Earlier today, we linked to all of the exclusive previews of the fourth issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 that are going on sale tomorrow.
Below, take a look at all the previews that ran (sorted alphabetically and separated by cover), compiled here in one easy location for your convenience.
[gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4"]
Tomorrow, the next batch of fourth issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 hits stores. Previews of the various issues being released have been running for the past few days across the Internet and we’ve compiled them all here on THE SOURCE for your convenience.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY continued their previews of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 by debuting an action-packed sequence from GREEN LANTERN #4.
USA TODAY ran an exclusive preview of BATGIRL #4 and interviewed series writer Gail Simone. “Where Batgirl struggles to do good with her survival experience, Mirror goes the other way and inflicts his pain on the rest of the world," Simone said of this issue’s final showdown between Batgirl and Mirror. “It's about identity and what we do with the lives we are given. That's a theme that runs throughout Barbara's adventures. You're given your fondest wish — what do you do with that gift?”
Need a little more bat to help you get through your Tuesday? COMIC BOOK RESOURCES previewed BATMAN AND ROBIN #4 and IFANBOY previewed BATWOMAN #4.
Or maybe you want something with a little more edge (see what I did there)? IGN has the first four pages of DEATHSTROKE #4, GAWKER’s IO9 has your first look at SUICIDE SQUAD #4 and MTV GEEK previewed GRIFTER #4.
If you’re looking for something slightly more on the dark side, MAXIM has an exclusive preview of DEMON KNIGHTS #4, BLOODY DISGUSTING has a first look at RESURRECTION MAN #4 and PASTE MAGAZINE debuted an interior sequence from FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #4. “Issue #4 wraps up all the plotlines from the first three issues and sets the next arc in motion,” series writer Jeff Lemire told PASTE. “It’s a big fun science-fiction adventure with lots of monsters killing other monsters. At the end it sets up Frank’s team, the Creature Commandos, with S.H.A.D.E., and we go with that for a few issues.”
Over at UGO, there’s an exclusive preview of SUPERBOY #4. TOR.COM has a look at MISTER TERRIFIC #4 and NEWSARAMA has your first sneak peek at LEGION LOST #4.
And just in case you’re still craving more of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 after all of that, take a sneak peek at BATMAN #5 below with Chris Burnham’s a-maze-ing variant cover.
To be continued …
BATMAN #7
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
Variant cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
1:200 B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale MARCH 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
Batman may have survived the Court of Owls’ first strike (barely), but even as he recuperates, the Court is preparing to launch its most deadly and sweeping attack yet. Plus: The secrets revealed in this issue will change Batman’s world forever! You won’t want to miss the issue everyone will be talking about!
This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.
DETECTIVE COMICS #7
Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art and cover by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA
1:25 B&W Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
On sale MARCH 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Batman uncovers the truth behind a string of underworld killings involving a guest at the Penguin’s Iceberg Casino, but time is running out! Is unimaginable terror about to strike on the floating gambling den? And what will Bruce Wayne do now that he’s discovered some of Charlotte’s most well kept – and darkest – secrets? It’s death and destruction in the highest of high stakes games at the Iceberg Casino!
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #7
Written by PAUL JENKINS and DAVID FINCH
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
1:25 B&W Variant cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale MARCH 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
You’ve never seen Bane versus Batman like this before! Since the start of this best-selling series, Bane has been dragging The Dark Knight through a twisted terrain of horror and fear – but two can play that game! Don’t miss this shocking issue as Batman pushes himself further than ever to fight against his deepest demons. And what happens to The Flash and Poison Ivy? Pick up BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #7 to find out!
BATWING #7
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art by BEN OLIVER
Cover by JASON FABOK
On sale MARCH 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Batwing comes to Gotham City! Batwing and Batman race back to the city hoping to stop the killer Massacre from assassinating the last two members of Africa’s lost super-team, The Kingdom! Meanwhile, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin are already on the ground leading the search. Plus: The dark past of the Kingdom is revealed!
BATMAN AND ROBIN #7
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
On sale MARCH 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Batman finally discovers NoBody’s lair and must confront Robin and NoBody in an explosive, brutal battle that will shake them all to their very core!
