Batman, Incorporated is back with a new number one! It’s part of the DC Comics The New 52: the Second Wave. Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham chronicle the Bat brand gone global. DC revealed this gorgeous variant by Frank Quitely, Morrison’s collaborator on New X-Men and Batman and Robin.
By Editor
Must Have This!
Tony Daniel made a rare appearance at Fan Expo Vancouver, the city’s first major comicon. The creative force of DC The New 52 Detective Comics shared his take on Batman’s foes and the new villains he’s bringing to plague Gotham City.
“Batman has the greatest rogue’s gallery of all the comic book characters in the world probably so it’s easy to use those characters and find something fun and creative that you’ll enjoy as a writer and the fans will enjoy because they love seeing these villains.
What I try to do in Detective is bring in a little bit of the new as well as a little bit of the old. I created a character named the Dollmaker who I think fits in rather well with the other characters, the other villains taking up residence in Gotham City.”
Daniel launched his Detective Comics run with a violent showdown and shocking cliffhanger for Batman’s archrival and his favorite villain.
“My favorite villain…well my favorite villain is the Joker but I’ve only used him sparingly. I worked with the Joker in Grant Morrison’s RIP. That was a lot of fun. (Say Thank you to my gushing!) That was…you know…I can’t believe I was part of that it was just a great experience. I’m lucky to have done the work with Grant on that. And then of course Detective Comics #1 I show a nice fight, battle that goes on between Batman and the Joker and we leave it off with his face hanging on the wallI would love to get back to him. I can’t say when but I’m sure it will be soon because we can’t leave him hanging there so to speak.”
Detective Comics #8 was the start of a backup story starring Two-Face. Daniel says you may experience conflicting feelings for Harvey Dent with this tale.
“He’s pretty much the protagonist of the story so you gonna end up rooting for him. He’s kind of the good guy in the story but he’s still a bad guy so it’s the perfect noir style story which I absolutely love that. Those old school detective stories. The Jim Thompson stories. He’s a great noir book writer – one of the groundbreaking writers from the 50’s and 60’s. I love that pulp fiction type atmosphere and I’m going to bring that to my Two-Face backup story so I’m having a lot of fun with that.”
Daniel praised artist Szymon Kudransky as the perfect fit for back up story.
September will mark the one year anniversary of DC Comics The New 52 with big plans for Detective Comics. Daniel says he will change-up the villains.
“One of the characters we’ve seen before in the Penguin arc at the Iceberg Casino. He’s the guy that shows up and gives Batman some trouble and we deal with a lot of radiation and villains that are experimental. We have one guy who is a new 52 version of Professor Radium so we haven’t seen that guy in a long time and I kind of breathed new life into that character but he’s new…he’s a 52 version so he’s not the same Professor Radium so hopefully people will like that. It’s a story I’m writing and Ed Benes is doing the art work.”
Daniel expressed his ambition to create a story with Clayface and a bigger arc with the Scarecrow. Detective Comics #1 ended with a shocking fate for the Joker and Daniel hopes to dive back into the fate of Batman’s archenemy.
In the Fan Expo Sketch Duel against Whilce Portacio and Yanick Paquette, Daniel revealed his early comic book dreams were inspired by KISS and how the love of the rock band led to this first commissioned work. I asked if he shared my love for the movie KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park.
“I did and when I was a kid man I loved that show. I like 7-year-old – it was a long time ago. As a kid those guys are like superheroes. They’re more than like rock stars. Every kid in my class loved KISS just because they look crazy and had the makeup on – dragons and space guys and what not. What I remember it was so weird. But back then you didn’t have video recorders, Tivo – you watch it once and when it’s over you’re like, man what did I just see. Today you can rewind and watch it again. It was such a weird – you know maybe that screwed me up or something it was very…I just remember it being very bizarre. I’m sure if I watched it now I might feel disappointed in it (laughs) but it was super cool back then as a child.
(I interject asking about how KISS art was his first paying work so to speak)
Yeah it was my first commission. I drew a giant poster size picture of all of four characters. One kid was gonna buy it from me for like two dollars and another kid was gonna give me a big giant stack of basically the entire collection of KISS trading cards and I went with the trading cards and ended up getting into a brawl afterwords with the guy that lost. So yeah, you know blood, sweat and tears from age 7 on with the art.”
