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Batman: The Imposter #1-3
Batman: The Imposter
A unique new vision of Gotham, built to be the logical next step for fans of the 2022 film THE BATMAN!
Bruce Wayne’s mission as the Batman has only been underway for a year or so, but he can tell he’s making a difference in this city. Unfortunately, he’s made some powerful enemies–and not just among the colorful maniacs called “super-villains.” All the traditional power brokers of Gotham resent the disruption the Batman has brought to town… and it seems one of them has a plan to neutralize him. There’s a second Batman haunting Gotham’s rooftops and alleys–and this one has no qualms about murdering criminals, live and on tape. With the entire might of the Gotham City Police Department and Gotham’s rich and powerful coming down on his head, Batman must find this imposter and somehow clear his name…but how can you prove your innocence from behind a mask?
Mattson Tomlin–creator of the hit Netflix series Project Power and director of the upcoming Mother/Android–has teamed up with Eisner-winning suspense and horror artist Andrea Sorrentino (JOKER: KILLER SMILE, Gideon Falls) to create a wholly new version of Gotham City, informed by grim reality, where every punch leaves a broken bone and every action has consequences far, far beyond Batman’s imagination!
Bruce Wayne’s mission as the Batman has only been underway for a year or so, but he can tell he’s making a difference in this city. Unfortunately, he’s made some powerful enemies–and not just among the colorful maniacs called “super-villains.” All the traditional power brokers of Gotham resent the disruption the Batman has brought to town… and it seems one of them has a plan to neutralize him. There’s a second Batman haunting Gotham’s rooftops and alleys–and this one has no qualms about murdering criminals, live and on tape. With the entire might of the Gotham City Police Department and Gotham’s rich and powerful coming down on his head, Batman must find this imposter and somehow clear his name…but how can you prove your innocence from behind a mask?
Mattson Tomlin–creator of the hit Netflix series Project Power and director of the upcoming Mother/Android–has teamed up with Eisner-winning suspense and horror artist Andrea Sorrentino (JOKER: KILLER SMILE, Gideon Falls) to create a wholly new version of Gotham City, informed by grim reality, where every punch leaves a broken bone and every action has consequences far, far beyond Batman’s imagination!
168 pages, Hardcover
First published February 22, 2022
152 people are currently reading
1217 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 430 reviews
July 26, 2025
Awesome book. It is a good story, a bit obvious in places, great artwork, and a decent amount of action as well. It is a good idea to coincide with the movie release to draw Bruce Wayne to look more like Robert Patterson.
Imagine Batman growing up without his other father figure an angry, brilliant, and still very young in his crime fighting career. He has made his mark, but things have changed. Does the city still need or want a Batman, let alone two.
I really enjoyed this book and did the merchant to put it down. The visuals are great and creative. I enjoyed Bruce's story. I found this of Bruce/Batman a lot darker. The fact that he gets injured and scared so much actually works for this book even more. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery.
Imagine Batman growing up without his other father figure an angry, brilliant, and still very young in his crime fighting career. He has made his mark, but things have changed. Does the city still need or want a Batman, let alone two.
I really enjoyed this book and did the merchant to put it down. The visuals are great and creative. I enjoyed Bruce's story. I found this of Bruce/Batman a lot darker. The fact that he gets injured and scared so much actually works for this book even more. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery.
February 28, 2022
In just three years, the Batman has made a huge impact on Gotham crime - but that good work is threatening to be undone as footage of “Batman” executing unarmed prisoners emerges. There’s an imposter out there - but who? Batman and Detective Blair Wong set out to uncover the mystery.
Mattson Tomlin is one of the screenwriters on the Rob Pattinson Batman movie out this week which I’m sure is how he got to write a Batman comic despite having no previous comics credits. And The Imposter reads like a proper comic but it’s also not a very good one either.
Tomlin’s Batman is younger than usual - early to mid-20s - with a more grounded take on the character and his world, focusing on how someone could realistically be Batman: setting up zip lines around the city, rather than relying on the dubious grappling hook, and stashing motorbikes to get around quickly. It makes me wonder if this is what we can expect from the Pattinson movie too.
Not that that’s a bad thing in itself (there’s a detail over why he’s not got access to his family’s billions that’s a clever touch) but I think Tomlin’s fallen into a typical pitfall when writing Batman which is that he's gone much too dark and overly serious. Sure it’s more grounded but it’s also not fun. Sometimes a deathly serious tone works but it’s better if a writer has earned that right by building up to it in a series - which Tomlin hasn’t.
Andrea Sorrentino’s realistic art works well with the story approach, and he does his best to make the pages lively despite Tomlin’s verbose script, but the effect sometimes is that the pages look too busy for what is often a fairly straightforward scene - there’s too many boxes and word balloons cluttering things up, so many of the pages don’t breathe. The lack of colour too adds to the oppressively gloomy atmosphere of the book.
