The Batman

[GLSteveW Sinestro's Sparring Partner Find all posts View Profile Close GLSteveW]

for his age, yes, but Giordano was still talented at his age, and Kubert is making both of them look like chumps.

Thank God that's your opinion, I mean everyone apparently ages the same.

Fortunately, it's not mine. I'm a little surprised you didn't throw in some F-bombs when describing how horrible his artwork is to you.

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Batman titles sell out; Second Printing Announced

BATMAN BEYOND #1, BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1-2, BIRDS OF PREY #1, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #1, SUPERMAN/BATMAN ANNUAL #4 and ZATANNA #1

[JohnnyV Pictionary Master Find all posts View Profile Close JohnnyV]

glad to see Birds of Prey and Zatanna starting out with success. Especially Zatanna

[W.West Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close W.West]

Thank God that's your opinion, I mean everyone apparently ages the same.

Fortunately, it's not mine. I'm a little surprised you didn't throw in some F-bombs when describing how horrible his artwork is to you.

I would had I foolishly spent money on this book. But I didn't. It looks like crap, especially compared to his art in the past. Hey, Marv Wolfman wrote some great stories in the past, but that doesn't mean his recent work doesn't suck ass. Why would treat Neal any different? It doesn't look appealing, and I'm not that nostalgic of his art to spend money on a story I have no interest in buying a guy's first big writing project and ignore his (again) crap art.

Is that a enough cynicism for ya?

[kelborn3 Sinestro's Sparring Partner Find all posts View Profile Close kelborn3]

I think its kinda early to judje batman odyssey only from issue 1.I admit myself i found the colouring a little bit lame but that doesnt mean it wont or cant be fixed(hopefully).

Besides that like its been said above its Neal Adams.The man who made Batman Batman.Its only fair to give it a shot dont u think?

[W.West Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close W.West]

How many of you actually read those stories?

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Batgirl #14 Art Teaser by Lee Garbett

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Batman:Brave and the Bold Gets EMMY Nomination

the music episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold - The Music Meister has been nominated for a 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations...

Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) Batman: The Brave And The Bold Mayhem Of The Music Meister Cartoon Network Warner Bros. Animation
Michael McCuistion, Music By
Lolita Ritmanis, Music By
Kristopher Carter, Music By
Michael Jelenic, Lyrics By
James Tucker, Lyrics By

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Batman related TPB Solicitations


The following Batman/DC Universe titles are scheduled to arrive in stores in January:


AZRAEL: THE KILLER OF SAINTS TP
Writers: Fabian Nicieza and David Hine
Artists: Ramons Bachs, Jeremy Haun and John Stanisci
Collects: AZRAEL #7-13
$17.99 US, 168 pages

BATMAN: JOKER’S ASYLUM VOL. 2 TP
Writers: Landry Walker, Peter Calloway, Mike Raicht, James Patrick and Kevin Shinick
Artists: Bill Sienkiewicz, Clayton Henry, David Yardin, Joe Quinoñes and Kelley Jones
Collects: JOKER’S ASYLUM: THE RIDDLER, HARLEY QUINN, CLAYFACE, KILLER CROC and MAD HATTER
$14.99 US, 128 pages

BATMAN VS. THE UNDEAD TP
Writer: Kevin VanHook
Artist: Tom Mandrake
Collects: BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #44-48
$14.99 US, 128 pages

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOL. 5 TP
Writers: Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis
Artists: Bill Willingham, Joe Rubinstein, Bart Sears, Pablo Marcos, Mike McKone, Tim Gula and others
Collects: JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL #2-3 and JUSTICE LEAGUE EUROPE #1-6
$19.99 US, 240 pages

THE QUESTION: PIPELINE TP
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artists: Cully Hamner
Collects: Stories from DETECTIVE COMICS #854-863
$14.99 US, 128 pages



The following Batman titles are scheduled to arrive in stores in February:




BATMAN: HUSH UNWRAPPED DELUXE EDITION HC
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Jim Lee
Collects: BATMAN #608-619 in pencil form
$39.99 US, 320 pages

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE RISE AND FALL HC
Writer: J.T. Krul
Artists: Diogenes Neves, Mike Mayhew, Fabrizio Fiorentino and others
Collects: JUSTICE LEAGUE: RISE AND FALL SPECIAL, GREEN ARROW #31-32 and THE RISE OF ARSENAL #1-4
$24.99 US, 224 pages

GOTHAM CENTRAL BOOK FOUR: CORRIGAN HC
Writers: Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker
Artists: Steve Leiber, Kano and Stefano Gaudiano
Collects: GOTHAM CENTRAL #32-40
$29.99 US, 224 pages

GOTHAM CENTRAL BOOK ONE: IN THE LINE OF DUTY TP
Writers: Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker
Artist: Michael Lark
Collects: GOTHAM CENTRAL #1-10
$19.99 US, 240 pages