BIRDS OF PREY #7
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by JESUS SAIZ and JAVIER PINA
Cover by JESUS SAIZ
On sale MARCH 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Go ahead. Skip this issue. You’ll only be missing 20 pages of insane, wall-to-wall action as the Birds of Prey finally catch and unmask the elusive mind-controlling villain known as “Choke” – only to discover that he’s turned one of their own against them! You’ll also be missing Black Canary vs. Ivy! Batgirl vs. Starling! Katana versus…well, that would be spoiling things, wouldn’t it? BIRDS OF PREY #7: The comic for people who think there’s not enough fighting in comics.
BATWOMAN #7
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art by AMY REEDER and ROB HUNTER
Cover by AMY REEDER
1:25 B&W Variant cover by AMY REEDER
On sale MARCH 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Six lives on converging courses that will change them forever ... Batwoman, in a hidden lair beneath Gotham Harbor, faces a horde of monsters inspired by urban legends led by Falchion, an evil mastermind. Jacob Kane waits in agony for some sign of life. Kate Kane tries to enjoy new romance as the werebeast Abbot begs for her help. Maro, an enigmatic wizard, evokes an evil that all children fear: their own reflections in a darkened mirror. Detective Maggie Sawyer is caught in a turf war between The Werebeast Cult and The Medusa Syndicate. DEO Agent Cameron Chase struggles with a new operative who refuses to be controlled. It’s all coming in “To Drown the World,” part 2.
BATGIRL #7
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art and cover by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES
On sale MARCH 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
One dark, tragic night, The Joker shattered the life of Barbara Gordon in the landmark story BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE. In this issue, see a side of that story that has never before been told, as BATGIRL faces the demons of her past! And if that’s not enough, a deadly new gentleman killer, Grotesque, stalks the streets of Gotham City!
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #7
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
On sale MARCH 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Red Hood is convinced that the super assassin Essence set him up in his battle against the Untitled...and Arsenal and Starfire are prepared to help him get some payback! Plus: The trio learn that the super-villain known as Crux might be a kindred spirit after all! And the murderous Suzie Shu waits in the wings for her revenge!
CATWOMAN #7
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale MARCH 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
In the wake of her run-in with Batman and the loss of someone very dear to her, Catwoman turns over a new leaf. With a new attitude, a new partner and a new game plan, she embarks on a new journey: She’s stealing hot cars. The competition isn’t too happy about it, and the Gotham PD are that much closer to nailing her. There’s only one way out: Drive really, really fast.
NIGHTWING #7
Written by KYLE HIGGINS
Art by EDDY BARROWS and PAULO SIQUEIRA
Cover by EDDY BARROWS
On sale MARCH 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Nightwing vs. Saiko! The truth about Haly’s Circus! A tribute show for the Flying Graysons! They’re all in this amazing issue! Of course, there’s no way they could be related...right? Plus: As the answers regarding Haly’s Circus are revealed, what do they mean for Dick Grayson’s future in Gotham City? And more important, his future as Nightwing? Be here to find out!
As part of DC Comics-The New 52 Art Tour, BATWOMAN artist and writer J.H. Williams and co-writer W. Haden Blackman appeared at Isotope in San Francisco on Saturday.
In case you couldn’t make it, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES and IFANBOY were there to cover the event.
Head on over to read CBR's interview with Williams and Blackman and then check out some great photos over at IFANBOY!
As part of DC Comics-The New 52 Art Tour, BATWOMAN artist J.H. Williams and co-writer W. Haden Blackman will be appearing at Isotope tomorrow. This event will feature process pieces from BATWOMAN #1, THE FLASH #1, ACTION COMICS #1, and original art from BATWOMAN #3.
If you’re in the San Francisco area stop by to meet them and get your comic books signed!
Saturday, December 3
Meet BATWOMAN artist and co-writer J.H. Williams, III
and co-writer W. Haden Blackman
3:00-6:00pm
326 Fell St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
BATMAN #6
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
Variant cover by GARY FRANK
1:200 B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
Trapped far beneath Gotham City and hunted by the Talon – the Court of Owls’ unstoppable killer – Batman lies bleeding and broken. With no way out and no one to help, is this the end for The Dark Knight?