Elements like one character having the same tragic backstory as Bruce, implied domestic abuse between Wesker and his son, and another character blowing their brains out don’t help either. At the end of the day, it’s a story about two guys dressing up as bats and fighting each other - I’m not saying it should swing to the Batman ‘66 end of the spectrum but a little levity would’ve gone a long way.
Still, I appreciated that Tomlin didn’t pick any of Batman’s usual rogues for the story - Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist and Otis Flannegan/Ratcatcher are the two here, both depicted less as villains and more as broken, sad people (realism!). The overall coldness of the book is I think partly due to Alfred, who often serves as the warm heart of Batman, and Gordon, a stalwart confidante, both being excluded from the story - in this timeline Alfred abandons Bruce while he’s still in school and Gordon’s off the GCPD for reasons - so Leslie Thompkins, presented here as Bruce’s therapist, has to step in to nurse Batman’s wounds.
Mirroring seems to be a theme in this story: the Imposter is Batman without his moral code, and Wong is Bruce without his money/desire to mete out vigilante justice, although neither seem to be presented as options we should be favouring. Because what Bruce and Batman are in this book instead is kind of a boring alternative to both: humourless, dull, and quite one-dimensional overall - effective though, apparently.
The romance subplot didn’t really add anything and felt contrived while the reveal of the Imposter’s identity was underwhelming. There are also a couple of sloppy narrative beats, like when some robbers say “He’s real?!” when they see Batman, as if we’re meant to believe no-one in Gotham has seen this figure over the past three years despite having such a supposedly seismic effect on crime. And then later on Batman breaks into Wesker’s facility effortlessly but he needs Wong’s help to break into the GCPD? Come on, it’s the same thing.
There’s not a whole lot to recommend The Imposter. The main draw is Andrea Sorrentino’s art but details here and there show that Mattson Tomlin has put some thought into his realistic take on the character, and it’s a fairly coherent narrative. However it’s also uninteresting, too grim, and ultimately very forgettable. Here’s hoping the new Batman movie is more compelling.
Mattson Tomlin is one of the screenwriters on the Rob Pattinson Batman movie out this week which I’m sure is how he got to write a Batman comic despite having no previous comics credits. And The Imposter reads like a proper comic but it’s also not a very good one either.
Tomlin’s Batman is younger than usual - early to mid-20s - with a more grounded take on the character and his world, focusing on how someone could realistically be Batman: setting up zip lines around the city, rather than relying on the dubious grappling hook, and stashing motorbikes to get around quickly. It makes me wonder if this is what we can expect from the Pattinson movie too.
Not that that’s a bad thing in itself (there’s a detail over why he’s not got access to his family’s billions that’s a clever touch) but I think Tomlin’s fallen into a typical pitfall when writing Batman which is that he's gone much too dark and overly serious. Sure it’s more grounded but it’s also not fun. Sometimes a deathly serious tone works but it’s better if a writer has earned that right by building up to it in a series - which Tomlin hasn’t.
Andrea Sorrentino’s realistic art works well with the story approach, and he does his best to make the pages lively despite Tomlin’s verbose script, but the effect sometimes is that the pages look too busy for what is often a fairly straightforward scene - there’s too many boxes and word balloons cluttering things up, so many of the pages don’t breathe. The lack of colour too adds to the oppressively gloomy atmosphere of the book.
Elements like one character having the same tragic backstory as Bruce, implied domestic abuse between Wesker and his son, and another character blowing their brains out don’t help either. At the end of the day, it’s a story about two guys dressing up as bats and fighting each other - I’m not saying it should swing to the Batman ‘66 end of the spectrum but a little levity would’ve gone a long way.
Still, I appreciated that Tomlin didn’t pick any of Batman’s usual rogues for the story - Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist and Otis Flannegan/Ratcatcher are the two here, both depicted less as villains and more as broken, sad people (realism!). The overall coldness of the book is I think partly due to Alfred, who often serves as the warm heart of Batman, and Gordon, a stalwart confidante, both being excluded from the story - in this timeline Alfred abandons Bruce while he’s still in school and Gordon’s off the GCPD for reasons - so Leslie Thompkins, presented here as Bruce’s therapist, has to step in to nurse Batman’s wounds.
Mirroring seems to be a theme in this story: the Imposter is Batman without his moral code, and Wong is Bruce without his money/desire to mete out vigilante justice, although neither seem to be presented as options we should be favouring. Because what Bruce and Batman are in this book instead is kind of a boring alternative to both: humourless, dull, and quite one-dimensional overall - effective though, apparently.
The romance subplot didn’t really add anything and felt contrived while the reveal of the Imposter’s identity was underwhelming. There are also a couple of sloppy narrative beats, like when some robbers say “He’s real?!” when they see Batman, as if we’re meant to believe no-one in Gotham has seen this figure over the past three years despite having such a supposedly seismic effect on crime. And then later on Batman breaks into Wesker’s facility effortlessly but he needs Wong’s help to break into the GCPD? Come on, it’s the same thing.
