Post by goldenfist on Feb 5, 2009 11:57:08 GMT -5
IGN Comics: Obviously the big Batman reveal in Final Crisis #6 opens up a ton of things to talk about regarding the upcoming Bat-titles. Before we get into the upcoming projects and this week's solicits, though, I'd just like to hit on some of the editorial decisions behind how Batman RIP and FC played out.
I know there's always a lot of thought and heated discussion regarding where exactly one of these major beats occurs. For instance, should Flash die in the pages of Crisis on Infinite Earths or his own title? Should Spidey unmask in the pages of Amazing or in Civil War? Was there any discussion about whether Batman would die in his own title or in Final Crisis?
Marts: The plan for this storyline was in place for quite a while. To the best of my memory, we always planned on having that moment happen in Final Crisis. We knew that we were going for a certain major type of beat at the end of RIP, and then that would lead right into Final Crisis.
IGN Comics: I think a subject that a lot of fans and readers are curious about is how you guys go about planning and orchestrating events like RIP, Crisis and Battle for the Cowl. We always read and hear a lot about Marvel's creative retreats and how they bring all their writers in a room for a brainstorming session, but we don't really hear much about how DC goes about planning their line-wide stories. How do you guys go about first coming up with one of these huge stories, and then getting all the various writers on the same page to execute the event?
Marts: Each event and storyline comes about a different way. Having worked at both companies, I can say that the Marvel method involves kind of a yearly story summit where everyone comes in and discusses things. Here at DC, it's a little different in that we have story meetings and discussions more frequently in the day-to-day operation of things, and then we get together a few times a year and talk about long-term story plans. And it really depends on the title or storyline. With something like this, this is something that Grant Morrison worked out and then came to us with it. Other times, with something like 52 or Countdown, it might be something that's generated internally, and then we go to the writers with it.
IGN Comics: As it turned out, there was a definite dramatic arc connecting Batman RIP, Grant's two Last Rites issues, and Final Crisis. When it came to making sure these events all synced up with each other, was there a lot of interplay between you and Eddie Berganza [editor of Crisis]? Or did a lot of the responsibility of making sure things played out organically fall on Grant's shoulders?
Marts: It was a combination of both those things really. We trusted Grant to have all the story beats line up and make sure one thing flows into the next. But yeah, there's a lot of responsibility as far as myself and Eddie Berganza and the rest of our editorial team are concerned. With the end of RIP and the last two issues of Final Crisis, there was a lot of interaction between the offices and a lot of sharing of materials to make sure we had the right visuals and beats corresponding in each of the projects.
IGN Comics: As much as fans were able to follow Bruce Wayne's story from one book to the next and experience a complete dramatic arc, there are still a ton of questions about how Batman got to this point. For instance, we heard Dr. Hurt tell him the next time Bruce put on the costume would be his last, and then we saw the prophecy come about in Last Rites and Crisis. Still, will we ever see more of Bruce's time between the explosion at the end of RIP and his eventual fate in Crisis?
Marts: Probably not right away. It may be something we visit in the future, but for now we're focusing for the most part on Battle for the Cowl and the next stage of what happens after the absence of Batman.
IGN Comics: Speaking of Grant's Last Rites issues, both those two issues and Grant's extended run on Batman seemed to have opened the door to Batman's pre-Crisis history and bring all that material back into continuity. From what I've read of the previews to Neil Gaiman's first issue, he also seems to be dealing heavily with a lot of silver age material as canon. Are the floodgates now open in terms of Batman's pre-Crisis continuity?
Marts: No, not necessarily. Grant definitely has a fondness for a lot of those stories from the past, and I think in his own way was attempting to pay tribute to those stories while at the same time having the post-Crisis Batman stories make sense. And Neil Gaiman's project, as readers will see when it comes out, is really a different beast entirely.
IGN Comics: I want to hit on one more editorial issue before we move onto the solicits. Taking a character as big as Batman off the board is a bold enough move as it is, but replacing his best-selling ongoings with one-shots and mini-series seems like an even braver gamble. I have to believe that as much work goes into keeping an ongoing churning out on time, there's still a side of it that's you as an editor keeping the wheels greased and the ball rolling. Did it take considerably more effort and coordination on your part to put all the people and pieces in place to fill the void left by the main title's hiatus?