DETECTIVE COMICS #6
Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL
1:25 Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
On sale FEBRUARY 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Batman invades The Penguin’s floating casino as Bruce Wayne to uncover a brutal string of slayings – but he finds the chips stacked against him! With the Iceberg’s maiden voyage out of Gotham Harbor under way, the evening’s festivities threaten to throw Batman off the killer’s trail. And lurking among the rich and famous is a very ambitious outsider who’d like nothing more than to see Bruce Wayne lose everything, including his life. Murder, lies and betrayal are the name of this high-stakes game!
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #6
Written by PAUL JENKINS and DAVID FINCH
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
1:25 Variant cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
On sale FEBRUARY 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Batman’s darkest fears resurface in this stunning conclusion to the opening epic as the Dark Knight confronts the mastermind behind the toxin being injected into Gotham City’s criminals. But the conspiracy behind the toxin runs deeper than he could possibly have imagined. Time is running out – and the entire structure of Gotham City’s society is at risk, unless Batman can find a path to overcome the man who once broke his back: Bane!
BATWING #6
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art by BEN OLIVER
Cover by JASON FABOK
On sale FEBRUARY 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The past looms large as Batwing’s early days as a crime fighter come to light, gaining the attention of Batman. In the present, the adventure comes full circle as Batwing faces off against Massacre in the shadows of the Pyramids of Egypt. The mystery of Massacre begins unfolding as the truth of Africa’s greatest Super Hero team, The Kingdom, unravels.
BATMAN AND ROBIN #6
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
On sale FEBRUARY 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
As the bond between Batman and Robin deteriorates, Robin is forced by NoBody to make a life and death decision – and Batman’s hunt through Gotham City to find them reaches a soul-searing moment that will push Batman to the edge!
BIRDS OF PREY #6
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art and cover by JAVIER PINA
On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
You’ve never felt better. You’re eating right, sleeping soundly, kicking butt at work. But there’s one tiny problem. You’re being hunted through the streets of Gotham City by five women who seem dead-set on sticking you with syringes and even chopping your head off with a sword. But listen, buddy – you don’t understand. These women? The so-called Birds of Prey? They’re the only things standing between you and instant death, triggered by some creepy guy who’s been secretly controlling your mind for a year now…
BATWOMAN #6
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Art by AMY REEDER and RICHARD FRIEND
Cover by AMY REEDER
1:25 Variant cover by AMY REEDER
On sale FEBRUARY 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Artist Amy Reeder and inker Richard Friend join the Batwoman team with this new arc, as the epic “To Drown the World” begins!
Six lives, inextricably linked in the past and present, each on a collision course with the others: Batwoman, fighting for duty and vengeance against a threat of arcane power. Detective Maggie Sawyer, investigating a case that could end her career. DEO Agent Cameron Chase, commanding a vigilante she despises. Colonel Jacob Kane, clutching at a life that’s slipping away. Maro, a new villain corrupting Gotham City. And Kate Kane, wrestling with decisions that will test her loyalties.
BATGIRL #6
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES
Cover by ADAM HUGHES
On sale FEBRUARY 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
During the day, Barbara Gordon has to deal with the emotional fallout of the return of a key figure from her most painful memories, while at night, high above Gotham City’s streets, Batgirl and Batman face the deadly Gretel, a damaged woman with the lethal ability to control men’s minds!
It’s Batgirl’s first face-to-face with Batman since her rehabilitation – and he has a few choice words to say about her return to crime fighting!
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #6
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
How did Jason Todd and Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran meet – and what has bonded them together in a way that neither could have imagined? At long last the story can be told! It’s a scorcher!
(Not final cover)
CATWOMAN #6
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US RATED T+
Catwoman is busted! She’s under arrest and in the custody of the Gotham City P.D. But it doesn’t look like she’s going to get her phone call, because the police aren’t looking for justice – they’re looking for what Catwoman stole from them. And she’s about to get an earful about her most complicated relationship: Batman.
