Hell, it’s about time. In 2004, DC announced Batman: Europa, a miniseries from Brian Azzarello, Matteo Casali, Jim Lee and Giuseppe Camuncoli. Europa promptly disappeared from solicitations, before briefly re-emerging in 2011, only to vanish once more. That is, until now: Europa is finally hitting shelves!


The series, which was originally announced back in 2004, would see Batman and the Joker team up, and follow them on their trek across Europe as they search for a cure to a virus that is slowly killing Batman. Fans had long thought the series was dead, especially after it made a seeming resurgence in solicitations for January 2011, only to fail to appear once again.


The European theme doesn’t just extend to the setting (which was allegedly inspired by a year-long sojourn to Italy by Jim Lee, many years ago), but the art itself. While the first issue in the four-part miniseries will be drawn by Lee, the remainder will be handled by various—and still unannounced—European artists, drawing and coloring over layouts provided by Giuseppe Camuncoli. It’s certainly not the first time Batman has been in action outside of Gotham, but it’s still interesting to see the Dark Knight removed from his typical environs, brought to a strange land where its mysterious denizens drive on the other side of the road, instead—oh wait, that’s just the UK, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus. The Batmobile should be fine, Bruce!

Let’s hope the new solicitation actually means Europa will hit shelves for real this time... although an official solicit didn’t stop the series from vanishing last time. Third time’s a charm, eh Bats?

Batman: Europa #1 will (hopefully) be out this November.

[Via Comics Alliance]