 | Bat-Man returns to his arcane roots in the Dark Knight |
Finch is more well known for his artwork from New Avengers and Moon Knight, while Williams is one of the more popular inkers of today, just flip through your copy of Hush to remember why. The two have combined their talents to create what promises to be a darker and more supernatural comic involving some of the lesser seen occult elements of Gotham City.
Finch had a chat with CBR.com about his approach and what readers can expect:
Everyone knew going in that your series would deal with the occult or some of the darker supernatural elements associated with the character, but it was a surprise for me to see you'd be playing with co-stars like Etrigan The Demon and Ragman. Did you have a wishlist of guys you wanted to draw at DC, or did you start with the supernatural theme and ask what characters fit that corner of the DCU?
I think a mixture of both, though I think the supernatural story really sprang from the characters I wanted to use rather than the other way around. I think Etrigan is a great character. There's a lot of potential with that character, and I wanted to explore him a bit. I love Neil Gaiman-- and I certainly don't want to claim my book will have any Neil Gaiman to it -- but I love the elements he's played with and want to do the same a little bit. Etrigran more than any other character really defines where I want to go with the book.
How does that supernatural element combine with Bruce's personal story? At its heart, this first arc is about a character from his past coming back into his life. Is it hard to ground this kind of a story with real emotions?
Yeah, it is. I think it'd be really easy for me to take Batman and put him in a supernatural, no rules apply kind of setting and just lose all the elements like Alfred and his responsibilities as a billionaire or to the rest of the Bat-family. I could just walk away from all that stuff, but I really didn't want to. I feel like what has always made Batman work so well are his relationships and his city. The stuff that Grant Morrison is doing is phenomenal, and to ignore that stuff would be a mistake. I really wanted the supernatural stuff to be a flavor and an element of the book -- something that's an undercurrent -- but I wanted it to be a Batman book first and foremost. It's Batman in Gotham City, dealing with Gotham City's villains and problems.
The Penguin also plays a big role in your opening story. He seems like a villain some people have a hard time getting a handle on, as he can be played from comical to grotesque. What strengths are you developing for the character?
You know, I watched a cartoon written by Paul Dini years ago that really defined the Penguin for me. He's an outsider who wants to be one of the beautiful people. He wants to be part of the Gotham City aristocracy, and he never can be because he's ugly and sweaty and different. They're never going to accept him, and that's what drives him. He'll never be happy because he'll never have what he wants the most. I really relate to that alienation, and I love that about the character.
I talked to Geoff Johns, who's obviously such a smart guy when it comes to this stuff, and he said the best villains for Batman -- or any character -- are the villains that really reflect something about he hero. I don't know that Penguin does that, or I haven't found that way, but where he comes from for me with the alienation he feels is strong enough that it works anyway. It's kind of its own thing.
Batman is one of those many faceted creations that can be almost anything to almost anybody. An adventurer, a detective, superhero or avenger of the knight. His stories have run the gamut from science fiction, horror, mystery and suspense as well as high adventure. The latest series will delve into the dark and shadowy world of the dark knight.
I got to meet David Finch briefly at a comic book convention a ways back and he was kind enough to sign a few Moon Knight issues for me. As he did, he shuddered a little, remarking that he had to get into a very dark place to draw that title. I find it interesting that Finch, unlike some other creators who revel in the more violent and darker material, has to find his way into it. He remarked in the CBR.com interview that his collaboration with Grant Morrison left a mark on him and fueled his desire to create the Batman Dark Knight series It will be interesting to see where the dark and the strange meet in Finch and Williams' work. The anticipation on this one is pretty intense, so don't be surprised to see it fly off the shelf tomorrow.
If you manage to grab a copy, make sure to let us all know what you think here.
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