'Batman: The Zero Year': Snyder, Capullo revisit Dark Knight's origin

“The Zero Year” comic story arc by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo kicks off in June with “Batman” issue No. 21. (DC Entertainment)

Batman comic fans will find out how Bruce Wayne built the Batcave in “Batman: The Zero Year,” a new origin story to be released this June.

The 11-issue arc, to be written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Capullo, is meant to explain the beginnings of the New 52 version of the Caped Crusader, DC Comics announced Monday.

Several key elements, such as the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents, will stay the same, Snyder told the Associated Press, adding that the new arc “builds up the mythology.”

“We tried to preserve as much of Batman’s history as we could and keep what we could of this history intact,” he said. “It’s ‘The Zero Year,’ the one that no one has told the story of before. We see how Bruce became the Batman, built the cave, faced off with his first super villain.”

The story comes on the heels of Snyder and Capullo’s “Death of the Family” — a massively popular story line that saw arch-villain the Joker’s return to the pages of Batman comics. The story, which wrapped up last month in “Batman” issue No. 17, roped in the entire Bat-family, with crossover issues in “Catwoman,” “Batgirl,” “Nightwing” and “Red Hood & the Outlaws,” among other titles.

Though the “Zero Year” title harks back to “Batman: Year One” — a 1987 four-issue origin story by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli — Snyder said it wasn’t his goal to “take apart” that tale.

“It’s not ‘let’s redo the origin,’ ” he said. “It’s time for a new story showing how Batman became who he is in the New 52.”

“The Zero Year” kicks off in June’s “Batman” issue No. 21.

– Noelene Clark
Twitter.com/@NoeleneClark

RECENT AND RELATED