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In an effort to take another step towards inclusion and equality, DC Comics is reportedly set to introduce a black Batman to their comic book universe next year.
According to Rich Johnston of Bleeding Cool, DC Comics is set to introduce a black Batman in the summer of 2020 leading into 2021. Additionally, the report states that the character will not be Bruce Wayne nor Duke Thomas, the young Gotham City boy who took up the mantle of Robin following Batman’s disappearance.
Given the wild success of Marvel Comic’s Miles Morales version of Spider-Man (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is considered by some to be the best Spider-Man movie ever made), it should come as no surprise that DC Comics is looking to make their most famous character, Batman, a symbol of inclusion as well.
At this time, while not much else is known about the character, it would not be the first time that someone other than Bruce Wayne has donned the cape and cowl of the Batman. At various points in DC Comics history, the mantle of Batman has been taken over by various Batfamily characters, such as Azrael, Nightwing (Dick Grayson), his son Damian Wayne, Jim Gordon, and a variety of Robins.
Batman is also set to make his return to the big screen the following year, as Robert Pattinson is set to star as Bruce Wayne in 2021’s The Batman.
The Batman, which was originally set to be written, directed by, and starring Ben Affleck, will instead see Pattinson take over as a younger Dark Knight, as Warner Bros. hopes to reboot the character following the disappointing Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.
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Eric is a New York City-based writer who still isn’t sure how he’s allowed to have this much fun for a living and will tell anyone who listens that Gotham City is canonically in New Jersey. Contact him on Twitter or at eric@brobible.com.