With the 30th anniversary of The Dark Knight Returns on the horizon — not to mention a movie that takes many cues from the seminal Batman story — DC is obviously looking to revisit the 1986 classic to hook new fans, and of course, rake in boatloads of cash.
We already know that The Dark Knight III: The Master Race is set to hit shelves this month, but now, the publisher has officially announced another entry in the Dark Knight saga: The Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade.
Co-written by both Frank Miller and Brian Azzarello, The Last Crusade is a one-shot story set before the events of Miller's 1986 story, only this time, he won't be providing the art. That job belongs to industry vet John Romita Jr.
In an interview over at DCComics.com, Romita talked about the story, but obviously was mum on many of the particulars.
"I can’t say much, but I can say this book’s a prequel to Dark Knight Returns and it’s got a lot to do with Jason Todd and what happens to him at the hands of the Joker," Romita said. "All this was only touched on in Dark Knight Returns. We know Jason Todd met his end, but this is going to tell the story of how he met his end and what transpires up to that point."
How does it feel for Romita to be working on a prequel to one of the most renowned superhero comics of all time? Well, let's just say the artist isn't very familiar with the source material.
"You’re going to laugh. The first time I read it was about a month and a half ago," the artist told DCComics.com "In 1986, when it came out, I looked at the artwork. I love Frank’s work. But I never really paid attention to the dialog. With as many comics as I have lying around, I often don’t read the dialog. I’m a fan of the artists. I was not looking to read Dark Knight Returns, I wanted to see the artwork and follow it storywise."
Despite never actually having read The Dark Knight Returns, Romita is going to have to capture the spirit that Miller gave the book nearly 30 years ago. That might be daunting for some artists, but the two have actually worked together before on Marvel's Man Without Fear — a reimagining of the Daredevil origin story — back in the early '90s.
The Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade will hit shelves on Feb. 17, 2016.
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