No, it’s not a sequel. But the latest graphic novel from DC Black Label, Batman: The Impostor, surely manages to take us on a new adventure as a follow-up to the Matt Reeves film.
It is undeniable, true Batman fans are already looking forward to the sequel to the Matt Reeves film, but it will arrive in a few years, so a great option to continue the story of Bruce Wayne as the Dark Knight is Batman: The Impostor.
Do not miss: Paul Dano will write the comic Riddler: Year One, a prequel to The Batman
Written by screenwriter Mattson Tomlin (Project Power) and drawn by Andrea Sorrentino (Green Arrow/Joker: Killer Smile), DC’s graphic novel Black Label isn’t technically set in the same continuity as the hit film, but it does give a very good look. impression of her.
The aesthetics, tone and characterizations are similar to the film starring Robert Pattinson. In other words, if you got hooked on The Batman and want more of that world, this is an excellent story to help you out until the long-awaited sequel arrives.
Much like the Matt Reeves movie, this story shines a light on how fragile the Batman operation is. The Dark Knight’s mission faces three critical threats: an impostor who destroys his image, an officer who approaches him, and a psychotherapist who threatens to expose his secret.
As you read the story, you really get the sense that Batman is one misstep away from being unmasked, killed, or both.
This is not the Batman of the conventional DC Universe who is constantly three steps ahead of everyone else. This Dark Knight version questions himself at times and is more isolated than ever.
Alfred resigned and Jim Gordon lost his position on the force for colluding with the vigilante. Batman barely survives each night he patrols the streets, building tension throughout the story that each day he could be the last.
Fire friend?
The psychotherapist in question is Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a name bat fans will probably recognize, and she’s not kidding. Like her DC Universe counterpart, Leslie does not approve of Bruce’s mission and worries about the effect Batman has on his mental health.
When Bruce shows up bloodied and beaten on Leslie’s doorstep, she considers sending him to Arkham. As an alternative, the psychotherapist makes a deal with Bruce: if he shows up for a therapy session every morning at dawn, she will keep his secret. If she is late or skips a session, she will call the police and her life as Batman will be over.
Over the years, Batman’s state of mind has been debated, and Dr. Thompkins has her own theories. At one point, she sees signs of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in Bruce. This does not mean that Batman is crazy.
These disorders are common and millions of people live with them. The stigma around mental health is not what it used to be, allowing us to have open and honest conversations about these topics.
However, Dr. Thompkins presents Bruce Wayne with some hard truths about himself and his state of mind and asks him some tough questions about the decisions he’s making.
Playing with fire
One of those options is Bruce’s romance with Detective Blair Wong, a Gotham City Police Department officer tasked with bringing Batman to justice. With Jim Gordon gone, Batman needs a way into the GCPD, which is where Wong comes in. Bruce admits to Dr. Thompkins that he is using Wong, but that he too fell in love with her.
The problem is that Detective Wong is getting closer to Batman and his secret identity. Needless to say, Batman is playing with fire. We won’t spoil how it all ends, other than to say that no matter how messy you imagine, the reality is much more complicated.
There is also the impostor who has started killing criminals in the name of Batman; after all, he is right there in the title. One of the Dark Knight’s strengths has always been his anonymity, but now that has become a weapon against him.
After all, even if Batman brings his impostor to justice, how can anyone prove that Batman really did commit the murders? Doubt is a powerful weapon, and now it has the power to end Batman’s entire mission. He’s already in a fragile place without his traditional support system, and now the walls could be coming down.
The perfect complement to The Batman
Batman: The Impostor may not be a movie, but the story Tomlin and Sorrentino tell seems cinematic. The characters and world are gritty, realistic and down to earth, situations are nuanced and the stakes are real.
Sorrentino’s art is based on Tomlin’s script, resulting in a noir-tinged world filled with desperate people. Batman: The Impostor pushes the Dark Knight to moral and physical limits and is essential reading for anyone looking to visit Gotham again.
It may interest you: These are the comics that inspired the plot of The Batman
Source: DC Comics
An impostor has taken the place of Batman in SMASH and DC Comics
Bruce Wayne’s mission as Batman has only been in action for a year or less, but he knows he’s making a difference. Unfortunately, he has also made some powerful enemies.
All of Gotham’s influential people resent the disturbance Batman has brought to the city…and it seems that one of them has a plan to neutralize him. A second Batman stalks rooftops and alleyways, and he has no problem murdering criminals, live and direct.
Director Mattson Tomlin teams with Eisner Award-winning artist Andrea Sorrentino to create Batman: The Impostor, a new version of Gotham City, founded in a grim reality.
Every hit leaves bones broken and every action has consequences beyond Batman’s imagination!
Also being read:
This Is What Henry Cavill Would Look Like As Batman
This is what Robert Pattinson looks like as Batman
The most expensive movies in Hollywood
Gallants who have played ‘Batman’
Batman would die from flying like he does