A new terror more frightening than Batman or Killer Croc stalks the shadows of Gotham City, preying on criminals in the upcoming DC Black Label series Batman: Reptilian. The six-issue series is written by Garth Ennis, co-creator of Preacher and The Boys, and illustrated by artist Liam Sharp, whose notable works include The Green Lantern Season One and The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman. It will be on sale beginning in June.
Gotham City is a breeding ground for monsters, both human and otherwise. Villains with murder and mayhem on their minds lurk in the streets, preying on innocent men, women, and children and striking fear into the hearts of all the city's citizens. But criminals are famously a "cowardly and superstitious lot," and there are things that make even the most terrifying villains afraid. It used to be the Dark Knight who made these evildoers afraid, but now something new haunts the nightmares of Gotham's underworld.
In Batman: Reptilian, this new evil begins hunting down the villains of Gotham City. With its reptilian sights set on the likes of the Joker, Catwoman, Two-Face, the Penguin and Mr. Freeze, this savage creature must be something truly horrifying if it can make Batman's most monstrous rogues afraid for their safety. It will be up to Batman to put a stop to this mysterious terror in Gotham before it hunts down and devours all of his worst enemies. DC Comics has released preview images of the cover by Sharp, the variant by Cully Hamner and the first few pages of this haunting and suspenseful new limited series:
Sharp's artwork is the perfect complement to Ennis's subversive and twisted writing. The stark and moody imagery of Batman confronting criminals in the rain on the steps of a Gotham City courthouse, or intimidating patrons in a bar establish that this will be a Batman tale unlike any other. Its establishes a haunting tone and shadowy atmosphere that ensures it will deliver on its frightening premise and deliver the kind of mature and genre-defying work that readers have come to expect from DC Black Label stories.
The first issue of the limited series will include a variant cover by Cully Hamner of Red and Batman and The Signal fame. There will also be a 1 in 25 ratio variant by legendary artist Bill Sienkiewicz, known for seminal works such as New Mutants and Elektra: Assassin. Batman: Reptilian #1 will be available in comic book stores and digital retailers beginning June 22.
Source: DC Comics