Annuals Spotlight: BATMAN ANNUAL #1

Expanding the story of this month’s epic “Night of the Owls” crossover event, BATMAN ANNUAL #1 sheds a spotlight on one of the Dark Knight’s classic rogues: Mr. Freeze.

 

“This month’s BATMAN ANNUAL is a can’t miss for readers,” teased editor Mike Marts. “Not only does it feature the mysterious origin of Mr. Freeze, but it continues important story threads of ‘Night of the Owls,’ as well. This one has it all – Nightwing and Robin guest star, and the amazing art chores are handled by Jason Fabok, who drew a few issues of DARK KNIGHT for us last year. And let’s not forget the stunning story by BATMAN regular Scott Snyder and his co-writer James Tynion IV!”

 

BATMAN ANNUAL #1 is in stores next Wednesday. For a full exclusive preview of the issue, head on over to ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY.

 

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batman annual, mr. freeze, mike marts, Jason Fabok, scott snyder, James Tynion IV

WRITER JAMES TYNION IV ON THE "NIGHT OF THE OWLS" CROSSOVER

The wait is over, and the war for Gotham City is about to begin. Pitting Batman and the extended Bat-family against the Court of Owls and their sinister agents, the long-awaited “Night of the Owls” crossover kicks off this week.

 

A shadowy secret society with deathless assassins known as Talons to execute its malevolent will, the Court has roots that reach back into Gotham’s deep past – and now this cadre of killers has mounted an all-out assault to exert its influence on the city’s present. It’s the Court of Owls versus the Allies of the Bat to determine once and for all who will rule the shadows of Gotham City.

 

BATMAN back-up co-writer James Tynion IV discusses the dream job of getting flesh out the Bat-mythology – and the history of the Wayne family, in particular.

 

I could see the epic size and shape of the story as it began last September. I was devouring every issue waiting to see what might happen next. When Scott offered me the chance to help him build the mythology of the Court with the backups, and help launch "Night of the Owls,” how could I have ever said no? The Court and their Talons are my favorite additions to the Bat-Mythos in ages, with each of those awesome assassins offering a glimpse of Gotham's history. We're launching “Night of the Owls” this week in BATMAN #8, and using the back-up to lead right from the action of the feature into the other Bat-family titles with "The Call.” And with "The Fall of the House of Wayne," Scott and I are exploring the pre-Alfred years at stately Wayne Manor, with some incredible art by Rafael Albuquerque. I can't wait for everyone to check it out.

 

(Art by Rafael Albuquerque for BATMAN #9)

 

The “Night of the Owls” begins this week in BATMAN #8 and NIGHTWING #8, exploding across the rest of the Bat-books in May. Stay tuned to The Source all this week for more insights from the architects of this epic event.

Tags: 
Batman, night of the owls, court of owls, James Tynion IV, rafael albuquerque

Jason Fabok on his Variant Cover for BATMAN #8

Earlier this year, we told you that BATMAN #8 will feature the first of a series of back-up stories exploring the dark history of the Court of Owls, the mysterious and malevolent secret society wreaking havoc upon Gotham City.

 

Today, take an exclusive first look at the issue’s variant cover by fan-favorite artist Jason Fabok.

 

“The description for this cover was that Batman was being tackled, or smothered by the Court of Owls,” Fabok told THE SOURCE. “The idea of the court reaching down to Batman in a zombie like manner immediately sprang to mind.  Artistically I really wanted to play with the shadows on both Batman and the owl-masked men so I added a strong source light on one side to light the shot. I used my camera on my Macbook to get some rough shadow reference and went from there. I penciled the piece traditionally but inked it digitally on my cintiq. Peter did a great job as usual on colors. I'm very humbled to have had the opportunity to do a BATMAN cover, especially in connection with such an excellent BATMAN run.”


BATMAN #8 is written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Greg Capullo. The back-up story is co-written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV and illustrated by AMERICAN VAMPIRE artist Rafael Albuquerque. Look for the issue in stores on April 18th.

 

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Batman, Jason Fabok, scott snyder, Greg Capullo, James Tynion IV, rafael albuquerque

BATMAN ANNUAL #1 INTRODUCES MR. FREEZE INTO DC COMICS: THE NEW 52

Coming this May, BATMAN ANNUAL #1 features the hotly anticipated introduction of Mr. Freeze into DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. But what is the icy villain’s role in the machinations of the sinister Court of Owls and their plot to control Gotham City? Is he friend or foe, ally or enemy?

“Mr. Freeze is a character full of pathos and tragedy and at the end of the day, he's one of Batman's deadliest,” said writer Scott Snyder. “So as you can imagine, I'm very excited to be able to do a story that establishes him in the new DCU, with rising stars James Tynion IV and Jay Fabok. This will be tale that really digs into Freeze's psyche, explaining his connection to the Court of Owls in the present, and exploring dark secrets about his past. Really thrilled to see what you guys think!”

Critically acclaimed for his work on the ongoing BATMAN series, Snyder will be joined by artist Jay Fabok for the oversized issue, with James Tynion IV co-writing.

Expanding the story of the “Night of the Owls” and introducing one of Batman’s classic rogues, BATMAN ANNUAL #1 is not to be missed. Check out Fabok’s cover right here on THE SOURCE.

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annual, Batman, James Tynion IV, jay fabok, mr. freeze, scott snyder, The Court of Owls

BATMAN #8 to Introduce Back-Ups Exploring the Secret History of the Court of Owls

BATMAN #8 will feature the first of a series of back-up stories exploring the dark history of the Court of Owls, the mysterious and malevolent secret society wreaking havoc upon Gotham City in the ongoing series.

The back-ups will bring together the fan-favorite writer/artist pairing of Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque, whose ongoing collaboration on AMERICAN VAMPIRE has made the critically acclaimed title one of the iconic series of the Vertigo line. James Tynion IV will co-write with Snyder.

These back-up stories will continue to reveal more about the Court’s sinister agenda as we move toward “The Night of The Owls” – a massive crossover event coming in May, which will span the Bat-books and reveal the full breadth of their master plan. With their claws sunk into Gotham history, the Owls represent a threat unlike anything Batman’s faced before, threatening to tip the city’s balance of power once and for all.

"The first backup, in issue eight will give a sense of the terrifying scope of the Court of Owls' attack on Gotham. This really will be the first shot in a war for the soul of Gotham City,” said Snyder. “And then, starting in issue nine, we'll begin a three part story called ‘The Fall of the House of Wayne’ that will investigate the secret history of the Court of Owls and its relationship to the Wayne family - particularly to Thomas and Martha Wayne, Bruce's parents. The story will be told from the point of view of Jarvis Pennyworth, Alfred's father, and offer some big surprises and shocks about the forces that shaped the bat-mythology as we know it. Can't wait for you all to see these stories!

“I'm also excited to be co-writing with my friend, James Tynion IV, a young writer I'm extremely excited about. Especially in the spirit of the New 52, it's a real thrill to get to give someone new and talented a chance to get his foot in the door, and James is a writer to watch and expect great things from!"

"And of course, I'm over the moon about getting to work with my good friend and AMERICAN VAMPIRE co-creator Rafael Albuquerque on the some of the very first ones!"

Check out the cover for BATMAN #8 (by Greg Capullo) - along with some of Albuquerque's character sketches for the back-ups - right here on THE SOURCE.

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Tags: 
Batman, Greg Capullo, James Tynion IV, rafael albuquerque, scott snyder

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