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>There's a new threat in Gotham City. Batman realizes it's time to call everyone in to make sure they're all ready. Teaming up with Batwoman, the two will train Spoiler (Stephanie Brown), Orphan (Cassandra Cain), and Clayface, with Tim Drake's help as well. It's an interesting gathering, and they might have less time to prepare than they thought.
>We had the chance to talk to James Tynion IV to find out where they'll be training, how much can they trust Clayface, and will there be any reference to the characters past relationships in the pre-New 52 universe?
>>Comic Vine: First question: Who is the big threat against Batman and the others?
>James Tynion IV: Well, we are introducing a new group in the DCU, an organization that is called Colony, and in our second issue we're going to start learning a bit more about this group. It is a huge militarized army of Batmen. We're going to see, as the story develops, that this is an organization that was built on the same model as Batman. When Batman first got started it was like the entire world would have taken notice that one man in a costume was able to do what an entire army could not. In the current continuity going back to Zero Year, terrorists had taken over an entire city, and it came down to Batman to stop it. So we are seeing a new organization called the Colony that is meant to take that concept and multiply it to an army of one-man armies. We're going to see what exactly pits them head-to-head with our core group in Detective as the story moves forward.
>>Okay. I didn't think you were going to answer me. I was trying to trick you.
>Well, you know? You see them at the end of the first issue. I think I can give a little bit of information. There's definitely a lot more to it that I can't say yet.
>>Yeah, definitely. It is good to know that we're going to start to get some answers. It's not like, "This is going to be a five-year string-along," to find out what's going on. That's cool. I'm more excited.
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>>How much of struggle is it for Batman to admit that he needs help from Batwoman and Tim [Drake]?
>That's a really good question, and it's one I sort of sat with a lot. Batman is such a singular force, and he does close himself off. He does hold certain amounts of information and all that, but at the same time he's never struck me as selfish. It doesn't come from the same place of pride when he holds information from a group; it comes from a desire to protect people. He wants to bear the weight of it himself so other people don't have to bear the weight, but when he's not capable of something, I do think he is willing to reach out and ask for help. Particularly in his group. I think he would rather go to Nightwing or Batwoman or Tim, the people he's worked with in the direct family, before he would go to one of the other members of the Justice League, but he is willing to reach out.
>That was a big thing that I actually spoke about with Geoff Johns right at the beginning of the development of this project. Everyone always says that Batman's a lone wolf, but literally two years into the creation of Batman they introduced Robin. Ever since then he has had a huge supporting cast all around him. One of the big decisions, right at the start of this book, was making sure that we weren't going down the path of, "This is Batman resisting the idea of having allies." We wanted Batman to be all-in because he knows it is the best way to face what's coming. He is a pragmatist. He does see the landscape. He is overprotective of his people. He wants them to be the best prepared, and he's willing to go to extreme lengths to do that, but he is not someone who's just going to be closed off for no reason.
>>Where are they going to be operating and training, since obviously it's not going to be in the Batcave?
>Honestly, the most fun thing in developing this series has been creating a new secondary Bat-base in Gotham City, which folks will see in issue 935 coming out next week.
>>83823039
No Mans Land 2.0 here we come
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>Basically I really wanted to create ... It's a real team base. Obviously, you can't have Clayface go into the Batcave. Batman's letting Clayface in, bringing him in as part of the training, but he's also not going to just let him go into the basement of Wayne Manor. That's another step.
>So we knew we wanted to create something new and, honestly, that was one of the first ideas. I had a whole three-page document that I sent my editors and my artists about, "This is the Belfry. This is the new Gotham base." Frankly, I hope that this is a new location in Gotham that will be one of the defining locations of Gotham City for the next era of Batman comics. It will be very central to this book. This is the core base of operations, designed by Tim Drake and Batman, for the operations group. It's got lots of weird little surprises. Batman's very utilitarian, but this is designed by Tim, who has a bit more of a flair to him. Every issue from here on out is going to show off a different aspect of how they fight crime using the Belfry in Gotham.
>>You mentioned Clayface. Is that's something that we'll see, like, "How much can they trust him?" Is that something that they're going to be working with him on?
>Oh, yeah. I mean, that's the biggest question. Honestly, I think the question isn't so much, "Is he trustworthy?" now. I think you can take Clayface at his words, that he is there for the reasons he says he's there. The thing is that what we know from his past is that on the worst day of his life, when he went through a horrifying accident that turned him into a monster, he allowed the darkness in him to steer him towards a darker path, or an easier path. The fact that he skewed that way, in that moment, is the thing that... Batman believes that he can do better, and he hopes he can but he might not. He might just be the sort of person who will always take the easy way out, and that's something we're going to see play out as we dig into his story moving forward.
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>>So for now everyone's going to have to not say each other's real names, protect secret identities?
>Yes. That is definitely a concern. I think it's more centered around Batman than the individuals in the group. He's working side-by-side with them. He has worked with Batwoman in the past. It's like he has a kind of awareness of them, but it's more the big secret is the connection between Bruce Wayne and Batman. That is not something that's open to negotiation.
