Batman’s childhood hero, The Gray Ghost, will return to the the Batman universe in the White Knight series this November, and he may find himself in the crosshairs of a serial killer! In an interview with ScreenRant, writer Katana Collins confirmed the character would appear in the second issue of Batman: White Knight Presents Harley Quinn, in stores November 24th.
The Gray Ghost first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series, in an episode entitled “Beware the Gray Ghost.” Voiced by legendary Batman actor Adam West, The Gray Ghost was actually a television character, played by actor Simon Trent;. He was a childhood hero of Bruce Wayne, who had toys and posters of the Ghost in his room. The Ghost’s look was based on the pulp vigilante The Shadow—also an influence on Batman. When a series of explosions around Gotham was blamed on Trent, bitter and angry over being typecast after the show ended, he had to team up with Batman to clear his name; this led to a resurgence in Trent’s acting career. At least two versions of the character have appeared in the mainstream DC Universe, but this will make the character’s first appearance in the White Knight Universe, an alternate universe where the Joker becomes the hero of Gotham that was created by Sean Murphy.
In the interview, Collins stated she would be bringing in some of her favorite Batman characters, much in the way Murphy did in his original mini-series, and Gray Ghost was one of them. Collins pointed out that Ghost’s appearance was “not just a cameo,” and that he was integral to the story. Collins also said the Ghost would make multiple appearances throughout the series.
The Ghost’s appearance ties directly into the events of the story. A serial killer named Starlet is killing actors and actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age - a category the Ghost’s alter ego Simon Trent falls squarely into. Harley Quinn has come out of retirement to stop Starlet, and this will bring her into contact with the Ghost.
A number of characters from Batman: The Animated Series have made the jump to comics since the show premiered: Harley Quinn, Renee Montoya and more recently Phantasm. “Beware the Gray Ghost” is one of the series’ most popular episodes, so Ghost making the transition makes sense. Collins has found a unique angle to bring the character into the comics; crossing him over with fellow Animated Series alumni Harley Quinn is a stroke of genius, so look for The Ghost to continue to make an impact on Batman.