Detective Comics #1000 marked the Dark Knight’s 80th anniversary a few months ago, but the celebration continues with a series of Batman murals across major cities. DC has commissioned local graffiti artists in Seattle and Mexico City to pay homage to the caped crusader using the iconic batwings and regional landmarks.
In Seattle, Joey Nix heads up the project. He’s established himself as a photorealistic artist in his portrayals of local heroes. Nix’s approach to his work, and his Bat-Mural, focuses on pulling out hidden messages of his subjects through their stories and emotion. It’s the perfect style to depict a brooding Bruce Wayne. Previously, he’s also led alley beautification projects in his city, where he featured muralists from around the world.
On Tuesday, DC got an update from Nix and his Batman mural. In a short promotional video, we get a look at his process in designing the piece and filling it with Seattle flair. He links Gotham to his own city in the architecture, saying he’s always associated distinguished skylines with both cities. With a building like the Sky Needle, it’s easy to see the connection, even for locals. While working on the piece, Nix says fans wearing Batman on their clothes and on their tattoos frequently stop by to say how excited they are and talk about their history with the character. To Nix, Batman is “a really iconic character that everyone can relate to.” Check out Nix’s mural and hear what he has to say about his work below.
Also working on the Batman 80th anniversary murals is Octavio Logo from Mexico City, who’s painting a Batman mural in Bentonville, Arkansas. Logo is known for vivid colors and bold designs. He taps into his cultural experience and elements of magical realism to create social commentary in his art. Logo has been a part of the Bentonville mural scene since 2012. There, he’s participated in public murals, local art exhibits, galleries and more. You can take a look at his finished mural below.
Nix’s mural, sitting on the landmark music venue, The Crocodile, was unveiled last week and will remain on display for fans to visit through the end of June. Logos’ meanwhile was just revealed on Tuesday at its Central Avenue location in Bentonville. Make sure you stay tuned for more on the series, because DC isn’t done yet. This summer, the company will promote two more pieces; one in Dallas and one on the Burbank Warner Bros. studios lot.