There’s not a whole lot to recommend The Imposter. The main draw is Andrea Sorrentino’s art but details here and there show that Mattson Tomlin has put some thought into his realistic take on the character, and it’s a fairly coherent narrative. However it’s also uninteresting, too grim, and ultimately very forgettable. Here’s hoping the new Batman movie is more compelling.
June 18, 2022
A surprisingly solid Batman story. Usually I absolutely hate stories about “realistic” superheroes, but this was well written and the author had a decent voice for Bruce Wayne. It was also helped immensely by the incredible art from Andrea Sorrentino, who continues to be one of my favorite artists in all of comics. Seriously, the action scenes in this book alone make it worth buying at cover price. Batman must clear his name after an Imposter begins murdering cops in the batsuit, but how does one prove their innocence from behind a mask?
Mattson Tomlin, who is an uncredited screenwriter for the upcoming The Batman movie, takes a look at a very different kind of Batman who is more grounded in reality than ever before. I don’t want to give too much away, but it involves, as the titles suggests, a Batman imposter terrorizing the city, while Bruce tries to prove his innocence from behind a mask. As one might expect, this proves to be tricky for a vigilante and there is also a pretty cute love story sprinkled in for kicks. An enjoyable Black Label Batman story, even if it isn’t as funny as Reptilian, or as crazy as Last Knight on Earth. At least it doesn’t fucking suck like Three Jokers did!
Mattson Tomlin, who is an uncredited screenwriter for the upcoming The Batman movie, takes a look at a very different kind of Batman who is more grounded in reality than ever before. I don’t want to give too much away, but it involves, as the titles suggests, a Batman imposter terrorizing the city, while Bruce tries to prove his innocence from behind a mask. As one might expect, this proves to be tricky for a vigilante and there is also a pretty cute love story sprinkled in for kicks. An enjoyable Black Label Batman story, even if it isn’t as funny as Reptilian, or as crazy as Last Knight on Earth. At least it doesn’t fucking suck like Three Jokers did!
February 28, 2023
3.5 stars
"What part of 'You are under arrest' do you not understand?" -- Gotham PD detective Blair Wong
"Either put me down, or let me go. There is no other option." -- an injured but valiant Batman
Seeming to co-exist in the same realm as the recent cinematic The Batman (2022) - and it would possibly make some good sequel material for that film - the graphic novel Batman: The Imposter shadows a still fairly-young Bruce Wayne (and his costumed alter ego) as he tracks a serial killer at work in Gotham. The hook? Said murderer has disguised himself as the Dark Knight and is just about as slippery as the real thing. Additionally, Wayne also romances the lead police investigator working the case as they both share the childhood trauma of witnessing their parents gunned down in the streets AND conducts therapy sessions with a concerned physician friend. It was often stylish throughout (featuring a harsh type of approach to the illustrations . . . not pretty at all, yet still very eye-catching) and carried some substance until an ending that did not quite deliver on the build-up.
"What part of 'You are under arrest' do you not understand?" -- Gotham PD detective Blair Wong
"Either put me down, or let me go. There is no other option." -- an injured but valiant Batman
Seeming to co-exist in the same realm as the recent cinematic The Batman (2022) - and it would possibly make some good sequel material for that film - the graphic novel Batman: The Imposter shadows a still fairly-young Bruce Wayne (and his costumed alter ego) as he tracks a serial killer at work in Gotham. The hook? Said murderer has disguised himself as the Dark Knight and is just about as slippery as the real thing. Additionally, Wayne also romances the lead police investigator working the case as they both share the childhood trauma of witnessing their parents gunned down in the streets AND conducts therapy sessions with a concerned physician friend. It was often stylish throughout (featuring a harsh type of approach to the illustrations . . . not pretty at all, yet still very eye-catching) and carried some substance until an ending that did not quite deliver on the build-up.
July 2, 2023
I think I liked this more than most other reviewers. The thing that really appealed to me is that the page layouts are very creative and imaginative. In fact, I was focusing more on that than on the story itself. So, if you are interested in page layout, I can recommend adding this to your library.
December 19, 2022
This is okay. Feels like it's longer than it should be, and there's a romantic development that is foisted upon the reader, unconvincingly.
Sorrentino does his Sorrentino-thing, which is a bit too clinical and cold to my tastes, and there's maybe an overreliance on fancy page layouts.
June 13, 2022
7.7/10
Batman is after an imposter who takes things too far. The police are after Batman, not knowing is not him killing people.
A darker and grounded approach by Tomlin. The story is good and the correct length, not dragging and losing focus. I liked the art, suits this kind of story very well.
Batman is after an imposter who takes things too far. The police are after Batman, not knowing is not him killing people.
A darker and grounded approach by Tomlin. The story is good and the correct length, not dragging and losing focus. I liked the art, suits this kind of story very well.
January 5, 2022
This was actually a pretty interesting read!