NIGHTWING #6
Written by KYLE HIGGINS
Art by EDDY BARROWS and PAULO SIQUERIA
Cover by EDDY BARROWS
On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US RATED T
After the huge reveal of last issue, Dick Grayson takes Haly’s Circus back to Gotham City in preparation for a large memorial show. But as Dick gets closer to the truth about his past, just how much is he really deciding for himself? And what does the Book of Names really mean? It all builds to a head here...just in time for a twist that will leave your jaw on the floor!
Over the past few days, we’ve been linking to all of the exclusive previews of the third issues from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 that are going on sale tomorrow.
Below, take a look at all the previews that ran (sorted alphabetically and separated by cover), compiled here in one easy location for your convenience.
[gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4"]
OUT.COM previewed the highly anticipated BATWOMAN #3 by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman.
MAXIM continued their weekly previews of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. This time around? They’ve got you’re exclusive first look at GREEN LANTERN #3 by Geoff Johns, Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy and Keith Champagne, in stores tomorrow.
GAWKER’s IO9 interviewed BATMAN: NOEL writer/artist Lee Bermejo. “I wanted to play around with the past juxtapositions of Gotham's characters,” Bermejo said. “It's important to make nods to the history without being nostalgic. When I was kid, I grew up watching the 1960s TV show. Because I was five, I had no idea that it was played for laughs. There's an element of that in this book, taking Batman's past history completely seriously.”
And speaking of BATMAN: NOEL, head on over to IGN for your chance to win a copy of the book.
To be continued …
The bogeyman. The monster in the closet. The things that go bump in the night. They show up, sometimes, in a good spooky story. But what gives us nightmares, what really keeps us up late at night, can't always be named.
With today being Halloween, we sent thirteen questions about horror to some of the smartest writers in the comic book industry to get to the heart of why we love horror. Scott Snyder, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are all currently writing characters traditionally associated with horror. Paul Cornell's writing a dark fantasy book chock full of fear and the supernatural. Brian Azzarello, J. H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman are injecting horror into superhero epics. They all took time out to share their thoughts on what we're calling the New Horror in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. Their answers will run here on the SOURCE in three parts, but you can keep the conversation going on Twitter with the hashtag #thenewhorror.
On the horrors of the New 52
What sets the Dark titles apart from the other books in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52?
BRIAN AZZARELLO: There's a palpable creepiness in these books. The threats are relatable.
DAN ABNETT: These are supernatural or pseudo-supernatural books that fit very neatly into the new DC Universe. Genre borders are dissolving in other media, and it’s nice to have comics that can blend styles and flavors. RESURRECTION MAN is, basically, a superhero book, but he doesn’t wear a costume and he spends most of his time actively NOT being a superhero... and plenty of time engaging with horror/supernatural/dark science-fiction themes.
J.H. WILLIAMS III: There seems to be this unique blend of heroics and creepy ideas mixing together. My favorite thing to do is cross genres in unexpected ways to produce interesting results. Even though Batwoman isn't really a "DC Dark" title, we do sort of fit that vein. But with a nice twist of her not actually having powers of her own, just a normal human being dealing with things that defy the natural order in the only ways she knows how.
PAUL CORNELL: The qualities of one's peers, for a start. They're lovely chaps to be on a panel with. And I think the line has something of that wonderful moment just before Vertigo launched, when the weird horror characters were still part of the DC universe about it.
SCOTT SNYDER: I think the sensibility. We're allowed to explore the more horrible villains, in monsters and all that, but those things sort of demand a darker emotional material to work, too, you know? Meaning, for the kinds of monsters and gross things we write about in our plots to be scary, they have to be functions of stories that are equally scary and disturbing.
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: I feel like BATWOMAN has its own unique place in the New 52. While it's sometimes a traditional vigilante comic book and somewhat connected to the Batman books, it has very strong supernatural and metaphysical undercurrents. Batman generally fights psychopaths (some quite horrific), but many of Batwoman's cases and villains will have a much more supernatural flavor.
