This is the fourth entry in a series of commissions titled "Arkham Clashes", scenes depicting Batman facing off against a rogue or rogues inspired by the Arkham series of video games created by Rocksteady. This piece takes inspiration from the sewer level where you are trying to get spores to create an antidote against Joker's Titan formula in the first game Arkham Asylum. Being in the sewers below Arkham of course means Killer Croc is lurking. Due to his massive size, they let him roam freely, but he is fitted with a shock collar in case he gets out of line. Bats must use this to his advantage, as any time Croc pops up and charges, Batman must throw a batarang to trigger the shock collar while diving out of the way. I always loved this mission since you never quite knew when Croc would appear, and you had to be fast to respond when he did. It also really made you feel like you were exploring the sewers below the Asylum.

This piece, like the others in the series, was done by the amazing Eranga Devasurendra. I really wanted this one to feel very dynamic and capture the moment when Croc is charging and Bats is throwing his batarang and diving away. I also wanted it to feel very much like you were playing the mission from a perspective and effects standpoint. Eranga's attention to detail really shines throughout this piece. Croc himself is super detailed, and he is also MASSIVE. I was concerned that a standard 11" X 17" wouldn't pay the right respect to the scale necessary, particularly since the background also needed its due. Eranga agreed and ultimately decided on a vertical DPS, which truly allows the size of Croc to be felt. It also allows the background to coexist and breathe without it feeling like an afterthought. You really feel like you are in a sewer, from the architecture of the walls and ceiling, to the well thought out arches and bricks, to the way the water ebbs and flows rather than exhibiting the current of a river. You can almost feel the wood planks showering water everywhere as Croc rumbles over them. He looks mightily pissed and is craving the opportunity to slash at Bats with his insane claws.

Bats exhibits poise as always, here shown in mid dive as the batarang is just barely out of his outstretched throwing hand. You can feel the movement from him, down to the arm placement and cape flow. I had told Eranga I was looking for something almost Neal Adam's esque when it came to the dynamics, and I feel he did a spectacular job. Bats, from behind, feels almost Aparo-like to me, and the details and shading really make him standout against the rest of the piece. I am also a huge fan of the ink washing throughout and had the privilege of seeing a before and after image which really demonstrates the level of effort Eranga put into this piece. This is my new favorite in the series, and I am exploring some options to see if this one could indeed be published.

Like the others, I worked with Dennis Lehmann to get it colored. The second image shows the output of that, and he knocked it out of the park. With the coloring it looks like it was lifted right out of the game, capturing the ambiance perfectly. I even love how the batarang has a slight glow emanating from it, which also makes it pop in the image. Dennis' lighting effects are always fantastic and really bring life to the image. I love Dennis's work, and he continues to bring it on these pieces!

Original art is accomplished in ink over graphite on 2 taped together 11" X 17" pieces of art paper as a vertical DPS, resulting in a total dimension size of 17" X 22". Colors were done digitally but will be printed on archival paper as a 17" X 22" giclee print (which Eranga signs / denotes as PP 1/1). And fingers crossed this may see more than that in the near future!