Newsarama: Last question, then. You've drawn Batman numerous times - for comics, for covers, and even some movie projects. What are the key things that every great Batman illustration needs - what are the bare bones elements you need to have to make it quintessentially Batman? Originally I called him Edward M. Pressler - EMP for short - but that's not in the book. He's a new character - a metahuman that feeds on energy, and who has certainly done villainous things. But as we'll reveal in the story, his life is more tragic than 'just' being a dangerous villain. Some of the events happened five years ago, some happen in the first issue. rating: "Batman: One Dark Knight" really is something different yet something familiar. The story focuses on just this one night which could be a good opportunity for the author to detailize it as far as possible. Batman and Alfed are acting out their main roles - Dark Knight and assistant watching from the Bat Cave. So any new character traits for them are missing - however that's fine for me. I love them exactly as they are. E.M.P. is an interesting choice for the villain. So far he hasn't really said or done anything besides hunting for energy. We will see how this figure evolves in the next issues. All in all the story is an interesting twist but the idea isn't revultionary. What really convinced me is the art style. It's dark, sharp and kind of dirty. Exactly like you would expect Gotham to be. Many shadows are involved trasnfering the feeling of secrecy and mystery. I particulary liked the wide angle shots of Gotham and the visuals of the Batplane flying. Batman: The Dark Knight is an American comic book ongoing series and Limited series, and featuring Batman. One of two new ongoing titles to feature Bruce Wayne after the " Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne" storyline, The Dark Knight depicts Bruce Wayne's life in Gotham City following his new global commitment to the newly established Batman Incorporated. In the writer David Finch's words, the stories are about relationships and connections he has in Gotham City that he can't walk away from. [1] Style and tone [ edit ] I was also surprised when Batman let opposed factions of gangbangers kill each other without intervening.

Newsarama: In reading the description of Batman: One Dark Knight through the eye of a former artist myself, it seems like you as a writer set yourself up well to draw some impactful and fun things. What was the artist side of you demanding the writer side put into the script, so you could draw it? That said, before the story’s conclusion, there’s a very cool plot twist. I won’t reveal what it is, but I do want to bring this up because I think this is an example of great writing in this issue. It has to do with Vasquez’s plan to take down E.M.P., but the events do not play out according to that plan. Vasquez’s reaction to the situation and Batman’s role in it are natural and logical writing choices, but it’s a twist that I did not necessarily see coming. To boot, it ties some of the major dangling threads together, which results in a satisfying resolution at the very end in terms of character arcs and themes. Batman: The Dark Knight #23.1-23.4 and Justice League #23.1-23.4, Justice League of America #7.1-7.4, Justice League Dark #23.1-23.2, Aquaman #23.1-23.2, Earth-2 #15.1-15.2, The Flash #23.1-23.3, Green Arrow #23.1, Wonder Woman #23.1-23.2, Action Comics #23.1-23.4, Superman #23.1-23.4, Batman/Superman #3.1, Batman #23.1-23.4, Batman and Robin #23.1-23.4, Detective Comics #23.1-23.4, Green Lantern #23.1-23.4, Swamp Thing #23.1, Teen Titans #23.1-23.2 Issue one is has a chase across the rooftops, and shows EMP as this 'larger than life' character. In the second issue, we break it right down to the bare essentials, with only Batman's fists to see him through. It's violent, and hard-hitting. Newsarama: You mentioned EMP, a new villain you created for this book. Is EMP his name, or is it a classification (in real life, EMP is short for Electro-Magnetic Pulse)? Tell us about him.

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I wanted this to feel grounded, real, gritty (although I'm not a hue fan of that word). I wanted it to feel tactile; Gotham is a place and that's exciting for me to portray.

There's something to him that makes him a slightly tragic character. He's like a moth to a flame - a moth that gets juiced up and can't really control himself. In the second issue, Batman uses a portable device that calms him down, and begins to learn why he is the way he is. He's a totally new character, and came right there from the original germ of the idea I had and developed into the story I wanted to tell. I really like him, and find him really interesting. One Dark Knight would make a decent storyline - for a video game. Because I can see something like this working well as an Arkham game premise. That would also explain the abundance of gangs on the streets: plenty of targets for the player to have fun beating up, like in Arkham City, because the best part of the Arkham series was the fight mechanics of those games, which was second-to-none. I’ve seen the plot 2 billions times already- a prisoner has to be transferred from A to B in hostile territory- but I can live with that if the story is well told with good pacing, tension points and stuff in between. Batman: The Dark Knight (vol. 1) #1-3, Batman: The Return #1, Batman: The Dark Knight (vol. 2) #1-7, 9 (pencils only)It’s such bad writing: the gangs are simply generic bad guys with seemingly no motivation while the main bad guy has a generic motivation and the ending is so cheesy, with the villain monologuing their entire diabolical plan only for Batman to reveal he was recording it all for the cops the entire time. It’s Scooby-Doo-level writing. And here lie the problems afflicting the book. If the action is decently managed the plot itself reads as a rulebook which isn’t very entertaining when you’ve read so many already. Thirdly, I’ve spotted several typos in this issue. While mistakes are made and this really isn’t a big deal, these are still glaring errors. It’s true that sometimes, when you’re editing a text, you overlook these things, but that’s why editors exist! On a more serious note, as a writer/artist this allows me to hit more subtle moments and beats that a collaboration may not bring. I hope the action and the situations prove to be direct and evocative.