ANDY LANNING: When we wrote RESURRECTION MAN first time 'round, it was commented that the book was a kind of bridging title between the DC Universe and the Vertigo titles which was something new at the time. The Dark Line as a whole now is well and truly treading the ground between the overt superhero titles of the DC Universe and Vertigo books and it’s very fertile ground that seems to have struck a chord with readers.
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: First off, the folks in our group are just the best of the best. I can't believe how amazing each of them are, and how great their books are. Second, this is something that each of us have a genuine heart felt passion for. These aren't just jobs, they aren't just doing a book for the sake of a paycheck. Each of us came to our books from a place of pure passion, and I think that bleeds from every page.
How important is it for horror and magic to have a place in the DC universe?
J.H. WILLIAMS III: I think it’s an element that has been sorely lacking in the DCU for a long time, and I'm glad to see it being embraced much more fully. It just adds even more fantastical aspects to an already tantalizing universe of ideas. It’s so important to DC that it really shouldn't ever be put back in the box again.
ANDY LANNING: Comics reflect all the main genres and as such magic and horror have always been a staple, along with westerns, war stories and sci-fi.
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: I'd take that question bigger. Horror is such a key literary genre that, for me, it's part of our job to show our existing readers that there's more to genre storytelling than men in tights and science adventures. Horror has such a beautiful tradition in comics, and, I feel like it's my duty to present that to a whole new generation.
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: I personally think it's hugely important. It provides a great deal of diversity to the universe. And some of my favorite moments in comics have been when characters from different "worlds" or backgrounds try to interact or understand one another. The tension between magic and science is great fodder for story-telling and character development.
DAN ABNETT: Vital. They are two of the fundamental (and contrasting) sources of wonder.
SCOTT SNYDER: To me, incredibly. I grew up on horror comics - my favorite Batman comics when I was a kid were the horror ones - from Arkham Asylum and DKR to Red Rain and Gotham by Gaslight. But mostly things like Swamp Thing, House of Mystery, the reprints of Tales from the Crypt, Creepshow... I love the idea of having a place within the DCU where monsters dwell - a place anyone can visit but only some can endure.
PAUL CORNELL: One of the joys of a super hero universe is that all the genres that shouldn't exist together get thrown in to bounce off each other. Just like in real life.
Each of you writes scary characters. But what frightens these, well, monsters? What phobias might these characters have?
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: In our first arc, the "monster" is consumed by emotion. She's driven by anguish and guilt, and terrified of living out a cursed existence alone. In upcoming issues, we start introducing some other monstrous villains -- one fears being discovered for what he truly is; one fears failure; another fears losing power; yet another fears getting old. And on some level, they all fear Batwoman.
PAUL CORNELL: Etrigan is living his nightmare every day, being trapped inside Jason o'the Blood, and vice versa. Xanadu's life, balancing those two against each other, is also a life of fear. The Shining Knight is afraid of dying without ever finding what she (sorry, he) is looking for. The Horsewoman fears confinement, as will become obvious. Al Jabr and Exoristos' fears we'll discover. And Vandal Savage fears nothing. Actually, that's not true, as we'll see.
DAN ABNETT: Mitch Shelley probably has a thing about coffins that are hard to open from the inside.
ANDY LANNING: Yup, enclosed spaces, oh and rats! He gets to see a lot of rats!
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: That, to me, is the drive behind I, VAMPIRE. The sheer fear that Andrew has that his one mistake will lead to the absolute destruction of mankind. And, y'know, that's the plan. Don't tell my editor, Matt Idelson, yeah? He specifically told me I couldn't wipe out all of mankind.
J.H. WILLIAMS III: I think on some level that what all human based monstrous characters fear the most is losing their humanity beyond where they may currently find themselves. And if there is some outside force that does scare them, I don't think I want to meet it.
SCOTT SNYDER: Well for Alec, I think the big fear we're dealing with is the creeping suspicion that deep down, he has always known that he was meant to be a monster - Swamp Thing. The fear that this creature is - and always was - his destiny and he knew it, even as a child, and now it's here.
What's the scariest scene you've written so far in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52? you on Halloween? Can you tease at something in an upcoming issue that might frighten readers?
BRIAN AZZARELLO: There's gonna be a birth. Nothing scares me more.