SUPER FRIENDS: MYSTERY IN SPACE TP
Writer: Sholly Fisch
Artists: Dario Brizuela, Stewart McKenny, Dan Davis and J. Bone
Collects: SUPER FRIENDS #22-28
$12.99 US, 144 pages


The following Batman related titles are scheduled to arrive in stores in March:




BATMAN: TIME OF THE BATMAN HC
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: David Finch, Tony Daniel, Andy Kubert and Frank Quitely
Collects: BATMAN #700-703
$19.99 US, 128 pages

BATMAN BEYOND: FUTURE EVIL TP
Writer: Adam Beechen
Artist: Ryan Benjamin
Collects: BATMAN BEYOND #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pages

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: DARK THINGS HC
Writer: James Robinson
Artists: Mark Bagley, Rob Hunter and Jesus Merino
Collects: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #44-48 and JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #41-43
$24.99 US, 192 pages

The following Batman related titles are scheduled to arrive in stores in April:

BATMAN AND ROBIN: BATMAN REBORN TP
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Frank Quitely, Philip Tan and Jonathan Glapion
Collects: BATMAN AND ROBIN #1-6
$14.99 US, 168 pages

BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE DELUXE EDITION HC
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Chris Sprouse, Frazer Irving, Ryan Sook, Yanick Paquette, Lee Garbett, Cameron Stewart and Mick Gray
Collects: BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1-6
$29.99 US, 224 pages

GOTHAM CITY SIRENS: UNION TP
Writers: Paul Dini and Scott Lobdell
Artist: Guillem March
Collects: GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #1-7
$17.99 US, 176 pages

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: WORSHIP TP
Writer: Paul Levitz
Artists: Renato Guedes, José Wilson Magalhães and Jerry Ordway
Collects: SUPERMAN/BATMAN #72-75 and SUPERMAN/BATMAN ANNUAL #4
$17.99 US, 160 pages

TIME MASTERS: VANISHING POINT TP
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund
Collects: TIME MASTERS: VANISHING POINT #1-6
$14.99 US, 144 pages

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"Batman and Robin" & "Detective Comics" get Harvey Award Nominations for 2009

Full nominations listed here.


BEST ARTIST
Robert Crumb, "BOOK OF GENESIS", W.W. Norton
Guy Davis, "BPRD: BLACK GODDESS", Dark Horse Comics
Brian Fies, "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?", Abrams ComicArts
David Petersen, "MOUSE GUARD : WINTER 1152", Archaia Studios Press
Frank Quitely, "BATMAN AND ROBIN", DC Comics
JH Williams III, "DETECTIVE COMICS", DC Comics

BEST COVER ARTIST
Jenny Frison, "THE DREAMER", IDW
Mike Mignola, "HELLBOY: THE BRIDE OF HELL", Dark Horse Comics
Michael Avon Oeming, "MICE TEMPLAR: DESTINY, PART I", Image Comics
Frank Quitely, "BATMAN AND ROBIN", DC Comics
JH Williams III, "DETECTIVE COMICS", DC Comics

BEST NEW SERIES
"BATMAN AND ROBIN", DC Comics
"CHEW", Image Comics
"IRREDEEMABLE", BOOM! Studios
"SWEET TOOTH", Vertigo/DC Comics
"UNWRITTEN", Vertigo/DC Comics

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Batman #701 PREVIEW
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Tony Daniel

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Greg Cox Discusses a bit about "Final Crisis" Novelization

Thanks to Aidan Lucid, author of "The Zargothian Tales: Return of the Son of Hamorin", we have the following interview with Greg Cox, author of the "Final Crisis" novel, which is now available to order from Amazon.com.

Greg Cox is a New York Times bestselling author and has written many books based on TV shows such as Star Trek, CSI, Alias and novelizations on huge comic book events that occurred in both Marvel and DC universes. I recently had a chance to chat with Greg to discuss his work and how writers can break into writing novels based on Marvel and DC characters.

Thank you, Greg, for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

No problem. After putting so much work into books like Final Crisis, it's great to finally have a chance to talk about them. And it's a great excuse to procrastinate and not slave over the next chapter of the next novel!

What does it feel like to be a New York Times bestselling author?

Exciting! I still remember the first time one of my Star Trek novels made the NYT list. I was waiting by the fax machine for an advance copy of the list and let out a whoop when I saw The Q Continuum on it. I think I ran through the halls of the Flatiron Building in New York City, waving the fax proudly.

You have worked on many big franchises such as CSI, X-men, Star Trek etc. Which is your favourite to work with and why?

I can't choose. What I really like is the variety. As much as I like Star Trek, superheroes, and vampires or whatever, I would go nuts if I had to write the same kind of book over and over again. I like jumping from science fiction to horror to mystery and back again. I haven't done a western yet but it's probably only a matter of time!

When writing novels based on the CSI TV series, did you have to do a lot of research?