Tomlinson is the writer of the upcoming batman movie of 2022 (as of this time) and it seems like this story takes place there and its amazingly done and he sets up a lot of easter eggs and the main story is an imposter going around murdering people and how does Bruce react to it or stop them and I love the way he handles it with Leslie and this new detective Claire wong and also showing how similar they are and pushing the romance angle and then the revelations and all the drama that comes from it and finally the big reveal and its handled so well and leads to great ending which makes you think a lot of things!
Its brilliantly written and we say realistic take on Batman and this is as close as they come and I love it for that and also the art is good though some moments are confusing but then again its an experimentation done maybe so some are bound to be miss. But speaking of the story its great and I love the inclusion of Leslie here and she is the stand in for audience and you get to experience the insanity or whats happening through her and also mental health topics here! Great read overall and can't wait for sequel to this exciting new world!
Tomlinson is the writer of the upcoming batman movie of 2022 (as of this time) and it seems like this story takes place there and its amazingly done and he sets up a lot of easter eggs and the main story is an imposter going around murdering people and how does Bruce react to it or stop them and I love the way he handles it with Leslie and this new detective Claire wong and also showing how similar they are and pushing the romance angle and then the revelations and all the drama that comes from it and finally the big reveal and its handled so well and leads to great ending which makes you think a lot of things!
Its brilliantly written and we say realistic take on Batman and this is as close as they come and I love it for that and also the art is good though some moments are confusing but then again its an experimentation done maybe so some are bound to be miss. But speaking of the story its great and I love the inclusion of Leslie here and she is the stand in for audience and you get to experience the insanity or whats happening through her and also mental health topics here! Great read overall and can't wait for sequel to this exciting new world!
January 2, 2022
3,5/5
Could be worse, could be better too. The artwork seemed to me to be less good than in other Sorrentino's stuff, but still pretty great. The story was interesting, dark, but I missed something that would make me really feel the characters' emotions and get their actions. The positive thing that I loved about this is how Batman seriously got kicked and hurt.
Could be worse, could be better too. The artwork seemed to me to be less good than in other Sorrentino's stuff, but still pretty great. The story was interesting, dark, but I missed something that would make me really feel the characters' emotions and get their actions. The positive thing that I loved about this is how Batman seriously got kicked and hurt.
March 2, 2022
When director Matt Reeves was first developing his upcoming reboot The Batman, he co-wrote the script with Mattson Tomlin, who is a filmmaker in his own right, having written and directed his debut feature Mother/Android. Although Tomlin remains uncredited on The Batman, his involvement led to him writing his own Batman comic for DC Comics, working alongside with one of the best artists working today, Andrea Sorrentino.
Although I initially thought this comic would tie in with Reeves’ film, Batman: The Imposter is ultimately doing its own thing, albeit yet another grounded, gritty take on the Batman mythos. The story centres on Bruce Wayne, who has only Batman for a couple of years, and during one night after being a bloody pulp, he finds himself reunited his old childhood psychologist, Dr. Leslie Thompkins. As much as Thompkins is determined to help Bruce with his mental state, a Batman imposter is causing chaos in the city through murder, making the real Batman a target of the GCPD, including Detective Blair Wong.
With a narrative that focuses on both an antagonist inspired by Batman’s vigilantism and the psychology of the flawed hero, all of which told in a grounded manner that evokes Year One, Tomlin isn’t breaking any new ground. The first issue is fairly standard in how it sets up in its players and central conflict, but the more you continue reading the book, does it fleshes out an emotional core.
In terms of how it takes liberties with the mythos is interesting, as seen in flashbacks where we see Alfred struggling to parent Bruce as a young, difficult child and seems to be no longer in Bruce’s current life. Also, James Gordon is no longer a policeman due to his alliance with the Batman, tying to an old case that plays a huge part in the story. Some members of the rogues gallery appear, including one who is featured prominently, but only pays off towards the very end, the story is more fixated with its new characters.
There are characters who mirror one another, whether it is Batman facing a version of himself that doesn’t mind the bloodshed, or Bruce forming a dynamic with Blair, who went a similar trauma as a child like Bruce’s. Considering how emo Bruce gets in the story, Blaire serves as a nice counter as she serves as a co-protagonist and their relationship brings out the emotional core, as well as showing a life that Bruce could have outside of the Batman.
Having previously drawn Batman comics that were written by his Gideon Falls collaborator Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino has proven himself to be one of the best to draw the Dark Knight. Presenting a realistic Gotham, where anyone can be vulnerable – including Batman, who gets beaten a lot – Sorrentino does not hold back on pages where panels are constantly changing, mixing characters and environments, which can be hard to follow at times, just beautiful to look at either way. The action is also spectacular as Jordie Bellaire’s colours are used to punctuate the impact of characters getting hurt.
Like I said, Batman: The Imposter re-treads ideas that we have seen before in Batman stories, but the execution of what it sets it out to do makes it an exciting read, from the compelling characterisation to the stunning artistry.