Marts: It's definitely been a lot of coordination with the wrapping up of certain things, whether it was RIP or the Last Rites issues, and then at the same time setting up Battle for the Cowl and all the various projects that go along with it. So yeah, it's been a big project. We realized there was a certain amount of risk involved in having Battle for the Cowl replace Batman and Detective for several months, but it was a move we were only prepared to take knowing that the story material for Battle for the Cowl would be substantial and strong enough to replace the regular monthlies.
IGN Comics: You guys have strongly hinted that Grant will be eventually returning to Batman, and I know that Grant has more long reaching plans for the character. That being the case, is it safe to assume that he came up with the end game of Battle for the Cowl?
Marts: There are many of Grant's story beats that play into Battle for the Cowl. It's a story that we wouldn't be able to do without the overall direction that Grant has provided for the books for the last couple of years.
IGN Comics: Alright, lets jump into the solicits. Last time we talked, we discussed Gotham Gazette and Azrael in depth. One thing we didn't really hit on is the Oracle series. From the solicits, it sounds like Kevin Van Hook's mini-series will have as much to do with the fallout from Final Crisis as it will Battle for the Cowl. Is that a correct assessment, and what can you tell us about the mini-series and Oracle's roll in both the Bat-family and the DCU moving forward?
Marts: Exactly, yeah. With the Oracle limited series, the genesis of the story is coming from two different directions – one being some elements of Final Crisis, and at the same time it plays into what's going on with Gotham City during Battle for the Cowl. But this mini-series is really a must read for not only the people who are fans of Birds of Prey, Barbara Gordon/Oracle, but people who want to be a part of seminal DC moments and important moments in DC history. People are going to look back at this Oracle mini-series as being something that's that important.
IGN Comics: Can you talk abut how you brought in the folks that are writing some of these one-shots, such as Kevin VanHook on the Oracles series, Joe Harris, Chris Yost, and the rest?
Marts: Joe Harris is someone I worked with back at Marvel. He worked on the Bishop regular series with me. We always stayed in contact, and he had done the Scarecrow one-shot from Joker's Asylum last year, which was received fairly well. Kevin VanHook actually wasn't involved in the Joker's Asylum project, but he had written a lot for Acclaim and Valiant back in their heyday. I know that he had been doing some other writing work out in California for a while. He came in through Dan DiDio, and I know they've been friendly with one another. Kevin pitched on the series, and he just really won us over with his pitch.
IGN Comics: Getting back to Oracle – There's been some significant friction between Barbara and Batman over the years. What's her situation and mindset now that Batman's gone?
Marts: It's going to affect her just as deeply as it affects Tim or Dick or Alfred. While there has been friction between the two of them, there's also been this relationship between the two on both a professional and personal level, which will now completely change.
IGN Comics: Let's jump to Joe Harris' Man-Bat one-shot. How does Kurt Langstrom play into the whole Battle for the Cowl melee?
Marts: With Man-Bat, he's our point-of-view character for the heroes of Gotham. There are a lot of heroes that have been allies of Batman over the years. Many of them are involved with Battle for the Cowl helping out Robin and Nighting. This story offers readers a view into the mindset of a hero who now feels that there's this absence now that the Caped Crusader is no longer there. Not only was Batman his ally, but he also gave him purpose and guidance, which is now gone.
IGN Comics: And then there's David Hine's Arkham Asylum one-shot. How does Batman's absence affect what's going on inside Arkham's walls?
Marts: At the very beginning of Battle for the Cowl, readers will see that the status quo of Arkham Asylum will take a huge left turn. Not only will the inmates of the Asylum be affected, but the Asylum itself will be affected. This directly affects Dr. Jeremiah Arkham, his purpose in life, and his role in Gotham City. Many things come into question now because of what happens in Battle for the Cowl. This is a story about him, his decisions, what he does next, and what kind of role Arkham Asylum will take in the months to come.
IGN Comics: How about Chris Yost's Underground one-shot? Is that sort of a spiritual successor to Frank Tieri's Gotham Underground?
