With series like AMERICAN VAMPIRE, BATMAN and SWAMP THING, Scott Snyder is definitely a comic book writer to watch. But what's it like to be an artist working on one of these books? This week, NEWSARAMA interviewed Rafael Albuquerque and Yanick Paquette about their collaborations with Snyder. And be sure to check back to NEWSARAMA next week to read their interviews with artists Greg Capullo and Sean Murphy.
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.
Remember this cover of SWAMP THING issue #8 (on sale 4/4)?
Now, head over to BUZZFEED to see the exclusive reveal of the new look of Swamp Thing on the final cover of issue #8.
But before you go, here’s what SWAMP THING writer Scott Snyder has to say about today’s debut. “Here we are! The big reveal! I couldn't be prouder of how Yanick took the ideas I presented to him and used them in this design. We had long talks about how this new Swamp Thing should look like something specially chosen, an archangel, an avenging royal warrior of the green - something bigger and more brutal and regal than the swamp things that came before. A big part of our story is this idea that Alec Holland has been running from his destiny all his life - running from the knowledge that he is destined not just to become Swamp Thing, but the greatest Swamp Thing of all time. And so we wanted the design to have all the terror and glory of that conflict.”
WonderCon 2012!
Get your bags packed because DC Entertainment is heading to WonderCon! This year we'll be attending the show from March 16-18 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.
A lot of amazing stuff has been happening with us and we can't wait to share the details. If you want the latest on BEFORE WATCHMEN, DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, the DC Nation animation block and Vertigo, come hang out with us at WonderCon! Don't worry if you can't make it - all the goings-on will be covered on our website and blogs, so be sure you check in for updates.
If you are going to be at the show, we're booth #501 and the following guests will be in attendance:
Sergio Aragones, Brian Buccellato, Mike Choi, Shane Davis, Alex Garner, Mick Gray, Viktor Kalvachev, Jim Lee, Dustin Nguyen, Norm Rapmund, Scott Snyder, Ryan Sook (Friday and Saturday only), J. Michael Straczynski, Len Wein, Scott Williams, Marv Wolfman and many more ...
See you in Anaheim!
- Ian Sattler, DC Entertainment
Finding lost treasure can be quite the difficult task—it’s driven pirates and other relic hunters crazy for centuries. But DC Digital Comics is helping make the impossible simple with the Hidden Gems Sale! The sale includes storylines and titles from throughout past and present digital releases, putting them all in one convenient place at an incredibly low price. There's over 160 issues—all for only 99 cents each! Stalk the streets of Gotham City alongside Dick Grayson while he takes on the mantle of the Bat in Scott Snyder's critically acclaimed DETECTIVE COMICS run "The Black Mirror." Witness the original Batman's time-hopping journey back to the present in Grant Morrison's BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE limited series. Experience the pulse-pounding excitement as the Superman family takes on the unstoppable monster that once killed the Man of Steel himself in the "Reign of Doomsday." Take the to skies to battle killer robots, brain-changing apes, evil clones and more with POWER GIRL, featuring art by fan-favorite Amanda Connor and current VOODOO artist Sami Basri! All these titles and many more can be found in the sale, but act while you can before these Hidden Gems go back into hiding. The 3-Day sale begins 2/29/12!
With “The Night of the Owls” crossover coming to Gotham City this May, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES ran a complete week of coverage examining the event. While CBR often spotlights their Batman coverage under the “Bat Signal” header, they even retitled the column in honor of the event. With the Owls wreaking havoc on Gotham and taking over the city, it only seemed right for the “Bat Signal” to be subverted into the “Owl Signal.” Kicking off their week with the creative who introduced the sinister Court of Owls into the mythology, CBR spoke with BATMAN writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo. BATMAN series editor Mike Marts joined in the candid conversation about the malevolent new villain that has sprung up to threaten the extended Bat-family. Said Snyder, “As I was working on the story, I realized there was a point in issue #9 where the attack that the Owls were going to launch against Gotham was so big and so broad that we had to at least address where the other Bat characters were. So I talked to Mike and told him that there was an opportunity to play in if they wanted to. From there, we tried to make an event where each writer or each team working on the Bat books could look at their story lines and decide if they wanted to organically tie it in.” Next came their interview with Kyle Higgins, writer of NIGHTWING. “From a thematic standpoint and an emotional standpoint, some of the things that come up during Nightwing's fight with the Owls are going to raise questions for him about what his place in the future of the city is, what his place in current Gotham could have been, and whether or not the way he and Batman operate in the city accomplish all that much of anything,” said Higgins. “So yeah, it's safe to say this crossover will frame some things for Nightwing to look at as we move forward in the series.” Though it might seem an unlikely participant in the “Night of the Owls,” ALL-STAR WESTERN takes place in Gotham of a century ago, offering insights into the Owls’ roots. Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti explored the depth of the Court’s hold on the city. “The mythology that Scott [Snyder] is developing so admirably in BATMAN lends itself directly to ALL-STAR WESTERN because it encompasses the history of Gotham long before the caped crusader existed,” said Gray. “To that end, using both The Court of Owls and the Talon fit seamlessly into our existing plans for the book. In fact, we're already seeding ideas and images in ALL STAR that come into play not only with #9, but also all the way through the end of our first year.” With Batman under fire in his self-titled book, Robin’s on his own against the Owls’ assassin: The Talon. BATMAN AND ROBIN writer Peter Tomasi explains, “Robin pretty much faces this Talon alone in a wall to wall action packed story just outside of Gotham. Batman has his hands full with all the craziness that Scott's throwing at him at Wayne Manor, and members of the Bat Family need to step up and kick some serious ass to try and help set things right. With all of the Talon action taking place in Gotham proper, I thought it would be cool to move Robin into the outskirts for a little change of scenery in his battle.” Fending off the Owl attack on three separate front, writer Judd Winick discusses the crossover from the perspective of three distinct titles: BATWING, CATWOMAN and BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT. “I think it's a little bit of everything. These are three very, very different stories,” said Winick. “That's the fun of this entire crossover that it's a really big, terrific, ramshackle story just full of action, lots of emotion, and digs around in canon in a way that I think is really, really interesting.” And finally, writer Scott Lobdell spoke about how RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS fits into the action – no small feat, given the characters’ general inability to play well with others. “RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS ‘isn't like the other kids’ – they're not really asked to play in the reindeer games. When you see how they wind up caught between a Talon rock and a Mr. Freeze hard place, it will feel like exactly what it is: A ‘Night Of The Owls’ story through that Outlaw prism.” Don’t miss “The Night of the Owls,” coming this May.
For the past few days on THE SOURCE, we’ve been showing you some of the various character designs of Talon, the newest villain in Batman’s gallery of rogues and the leader of the Court of the Owls. Today, we continue to give you a backstage pass to the “Night of the Owls” crossover event by showing you an exclusive sneak peek at artist Dustin Nguyen’s variant cover for BATMAN #7. Setting the stage for the “Night of the Owls” prelude in issue #8, BATMAN #7 is an issue comprised of secrets so grave that the Dark Knight’s world will never be the same. “While reading Scott Snyder's script, there was an act that really stuck with me,” Nguyen exclusively told THE SOURCE. “It was a scene where Batman was mixed with pain, fear, and shock. I thought that was a powerful moment in the issue and decided to base the cover off of that moment.” BATMAN #7 will be available for purchase starting March 21st.