Detective Comics #9 arrives May 2nd featuring Mr. Toxic and the Two-Face backup story.
By Editor
My only regret – not bringing more books to be signed – including Gambit and the X-ternals – anybody remember that one?
This takes me back! John Cassaday provides a variant for Astonishing X-Men #50 out this June. This is an homage to his astonishing X-Men #1. This upcoming landmark issue by Marjorie Liu will feature an X-Men wedding but this cover celebrates the Joss Whedon/John Cassady era. Marvel provided this peek to Comic Book Resources. I wanted to share because it brings back memories of that excellent run: Colossus back from the dead, Colossus and Kitty finally hooking up, Emma Frost’s Hellfire Club, Breakworld, Armor and Danger.
AVX: VS #1 Iron Man against Magneto! Thing slugs it out with Namor! The biggest brawls that erupted in Avengers Vs. X-Men explode into this series with all fighting, all action.
Mass Effect: Homeworlds #1 This premier issue is devoted to young gun James Vega written by the lead writer of Mass Effect 3.
New Avengers #25 It was tease that made me say “say what!” How does Marvel’s martial arts master tie to the most destructive force in the cosmos? Iron Fist discovers his connection to the Phoenix in this tie-in to AvX. What does it mean for Hope the mutant messiah?
Popeye #1 Yes, Popeye the sailor man is back with his first original story in 30 years! A new take on the classic character.
Star Wars: Blood Ties: Boba Fett Is Dead #1 The galaxy’s most notorious bounty hunter is dead. Words spreads across the sectors faster than the Millennium Falcon on light speed! But then the crew that killed him starts getting taken out!
Thanks again for all the amazing fans who showed off their geek love at Fan Expo Vancouver!
Avengers vs X-Men #2 kept the action going and starting shredding friendships. Cyclops took the first shot and in round 2 fired his second attack via a new spin on the fastball special! Captain America unleashes his army of Avengers (including Wolverine) to take Utopia.
The issue is action packed with lots of fights and I want to see more. At first the idea of AvX Vs (the book of all fighting) seemed like marketing but now I can’t wait. I see how it makes story sense. The fights erupt but the main story must move forward so if you want to see more of the battles (Namor, Thing, Luke Cage is one I particular can’t wait to see) you can cheer on your favorite in Vs.
While it’s amazing to see these clashes it’s hard to watch because of the friendships and relationships being battered – that’s a compliment to the writers and particular Jason Aaron, scripter of round 2. Cyclops and Captain America’s verbal exchange as they pound each other is perfect as they try to convince the other to stand down.
A surprise player enters the battleground while one key character’s simple drawing is an omen of the destruction and despair ahead. Wolverine is a man torn between friends and once again forced to do what no other hero can but with a potentially frightening outcome Logan didn’t expect.
AVX is living up to the hype.
$500+ million global and growing! The Hunger Games will go back on more than 100 IMAX screens from April 27th to May 3rd according to Deadline. Lionsgate chose Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, Constantine, Like Water for Elephants) to direct the sequel Catching Fire.
What do you think of the choice? Given the spectacular visuals of I Am Legend I’m exited to see how Lawrence will stage the Panem uprising. I really hope Gale is developed more. I don’t want to be too specific and spoil but there’s a favorite scene from Catching Fire that’s the really heartbreaking with Cinna that I hope gets the proper direction it deserves.
A Geek Gives Thanks: I want to take a moment again to thank all the thousands of fans who watched my interviews with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth when The Hunger Games Tour came to Seattle. I appreciate all the support, comments and I wish I had more of Josh sound bites for you! By Editor
Comic books are more the entertainment. The medium can be a way to share the stories of real life heroes. Comic book fans know Eric Trautmann (Action Comics, Vampirella, Red Sonja ) and Brandon Jerwa (Battlestar Galactica, G.I. Joe, Highlander) for their adventures based on popular franchises. The Seattle team co-wrote Shooters the semi-autobiographical story about a loved one killed in Iraq.
Jon Humbert of my Seattle ABC station KOMO 4 tells the story. Here’s the link on KOMONEWS.COM.
Shooters is published by Vertigo Comics.