Warning! Spoilers for Batman/Catwoman #4
The iconic Batman villain the Phantasm has made her comic book debut in Batman/Catwoman, a series that is now revisiting the climatic setting from Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Although the mysterious vigilante looks almost identical to the original design, it has been unclear until now how much the animated film would influence this iteration.
In the DC Black Label miniseries Batman/Catwoman written by Tom King with art by Clay Mann, the Phantasm has returned to Gotham City after many years away. Inevitably, the Dark Knight has been forced into a soap opera circumstance of having to choose between his current vigilante romantic partner, Selina Kyle, and his old vigilante fiancé, Andrea Beaumont. Introduced in 1993’s animated classic Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, the Gotham reaper was revealed to be Bruce Wayne’s love interest. The film added a new layer of heartbreak to Batman’s origin story, as Andrea realized she couldn’t stay in the city, and didn’t belong with Bruce. However, until King and Mann’s miniseries, this aspect of the Caped Crusader has never been explored in comics.
In the newly-released Batman/Catwoman #4, a new connection to the animated movie has been revealed, as the Phantasm returns to Gotham World’s Fair. Also referred to as “World of the Future Fair,” this setting serves as an integral location in the film. When Bruce and Andrea go on a date, they visit the fair, imagining a future together. While they are there, Bruce also sees a futuristic vehicle that inspires his vision for the Batmobile seen in Batman: The Animated Series. After learning of the Phantasm’s secret identity, Batman meets her back at the fair where she seems to meet her demise alongside the Joker. “A dream of the future. A bright tomorrow full of hope and promise for all humankind. This is a vision of the shimmering utopia…”
It has previously been assumed that readers should only take the animated backstory with a grain of salt in terms of continuity for the miniseries and its depiction of Phantasm. With such a specific detail being alluded to, it seems to cement that in Tom King’s mind, the events of Mask of the Phantasm are canon for Batman/Catwoman. There might be some offscreen diversions from the film, but for the most part, the story appears to be intact as it serves for the foundation of this current ongoing premise.
As this will obviously help inform the remaining issues, this connection also points to the possibility that the Batman mythos might be evolving in the long-term. For a long time, fans have had to disassociate comics versions of the Dark Knight from the ‘90s animated series. With this miniseries faithfully tying into events as they were portrayed, readers are finally able to return to the take that has defined Gotham City as they’ve known it. Batman/Catwoman #4 is on sale now.
