Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: Batman, Batman Black And White, dc comics, dc fandome

Confirmed: Batman Black & White Returns in December

Earlier this year, Bleeding Cool reported that DC Comics had moved some creators from certain books onto a new Batman: Black And White series, rather than furlough them or tell them to stop working. Today, DC Comics has confirmed that series exists and will be launching in December.

Batman Black and White was a series of comic book limited series published by DC from 1996 featuring 8-page black and white Batman stories. It began when editor Mark Chiarello hosted a dinner table discussion with a few famous comic-book artists who talked about what single complete run of comics one would be happy to be stranded on a desert island with, and all agreed on Warren Publishing's Creepy. A magazine that included that of Alex Toth, Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson, Angelo Torres, Gene Colan, Steve Ditko, Bernie Wrightson, Richard Corben and more, written and edited by Chiarello's own mentor Archie Goodwin.

Chiarello pitched to DC the idea of a Batman-themed black and white anthology from the best artists around, and was a major success for the publisher, the first issue including stories by the likes of Ted McKeever, Bruce Timm, Joe Kubert with a final story by Archie Goodwin, and José Antonio Muñoz. Subsequent issues included work by Walter Simonson, Richard Corben, Kent Williams, Neil Gaiman and Simon Bisley, Katsuhiro Otomo, Brian Bolland and Bill Sienkiewicz.

Warners produced semi-animated adaptations of several of the Black and White short stories and released them as motion comics. Several Batman: Black and White statues have been released by DC Collectibles. Some of these are based on designs used by various artists for their contributions to the three volumes of Black and White stories, since spinning off into action figure and plastic versions.

DC made Mark Chiarello redundant last year, a move that seemed to predict the recent layoffs as well. But his biggest success Batman: Black And White is being revived without him as a six-issue 48 page $5.99 prestige format series launching on December 8th.

The line-up includes:

• Paul Dini & Andy Kubert
• Tim Seeley & Kelley Jones

• Emma Rios

• John Arcudi & James Harren

• Gabriel Hardman & Corinna Bechko
• JH Williams III

• Tom King & Mitch Gerads

• G. Willow Wilson & Greg Smallwood

• Sophie Campbell
• David Aja
• Dustin Weaver

• Bilquis Evely

• Joshua Williamson & Riley Rossmo
• James Tynion IV & Tradd Moore

• Lee Weeks

• Chip Zdarsky & Nick Bradshaw
• And many more!

The debut issue features cover art by Batman artist Greg Capullo.

Each issue will also include two variant covers, one featuring Batman, the other featuring his foes. For issue #1, Peach Momoko provides a cover featuring Talia al Ghul.

While J.H. Williams provides his own rendition of Batman.

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