2024
Variant Covers:
Chris Samnee and Jorge Fornes
MARK RUSSELL AND MIKE ALLRED TAKE ON THE DARK KNIGHT LIKE ONLY THEY CAN! Batman’s world begins to grow as the people of Gotham realize they only need a costume to justify their problematic behavior. Fortunately, with Robin at his side and an empowered populace, Batman begins to turn the tide in his war against crime. But he isn’t the only one preparing an army — Falcone is readying his own recruits to take the battle to new lows. Will a figure from Bruce’s past play a key role in the battle to come?
The main cover forBatman: Dark Age #3by Michael Allred shows the Caped Crusader swinging from a trapeze under a big top.Batman’s not alone in the act as he’s joined by Catwoman, Joker, the Penguin, Riddler, and Mad Hatter, each of them dressed in a flamboyant and over-the-top costume.
Batman and Villains Clown Around at the Circus
Batman: Dark Ageis a spin-off of Mark Russell and Allred’s previous seriesSuperman: Space Age, a comic that re-imagines the DC Universe shaped around real-world historical events. This world’s version of Bruce lost his family after they were targeted by Roman Sionis and his False Face Society as part of a criminal conspiracy to take over Wayne Enterprises. In this world, Bruce grows up listless and bored, accustomed to a life of privilege. That is until he’s arrested and later sent to Vietnam,where the future Batman studies the art of war under the command of Ra’s al Ghul.
This isn’t the first time fans have seen this universe’s takes on Batman’s foes asSpace Agehad a huge plot point regarding its Joker’s backstory. However, withDark Ageproviding a much deeper look into Batman’s life, fans are getting a chance ot see Russell and Allred’s take on the iconic foes. Pitting them in a circus tent might be unconventional, but it makes for a pretty funny cover (and one that touches on the origin of Batman’s first Robin).While it remains to be seen what other changes await Batman’s villains, this is a fantastic first look.
Batman’s Best Villains Get a Great Non-Canon Overhaul
One can’t reinvent the Dark Knight without also putting a twist on his greatest foes. While it’s unlikely the Riddler, Penguin and Mad Hatter will actually be portrayed as circus performers, this cover is a fun way of showing off the villains' new designs. It’s outlandish and fun, just as Space Age and Dark Age have been. Who knows what this story has in store when Batman actually confrontsJoker, but it’s undoubtedly going to make for a good time.
Batman: Dark Age #4is available from DC Comics on July 24th.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
