Filipino cartoonist Manix Abrera announced on Tuesday, December 28, that he was tapped by DC Comics for a variant cover of Batman: The Knight, marking his first collaboration with the U.S. publication. Abrera, best known for his surreal and philosophical take on life in the Philippines in his own Kikomachine Komix, shared a copy of the cover to his Instagram page. The issue was written by Chip Zdarsky and illustrated by Carmine Di Giandeomenico and according to Comic Oddysey, it's set for release in the third or fourth week of January.
Manix Abrera on his Batman: The Knight Cover for DC Comics
Batman: The Knight, first announced by DC in October, is a 10-issue miniseries that explore’s Bruce Wayne’s past, particularly his life between the death of his parents and his return to Gotham City years later. For the cover, Abrera said he mixed his art style—inspired by the supernatural and the surreal—to show how Bruce Wayne becomes the Caped Crusader.
"Inisip ko na bagay 'yong story ni Batman sa kuwento ng mga alchemy, 'yung pag-drawing nila kung paano sila umaakyat sa stairs ng wisdom para maka-transmutate ng base metal into gold," he said." So inisip ko, ah parang Bruce Wayne na nag-aaral siya para maging Batman, para kumbaga maging golden siya." Abrera said he felt pressured yet happy with the opportunity, adding "game na game sila sa ganung art style ko."
Abrera said Next Comic Art, a group which makes original artwork based on superheroes, noticed how his art style fit the Batman narrative. The group, along with comic-book shops Comic Odyssey and Sanctum Sanctorum Comics & Oddities, then pitched his work to DC Comics.
"Nagulat na lang ako kasi in-email ako nung editor ng DC Comics for Batman, si Ben Abernathy. Nagulat ako na ino-offer nila na gumawa ako ng variant cover," he told CNN Philippines on Wednesday.
The Batman: The Knight comic designed by Manix Abrera will be available for pre-order at Comic Odyssey and Sanctum Sanctorum Comics & Oddities this January.
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