It’s a big week for Batman.
The Dark Knight has been through a lot in his eight decades.
But this birthday is also about looking to the future and thenext80 years.
Brian Bolland; Nicola Scot
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There’s a lot of leeway in that as well.
We aren’t locked in amber, we allow our creators to add to the mythology.
DC Comics
That’s ultimately our mission: Keep this mythology healthy, exciting, and on point.
It wasn’t just about the reflection about how people perceive him over the years.
LEE: That character was actually introduced in theBatman: Arkham Knightvideo game.
Dan, you’ve been editing overseeing DC comics for much of my comic-reading life.
How do you guys see your personal relationship to Batman?
LEE: There are two stories that can be told for me.
The first is I was introduced to the English language through comic books.
My family moved here when I was 5 years old.
I didn’t speak any English, but I knew superheroes from cartoons I watched in Korea.
That inspired me and motivated me to learn English.
My big introduction to America and American culture was through these fabulous comics.
No kid could dream of being in that position.
I consider myself extremely fortunate to be standing on the shoulders of giants that preceded me.
I can’t think of a better job than where you sit down and draw these amazing characters.
It’s certainly the funnest part of what I do for a living.
I was first introduced to Batman through the Adam West TV show.
How integral would you sayDetective Comics, and Batman himself, are to DC as a whole?
DIDIO: I think he’s essential, he’s a staple of who we are.
From a historical point of view, it’s super significant.
There’s a bit of history and Americana in the title itself.
Stories likeDetective Comics#27 or Frank Miller’sDark Knight Returnsare pretty famous.
Do you guys have any personal favorite Batman comic stories that you think don’t get enough love?
It’sBatman: Night of the Reaper, fromBatman#237 (1972).
It’s this classic story that has this beautiful Neal Adams cover with Batman rushing to save Robin.
It’s spectacular because it was a story that had a real sense of purpose.
It shows Batman at his greatest strength, using his detective abilities.
That resonated with me.
LEE: I have a favorite era ofDetective Comics.
They were a larger size with multiple stories in them that featured other characters as well.
It featured a Walt Simonson story about Manhunter.
I consider it obscure but a lot of comic fans have very fond memories of that story.
DIDIO: That’sDetective Comics#443, from the early ’70s.
Manhunter was the backup inDetective, then they finally teamed up together and it was the final Manhunter story.
[Walt] Simonson and [Archie] Goodwin.
How are you guys looking ahead at this point?
DIDIO: We’re working very closely with the editorial teams on this one.
We have so many books with Batman, he’s integral to all the stories we’re telling.
But we also have a few key miniseries coming up to.
We’re doingBatman: Last Knightwith Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.
They’re coming back to tell their final Batman story.
And then Sean Murphy is coming back forWhite Knightpart two.
That’s part of our special mission going forward, creating new mythology and new lore.