Marts: It is in name mostly, and that it deals with the underground element of Gotham City. If the Man-Bat one-shot is taking the point-of-view of the heroes of Gotham, this is sort of the flip side of that, taking the point-of-view of the villains and how they're dealing with the absence of the Caped Crusader. They're not really going to know that Batman died. Perhaps some of them will, but other will just feel this vacuum or this void. And they're definitely going to try and take advantage of that. So we'll get to see what Penguin is doing now, what Two-Face is doing, and perhaps the reemergence of a villain that we thought dead in the past. We'll see other characters like Poison Ivy and Catwoman in this one-shot as well.
IGN Comics: Speaking of the Gotham Underground mini-series – are we going to see the status quo established by Tieri in that mini-series play into the whole Battle for the Cowl tapestry?
Marts: Yeah. We spent nine issues with Frank, and he did a great job laying down the foundation for what the underground situation was going to be like. And that does play into Battle for the Cowl and the other books in the months to come.
IGN Comics: I have the latest Battle for the Cowl teaser in front of me, and I know you guys put a lot of thought into everything from the layout to the props that appear to how the characters are situated. If you're up for it, I'd like to go from character to character and get your thoughts on how they'll play into the mini-series and the other books in the months to come.
Marts: Sure.
IGN Comics: We'll start on the right with Hush. With Tommy Elliot currently masquerading as Bruce Wayne, it would be logical to expect him to play into Battle for the Cowl. Will we see a lot of Hush in Tony Daniel's mini-series?
Marts: We've spent a lot of time with Tommy over the past few months in Detective and also with the Faces of Evil two-parter that we did. Hush and Tommy Elliot will definitely play a part in the Batman books in the months to come. We can expect to see him in at least one of the Battle for the Cowl events going on, and definitely in the months to come afterwards.
IGN Comics: Not to get on a tangent here, but one quick question: with Detective Comics on hiatus, can fans expect to eventually see more from the team of Paul Dini and Dustin Nyugen?
Marts: For sure. We were actually just talking yesterday and today about their next project, which is also in the Batman realm.
IGN Comics: Fantastic. Let's move on to the next character in the teaser, which is Damian. Where does he stand when it comes to his father's death? Is he sentimental at all about it, or is he just eager to step into his father's shoes?
Marts: You know, he's a complex character, and he has complex reactions to what happens to Bruce Wayne. Here's someone who on the one hand he idolizes and worships, but on the other hand, he feels entitled that perhaps the suit should and could be his. That the Batcave and Wayne Manor should be his. And he's someone who's arrogant enough that he doesn't care that there are two other sons of Bruce Wayne that have been around much longer and have earned their stripes and the respect of Bruce Wayne. There are a number of different things that will be happening with Damien in the months to come.
IGN Comics: How about Batwoman? I know fans have been waiting to see her integrated more closely into the Bat-family, and the DCU in general, for some time now. Is this the time where fans will finally see that happen?
Marts: We hope so. That's about as much as I can say about it right now.
IGN Comics: Any comment on the long awaited Greg Rucka project starring the character?
Marts: Nope. Nothing to say except that, in my opinion, it's the best thing Greg's ever done.
IGN Comics: How about the armored "Third Batman" from Grant's run and RIP? His presence in the teaser suggests that somehow the threads laid down by Grant in RIP will play into Battle for the Cowl. Are we going to see this character in Tony Daniel's mini-series?
Marts: There are definitely similarities between that third Batman and the one that appears in this teaser image. But I wouldn't be so quick to assume they're one in the same. I will say this – the character crouched atop that box will be seen in the months to come for sure.
IGN Comics: Interesting. How about the box? What's up with that?
Marts: You know, I didn't notice that! [laughs]
IGN Comics: [laughs] Fair enough. I asked Tony Daniel this question when I interviewed him, and I'm interested to hear your perspective on it. I think if you were to ask ten fans who they expect to walk away from Battle for the Cowl with the right to become the next Batman, nine of them would say Nightwing. How are you guys going about subverting or playing with those expectations?
Marts: Well I think you can take a look at any one of the characters and come up with a justification for why he or she should be in the suit. A lot of people are going to gravitate towards Dick Grayson because he's been the second in command of Batman for so long, and has always been there. But you have to stop and think if this is something Dick would even want. Could he possibly feel like maybe no one could be Batman, and that the legacy of Batman is something to revere and respect and not try to replace?