DAN ABNETT: There’s a sequence in Resurrection Man 3 where Mitch’s powers have deserted him, and he finds that the hellish things that have been chasing him are nothing to do with the REAL Hell at all...
J.H. WILLIAMS III: I think it’s a toss up between a scene in issue 3 or another in issue 4. The one in issue 3 touches on deep emotional context and the meaning of loss, and how that loss relates to who we are, what are we now that we've lost something important in our lives. While the other in issue 4 is very beastly and grotesque and raises some provoking thoughts about different roles we play in society, all through subtext and symbolic characterization.
SCOTT SNYDER: I think a scene coming up in Batman - involving a dead person, a slowly cracking open mouth and an owl - that's all I can say though!
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: I think Issue 3 has some truly terrifying moments for Batwoman as she faces the Weeping Woman and starts to discover the scope of the villain's powers. It all impacts Kate on a very emotional level. And in Arc 2, without giving too much away, we have a villain who literally drools blood, and her first appearance creeps me out.
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: There's a moment in issue 4 when Andrew meets another vampire, and he unlocks something in that vampire almost accidentally that creates, well, a monster. It's one of those moments that to me, speaks to the devil inside us all. All it would take is a tiny push and a good many of us would switch sides, no problem.
PAUL CORNELL: I think the cliffhanger to Demon Knights #3 is something that might be rather tough to read. Everyone's going 'oh, it's such a *jolly* title!' I hope by now readers have worked out what I do. My wife calls it 'ha ha bang.'
ANDY LANNING: Issue #4 gives us a glimpse into Mitch’s past and there’s some really gruesome stuff there but that’s nothing to where he finds himself at the end of that issue, it’s a shocker for sure!
So far, who do you think is the scariest character (that you’re not writing) to emerge out of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52?
ANDY LANNING: I really like what Jeff and Scott are doing with the concepts of the Red and the Green, real creepy stuff there that’s only getting creepier!
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: It'd have to be Jeff Lemire's Maxine Baker from Animal Man. That kid scares the crap out of me.
SCOTT SNYDER: I think Strife in Wonder Woman is one of the creepiest characters I've ever encountered. But the Hunters in Animal Man freaked me out, too! Lots of scary characters in the new DCU! It's my kind of place.
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: It's scary how good Swamp Thing is...
BRIAN AZZARELLO: Dan DiDio. Makes Darksied look like a piker.
DAN ABNETT: The centaurs in Wonder Woman. Proper horror, at its best.
J.H. WILLIAMS III: I think John Constantine has the potential to be the most profound. In Vertigo's Hellblazer, he has shown to be a very scary personality when you examine some of things he has done.
PAUL CORNELL: Those skeletal pets in Animal Man freak me out. And Wonder Woman's aptly alien gods.
The bogeyman. The monster in the closet. The things that go bump in the night. They show up, sometimes, in a good spooky story. But what gives us nightmares, what really keeps us up late at night, can't always be named.
With Halloween just around the corner, we sent thirteen questions about horror to some of the smartest writers in the comic book industry to get to the heart of why we love horror. Scott Snyder, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are all currently writing characters traditionally associated with horror. Paul Cornell's writing a dark fantasy book chock full of fear and the supernatural. Brian Azzarello, J. H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman are injecting horror into superhero epics. They all took time out to share their thoughts on what we're calling the New Horror in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. Their answers will run here on the SOURCE in three parts, but you can keep the conversation going on Twitter with the hashtag #thenewhorror.
On Writing
What is the most important ingredient to crafting a horror story?
SCOTT SNYDER: Honesty. You have to write about what frightens you yourself, as a writer. Those fears can take the form of a certain kind of monster or ghoul, but they have to be there on the page. For example, Stephen King's Pet Semetery - it's about a guy who loves his son so much, he can't live with his death and so turns him nto a monster just to have him around. And he writes it when his kids are young. It's so scary to him he can't even finish at first. That's good horror.
PAUL CORNELL: That it brings the reader nose to nose with the worst possible thing that could happen.
(Dan Abnett)
DAN ABNETT: Atmosphere is really important, along with timing and-- what was that noise?