Although I initially thought this comic would tie in with Reeves’ film, Batman: The Imposter is ultimately doing its own thing, albeit yet another grounded, gritty take on the Batman mythos. The story centres on Bruce Wayne, who has only Batman for a couple of years, and during one night after being a bloody pulp, he finds himself reunited his old childhood psychologist, Dr. Leslie Thompkins. As much as Thompkins is determined to help Bruce with his mental state, a Batman imposter is causing chaos in the city through murder, making the real Batman a target of the GCPD, including Detective Blair Wong.
With a narrative that focuses on both an antagonist inspired by Batman’s vigilantism and the psychology of the flawed hero, all of which told in a grounded manner that evokes Year One, Tomlin isn’t breaking any new ground. The first issue is fairly standard in how it sets up in its players and central conflict, but the more you continue reading the book, does it fleshes out an emotional core.
In terms of how it takes liberties with the mythos is interesting, as seen in flashbacks where we see Alfred struggling to parent Bruce as a young, difficult child and seems to be no longer in Bruce’s current life. Also, James Gordon is no longer a policeman due to his alliance with the Batman, tying to an old case that plays a huge part in the story. Some members of the rogues gallery appear, including one who is featured prominently, but only pays off towards the very end, the story is more fixated with its new characters.
There are characters who mirror one another, whether it is Batman facing a version of himself that doesn’t mind the bloodshed, or Bruce forming a dynamic with Blair, who went a similar trauma as a child like Bruce’s. Considering how emo Bruce gets in the story, Blaire serves as a nice counter as she serves as a co-protagonist and their relationship brings out the emotional core, as well as showing a life that Bruce could have outside of the Batman.
Having previously drawn Batman comics that were written by his Gideon Falls collaborator Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino has proven himself to be one of the best to draw the Dark Knight. Presenting a realistic Gotham, where anyone can be vulnerable – including Batman, who gets beaten a lot – Sorrentino does not hold back on pages where panels are constantly changing, mixing characters and environments, which can be hard to follow at times, just beautiful to look at either way. The action is also spectacular as Jordie Bellaire’s colours are used to punctuate the impact of characters getting hurt.
Like I said, Batman: The Imposter re-treads ideas that we have seen before in Batman stories, but the execution of what it sets it out to do makes it an exciting read, from the compelling characterisation to the stunning artistry.
August 11, 2025
🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦
Batman: The Imposter
2021
Comics
Rating: 4.5/5
Batman: The Imposter is a bold and grounded take on the Dark Knight that strips away the fantastical elements in favour of gritty realism. This three-issue limited series explores what it would be like if Batman truly existed in our world, away from supervillains, sci-fi tech, or the Justice League. It’s a psychological thriller that dives deep into the toll Bruce Wayne’s crusade takes on his mind and body.
Mattson Tomlin brings a consistent tone to this comic, crafting a noir-inspired narrative that focuses on a younger, more vulnerable Batman. Still early in his vigilante career, he’s bruised, paranoid, and unrelenting, yet his mission is threatened when a second Batman emerges in Gotham, one who isn’t afraid to kill. The introduction of Dr. Leslie Thompkins as a therapist adds emotional depth, forcing Bruce Wayne to reflect on his trauma and motivations. Through her, the story examines the cost of vengeance and justice without accountability.
Andrea Sorrentino’s artwork is a standout component. The moody, atmospheric visuals with dramatic compositions and haunting shadows, complement the bleak tone perfectly. The artwork feels cinematic, drawing you into the grimy streets of Gotham, before the action bursts into kinetic violence. The noir aesthetic, layering the pages with murky reds, oranges, and blacks.
What sets this story apart from other Batman stories is its commitment to realism and psychological depth. Bruce is not just haunted, he’s broken, and Tomlin shows the emotional and physical consequences of vigilantism. The mystery of the imposter is compelling, functioning both as a detective story. The series is asking questions about what kind of world creates a Batman, and if the world is better or worse because of him.
Batman: The Imposter is a refreshingly mature and introspective take on the Caped Crusader that will resonate with readers of darker, character-driven storytelling. It’s not a superhero epic, it’s a psychological crime drama that peels back the myth and expose the man underneath the cowl.
#batmantheimposter#mattsontomlin#dc#dupreewenttothemovies
Batman: The Imposter
2021
Comics
Rating: 4.5/5
Batman: The Imposter is a bold and grounded take on the Dark Knight that strips away the fantastical elements in favour of gritty realism. This three-issue limited series explores what it would be like if Batman truly existed in our world, away from supervillains, sci-fi tech, or the Justice League. It’s a psychological thriller that dives deep into the toll Bruce Wayne’s crusade takes on his mind and body.
Mattson Tomlin brings a consistent tone to this comic, crafting a noir-inspired narrative that focuses on a younger, more vulnerable Batman. Still early in his vigilante career, he’s bruised, paranoid, and unrelenting, yet his mission is threatened when a second Batman emerges in Gotham, one who isn’t afraid to kill. The introduction of Dr. Leslie Thompkins as a therapist adds emotional depth, forcing Bruce Wayne to reflect on his trauma and motivations. Through her, the story examines the cost of vengeance and justice without accountability.
