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This week, DC Comics announced a new Black Label series, Batman: City of Madness, from Christian Ward. Ward writes and illustrates the three-issue miniseries. It draws inspiration from Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Gothic to craft a story of cosmic horror and mystery. Now, Ward is taking to social media to show off a sneak peek at the inside of the debut issue. With just art, it is hard to tell what is happening in the three-page preview. However, it does give us the first look at this universe’s Two-Face.
A Nightmarish Gotham
Batman: City of Madness #1 a cosmic horror Batman story written and drawn by myself ( my dream book! ), out from @DCOfficial October 10th.
And here’s your first look inside and of TWO FACE …. pic.twitter.com/VhoSNC5MYt— Christian Ward (@cjwardart) July 26, 2023
Back when news of the series broke, Christian Ward called the book a “dream come true.” He even referenced a past tweet where he showed off a mock-up of Batman: City of Madness alongside the caption, “One day I’ll do my cosmic horror Batman.” Now, he is doing just that with the upcoming Black Label series.
The 48-page miniseries introduces a horrifying landscape beneath the city of Gotham. Known as “Gotham Below,” this realm is steeped in fear and haunting nightmares. Usually, the gateway between this Gotham Below and the Gotham we all know is guarded by the Court of Owls. However, something is wrong, and the door has been opened, allowing a twisted version of Batman to cross over and begin hunting for Robin. Now, Gotham’s Batman must team up with the Court of Owls to stop this menace.
Christian Ward Previews
Taking to Twitter, Christian Ward decided to share some images from the debut issue of Batman: City Of Madness. The first is the cover we have seen in the series’ announcement. Then, a page of panels shows Gotham Below’s Two-Face. This iteration of the classic villain has one normal side, and the other looks to be a mass of red with a nefarious face drawn on top.
Another page is a full Batman illustration. Gotham’s Batman is flying through a ceiling window. The Dark Knight’s wings spread out as glass falls onto some unsuspecting thugs below. Finally, Batman is once again the star of a page that shows him speeding in his Batmobile. Ward’s style is dripping off each of these pages, and Madness is sure to become a cult classic.