Tim Drake is perhaps the best detective there is after Bruce Wayne, and in many ways he's even out-done Bruce Wayne in terms of his detective work. So he's a likely candidate as well. You also have to think of Damien Wayne. Like I said earlier, he feels entitled, and there might just be a reason this character wasn't introduced until the last three years. Jason Todd is also definitely someone to throw into the mix. He's been associated with Batman for a long time, and he's gone through a lot over the past few years. Sometimes he hasn't been the most stable person, so what would happen if he tried to become Batman?
And maybe it won't be Batman. This could be where we see Batwoman come into the mix more in stepping into that void. It could also be Selina Kyle, who's been closer to Bruce Wayne than most of these other characters have been. What about Cassandra Cain? Will she step up and become something that no one will expect? I really think that Dick Grayson is a popular choice – He just may not be the most logical choice.
IGN Comics: You mentioned Jason Todd. Since that character's been reintroduced, he's been kind of all over the place, and has yet to really click with readers. How are you guys going about trying to lock him into a position where he can really resonate with fans?
Marts: Since he's returned, he's been a few different projects here and there, and although a lot of the stories have been really strong, now that we have him in one place we can really focus on his overall direction for the next few years. I feel like fans will be able to latch on to his character and understand his character now that the character will be moving in one unified direction.
IGN Comics: In regards to Tim, I think fans have been surprised to find out just how much the "Search for the Hero" arc has pushed Tim headlong into Battle for the Cowl. Whereas in the past he's seemed hesitant to ever step into Batman's role, now he seems like he's almost preparing himself for it.
Marts: I think it's the natural progression of the character. Even before Bruce Wayne's disappearance in Final Crisis, we saw him going through the events of Batman RIP seeing Bruce in a weakened state, which sort of forced Tim Drake to grow up a little and assume more responsibility. So some of it is out of necessity, but some of it is out of choice. He's not just being forced into these situations, but he's also choosing to be in these situations. He realizes that he's more that just a sidekick to Batman. He's a protector of Gotham and a hero in his own right. He's definitely maturing as an individual.
IGN Comics: Anything I missed that fans should know about?
Marts: We have another Battle for the Cowl one-shot starring Commissioner Gordon, which Royal McGraw is writing and Tom Mandrake is drawing. This really takes the point-of-view of not only Commissioner Gordon, but the police force, and how they're dealing with the absence of Batman.
IGN Comics: Thanks for taking the time, Mike!
Marts: No problem, Dan.
I know there's always a lot of thought and heated discussion regarding where exactly one of these major beats occurs. For instance, should Flash die in the pages of Crisis on Infinite Earths or his own title? Should Spidey unmask in the pages of Amazing or in Civil War? Was there any discussion about whether Batman would die in his own title or in Final Crisis?
Marts: The plan for this storyline was in place for quite a while. To the best of my memory, we always planned on having that moment happen in Final Crisis. We knew that we were going for a certain major type of beat at the end of RIP, and then that would lead right into Final Crisis.
IGN Comics: I think a subject that a lot of fans and readers are curious about is how you guys go about planning and orchestrating events like RIP, Crisis and Battle for the Cowl. We always read and hear a lot about Marvel's creative retreats and how they bring all their writers in a room for a brainstorming session, but we don't really hear much about how DC goes about planning their line-wide stories. How do you guys go about first coming up with one of these huge stories, and then getting all the various writers on the same page to execute the event?
Marts: Each event and storyline comes about a different way. Having worked at both companies, I can say that the Marvel method involves kind of a yearly story summit where everyone comes in and discusses things. Here at DC, it's a little different in that we have story meetings and discussions more frequently in the day-to-day operation of things, and then we get together a few times a year and talk about long-term story plans. And it really depends on the title or storyline. With something like this, this is something that Grant Morrison worked out and then came to us with it. Other times, with something like 52 or Countdown, it might be something that's generated internally, and then we go to the writers with it.
IGN Comics: As it turned out, there was a definite dramatic arc connecting Batman RIP, Grant's two Last Rites issues, and Final Crisis. When it came to making sure these events all synced up with each other, was there a lot of interplay between you and Eddie Berganza [editor of Crisis]? Or did a lot of the responsibility of making sure things played out organically fall on Grant's shoulders?