>>What about Tim and Stephanie? Are we're going to see their relationship go further?
>Oh, yes. Honestly, one of the big things in this book is I wanted to really dig back into the core relationship between Tim and Steph because that was how I met Stephanie Brown. That's how I fell in love with that character, back in the [Chuck] Dixon Robin series in the '90s. That's where I fell in love with both of those characters, so this is my digging back into the Steph that I really fell in love with as a character. With Batman Eternal, we were able to really introduce her back into the mix, into DC continuity. There really haven't been a lot of big stories with her. She's had small appearances here and there, and those all contribute to the larger picture. One of my primary focuses in this book is giving Steph her place in the larger mythos of Gotham City.
>I don't mean to say that as her place is as a partner to Tim Drake, because it's a bigger issue than that. That's not what my goal is at all, but there are things that come out of that relationship, especially at the end of this arc, that really set her in motion. Our second arc, which will start this fall, is going to be a very Spoiler-centric arc. I am very, very excited for that. We have a huge, huge plan for Stephanie Brown, and then also huge plans for Tim Drake in this series. Everyone's just going to have to wait and see what they are.
>>83823058
Sorry for fucked upload speed
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>>Are we're going to see others get trained? Where's Harper Row in all this?
>You see a little mention of her. At the end of Batman and Robin Eternal, Harper Row sort of said she's taking some time off. She will appear in this book. I've actually already blocked in exactly where her first appearance is in this book, but for the moment the role she's going to play in the series is someone who's stepped away from the crime fighting life, who's still in a very active role and helping people in Gotham City but in her own way.
>Harper Row has always been a character who has found her own way to do things, and this is sort of the next step in her story. Harper Row is one of my favorite characters that I've ever had the chance to work on. Fans of the character: "No need to worry, she is a part of that's book moving forward." Even though she is not one of the main cast members, she will be part of the recurring cast.
>>Okay. Awesome. Sounds great.
>>[Comicosity] already seen the debut issue of Detective Comics post-Rebirth, returning the long-running series to its original numbering, and been blown away. With Batman and Batwoman headlining as co-leads, writer James Tynion IV has not only taken on the book from which DC Comics gets its name, but has returned one its most popular characters of the last decade to full-time heroic status. Tynion sat down before his second issue drops to talk about the relationships he’s establishing and exactly why he’s bringing in Clayface as the newest Gotham City hero.
>Matt Santori-Griffith: Given the nature of Detective Comics now, it’s apropos to start off asking about teamwork.
>We’ve already seen the first issue and have another issue on the way from the art team of Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, and Adriano Lucas. They put together an amazing package. How has that process been for you as a team?
>James Tynion IV: Honestly, it’s been incredible. In the first two issues we have Eddy and Eber. Alvaro Martinez and Raul Fernandez come in with the third issue (#936). Then there will be a bit of back and forth.
>Everyone participating in this book is doing the work of their careers. Every issue has a stunning shot. Whenever I see pages come in, they just blow me away. And now that I’m seeing what everyone is capable of, I’m writing to their strengths. It really is something special.
>The downside of working on a biweekly book is how quickly I have to turn scripts in. The upside is seeing artwork coming in from two issues of the book at the same time and seeing a full, powerful image of the series coming to life.
>I really think this is going to be one of the most beautiful books on the stands from DC every few weeks — from now until forever. And I am thrilled with that.
>>83823103
>MSG: In thinking about the book as hosting an ensemble cast and the opportunity that gives you for powerful connections right out of the box, I want to talk a bit about the relationships you’re building, starting with Batwoman and Batman.
>JTIV: That was the heart of this book going in. Going back to the introduction of Batwoman, the most prominent queer character in the DC Universe — a badass new Bat-character of the modern era — she’s had some incredible stories told about her. But none of those stories have been about her relationship with the Bat-family. What is the balance between her and Batman? What is the real core of that relationship?
>We’ve seen bits and pieces of it, but we’ve never really been able to linger in it and tell a bigger story. That was the biggest goal in what I wanted to do in this book.
>And it’s been established in and around the corner of her series that Kate is Bruce Wayne’s cousin. That has HUGE implications, because the relationship between the Waynes and the Kanes is one of the most fraught relationships in all of Gotham City. That goes back to stuff that’s been played with in books like Gates of Gotham, and in stories like “Zero Year.” We’ve seen the struggles between the Kanes and Waynes. Being able to dig into the differences between those two families is one of the hearts of this arc.
>The simple fact is that Jacob Kane did not care for Thomas Wayne in particular, and doesn’t care much for his son either. And that’s how Kate was raised. There’s a lot to with there. There’s a lot of power.
>Bringing Batwoman back to the forefront was a huge priority, but doing that in a way that let us explore stories we’ve not seen before — but I’ve been dying for since the character was introduced — was the other goal.
>MSG: You mention Jacob. What about Kate Kane’s relationship with her father?
>>83823116
>JTIV: I’m building off the character as she’s been portrayed the last few years. We’ve seen that relationship go through huge ups and downs. But I didn’t want to focus on the specifics of those ups and downs for the people who maybe didn’t pick up a Batwoman book or her original run in Detective.