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: A very well-developed and believable protagonist that is at least somewhat competent. The more we can relate to the protagonist, the more terrifying it is to see her threatened by the "monster." But if we can't connect with her, or she does something moronic that alienates us, then we start rooting for the monster.
BRIAN AZZARELLO: A threat to flesh. There's real terror in all of us about having the bag we inhabit split open.
J.H. WILLIAMS III: I'd say it’s finding the single piece of the plot that skews every other aspect into something else, the key unexpected element. By doing this, you can present things that throw the reader or viewer off balance, and once they are, you've got them like a fish on a hook.
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: Finding the identifying moment, the thing that really taps into a fear that every person on earth has. Whether that's making a mistake that haunts you for eternity (like Andrew) or losing someone you love (like Mary), finding the grounding to your story is what makes it genuinely haunting.
What attracts you to writing the horror genre?
DAN ABNETT: I dunno. Sitting alone here, at night, with only my own thoughts for company, I-- seriously. What was that noise?
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: I just like writing what I'd like to read.
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: It's way easier than comedy. Seriously, though, every story I tell starts in a place of "What's the worst thing that could happen?" and sort of extrapolates itself from there. So, even my books that aren't horror have a strong root in the genre.
SCOTT SNYDER: I've always loved stories where characters face their worst fears, whether those stories are literary, mysteries, action stories... Horror (good horror) just lends itself easily to this idea though.
PAUL CORNELL: It's a relief for the writer too. You know, this stuff isn't doing you any good if it's kept inside. Mind you, I wouldn't call DEMON KNIGHTS horror – it's more dark sword and sorcery.
J.H. WILLIAMS III: What I find so attractive about it is that you tap into something that is very primal in all of us. And by doing so, you create an atmosphere of doubt in what the world is about. It causes a questioning of what is our reality. And Horror can be a great tool of getting someone to think about themselves or the world differently than they had before. Horror, if done well, is visceral but with intelligence.
What horror cliche do you always aim to avoid?
PAUL CORNELL: There isn't really a cliche that doesn't work, if done right, and we're talking about archetypes and nightmares here, so the recurring stuff can be mined many times. Mind you, in real life, I doubt anyone splits up to search the house. But what was the last movie when anyone did that? I mean, why did they do that the first time?
BRIAN AZZARELLO: Giant ants.
(Andy Lanning)
J.H. WILLIAMS III: I think it really is impossible to avoid clichés. Everything has been done before. So it becomes a matter of presentation, by twisting the idea into a new shape.
SCOTT SNYDER: The girl running away from the killer, through the forest, in her nightshirt, tripping over a root.
DAN ABNETT: He’s behind me, isn’t he?
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: I think that they all work and they all suck, simultaneously. Finding ways to transmute these overused tropes into something new and fresh is the challenge.
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: None. My preference is to take the clichés and try to reinvent them in some way.
What is your favorite horror based character to write?
BRIAN AZZARELLO: It was, and will always be John Constantine. Because unlike me, he actually likes it.
PAUL CORNELL: I've only ever really written horror with my own characters. I mean, I got to use Dracula, but that was in super hero comics genre trappings.
W. HADEN BLACKMAN: I like writing strong heroines -- as a kid, I was always a fan of Halloween and the original Nightmare on Elm Street, both of which I feel have resourceful and brave protagonists. I also really like monsters that are a bit tragic, like Frankenstein's Monster.
J.H. WILLIAMS III: I like creating powerful female characters. It’s always so much more gratifying seeing a triumphant heroine than a male character for me. They are the more complexly motivated gender, and therefore much more fascinating. I also like classic monster types as well, but I think the strongest for me is trying to create something very nonhuman. Trying to create a horrific idea or creature that is hard to define by human standards. If successful, it can be a most terrifying story experience. Junji Ito, a master of horror manga is amazing at doing that. He quite often presents things that you cannot define, making them so much more scary because it cannot be explained.
SCOTT SNYDER: Pearl Jones.
DAN ABNETT: The one standing behind me.
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV: I can say that I'm jealous as hell of Lemire getting to have his way with Frankenstein's Monster.
DC Comics
