DC Comics to dethrone Bruce Wayne as Batman in favour of armour-wearing superhero
Creators hope the change to Batman's character will attract new readers
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Your support makes all the difference.Sorry Bruce Wayne, there’s going to be a new Batman roaming the streets of Gotham City.
The creators of Batman are retiring Wayne and bringing in a new Dark Knight as DC Comics gears up for the annual Free Comic Book Day giveaways.
It has yet to be revealed who the new Batman will be, but the creators have said he will wear a manga-style suit of armour instead of a cape.
Author Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo say the upcoming storyline in Batman #41 will “change all the pieces on the table”.
Snyder said: “The character we’re putting under the cowl never expected it, never saw it coming and never set out to be Batman. It comes out of left field, and he realises that he's the only one that can make it make sense.“
But he added that Wayne will not be gone for good.
“He might not be under the cowl when the story starts but his presence will be a big part of the story and shape it,” he said.
Batman is one of the most enduring comic book superheroes, who will be portrayed by Ben Affleck in the upcoming movie Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice next year.
Wayne’s departure from Batman follows the many changes comic book superheroes have undergone in recent year.
Marvel has recast a version of Spider-Man as a multi-racial teenager, Thor as a woman and a black Captain America, while DC Comics have reimagined icons like Superman and Wonder Woman in a company-wide reboot.
Free Comic Book Day on Saturday 2 May sees comic book stores offer some free comic books to readers in the hope of bringing in new fans.
Synder said he hopes the changed Batman will bring in new fans to the book.
“This gives us a new lease on the book, and it gives hopefully fans a sense of how fun Batman can be,” he said.
With additional reporting from the Associated Press.
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