You don't have to be a comic book fan to know Batman's origin story. As a child, Bruce Wayne's parents are gunned down in front of him in a Gotham City alleyway, inspiring him to eventually become a Caped Crusader. Been there, seen that. A lot.
Now, though, a new DC Comics series will explore what would have happened had Batman's story taken place during real-life historical events in the pages of Batman: Dark Age. Written by Mark Russell with art by Mile Allred, we'll get to see the Dark Knight in a whole new light.
"Meet Bruce Wayne, Gotham’s favorite delinquent son. In an origin story like no other, witness the boy become a dark knight shaped by a city in turmoil as it marches towards its prophesied doom," reads DC's official description.
"Set against the backdrop of actual historical events, [in Batman: Dark Age] Gotham comes alive, filled with the iconic characters who’ve loved and hated Batman over the years like you’ve never seen them before," it continues. "Spinning out of the Eisner-nominated Superman: Space Age, Mark Russell and Mike Allred return to give audiences a look at Batman as a figure in American history fighting for justice in a world gone mad."
The comic will run for six issues, with each instalment running for 40 pages (roughly double the length of a standard comic).
Today, we have a selection of preview pages from the series, including a surprisingly brutal take on the death of Thomas Wayne. Batman can also be seen swooping into action, with him seemingly targeting the same gang that killed his parents. There's also what looks to be a glimpse into the future, with an elderly Bruce in a rest home.
We're intrigued to see where Batman: Dark Age takes the iconic superhero, especially as those early years have been explored in countless mediums.
That's likely why DC Studios has decided to head down a slightly different route in The Brave and the Bold, with us set to meet a fully formed Batman who discovers he has a son, Damian Wayne, years after he first started protecting Gotham City. Matt Reeves' The Batman also skipped the origin story, instead setting the story during Bruce's second year as the Dark Knight.
Check out these new preview pages for this comic below.
BATMAN: DARK AGE #1
Written by MARK RUSSELL
Art by MIKE ALLRED, LAURA ALLRED
Cover Art by MIKE & LAURA ALLRED
On sale on March 26