"Hush," the classic Batman story published in 2002 and 2003, is receiving a special 20th-anniversary rerelease this year that features five new pages courtesy of the original creators, writer Jeph Loeb and illustrator Jim Lee.
Batman: Hush 20th Anniversary Edition includes the original twelve-part story originally released in Batman #608-619 alongside a host of extra materials, including sketches and annotations by Lee. Also included in the upcoming release are five pages that take place after Batman #619 and delve into events after Hush's conspiracy against Bruce Wayne came to a close. Two panels revealed on IGN show Batman swimming in a harbor and examining a sunken ship. Batman remarks that the ship's hull is lead, which likely prevented Superman from assisting him in his search. He then stumbles upon a watery corpse clad in a Lexcorp outfit.
What's Happening In These Five New "Hush" Pages?
While the identity of the corpse remains a mystery, it's likely that Batman is searching for the body of Tommy Elliot, the man who wrapped himself in bandages, took the name Hush and concocted an elaborate plan to destroy the Dark Knight. Batman #619 climaxed in a fight on a wharf between Batman and Hush that ended when Harvey Dent arrived on the scene and shot Elliot, causing him to fall into the ocean. Harvey had undergone facial surgery at the time and temporarily subdued his violent Two-Face alter ego. While he had briefly interacted with Tommy Elliot and was privy to his plan to destroy Batman, Harvey ultimately took the side of the Caped Crusader.
Later in the issue, Batman meets with Superman in the Batcave, and the pair discuss Elliot's fate. The Man of Steel -- who was also dragged into Hush's conspiracy after Poison Ivy drugged him with synthetic kryptonite -- remarks, "I searched the harbor with the storm. His body was probably dragged out to sea." Tommy Elliot would later resurface to become one of Batman's more prominent villains, and the entire "Hush" saga would be adapted into a 2019 animated feature. The plot was significantly changed, however, turning Hush into an alternate identity for the Riddler while the original story saw the two villains working together to take down Batman.
Batman: Hush 20th Anniversary Edition comes from Loeb, Lee, inker Scott Williams, colorist Alex Sinclair and letterer Richard Starkings. Aside from the new pages, the collection features all-new cover art by Lee and is slated for release on Oct. 18.
Source: IGN