In the new graphic novel, Batman: The Imposter, 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?
I had the opportunity to chat with artist Andrea Sorrentino (Joker: Killer Smile, Gideon Falls, Green Arrow, Old Man Logan) and colorist Jordie Bellaire (Joker: Killer Smile, The Wake, The Vision, Moon Night) who collaborated with The Batman co-writer Mattson Tomlin, creator of Project Power, Little Fish, and director of Mother/Android to discuss the project, their creative partnership and their influences.
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Batman: The Imposter is your third collaboration with one another. How did you both get involved in this project?
Andrea Sorrentino: I had been contacted by DC Black Label Senior Editor Chris Conroy sometime during 2020, I think. He told me there was this super-realistic script of Batman he thought I would have been perfect for (at that time I didn’t know Mattson was involved yet). I was busy with Gideon Falls at the moment so I had to sadly pass.
Luckily, the project eventually didn’t start till 2021 so, once I was done with my previous project I asked if there was still the chance for me to be in and, after I got all the (exciting!) details on this new book, work started.
I think I asked if I could have Jordie on colors from day one, honestly. After the amazing work she did on my pages on Joker: Killer Smile and on the short Green Arrow story I drew for the 80th Anniversary issue, it was just a no-brainer to get back to Gotham together again.
Jordie Bellaire: I was lucky for Andrea to ask for me again by name! Working with Andrea is always an honor so I was grateful that Mattson and Chris Conroy agreed with his choice in bringing me on.
Your collaboration with one another is stunning. Have you developed a creative short-hand, or do you simply let the other do their job without any discussion? What do you think the other brings to the work?
Andrea Sorrentino: I learned the best way to get things done is to work with the most talented people around and get them work their magic the way they want, honestly, and this totally applies to Jordie as well.
She’s one the best in the business.
I think there was just one moment when we were probably chatting with editor Chris Conroy about giving this book a vintage kind of look. Purple, yellows, like in the old Batman comics, as the Gotham we depict in Imposter is some kind of 80’s New York (with a technology adjusted to 2020) so I think we discussed how a certain palette would benefit the story.
Of course, Jordie just worked from this hint to create something personal, unique and beautiful.
Jordie Bellaire: Andrea and Chris Conroy are very hands off! They both allow me to experiment and work in a very open space and this allows me to find answers that I think we all agree on with the work. Andrea and I discuss things at the beginning and keep communication open throughout the entire process.
There are no egos involved when we work together. I feel that we always have a very unique and beautiful collaboration together that involves a lot of trust! Mattson was a great part of that too. He believed in everyone’s vision and together it became something very wild that feel classic at the same time.
Who or what has been the biggest influences on your work?
Jordie Bellaire: Lynn Varley’s colors and Nicolas Winding Refn’s films.
Andrea Sorrentino: I think we went a lot into the old classics like Year One or The Long Halloween, but we also tried to create something that would retain a more modern aesthetic and feel.
Was there a specific sequence or page within Batman: The Imposter that you are particularly proud of?
Andrea Sorrentino: There’s a sequence toward the end of the book where Bruce is fighting hand-to-hand with the Imposter and I turned it into this multiple-panel, two-page spread that was especially fun to work with. It’s always tricky, because obviously no script will ever be so detailed when it’s about fighting, so I had to set the pace and try to make it all fluid through the many panels of the page. I’m really happy with how it turned out.
Thinking about it now, there are really many other pages that were fun to work with. It’s a book that offers a lot of possibilities to experiment with crazy layouts and dark vibes.
Jordie Belaire: I warned the team ahead of sending that first spread of Batman jumping into city as I had decided to pull all of the color out. I wanted to use these newspaper, creamy white tones in very alluring moments where readers expected color. It felt very punk to reject that flashy concept and give them something else. I think it’s quite bold, much like a lot of the book and truly, the whole work is something I’m very proud of.
Do you have any plans to work together again?
Jordie Belaire: At this point I feel like I would pay Andrea to keep working with me! It’s so creatively fulfilling every time. He’s professional, kind and ridiculously talented!
Andrea Sorrentino: Of course! Not sure if i’m authorized to say it but I’m working right now on something VERY short and VERY Sandman-related that will feature the awesome colors by Jordie.
What are you currently geeking out over?
Andrea Sorrentino: I’m recently in the middle of my periodical horror-mood geek out. Last couple of weeks I’ve re-read Dracula, Polidori’s The Vampyre and now I’m re-reading some of my favorite Lovecraft short tales.
Also, i’m doing a re-read of the whole American Vampire series to catch up with the recently released 1976 limited series (now that i think about it, i’m A LOT into vampires these last weeks) and here and some of Junji Ito’s works.
I feel like keeping the TV off for a while really helps my brain distend a bit and pushes it to be more creative.
Jordie Belaire: I’m simply waiting for some time off so I can play Elden Ring!
Batman: The Imposter is available now from comic book and e-tailers
