“Dark Night: A True Batman story” is a real-life-inspired autobiographical graphic novel that follows Paul Dini (co-creator of Batman: The Animated Series and Harley Quinn) in the aftermath of a brutal assault he suffered at the hands of muggles back in 1993. The severity of the attack shattered part his skull and left him with deep physiological scars. At the time, he was working on Batman: TAS and Mark of the Phantasm movie, but the traumatic experience left him unable to face the world for months. He kept thinking “Where is my hero?”, where was Batman to help him when life is at its lowest? He tries his best to recover while fantasizing Batman and his enemies influencing him as angels and demons on his shoulders.

On these panels here, Joker urges him to shut away from the world, give up on everything and hide in his apartment.

The graphic novel is now available to buy in both digital and paper under Vertigo publications with art by Eduardo Rissco.

I HIGHLY recommend this amazing interview Dini gave to Kevin Smith (Fat Man) for those who want to hear him talk about the whole incident and how and why the comic came to be.