Oh my God, yes. Those books always take me longer than I expected, because I want to get all the real-life forensic details. I can't just make up science fiction techno babble like I can with Star Trek or whatever. Plus, they're set in a real city - Las Vegas - so that I want to get right as well. On my first CSI book, Headhunter, I actually spent several hours on the phone talking to a real-life forensic sculptor on how to do facial reconstructions. She kept me from making some big mistakes!

When writing Star Trek and X-men novels, for example, are you given free reign or do you have to conform to a set of strict guidelines when working on these titles?

Everything has to be approved by the copyright holder, from the original outline to the final manuscript. On Final Crisis and the other DC novelizations, the folks at DC gave me lots of freedom to simplify the storylines a little bit, in order to turn those sprawling multi-part sagas into coherent 300-page novels, but, ultimately, they had the final call on everything that went into the book!

The same applies to Star Trek, X-men, CSI, Underworld, and every other franchise I've worked on. You always have to respect the original material and remember that, in the end, Batman doesn't belong to you.

Having been in this business a long time, what advice would you give to new writers who are pondering on writing novels for Marvel or DC characters?

For God's sake, don't write a 350-page Spider-man novel and then try to get Marvel's permission to publish it. That's not how it works. Realistically, the only way you're going to get to write a novel based on Marvel and DC characters is if they hire you to do so first. Your best bet is to write your own stuff, and become well-known enough, that DC and Marvel know they can trust you with their characters. Don't write an entire novel unless you already have an arrangement worked out with the copyright holder.

Some say it's essential to have a literary agent while others disagree. What's your stance on this and what tips would you give for writing the all important query letter?

I've had an agent for years, and I find they're very useful, especially when complications arise. They're a little like auto insurance; you might not need one when everything is going smoothly, but you need somebody in your corner if you run into a problem.

Regarding query letters, the best thing you can do is keep it short, sweet, and professional. Think of it like a job interview. Above all else, you want to sound like a sensible grown-up who will be easy to work with. Just introduce yourself, mention any relevant credits and credentials ("I have previously sold five stories to Isaac Asimov's SF Magazine, one of which was nominated for the Hugo Award"), and explain that you write mysteries, horror, science fiction, or whatever. Do NOT ramble on at length about your dog, your hobbies, and your philosophy of life. When in doubt, keep it short. Again, you want to sound like a professional, not a nut or amateur.

Can you tell us what you're currently on?

Well, obviously, my novelization of Final Crisis goes on sale this week. I had a lot of fun writing that book and can't wait to hear what readers think of it. I still can't believe I actually got paid to write about Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman AND Frankenstein!

After that, I have a new CSI book coming out in November, plus a Green Hornet short story due out sometime this summer. I also have to plug my new issue of The Phantom: Generations comic book, which just went on sale two weeks ago.

Beyond that, I'm looking at a few new projects, but nothing I can talk about yet.

And finally, if you could be any superhero, who would it be?

Ooh, that's a tough one. My favorite superhero is probably the Spectre, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to die to become him! Maybe Green Lantern. I've always wanted an emerald power ring that actually works!

(True confession: I actually dressed up as Green Lantern for Halloween when I was just a little kid - so I guess I was always destined to end up writing for DC!)

Greg's latest novel, Final Crisis, published by Ace Books, goes on sale today and is available to purchase on the publisher's website or through Amazon and other online retailers.

- Aidan Lucid

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Batgirl #12 PREVIEW
Writer: Bryan Q. Miller
Artist: Lee Garbett

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Paul Cornell to write KNIGHT & SQUIRE Miniseries!

Hot off the white-hot start to his ACTION COMICS run, writer Paul Cornell turns his sharp pen to the Batman universe, and takes on the Dynamic Duo’s across-the-pond colleagues – Knight and Squire! Teaming with interior artist Jimmy Broxton and cover artist Yanick Paquette, the six-issue mini-series puts the spotlight on the London counterparts to Batman and Robin.

When the barriers preventing an all-out battle in a secret city populated by heroes and villains alike are lifted, all hell breaks loose and only the Knight and Squire can step in to put things write. But can the tandem keep the peace between friends and foe?

What say you, Mr. Cornell?

“I’m delighted to be working in DC Britain! Grant always said that he added something to the Knight and Squire’s world with every appearance: we’ll be taking that policy, and the amount of over the top weird and wonderful zany surreal Britishness and dialling them up to eleven. If you’ve wanted to see a milkman fighting a dinosaur in a suit, in a pub, then this is the comic for you.”

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Personally I can't fucking wait for this! Knight and Squire have been two great characters that I always love to see pop up. And with all the hoopla about Cornell's Captain Britain series over at Marvel, I'm confident he won't have a problem finding their voices. I just hope his debut with me isn't as frustrating as other new DC writer Jeff Lemire's was.

[Guest Close Shingo Wol]

I've always liked the Knight.