Marts: It was a combination of both those things really. We trusted Grant to have all the story beats line up and make sure one thing flows into the next. But yeah, there's a lot of responsibility as far as myself and Eddie Berganza and the rest of our editorial team are concerned. With the end of RIP and the last two issues of Final Crisis, there was a lot of interaction between the offices and a lot of sharing of materials to make sure we had the right visuals and beats corresponding in each of the projects.
IGN Comics: As much as fans were able to follow Bruce Wayne's story from one book to the next and experience a complete dramatic arc, there are still a ton of questions about how Batman got to this point. For instance, we heard Dr. Hurt tell him the next time Bruce put on the costume would be his last, and then we saw the prophecy come about in Last Rites and Crisis. Still, will we ever see more of Bruce's time between the explosion at the end of RIP and his eventual fate in Crisis?
Marts: Probably not right away. It may be something we visit in the future, but for now we're focusing for the most part on Battle for the Cowl and the next stage of what happens after the absence of Batman.
IGN Comics: Speaking of Grant's Last Rites issues, both those two issues and Grant's extended run on Batman seemed to have opened the door to Batman's pre-Crisis history and bring all that material back into continuity. From what I've read of the previews to Neil Gaiman's first issue, he also seems to be dealing heavily with a lot of silver age material as canon. Are the floodgates now open in terms of Batman's pre-Crisis continuity?
Marts: No, not necessarily. Grant definitely has a fondness for a lot of those stories from the past, and I think in his own way was attempting to pay tribute to those stories while at the same time having the post-Crisis Batman stories make sense. And Neil Gaiman's project, as readers will see when it comes out, is really a different beast entirely.
IGN Comics: I want to hit on one more editorial issue before we move onto the solicits. Taking a character as big as Batman off the board is a bold enough move as it is, but replacing his best-selling ongoings with one-shots and mini-series seems like an even braver gamble. I have to believe that as much work goes into keeping an ongoing churning out on time, there's still a side of it that's you as an editor keeping the wheels greased and the ball rolling. Did it take considerably more effort and coordination on your part to put all the people and pieces in place to fill the void left by the main title's hiatus?
Marts: It's definitely been a lot of coordination with the wrapping up of certain things, whether it was RIP or the Last Rites issues, and then at the same time setting up Battle for the Cowl and all the various projects that go along with it. So yeah, it's been a big project. We realized there was a certain amount of risk involved in having Battle for the Cowl replace Batman and Detective for several months, but it was a move we were only prepared to take knowing that the story material for Battle for the Cowl would be substantial and strong enough to replace the regular monthlies.
IGN Comics: You guys have strongly hinted that Grant will be eventually returning to Batman, and I know that Grant has more long reaching plans for the character. That being the case, is it safe to assume that he came up with the end game of Battle for the Cowl?
Marts: There are many of Grant's story beats that play into Battle for the Cowl. It's a story that we wouldn't be able to do without the overall direction that Grant has provided for the books for the last couple of years.
IGN Comics: Alright, lets jump into the solicits. Last time we talked, we discussed Gotham Gazette and Azrael in depth. One thing we didn't really hit on is the Oracle series. From the solicits, it sounds like Kevin Van Hook's mini-series will have as much to do with the fallout from Final Crisis as it will Battle for the Cowl. Is that a correct assessment, and what can you tell us about the mini-series and Oracle's roll in both the Bat-family and the DCU moving forward?
Marts: Exactly, yeah. With the Oracle limited series, the genesis of the story is coming from two different directions – one being some elements of Final Crisis, and at the same time it plays into what's going on with Gotham City during Battle for the Cowl. But this mini-series is really a must read for not only the people who are fans of Birds of Prey, Barbara Gordon/Oracle, but people who want to be a part of seminal DC moments and important moments in DC history. People are going to look back at this Oracle mini-series as being something that's that important.
IGN Comics: Can you talk abut how you brought in the folks that are writing some of these one-shots, such as Kevin VanHook on the Oracles series, Joe Harris, Chris Yost, and the rest?
Marts: Joe Harris is someone I worked with back at Marvel. He worked on the Bishop regular series with me. We always stayed in contact, and he had done the Scarecrow one-shot from Joker's Asylum last year, which was received fairly well. Kevin VanHook actually wasn't involved in the Joker's Asylum project, but he had written a lot for Acclaim and Valiant back in their heyday. I know that he had been doing some other writing work out in California for a while. He came in through Dan DiDio, and I know they've been friendly with one another. Kevin pitched on the series, and he just really won us over with his pitch.
