DC’s creator driven imprint, Vertigo, has revealed plans to publish a new original graphic novel by writer Paul Dini chronicling an “autobiographical tale of Dini’s courageous struggle to overcome a truly desperate situation” which will be titled Dark Night: A True Batman Story. The publication will tell a story that Dini has never made public before about the night he was assaulted by a group of strangers and left for dead as well as looking at how Dini’s time and work with Batman helped him through a situation where he needed a hero to believe in. Dini’s true story will be drawn by artist Eduardo Risso in the book set to be released on June 15, 2016.
The press release quotes Dini as saying:
Batman is a character truly universal in his ability to entertain and inspire fans of all ages and backgrounds. As a writer of Batman stories for comics, video games and animation, I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to contribute to that legacy. But there was a time some years ago when I found myself the victim of a violent attack and the last thing that made sense to me was to continue writing stories about a fantasy crime fighter. Struggling to recover, I found myself trapped in a dark place of isolation and abuse, plagued by demons both real and imaginary, with my only choices being to remain a victim or to stand up and fight back. Not so easy as the enemy I was fighting was my own fear.
DC and Vertigo have given me the unique opportunity to tell this personal story, rendered better than I could have dreamed by the powerful artwork of Eduardo Risso. It is my hope that Dark Night: A True Batman Story will both provide an interesting window into a writer’s mind in a time of crisis, and perhaps inspire other victims of violence to search for the heroes inside themselves.
Stay plugged into TBU for more news on this upcoming original graphic novel and for our review of the publication when it is released next summer.