Back in July we delivered the joyous news that DC had chosen the dark '80s Elseworlds story Gotham by Gaslight as their next animated feature after a leaked bonus feature roster for the upcoming 4K Blu-ray release of Batman and Harley Quinn appeared.

Now that sneak peek has been released online, revealing a steampunk Batman in the late 19th century, searching for one of history's most vicious mass murderers.

Gotham by Gaslight was essentially the first Elseworlds imprint released in February of 1989, and the period-set one-shot issue was written by Brian Augustyn and drawn by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola. I recall reading it back in the day, absorbed in its Victorian-era Dark Knight prowling the moody, gaslit boulevards of Olde Gotham hunting down the notorious slasher Jack the Ripper, and thinking how cool this would be as a feature film. Well, we may not be getting a live-action rendition of this atmospheric tale, but an animated feature arriving in 2018 is a welcome consolation prize.

Here's the original synopsis:

“In an age of mystery and superstition, how would the people of Gotham react to a weird creature of the night, a bat-garbed vigilante feared by the guilty and the innocent alike? The very first Elseworlds tale re-imagines the Dark Knight detective in Victorian times and pits him against the infamous murderer Jack the Ripper.”

“Batman in this story is a little bit more accessible," noted executive producer Bruce Timm. "He’s a little bit more human than what we’re used to seeing. […] The subject matter is a little bit tricky for us because you’re basically dealing with a serial killer who murders a bunch of prostitutes. It’s pretty potent stuff.”

Enter into the murky metropolis of this alt-history Bat-story in the preview below, and tell us if Batman: Gotham by Gaslight looks like a promising jaunt back in time.

Video of Batman Gotham by Gaslight Sneak Peek

(Via Coming Soon)