DC Comics’ The Source continues their series of creator interviews as an alternative to the press release. First up is David Finch talking about the new writer Greg Hurwitz:
“Gregg Hurwitz coming on to BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT is a total game changer for this book. His stories are vicious, cruel and dark, but they are also incredibly humane and insightful and well written. I don't think that I need to tell Gregg Hurwitz fans how great a writer he is, but for those comic book readers who have not had the chance to experience his work, it's going to be a big surprise and a hell of a ride. The Dark Knight has gone through a few changes in its short run, but Gregg brings the focus and vision to the book that it desperately needed. We are going to be telling stories that will change people’s perceptions about some of Batman's villains forever. BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT is going to devote itself to exploring the interconnecting psychology of Batman and his craziest villains. If you loved Gregg's PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE then you are going to love what we are doing in DARK KNIGHT."
This has caused me to completely reevaluate dropping this book. I’ve mentioned many times here, on Comic Vine, and Comic POW! that I think there are way too many Batman books. Part of the reason I feel that way (and I’m not alone by a long shot) is that Scott Snyder’s Batman is so amazing while the others range from good to horrible. Batman: The Dark Knight has fallen into the latter category for me since its launch. I definitely agree with Finch that, under his writing, the book has lacked focus and direction. Batman and Batman and Robin have a focus and there SHOULD be a focus on Detective Comics on his crime-solving. But there wasn’t really a point to Batman: The Dark Knight in the first arc, or even this week’s issue. I LOVED Hurwitz work on Penguin so I’m definitely keeping this book on my pull list for now.
Next up is Chris Burnham on Batman, Inc:
“Oh, man, I am so excited for this book to come out! Grant and I have put our all into making this the best reading experience possible. We're trying to do away with the widescreen movie-wannabe comics of the last ten or fifteen years and make the comicbookiest comics we're capable of. Breaking borders, impossible perspectives, intricate panel interplay, sound effects, speed lines, splash pages, and some stuff that I'm not quite sure how to put into words. Words are Grant's department, anyway!We're throwing everything we can think of at the wall and I'm pretty sure most of it's sticking. It's exciting, dramatic, funny, violent, deadly serious, utterly ridiculous, and, hopefully, moving. We're doing our darnedest to dress the entirety of human experience up in tights for 20 pages a month and punch it right in the teeth.”
I really enjoyed Batman, Inc and it was the biggest reason I wish "The New 52" hadn’t happened. Grant Morrison seemed to have just finished setting up his series when it was swept aside. I know the upcoming volume 2 will take place after the last one, but I am not sure if there will be glaring continuity errors or what. I do know that I love Grant Morrison on Batman (he hasn’t completely sold me on Superman) and I can’t wait to see this book come out.
