While the Future State event has been dominating DC Comics' January and February release schedule, the present day DC Universe will be returning in March, and DC's Ghost-Maker.
While Ghost-Maker is fairly new introduction for readers, the mysterious vigilante was apparently Bruce Wayne's best friend during his formative years as he trained to become Batman. The pair trained together for a time, until Bruce confessed and revealed his mission to avenge his parents' deaths by serving justice. This led to a falling out between the two young men, as Ghost-Maker believed that fighting crime and the sins of the world should be done purely for the sake of the act itself. While Batman would try to reconnect with Ghost-Maker over the years, he had always failed, at least until very recently. Now, Ghost-Maker has agreed to help Batman in his crusade against criminals in Gotham, ing his circle of allies known as the Bat Family.
Thanks to DC's April solicitations, it's been revealed that Ghost-Maker will be getting his own miniseries in the form of backup stories in James Tynion IV's Batman, featuring art by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz. The first part of The Legend of the Ghost-Maker will come at the end of Batman #107, which will also feature the return of Batman's iconic villain Scarecrow. Here's the cover art from Jorge Jimenez and synopsis from DC Comics, as well as preview pages for the Ghost-Maker story teased by Tynion on Twitter:
- BATMAN #107
- Written by JAMES TYNION IV
- Art and cover by JORGE JIMENEZ
- Backup story art by RICARDO LOPEZ ORTIZ
- Card stock variant cover by SCO MATTINA
- Tensions are sky-high in Gotham City following the events at Arkham Asylum, and public opinion and unrest are starting to boil over. The Dark Knight has his hands full juggling the investigation of the reappearance of an old enemy and the rise of a new gang in Gotham called the Unsanity Collective...Gotham City is getting more dangerous by the minute!
- Plus, in part one of “Legend of the Ghost-Maker,” James Tynion IV and Ricardo Lopez Ortiz tell the most insane tale of action and adventure featuring Batman’s frenemy Ghost-Maker! This one is not to be missed!
While Batman and Ghost-Maker seemed to be friends again by the end of Batman #105, the synopsis still lists them as frenemies. Could that indicate that there will still be bumps in the road ahead for the duo? It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to see Ghost-Maker struggling to fully adhere to Batman's no killing rule. In any case, discovering the origins and past of Ghost-Maker will no doubt be a wild ride, and it will also be interesting to see if he can truly acclimate to Gotham as a member of the Bat Family going forward. The Legend of the Ghost-Maker begins in Batman #107, releasing this April from DC Comics.
