Summary
The recently announcedBatman: Arkham Shadowmarks another addition to the celebratedArkhamseries. The game’s unveiling was good news for manyArkhamfans, as the depiction of Bruce Wayne’s demise in the largely reviledSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueleft much of the fanbase feeling it lacked the dignity the character deserved. In the wake of the critical and commercial failure ofSuicide Squad,Arkham Shadowfeels like a much-needed return to form. Thankfully, there is still a lot of room for fresh stories to be told in the Arkhamverse, and the newest trailer is worthy of excitement.
Naturally, fans have been diligently searching every frame of the newArkhamtrailer, looking for Easter eggs that might hint at what the new game has in store. There is a brief look at the Monarch Theater, the location where Bruce Wayne witnessed the murder of his parents. The song scoring the trailer is “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by the Smashing Pumpkins, with the chorus line, “despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage,” as an overt nod to game’s main villain, Rat King. There is also a reference toan obscure, but important character who helped shape the persona of Batman, The Gray Ghost.
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The Gray Ghost Is A Fictional Film Character Within The DC Universe
First Introduced In Batman: The Animated Series
TheArkham Shadowtrailer shows a glimpse of the Monarch Theater, and while this is a place of immense sorrow for Bruce Wayne, there is an additional Easter egg to the left of the theater. Hanging on the side of the building next to the theater is a large poster for a film calledThe Ghost In Gray. This fictional film character was introduced inseason 1, episode 18 ofBatman: The Animated Series.The character was a childhood favorite of Wayne’s, a masked vigilante who fights crime using a combination of clever gadgets and world-class detective skills.
Nods to the Gray Ghost are not new to theArkhamseries, as posters featuring the titular character have appeared in previous entries. However, displaying such a large Gray Ghost poster at the site of Thomas and Martha Wayne’s murder seems to indicate that the fictional character may play a more significant role in the upcoming game, at least more than in pervious titles. Simon Trent, the actor who portrays the Gray Ghost,serves as a solemn metaphor that heroes can sometimes let their fans down.The dichotomy between the character and the actor is a lesson against blind idealism.
A Similar Character Inspired The Creators Of Batman
The Shadow Was A Long Running Radio Thriller
In many ways,the Gray Ghost character is a meta expression of the real fictional character that inspired Bob Kane and Bill Finger when creating Batman. The Shadow was an immensely popular character in pulp magazines and radio dramas, a vigilante who fights crime in a similarly gritty, noir setting. Lamont Cranston was the true identity of The Shadow, and much like Bruce Wayne, was described as “a wealthy young man about town.” Behind his playboy persona was a man with impeccable detective skills and the ability to cloud the minds of criminals so they could not perceive his presence when near.
The Shadow was first voiced by Orson Welles, famed director ofCitizen Kaneand narrator for the iconic radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’The War of the Worlds.
The reaction to the announcement ofArkham Shadow, whichtakes place betweenOriginsandAsylum, shows that there is still great enthusiasm for theArkhamseries. The fandom combing over the game’s trailers for clues is, in many ways, a very Batman thing to do. The trailer’s nod to the Gray Ghost character pays a three-fold homage to Batman: Bruce Wayne’s fandom of the Gray Ghost, the fandom surrounding the Batman character, and the fandom of Batman’s creators. If there was ever an example of meta-commentary, this is certainly it. How large a role the Gray Ghost ultimately plays inBatman: Arkham Shadowremains to be seen.
