With Batman hitting his 80th anniversary on March 30th DC Comics is going all out with celebrating this major milestone. Recently we saw DC release Detective Comics #1000. Along with that DC Universe is letting fans get full access to all the Batman content on the streaming service on March 30th for a 24 hour for free. And at WonderCon DC brought Greg Capullo, Peter Tomasi, Joelle Jones, Becky Cloonan, Scott Snyder and Tom King for their “DC Celebrates 80 Yers Of Batman Comics.”
To open up the panel Peter Tomasi talked about his work on Detective Comics. He mentioned that Brad Walker will be handling the artwork from at least Detective Comics #1001 to #1005. While he could not reveal much about Arkham Knight, the character has been established as perceiving Batman in a certain way that speaks to who this version of the character is. The new Arkham Knight will not be following the Batman: Arkham Knight video game story, with promises of surprise reveals.
They then showed off the new logo for Detective Comics that will be debuting with issue #1001. The new logo incorporates the Batman symbol in the logo, something that Tomasi likes because it is a call back to Adam West’s Batman show.
Humphries then asked all the panelist what their first exposure to Batman and their influence for their portrayal of the character. Greg Capullo started by talking about his first exposure being the Adam West TV show. When talking about what influenced his work on Batman, Capullo talked about how his version of the character is how he envisioned him. He does mention Frank Miller interpretation being something he worked into his work while working on Jim Lee New 52 design.
Becky Cloonan mentions how she remembers being introduced to Batman through the Batman: Animated Series. Her Gotham Academy took a notes from TAS to make Gotham a character of itself. She also mentions Gotham Central also influencing with how Gotham works for everyone that is living in a city with Batman as its protector.
Joelle Jones also mention the Batman: The Animated Series being her hook. From the comic book side Frank Miller’s Batman comics was another thing she took note for falling in love with Batman.
A tired Tom King talked about how about how he was always a Batman fan, even though he was made fun of liking him until the 1989 movie making him popular with everyone in school.
Talk moved to Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman Last Knight On Earth, which Snyder just finished writing. This is a story that Snyder has been thinking about since 2012. Grant Morrison gave Snyder the advice to give his Batman a beginning and end.
Last Knight takes place 20 years after present day. Begins with Batman on a case that seems normal investigating a murder in Gotham. Eventually Batman notices that someone has been drawing a chalk line around Gotham City in one 20 foot stretch at a time. When Batman analyzes the 365 chalk lines it leads him to Crime Alley.
When Batman finds the dead boy the kid’s hand is on a mechanical device that shoots Batman. When he comes to Bruce is shocked to find he is in Arkham City. All the doctors tell Bruce he has been in Arkham Asylum all along. Alfred meets Bruce in Arkham where he shows Bruce the makeshift Batman costume using a restraining helmet and straight jacket to show that Batman was in his mind.
When Bruce breaks out he is in a makeshift costume from things in Arkham. When he finds a lantern with joker’s head inside it. A Speed Force storm is taking place in the desert that Bruce is in with Joker’s head.
Tom and Joelle talk about how the current direction of Batman and Catwoman has been in the plans. Main theme for Tom run was pitched as Bruce and Selina relationship with Bane as the villain. King once again emphasizes that his story is about if Bruce and Selina can actually find love with all there baggage. He mentioned the peaks and valleys of the different character arcs with Batman #50 being the peak of Bruce and Selena’s relationship. Snyder complimented King on the risks he is taking to explore Batman’s psyche.
They wrapped up with talking about their favorite artists:
Capullo says Neil Adams.
Tomasi says Jim Aparo and David Mazzucchelli
Jones says Lee Weeks
Becky says Tim Sale
Snyder says Kelley Jones
Humphries says Darwyn Cooke
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