IGN Comics: Getting back to Oracle – There's been some significant friction between Barbara and Batman over the years. What's her situation and mindset now that Batman's gone?
Marts: It's going to affect her just as deeply as it affects Tim or Dick or Alfred. While there has been friction between the two of them, there's also been this relationship between the two on both a professional and personal level, which will now completely change.
IGN Comics: Let's jump to Joe Harris' Man-Bat one-shot. How does Kurt Langstrom play into the whole Battle for the Cowl melee?
Marts: With Man-Bat, he's our point-of-view character for the heroes of Gotham. There are a lot of heroes that have been allies of Batman over the years. Many of them are involved with Battle for the Cowl helping out Robin and Nighting. This story offers readers a view into the mindset of a hero who now feels that there's this absence now that the Caped Crusader is no longer there. Not only was Batman his ally, but he also gave him purpose and guidance, which is now gone.
IGN Comics: And then there's David Hine's Arkham Asylum one-shot. How does Batman's absence affect what's going on inside Arkham's walls?
Marts: At the very beginning of Battle for the Cowl, readers will see that the status quo of Arkham Asylum will take a huge left turn. Not only will the inmates of the Asylum be affected, but the Asylum itself will be affected. This directly affects Dr. Jeremiah Arkham, his purpose in life, and his role in Gotham City. Many things come into question now because of what happens in Battle for the Cowl. This is a story about him, his decisions, what he does next, and what kind of role Arkham Asylum will take in the months to come.
IGN Comics: How about Chris Yost's Underground one-shot? Is that sort of a spiritual successor to Frank Tieri's Gotham Underground?
Marts: It is in name mostly, and that it deals with the underground element of Gotham City. If the Man-Bat one-shot is taking the point-of-view of the heroes of Gotham, this is sort of the flip side of that, taking the point-of-view of the villains and how they're dealing with the absence of the Caped Crusader. They're not really going to know that Batman died. Perhaps some of them will, but other will just feel this vacuum or this void. And they're definitely going to try and take advantage of that. So we'll get to see what Penguin is doing now, what Two-Face is doing, and perhaps the reemergence of a villain that we thought dead in the past. We'll see other characters like Poison Ivy and Catwoman in this one-shot as well.
IGN Comics: Speaking of the Gotham Underground mini-series – are we going to see the status quo established by Tieri in that mini-series play into the whole Battle for the Cowl tapestry?
Marts: Yeah. We spent nine issues with Frank, and he did a great job laying down the foundation for what the underground situation was going to be like. And that does play into Battle for the Cowl and the other books in the months to come.
IGN Comics: I have the latest Battle for the Cowl teaser in front of me, and I know you guys put a lot of thought into everything from the layout to the props that appear to how the characters are situated. If you're up for it, I'd like to go from character to character and get your thoughts on how they'll play into the mini-series and the other books in the months to come.
Marts: Sure.
IGN Comics: We'll start on the right with Hush. With Tommy Elliot currently masquerading as Bruce Wayne, it would be logical to expect him to play into Battle for the Cowl. Will we see a lot of Hush in Tony Daniel's mini-series?
Marts: We've spent a lot of time with Tommy over the past few months in Detective and also with the Faces of Evil two-parter that we did. Hush and Tommy Elliot will definitely play a part in the Batman books in the months to come. We can expect to see him in at least one of the Battle for the Cowl events going on, and definitely in the months to come afterwards.
IGN Comics: Not to get on a tangent here, but one quick question: with Detective Comics on hiatus, can fans expect to eventually see more from the team of Paul Dini and Dustin Nyugen?
Marts: For sure. We were actually just talking yesterday and today about their next project, which is also in the Batman realm.
IGN Comics: Fantastic. Let's move on to the next character in the teaser, which is Damian. Where does he stand when it comes to his father's death? Is he sentimental at all about it, or is he just eager to step into his father's shoes?
Marts: You know, he's a complex character, and he has complex reactions to what happens to Bruce Wayne. Here's someone who on the one hand he idolizes and worships, but on the other hand, he feels entitled that perhaps the suit should and could be his. That the Batcave and Wayne Manor should be his. And he's someone who's arrogant enough that he doesn't care that there are two other sons of Bruce Wayne that have been around much longer and have earned their stripes and the respect of Bruce Wayne. There are a number of different things that will be happening with Damien in the months to come.
