With the Dark Knight having existed for nearly eight decades, it comes as no surprise there have been alternate takes on the character. From popular Elseworlds tales like Gotham by Gaslight to possible futures in which someone such as Damian Wayne takes up the mantle, there never seems to be any shortage of ways to explore the mythos. But one particular addition that has arguably risen above all others has to be that of Batman Beyond.
Swiftly following the cancellation of both The New Batman Adventures and Superman: The Animated Series came WB’s idea to center an animated show around a teenaged Batman. Now, in the wrong hands, this could have been a complete disaster. But thankfully, the genius minds of Bruce Timm, Paul Dini and Alan Burnett were at the helm and we were treated to the adventures of Terry McGinnis, a young man living fifty years into the future who took up Bruce Wayne’s mantle in order to protect a Gotham City dealing with a new wave of supervillains.
Although the show lasted for only three seasons, it’s lived on in the hearts of fans everywhere and even via a number of comic book series continuing its legacy. Up until a few years ago, each of those runs followed the continuity of the TV show, but in the wake of Futures End, DC opted to introduce Terry into proper canon. Granted, he was swiftly replaced by Tim Drake, but to the delight of many, was restored to his rightful position just in time for Rebirth.
And while series writer Dan Jurgens has done a heck of a job carving out the path for this iteration of Terry for the past year or so, it’s hard not to experience nostalgia for the cartoon when browsing the gallery above. Perhaps it’s the inclusion of the Royal Flush Gang – who repeatedly gave our young hero headaches on the small screen – or the fact that Phil Hester’s artwork seriously channels the original tie-in comics, but this Batfan can’t help but feel right at home.
For more, be sure to check out the official synopsis below:
“The Long Payback” part two! The Royal Flush gang continues to deal Batman a deadly hand, but Terry soon discovers they’re not the only ones after him. Someone behind the scenes is coordinating an attack of Batman’s greatest villains against him, forcing Batman to overcome multiple threats if he has any hope of discovering who’s pulling the strings and manipulating Neo-Gotham’s underworld against him.
Batman Beyond #15 arrives in comic shops next Wednesday, December 27.
Credits:
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artist: Phil Hester
Cover: Bernard Chang
Variant Cover: Dave Johnson