"Little did I suspect when I accepted the BATMAN writing assignment back in 2006 that I’d wind up spending the next six years writing the longest continued comic story I’ve ever attempted. I thought I’d said most of what I had to say about the character with Arkham Asylum, Gothic, and Batman’s appearances in JLA. Clearly, I was wrong.  

The original pitch was for 15 issues winding up with BATMAN R.I.P. but something happened along the way and, as I was researching his rich history, I became fascinated by the idea that every Batman story was in some way true and biographical - from the savage, young, pulp-flavored “weird figure of the dark” of his early years, through the smiling, paternal figure of the 1940s and the proto-psychedelic crusader of the ‘50s, the superhero detective of the ‘60s, the hairy-chested globetrotting adventurer of the ‘70s, to the brutally physical vigilante of the ‘80s and snarling, paranoid soldier of the ‘90s.

By taking his entire publishing history as the story of his life, I was able to approach Batman from a different angle and the multifaceted character that was revealed became the subject of my story.

What would such a man be like, realistically? This was a man who had saved countless lives, faced innumerable perils, and even prevented the destruction of the world itself. This was a master of martial arts, meditation, deduction, yoga and big business. This was a man who had tamed and mastered his demons and turned personal tragedy into a relentless humanitarian crusade.

Taking that man seriously meant I had to throw out a few of the accepted ideas about Batman as a semi-unhinged, essentially humorless loner struggling with rage and guilt. The totality of his history and accomplishments made that portrayal seem limited and unconvincing, so instead, my Batman was a true superhero at the height of his powers and the peak of his abilities, surrounded by a network of friends and associates, all of whom had been inspired by his lead.

I chose to build my story around the basic trauma, the murder of his parents, that lies at the heart of Batman’s genesis. It seemed to me there would be a part of Bruce Wayne that resented his parents for leaving him and especially resented his father for not being Batman that night, so the principal villains were an archetypal bad father figure in the form of Dr. Hurt and a dark mother in the form of Talia, our villain for the concluding chapters of the story.

This master theme of damaged and ruined families was nowhere more in evidence than in the creation of Damian, the first “Son of Batman” to be acknowledged in the canon. In many ways this has been Damian’s story as much as it has been the story of Bruce Wayne and it’s a story that had its end planned a long time ago - for what son could ever hope to replace a father like Batman, who never dies?

And so, via Batman, Batman and Robin, Return of Bruce Wayne and Batman Inc. this epic tale has finally reached its finale.

Thanks to all the artists who helped realise the story – Andy Kubert, JH Williams, John Van Fleet, Tony Daniel, Ryan Benjamin, Lee Garbett, Frank Quitely, Philip Tan, Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke, Frazer Irving, Scott Kolins, Chris Sprouse, Ryan Sook, Yanick Paquette, Georges Jeanty, David Finch, Scott Clark and of course, Chris Burnham.

Thanks to the inkers, colorists and letters and to my indefatigable editors.

Thanks to the readers who joined in the fun and contributed to the thought-provoking debates and analyses online.

The conclusion is finally here, with only four more issues to go. Four issues which take Batman to dark places he has never had to visit before. Four issues and I’m done, while Batman himself continues into as yet unimagined future adventures. He’ll still be here long after I’m dead and forgotten; long after all of us have come and gone, there will be Batman. It’s been a joy and a privilege to spend so much time in the company of pop culture’s greatest character but it’s going to feel weird waking up and not having Bruce Wayne’s calm, commanding, ever-so-slightly cynical voice in my head.

Batman forever…

- Grant

Scotland, December 2012"

2013 is shaping up to be a big year for Superman.

Next spring, ACTION COMICS will come to you from an all-new creative team. Beginning with issue #18, writer Andy Diggle (THE LOSERS; GREEN ARROW: YEAR ONE) and artist Tony Daniel (DETECTIVE COMICS; JUSTICE LEAGUE) will be bringing you the Man of Steel’s adventures in the acclaimed series.

“I’ve always had a positive experience working with DC Comics, and it’s amazing to be welcomed back into the fold in such fine style,” Diggle told THE SOURCE. “Even in an industry dominated by superheroes, Superman is THE superhero – the original and best - and I’m flattered, daunted and inspired in equal measure at being given the opportunity to build on such an incredible and historic legacy. The word ‘iconic’ is bandied around a lot in comics, but Superman defines the term. I’m excited to be working with Tony Daniel, whose artistic and storytelling skills will be bringing the world(s) of Superman to stunning visual life. Together we’ll be carving out spectacular new adventures that respect the past while redefining the future of the Man of Steel.”

“First, let me say that I am really excited to be working with Andy Diggle on ACTION COMICS,” continued Daniel. “Superman is a character I've wanted to work on for quite a while now and I'm now very fortunate to be given this tremendous opportunity to work with such an iconic character. I look forward to drawing each and every character in Superman's universe. I anticipate this being a fun ride for me and hopefully for Superman fans as well. I can't wait to get Andy's first script and sharpening my pencils! Thank you everyone for your support of my work on BATMAN and DETECTIVE COMICS over the years. I already miss the Dark Knight, but I look forward to starting anew with the Man of Steel in ACTION COMICS. I hope to see you all in Metropolis!”

ACTION COMICS #18 will land in stores this coming March. Stay tuned to THE SOURCE for more sneak peeks at the title, but in the meantime, take an exclusive first look below at Daniel’s promo art for ACTION COMICS.

Every day until the start of Comic-Con, we’re bringing you something cool to help you count down the days to the start of the big show. Last week we debuted our new Comic-Con print ads. For this week, we reached out to some of our favorite writers and artists to ask them what they enjoy most about San Diego Comic-Con.

Our last Countdown to Comic-Con creator is Tony S. Daniel, the insanely talented writer and artist who recently relaunched Batman: Detective Comics as a part of DC COMICS – THE NEW 52. (The series’ first trade collection is in stores now.) Here are Tony’s thoughts on Comic-Con:

“San Diego Comic-Con is the biggest and greatest show on earth for fans and creators alike. It is the largest, most spectacular round up of the world’s greatest fans and the industry’s greatest talents. They come from all corners of the globe to experience what so many comic book and movie fans have made an annual pilgrimage. If you’re a fan, you’re in absolute science fiction and comic book heaven. If you’re a creator, you can’t help but become energized off of all the sights and sounds of the show. It is such a wonderful experience witnessing all of the excitement and passion from so many people in one giant place. I always leave inspired from looking at all the great art at the show, as well as talking with other artists whose work I admire. It’s the one place where I get to have fun as a professional and as a fan. San Diego Comic-Con is a must do and a must see.”

Tony will be signing in the DC booth and will also be a part of the Batman: Beyond the Night of Owls panel on Thursday, July 12th at 2 p.m. (Room 6DE) and the Drawing DC panel on Friday, July 13th at 3 p.m. (Room 11AB). But if you can’t make Comic-Con, you don’t have to worry about missing out. We’ll be covering DC’s slate of panels live as they take place on DCComics.com.

Next week, we’ll continue our countdown with some Comic-Con Survival Tips, all leading up to the start of our official Con Away From Con coverage on Thursday. See you there!