MTV Geek broke the news today that DC Comics is prepping a six-part Batman: Black and White mini series for the Fall. After a four-issue run in the mid 90s, the acclaimed achromatic anthology concept was relegated to backups in the Gotham Knights ongoing. Many new readers might only know the moniker through DC Direct’s line of grayscale statues, each sculpt based on designs by Mike Mignola, Paul Pope, Darwyn Cooke and many, many others.
Now, it’s looking pricey at $4.99 a pop. Is the prestige of this (frankly) impressive creative lineup enough to lure in readers, especially during September’s Villains Month (when individual issue prices across the line rise to $3.99 before dropping back down again in October)? Then again, many might pass on those standalone issues, leaving room in the budget for something like this.
And, again, that creative lineup is something else. Holy Toledo!
BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE #1
Written by CHIP KIDD, NEAL ADAMS, JOE QUINONES, MARIS WICKS, JOHN ARCUDI and HOWARD MACKIE
Art by MICHAEL CHO, NEAL ADAMS, JOE QUINONES, SEAN MURPHY and CHRIS SAMNEE
Cover by MARC SILVESTRI
1:25 Variant cover by TBD
1:200 B&W Variant cover by MARC SILVESTRI
“We Can Be Heroes” Blank variant cover also available.
On sale SEPTEMBER 4 • 48 pg, 1 of 6, B&W, $4.99 US • RATED T
The legendary, Eisner Award-winning series BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE returns in a brand-new six-issue miniseries featuring tales of The Dark Knight by some of comics’ greatest writers and artists! This first issue kicks off with stories by Chip Kidd and Michael Cho, Neal Adams, Joe Quinones and Maris Wicks, John Arcudi and Sean Murphy, and Howard Mackie and Chris Samnee!
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Six issue mini at that price is tailor made for trade waiting.
Amen to that.
Plus, it’ll probably be more enjoyable in the Trade Paperback format.
Guess who’s back
Back again
Wayne is back
Tell a friend
Guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back
guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back..
Damn it!! Who was it that wished for DC to publish another Batman series?! Huh, which one of ya?!…It was me, I did it. And holy shot, how did I miss all the villains month issues were gonna be $3.99?!
*raises hand*
I saw a Batman Black and White Trade at my FLGS and thought it would be cool if DC published cheap black and white Batman stories.
Sorry everyone! Totally my bad!
@IthoSapien, I missed it too at first. I think that DC’s charging us an extra buck for the snazzy “3D motion” covers they’re slapping on all of them. I suspect that I’ll be skipping most of them . . .
@Cosmo, feels like we’re being taken for a ride. I read an interview with Dan Didio and even tho the 3-D is high tech he said that the paper was only moderately costly (not as expensive as the usual 3-D paper). I think it’s cool and all, but I really don’t know if I could afford buying so many $3.99 issues. It also doesn’t seem like a good way to attract new readers, I think most of the Zero issues were $2.99 or the same cost as the other issues in the series. I know people dig the villains and that’s the draw but that only goes so far. I’ve got some thinking to do on the issue…
Plus, didn’t we just do a villains month theme sometime in the past few years? As far as pricing, I think that DC is dipping their toes into the Marvel approach, which is why I’ll be voting against it the best way I know how: cutting back where they raise the price. All of the zero issues were the same price as a regular monthly issue. So, yeah, I agree that something fishy is goin’ on . . .
Honestly, from what I’ve seen of the offerings so far the only one that has me thinking “must read even at 4 bucks” is the Dial E issue.
@Cosmo, I don’t recall another Villian’s Month in the last few years but then I only jumped into (besides batman) DC with the New 52. I can’t fault DC for trying to emulate Marvel, Marvel has been gonging money on their books for awhile so I guess that sends a message to publishers that people will spend that kind of money!
I really really really don’t want to spend $3.99 on ALL my DC books, but I guess for stuff like “Dial H” thats been $2.99 forever and no high-priced disappointing annuals I can spare $3.99 for the Dial E issue. Like I said, I have to think on it. Most of the other $3.99 series I buy either have Very consistant quality and/or are movie licenses (GhostBusters).
Take my money!
Honestly, except for Adams & Samnee on art, the creators involved don’t yell must buy to me. I’ll be waiting on this one . . .
This new Batman B/W is just another chance for others not ‘into’ comics, so to speak, to be introduced to the love of the art form.
I say that because people like my sainted wife get confused by all of the colors. …After all these years. Am I up against a brick wall, or what?
Anything that works, right? I refuse to be defeated.
Ohhhhhh yeaahhhhh!!
I have all of the Black and White series in trade and this is making me so happy right now! Look at that line up for the first issue! If they put a tiny bit of effort like they did in the original incarnation then this is going to be one hell of a mini. The price is a bit high but it’ll be worth it. Considering how I might be dropping off DC books for a months to Villains Month I think I can afford a $5 book for once.
Agreed, I’ll at least be getting this first issue for the artist line-up alone. Plus I’m a big Arcudi fan, so I’m interested in what he’ll do with Bats.
Samnee draws Batman? In black & white? It’s like they’re reading my mind! If Robin’s in that story too, I’m leading the parade through DC’s headquarters!
My DC non-buying ways looks like it’s going to be lifted. Besides, this one looks like it’s probably edited by Mark Chiarello, which makes me pretty happy.
The books are long at 48 pages, the creators are good, and holy moly that Silvestri cover is going to hurt my pocket when I pony up for a black and white 1:200. That is one of THE BEST Batman images I have ever seen. I’m looking forward to this.
This sounds cool but I will trade wait it I think. I have kind of started a strategy of trade waiting stuff that isn’t in current continuity like Legends of the Dark Knight, Batman: Arkham Unhinged, Batman ‘Lil Gotham etc. But it does sound cool.
Keep Neal Adams away from Batman! Please! At least from the writing side of things.
5 bucks for 48 pgs of awesome creators. Ok. Sure. Sign me up. For the size of the book alone justifies the price.
Looks nice.
Can’t wait to read the library’s copy of the trade.
Anyone know if that’s the standard Silvestri cover or 1:200?
It’s definitely worth it but will make a nice deluxe HC edition. The villain month thing should stay at 2.99 just because of this and bet DC would sell more copies of both or retailers will and not have too much overstock on any of it.
“Is the prestige of this (frankly) impressive creative lineup enough to lure in readers, especially during September’s Villains Month (when individual issue prices across the line rise to $3.99 before dropping back down again in October)?”
…In a word: YES.