>If you’re meeting her for the first time, the most important thing is to know that Jacob Kane used to be an Alfred-style figure for her, and due to a major betrayal, she cut him out of her life. But he’s still her father, and they’re still in contact. They’re trying to fix what’s been broken.
>MSG: In next week’s issue, two other relationships definitely are taking center stage, both with Tim Drake on one axis. The first is Batman and Red Robin.
>JTIV: That was the other relationship I wanted to play with.
>Tim Drake is my favorite character in comics. The end. I’ve never been shy about that. He is legitimately one of my all-time favorite characters and I will always, ALWAYS care a lot about him.
>Being able to dig into what Bruce and Tim’s relationship is like in the modern era was really important to me. I think that’s gotten a little confused over the last few years. The New 52 skipped over Tim as Batman’s sidekick, so he’s been off with the Teen Titans and doing his own thing. He’s popped up in Batman Eternal and Batman and Robin Eternal, but he’s had almost no facetime with Batman himself.
>I wanted him put right into the heart of that right from the start. And it shows a part of their relationship that’s always been the most powerful to me, which is they are sympatico in their intellect. They are both genius-level characters.
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>>83823134
>I remember there being a line where Batman realizes that at Tim Drake’s age, he was not as smart as Tim — and what that means for the future. I want to bring that back to the forefront. The fact that Tim is this young genius who has so much potential to be one of the major players shaping the DC Universe. Batman sees that and is trying to help him toward that goal.
>There’s also a little bit of conflict in that Batman might have different plans for Tim than Tim has for himself.
>So, yep! Tim and Batwoman are the heart of this story, and of this first arc in particular.
>MSG: The other major relationship we see in evidence next week is Red Robin and Spoiler.
>JTIV: Oh yes. Yes.
>If the first arc has Batwoman and Tim Drake with major emotional arcs, the second arc is the Spoiler arc. Bringing Stephanie Brown to the forefront of this series was always one of my major goals.
>I got the chance to bring Steph back into continuity with Batman Eternal, but in the second series, she took a backseat. It made sense in terms of that story, but I wanted to get back to her and the larger story I wanted to tell with Steph. The key part of that is reinstating the powerful connection between Tim Drake and Spoiler.
>Their relationship has been something that’s driven Batman stories for over twenty years, and it didn’t exist in the New 52. But like a lot of things in Rebirth, it’s about bringing key relationships back to the DC Universe. This was one we knew we wanted. There was a nod toward it at the end of the first Eternal series, but I’ve been waiting to do this for a long time.
>Their story moving forward will help shape Gotham City.
>MSG: Well, my last question is really about the oddball you have brought into the cast — Basil Karlo, Clayface. He has a very particular relationship to his body. Can you speak to that specifically?
Pic related: variant
>>83823144
>JTIV: There is real power to the idea that an accident — something you did not intend — makes you look to the world like a monster. And then letting yourself slide into that role. Everyone thinks the worst of you, so you become the worst you.
>In this story, we get to see Batman as the guy who sees the best of you. The fact that there is a chance for redemption is really important here, not just for Clayface, but across the whole book.
>Batman has secrets. He’s always going to have secrets. Trust is not the thing Batman is best at. But in terms of this book, I’d rather tell the story of what happens when a bunch of young heroes in Gotham City come together and want to train — instead of Batman saying “no,” I wanted to see what it looked like for Batman to say “yes.”
>The biggest show of optimism from Batman could be him believing that one of his villains could become a hero. Clayface is different from a lot of them, because he falls into the role of the tragic character. He isn’t just mindless, faceless evil. He’s lost himself, quite literally going back to his appearance in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman. He’s lost his ability to even hold his form as Basil Karlo.
>He’s lost himself, but now he can pull himself back together. He can be something more. There’s a lot we can dive into with that, and a lot of story potential I’m really, really excited for.
>The entire cast, everyone we’ve talked about — including Cassandra Cain, Orphan, who is the focus of our third arc — have a lot of big stories coming up in this book. You’ll just have to wait and see. And I can’t wait for people to see them!
END
>>83823064
You just know Batman programmed the thing.
>>83823144
>I remember there being a line where Batman realizes that at Tim Drake’s age, he was not as smart as Tim — and what that means for the future. I want to bring that back to the forefront. The fact that Tim is this young genius who has so much potential to be one of the major players shaping the DC Universe. Batman sees that and is trying to help him toward that goal.
Sounds terrible.
>>83823094
>>Harper Row has always been a character who has found her own way to do things, and this is sort of the next step in her story. Harper Row is one of my favorite characters that I've ever had the chance to work on. Fans of the character: "No need to worry, she is a part of that's book moving forward." Even though she is not one of the main cast members, she will be part of the recurring cast.
My Jaw dropped!
>>83823039
Who is that dude in the second panel?
>>83823899
I guess Clayface?
>>83823064
> Cassandra saving Steph and taking on protecting her from all those Jokers.
It's the little things.
>>83823094
>Fans of the character
Literally who is a fan of the character
At best I've seen people want her to be in a threesome with Cass and Steph but the overwhelming majority are indifferent or hate her