Andrea Sorrentino’s artwork is a standout component. The moody, atmospheric visuals with dramatic compositions and haunting shadows, complement the bleak tone perfectly. The artwork feels cinematic, drawing you into the grimy streets of Gotham, before the action bursts into kinetic violence. The noir aesthetic, layering the pages with murky reds, oranges, and blacks.
What sets this story apart from other Batman stories is its commitment to realism and psychological depth. Bruce is not just haunted, he’s broken, and Tomlin shows the emotional and physical consequences of vigilantism. The mystery of the imposter is compelling, functioning both as a detective story. The series is asking questions about what kind of world creates a Batman, and if the world is better or worse because of him.
Batman: The Imposter is a refreshingly mature and introspective take on the Caped Crusader that will resonate with readers of darker, character-driven storytelling. It’s not a superhero epic, it’s a psychological crime drama that peels back the myth and expose the man underneath the cowl.
#batmantheimposter#mattsontomlin#dc#dupreewenttothemovies
October 26, 2022
4.5 stars
Really liked this, a little to my surprise. A gritty, relentlessly realistic take on Batman isn’t a particularly novel concept at this point, and the same goes for a bad guy who’s “Batman, but if he was willing to kill,” but the combo of Tomlin’s story and Sorrentino’s art sold me on the tone and premise of this Batman. Sorrentino’s art likely does the heaviest lifting here, using the same shadowy, practically stencil-graffitied approach to realism as Gideon Falls. It also ends up borrowing a lot of that series’s stark, neurotic tone, with visuals evoking its characters’ anxious minds overwhelmed by detail too obscured to make out answers. I also loved the clinical frankness of the x-ray type snapshots within fight panels that Sorrentino uses to depict the brutality that would be inherent to a real Batman; just because you’re not killing someone doesn’t mean you’re not leaving them grievously or permanently injured. This ultimately isn’t a comic full of many new ideas, but it’s a really slick execution of some familiar ones.
Really liked this, a little to my surprise. A gritty, relentlessly realistic take on Batman isn’t a particularly novel concept at this point, and the same goes for a bad guy who’s “Batman, but if he was willing to kill,” but the combo of Tomlin’s story and Sorrentino’s art sold me on the tone and premise of this Batman. Sorrentino’s art likely does the heaviest lifting here, using the same shadowy, practically stencil-graffitied approach to realism as Gideon Falls. It also ends up borrowing a lot of that series’s stark, neurotic tone, with visuals evoking its characters’ anxious minds overwhelmed by detail too obscured to make out answers. I also loved the clinical frankness of the x-ray type snapshots within fight panels that Sorrentino uses to depict the brutality that would be inherent to a real Batman; just because you’re not killing someone doesn’t mean you’re not leaving them grievously or permanently injured. This ultimately isn’t a comic full of many new ideas, but it’s a really slick execution of some familiar ones.
April 4, 2022
Decent but uninspired story.
May 12, 2023
Flawless companion piece to 2022’s The Batman. Might just have to check out more from DC Black Label after all.
January 18, 2025
Moram priznati, posle dužeg vremena mi je legao neki Batman. Mattson Tomlin je u scenariju našao ključ stilizacije a crtež je to više nego pošteno ispratio kombinujući razne tehnike.
February 8, 2022
3.5 stars
June 28, 2022
Batman: The Imposter is really good Batman. If you've seen The Batman, this graphic novel follows a similar vein: a gritty exploration of early-stage Batman as he struggles to define his role in Gotham City.
Mattson Tomlin employs shifting narration to allow the central mystery ("Who is the second Batman?") to play out from multiple perspectives. This narrative element works superbly, keeping the reader on their toes as bits of knowledge are revealed. Batman himself isn't necessarily a bit player, but he's also not the lead - always welcome. I like a Gotham City that's populated with more than just superheroes and freaks.
Andrea Sorrentino excels in the art department, which is no surprise. His style is perfectly designed for a grimdark Batman tale, though I will admit it was impossible to tell the two Batmen apart in the otherwise stellar fight scenes. While much of Batman: The Imposter plays in the same sandbox as dozens of other Batman narratives, it's an absolutely engaging read and one of the best Batman books I've encountered in a while.
Mattson Tomlin employs shifting narration to allow the central mystery ("Who is the second Batman?") to play out from multiple perspectives. This narrative element works superbly, keeping the reader on their toes as bits of knowledge are revealed. Batman himself isn't necessarily a bit player, but he's also not the lead - always welcome. I like a Gotham City that's populated with more than just superheroes and freaks.
Andrea Sorrentino excels in the art department, which is no surprise. His style is perfectly designed for a grimdark Batman tale, though I will admit it was impossible to tell the two Batmen apart in the otherwise stellar fight scenes. While much of Batman: The Imposter plays in the same sandbox as dozens of other Batman narratives, it's an absolutely engaging read and one of the best Batman books I've encountered in a while.
