Neal Adams on Batman

Some credit Neal Adams with singlehandedly redefining Batman in the 70s. Gone was the campiness (and shark repellant) of Adam Ward's Batman and in was the newer, darker, detective Batman. Adams has worked on Batman off and on since his last significant run, but nothing like this.

DC's The Source has just announced that Adams will be returning to write a yearlong Batman saga called Batman: Oddysey.

“I have been collecting bits and pieces of Batman’s life and time over the years since I was doing Batman regularly,” Adams said. “With even this massive series, I haven’t been able to shove them all in. but the juiciest and richest morsels are there. Have comic books always been this much fun?”

The series launches in July and will pit Batman against a series of seemingly unrelated challenges that, well, challenge him like never before. There's the obvious parallel to be made with Homer's Iliad, but I'm guessing Batman won't have to worry about a witch on an island turning his men into swine. Of course, Batman being the deductive type will come to realize that there may be a darker power at play manipulating his life and trials.

Adams will write and pencil the entire series, while also inking the first two issues. After that, it's going to be a veritable who's who of artists working with him on future issues. Keep an eye out this July for what could be a pretty epic saga for the Dark Knight.