IGN Comics: How about Batwoman? I know fans have been waiting to see her integrated more closely into the Bat-family, and the DCU in general, for some time now. Is this the time where fans will finally see that happen?
Marts: We hope so. That's about as much as I can say about it right now.
IGN Comics: Any comment on the long awaited Greg Rucka project starring the character?
Marts: Nope. Nothing to say except that, in my opinion, it's the best thing Greg's ever done.
IGN Comics: How about the armored "Third Batman" from Grant's run and RIP? His presence in the teaser suggests that somehow the threads laid down by Grant in RIP will play into Battle for the Cowl. Are we going to see this character in Tony Daniel's mini-series?
Marts: There are definitely similarities between that third Batman and the one that appears in this teaser image. But I wouldn't be so quick to assume they're one in the same. I will say this – the character crouched atop that box will be seen in the months to come for sure.
IGN Comics: Interesting. How about the box? What's up with that?
Marts: You know, I didn't notice that! [laughs]
IGN Comics: [laughs] Fair enough. I asked Tony Daniel this question when I interviewed him, and I'm interested to hear your perspective on it. I think if you were to ask ten fans who they expect to walk away from Battle for the Cowl with the right to become the next Batman, nine of them would say Nightwing. How are you guys going about subverting or playing with those expectations?
Marts: Well I think you can take a look at any one of the characters and come up with a justification for why he or she should be in the suit. A lot of people are going to gravitate towards Dick Grayson because he's been the second in command of Batman for so long, and has always been there. But you have to stop and think if this is something Dick would even want. Could he possibly feel like maybe no one could be Batman, and that the legacy of Batman is something to revere and respect and not try to replace?
Tim Drake is perhaps the best detective there is after Bruce Wayne, and in many ways he's even out-done Bruce Wayne in terms of his detective work. So he's a likely candidate as well. You also have to think of Damien Wayne. Like I said earlier, he feels entitled, and there might just be a reason this character wasn't introduced until the last three years. Jason Todd is also definitely someone to throw into the mix. He's been associated with Batman for a long time, and he's gone through a lot over the past few years. Sometimes he hasn't been the most stable person, so what would happen if he tried to become Batman?
And maybe it won't be Batman. This could be where we see Batwoman come into the mix more in stepping into that void. It could also be Selina Kyle, who's been closer to Bruce Wayne than most of these other characters have been. What about Cassandra Cain? Will she step up and become something that no one will expect? I really think that Dick Grayson is a popular choice – He just may not be the most logical choice.
IGN Comics: You mentioned Jason Todd. Since that character's been reintroduced, he's been kind of all over the place, and has yet to really click with readers. How are you guys going about trying to lock him into a position where he can really resonate with fans?
Marts: Since he's returned, he's been a few different projects here and there, and although a lot of the stories have been really strong, now that we have him in one place we can really focus on his overall direction for the next few years. I feel like fans will be able to latch on to his character and understand his character now that the character will be moving in one unified direction.
IGN Comics: In regards to Tim, I think fans have been surprised to find out just how much the "Search for the Hero" arc has pushed Tim headlong into Battle for the Cowl. Whereas in the past he's seemed hesitant to ever step into Batman's role, now he seems like he's almost preparing himself for it.
Marts: I think it's the natural progression of the character. Even before Bruce Wayne's disappearance in Final Crisis, we saw him going through the events of Batman RIP seeing Bruce in a weakened state, which sort of forced Tim Drake to grow up a little and assume more responsibility. So some of it is out of necessity, but some of it is out of choice. He's not just being forced into these situations, but he's also choosing to be in these situations. He realizes that he's more that just a sidekick to Batman. He's a protector of Gotham and a hero in his own right. He's definitely maturing as an individual.
IGN Comics: Anything I missed that fans should know about?
Marts: We have another Battle for the Cowl one-shot starring Commissioner Gordon, which Royal McGraw is writing and Tom Mandrake is drawing. This really takes the point-of-view of not only Commissioner Gordon, but the police force, and how they're dealing with the absence of Batman.
IGN Comics: Thanks for taking the time, Mike!
Marts: No problem, Dan.
