DC announced that Ram V and Rafael Albuquerque are taking over as the creative team behind Detective Comics.
As of Issue #1062, V and Albuquerque's Batman story will see the Caped Crusader embark on a "high Gothic story like nothing he’s seen, or heard, before." Starting with "Gotham Nocturne" part 1 of 4: "Overture," the Caped Crusader's city is seemingly playing host to a quiet invasion of demons who have been lured out of the shadows by a strange melody. Beyond the growing darkness, the haunting song is seemingly having an effect on Gotham's citizens, transforming them into something sinister. While Bruce Wayne contends with this new threat, he must also confront a looming dread that begins to overwhelm his senses, causing him to fear his inner demons and his own looming mortality. V and Albuquerque will be joined by backup story writer Si Spurrier, who will be exploring other parts of Gotham City, starting with Jim Gordon's return to private investigating. The new team will be taking the reins from writers Mariko Tamaki and Nadia Shammas, artists Ivan Reis and Danny Miki, backup writer Sina Grace and backup artist David Lapham.
"It's a thrill to be writing a title with the kind of history and pedigree that Detective Comics has," said V. "When the opportunity first came across my desk, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. For me, the draw of Batman as a character and that of the world around him had always been this blanket of tragedy that lay above it all. So, with that perspective, ‘Gotham Nocturne’ is a quintessentially Batman story, told with the aesthetics of a gothic opera."
"I'm lucky to be working with a fantastic group of creatives and editors on the project," continued V. "It is hard to envision a more perfect set of collaborators than Rafael Albuquerque and Dave Stewart. Both of them are already titans in their own right but I think they are great fits particularly for the aesthetic lens of the story. I cannot wait for readers to experience what we're creating. It is an ambitious story. One that is hopefully worthy of the title that puts the DC in DC!" V is also currently writing Aquaman: Andromeda, a mini-series that will put a horror-themed twist on the titular hero.
Albuquerque discussed his excitement about joining Detective Comics, noting that V's take on Batman is a fresh spin on the classic character. "Batman is a legend we all grew up with and most of us spent a lot of time just imagining what we would do if we were in this position," said Albuquerque. "That’s how serious Batman is to me and I have been lucky enough to do a little bit of it over my time as an artist. Ram V brings something special to the table. Unique. Ram’s story not only matches my vision of this beloved character but also twists it, elevating it to another level, making me want to be part of this special new take, that I think is going to be as special to the fans as it’s been for me."
Detective Comics #1062 will feature a main cover drawn by Evan Cagle and variant covers by Lee Bermejo and J.H. Williams III. A 1:25 variant cover by InHyuk Lee and a 1:50 foil variant by J.H. Williams will also be available. Artists Ivan Reis will return to the book in Issue #1066 to further explore Gotham's shadowy corners.
Detective Comics #1062 goes on sale on July 26 from DC. The publisher also confirmed that Detective Comics will return to a monthly schedule starting from Issue #1062.
Source: DC