BATMAN Writer to Pen New DARK KNIGHT Comics, Set for a Fall Release

BATMAN fans are in for a surprise 14 years in the making.

DC Comics has announced that Frank Miller will be writing a BATMAN sequel, THE DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE. This reportedly final sequel follows the 1986 comic THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS and THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN, from 2001. In celebration of BATMAN's 30th anniversary, THE DARK KNIGHT III will have eight issues, published twice a month beginning this fall.

"Batman remains my favourite comic book hero and a sequel to Dark Knight is going to be daunting," Miller said. "But we'll do our best." Writer Brian Azzarello will co-pen the new series.

Batman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as well as its associated media. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). Originally named "the Bat-Man," the character is also referred to by such epithets as "the Caped Crusader," "the Dark Knight," and "the World's Greatest Detective."

Batman is the secret identity of Bruce Wayne, an American billionaire, industrialist, and philanthropist. Having witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, he swore revenge on criminals, an oath tempered with a sense of justice. Wayne trains himself both physically and intellectually and dons a bat-themed costume to fight crime.[6] Batman operates in the fictional Gotham City, assisted by various supporting characters including his butler Alfred Pennyworth, his crime-fighting partner Robin, the police commissioner Jim Gordon, and occasionally the heroine Batgirl. He fights a large assortment of villains, often referred to as the "rogues gallery," which includes the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Two-Face, Ra's al Ghul, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and Clayface. Unlike most superheroes, he does not possess any superpowers; he makes use of intellect, detective skills, science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, martial arts skills, an indomitable will, fear, and intimidation in his continuous war on crime.

Batman became popular soon after his introduction and gained his own comic book title, Batman, in 1940. As the decades progressed, differing interpretations of the character emerged. The late 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, culminating in 1986 with The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, followed by Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison. The success of Warner Bros.' live-action Batman feature films have helped maintain public interest in the character.

An American cultural icon, Batman has been licensed and adapted into a variety of media, from radio to television and film, and appears on a variety of merchandise sold all over the world such as toys and video games. The character has also intrigued psychiatrists with many trying to understand the character's psyche. In May 2011, Batman placed second on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time, after Superman. Empire magazine listed him second in their 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time. The character has been portrayed in films by Lewis Wilson, Robert Lowery, Adam West, Michael Keaton, Kevin Conroy, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, and soon by Ben Affleck in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.