June 6, 2022
3,5* (plot 4*/ art 3*)
A quite realistic- and very grim- take on Batman.
The story is an Elseworld of a kind with a younger Batman so there are a few discrepancies with the regular series. It is very dark indeed, with a lonely Bruce Wayne consumed with the inner rage he fights to control and who chases after the imposter threatening to ruin what he’s built as Batman.
The theme is not unseen but the whole atmosphere- think the Joker movie with Joaquim Phoenix, even darker- kind of makes it stand out. And yes, I do like these depressing noir stories. Don’t ask.
Andrea Sorrentino's european and peculiar style adds a lot to the whole ambiance of course. The funny thing with Sorrentino is that I don’t even like his style but can’t help being fascinated with it. It catches up your eye, whether you like or not, and never lets go of you. Still, some panels are not always clear and the storytelling, though ambitious, is sometimes confusing.
Jordie Bellaire uses some aptly sick colors but even though I usually like her color chart, it didn’t stick with me this time.
A quite realistic- and very grim- take on Batman.
The story is an Elseworld of a kind with a younger Batman so there are a few discrepancies with the regular series. It is very dark indeed, with a lonely Bruce Wayne consumed with the inner rage he fights to control and who chases after the imposter threatening to ruin what he’s built as Batman.
The theme is not unseen but the whole atmosphere- think the Joker movie with Joaquim Phoenix, even darker- kind of makes it stand out. And yes, I do like these depressing noir stories. Don’t ask.
Andrea Sorrentino's european and peculiar style adds a lot to the whole ambiance of course. The funny thing with Sorrentino is that I don’t even like his style but can’t help being fascinated with it. It catches up your eye, whether you like or not, and never lets go of you. Still, some panels are not always clear and the storytelling, though ambitious, is sometimes confusing.
Jordie Bellaire uses some aptly sick colors but even though I usually like her color chart, it didn’t stick with me this time.
February 25, 2022
Batman: The Imposter collects issues 1-3 of the DC Comics series written by Mattson Tomlin and art by Andrea Sorrentino.
Early in his vigilante career, Batman stumbles into Leslie Thompson's office on the edge of dying. Leslie helps stabilize Bruce and gives him an ultimatum: Come talk with her for an hour after every night or she will turn him into the police. Meanwhile, there is a Batman impersonator in Gotham but is taking the extra step in killing his victims.
I really enjoyed this book. I wish there was more scenes with Bruce and Leslie and investigating Bruce's psychee. I also really liked the addition of Detective Wong who is presented as someone Bruce could have been. The book is an extremely gritty, realistic approach to character, and takes risks by having man Batman mainstay characters fall by the wayside due to their actions. I really like Sorrentino's art, but it can be hard to decipher what is going on in some action scenes.
Early in his vigilante career, Batman stumbles into Leslie Thompson's office on the edge of dying. Leslie helps stabilize Bruce and gives him an ultimatum: Come talk with her for an hour after every night or she will turn him into the police. Meanwhile, there is a Batman impersonator in Gotham but is taking the extra step in killing his victims.
I really enjoyed this book. I wish there was more scenes with Bruce and Leslie and investigating Bruce's psychee. I also really liked the addition of Detective Wong who is presented as someone Bruce could have been. The book is an extremely gritty, realistic approach to character, and takes risks by having man Batman mainstay characters fall by the wayside due to their actions. I really like Sorrentino's art, but it can be hard to decipher what is going on in some action scenes.
February 20, 2022
One of the better Batman comics to come out in the past several years. It’s being touted as a “jumping-on point” for fans of the Matt Reeves movie (though whether any of this is in continuity with that universe remains to be seen). Dark and gritty without succumbing to the nihilism of the Snyderverse. Strong YEAR ONE and GOTHAM CENTRAL vibes, with a few f-bombs thrown in for the grownups.
Why not five stars? The page layouts were overly complicated, something I’ve noticed with the artist’s other work. It might be difficult for new comics readers to follow—I had trouble with some pages, especially one that was purposefully upside down (and impossible to turn in the app I was using).
[Review copy provided by DC Comics/NetGalley.]
Why not five stars? The page layouts were overly complicated, something I’ve noticed with the artist’s other work. It might be difficult for new comics readers to follow—I had trouble with some pages, especially one that was purposefully upside down (and impossible to turn in the app I was using).
[Review copy provided by DC Comics/NetGalley.]
April 11, 2022
"The Imposter" almost feels like a companion piece to the new "The Batman" movie. It's early in Batman's career, he's young, whole makeup on the face deal....I enjoyed it. The story is pretty straight forward: there is someone out there killing criminals dressed up like Batman, and it's up to the real Batman to take him down. No extra crazy (though normal for him) Bat Villains, just a straightforward detective and action story. The gritty art isn't what I would prefer, but it works really well with the story.
Nice one-shot. Recommend.
Nice one-shot. Recommend.
December 29, 2021
Bold, dark, and extremely grounded version of the Bat. A few small complaints with some bits of dialogue, and I would have loved a mystery that the reader could figure out rather than having a new character introduced late in the book. There's a lot to appreciate in the ground level crime story presented here however, including the stunning art by Andrea Sorrentino. If your favourite Batman was the Nolan films, this is probably your book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2022
3.5 stars really. Interesting take on a young Batman as he’s making a difference in Gotham. But an imposter dressed as Batman starts killing ppl. Why? And how does he prove it’s not him? Great character relationship with Leslie Thompkins and a love interest for Bruce Wayne. Batman/Bruce are portrayed much differently than before, as Bruce is an enraged youngster pushing everyone away from him including Alfred. Thought it was a neat look at what a vulnerable Batman would be like.
July 31, 2022
I really liked the art, but the story was very basic, and didn't offer much. I would probably read a sequel if there was one, though.
June 4, 2023
First things first—this is an amazing example of comics art. Andrea Sorrentino’s use of layouts combined with Jordie Bellair’s colours make this one of the most stunning examples of the comics form I’ve seen, period. Admittedly, for any long time Batman fan, we’ve seen this plot before. But not the way Mattson Tomlin tells it. This isn’t your standard Batman-as-Detective book. This is a character focused take on an oft-told Batman tale, and that’s what sets it apart. Few longtime Batman fans will be stunned by the plot points. But this book isn’t concerned with events and action (though it sure has some stunningly rendered action sequences). It’s about Bruce Wayne, his trauma, and how love intrudes on his dark world. One of my new Bat-faves.
December 18, 2021
Read as single issues. In many ways this feels like a direct sequel to THE BATMAN, the 2022 film that Mattson Tomlin also wrote (and which I haven’t seen). In that sense, folks might want to wait until they’ve seen the film before they dive in, but on the other hand, WOW go out and get this book as soon as you can! “Dark and gritty Batman” is such an overused trope by now, but this feels like a fresh take on that idea and has jumped into my top 5 Batman stories of all time. There’s a really compelling mystery here about another (homicidal) Batman, some terrific new character relationships that actually have an impact, and a ton of cool ideas about how the media, the elite, and the police would behave in relation to a masked vigilante on the streets. I really appreciate these DC Black Label stories that don’t require a knowledge of Batman’s history or the larger DC universe picture, and it allows for brilliant little stories like this to exist. It’s a compelling world that I hope Tomlin is given a chance to revisit. There are some artistic choices that I didn’t love or found confusing in some of the action scenes, but there is also a ton of jaw-droppingly beautiful art here as well. 4.5 stars rounded up.
June 21, 2024
Alors que Bruce est en quasi burnout, s'ajoute à ses soucis un faux Batman qui semble avoir pour mission d'assassiner tous les criminel de Gotham, jetant l'opprobre sur l'image du Chevalier Noir.
Un 10/10, des illustrations noir et blanc sublime, un scénario au taquet et une version plus jeune de Bruce très bien écrite.
Un 10/10, des illustrations noir et blanc sublime, un scénario au taquet et une version plus jeune de Bruce très bien écrite.
February 12, 2022
Interesting take and I really like the art and panel layouts. There is a hint of copaganda bs with some subtle social commentary about defund the police which made me laugh and kind of took me out of it, but otherwise stellar.
August 23, 2023
This was dark and gritty and contemplative - - and I loved it. Writer Tomlin makes some subtle changes to the Gotham landscape in a story of the early years of Bruce Wayne as Batman. Alfred is gone (he bailed out early due to an uncooperative young Bruce) and Bruce Wayne/Batman is a true loner, except for his psycho-therapist, Dr. Leslie Tompkins, to whom he's revealed his secret identity. Tompkins is a strong and important character, as well as Detective Blair Wong. Jim Gordon is already out of the picture, a disgraced former police officer.
The story provides an engaging mystery as Wong and Bruce Wayne, as well as Wong and Batman, try to find the imposter committing murders and disgracing the reputation of Batman.
Tomlin is a professional screenwriter and artist Sorrentino employs a dark photo-realistic style that really shines when the scenes require an absence of dialogue. This story seems well-suited to be a possible sequel to the recent THE BATMAN movie. A lot of the work is already done, in the form of the three story-boarded issues that make up BATMAN: THE IMPOSTER. Well done.
The story provides an engaging mystery as Wong and Bruce Wayne, as well as Wong and Batman, try to find the imposter committing murders and disgracing the reputation of Batman.
Tomlin is a professional screenwriter and artist Sorrentino employs a dark photo-realistic style that really shines when the scenes require an absence of dialogue. This story seems well-suited to be a possible sequel to the recent THE BATMAN movie. A lot of the work is already done, in the form of the three story-boarded issues that make up BATMAN: THE IMPOSTER. Well done.
March 22, 2022
This book takes everything that makes batman great and throws it out the window in favour of a safe for netflix grounded character drama. It's not a batman comic it's a Netflix script.
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