Well, the news is out:
I’m the new writer of BATMAN.
Joining me on the title with the over-sized issue 125 is the immensely talented Jorge Jiménez, who’s already had an awesome tenure on that title, so he’ll be the expert I ask all of my questions to, like, “where’s Alfred” and “why a bat?”
Early on in the process I let him know I’d be going a little darker with the scripts and Jorge immediately grabbed onto that and turned in pages that were gritty and intense, but still had the bigger-than-life energy of a Jorge Jiménez drawing. He’s the best! Truly the best. And yes, he is putting up with my bullshit, thank god.
For all those asking, yes, this is for the long haul. Or at least until DC realizes their mistake. I’ve been cooking up plans that will be felt through all the bat-titles, which have an amazing roster of talent on them, and I think readers will be pretty happy.
I know this is usually the point when the new writer proclaims their love for the character blah blah loved them since I was a kid blah blah huge responsibility, etc. But it’s Batman! Of course I love him! I don’t take this gig lightly, but at the same time … I kind of do? I’m having a lot of fun writing these issues and these characters, and that’s the “lightly” here. I’m writing stories with a smile on my face. I’m writing stories for my brother, who loves the character too. It’s Batman. If I can’t have fun writing Batman, then my brain is broken.
I don’t want to give away too much about where we’re going here. Anyone who’s read my Daredevil run knows I like to plan things out and keep things under wrap so people just enjoy what they’re reading instead of enjoying spoilers before they read it. All I’ll say is, our first arc, Failsafe, is Batman’s Doomsday. It’s non-stop action and puts Batman in a very different place by the end of it.
I gave an interview to comicbook.com about the announcement. There’s some more info there, but not much! Those pesky reporters aren’t getting anything out of Tight-Lips Zdarsky!!!
And also, for anyone asking, yes I’m staying on Daredevil! I love that book and Marco and I are in a pretty grand home stretch right now. But, hey, maybe Marvel will fire me? Maybe they know that a writer doing both Daredevil and Batman at the same time could open up a “gritty-ninjaesque-white-dude-with-stubble-and-tragedy-on-a-gargoyle-in-the-rain” wormhole in the space-time continuum and destroy all of reality?
We’ll see! At least we know who is first in line for a Batman/Daredevil crossover now. Suck on that, Bendis!!!
So, yeah. That’s the big news! For anyone new around these parts, sign up for all the juicy bat-gossip delivered straight to your inbox. And for all those with paid subscriptions, there’s a very funny and beautiful Kaptara guest comic coming out on Friday!
Chip’s Funtime Substack couldn’t exist without you! I mean, it could, but it would absolutely suck and be incredibly lonely. Your subscription enables me to make fun stuff, hire fun creators, and give you comics with the Zdarsky Touch™. So, thanks!
Can I super like this? Congrats!
Also has someone ever written Daredevil and Batman at the same time? :)
Yes, father. I shall become a reader.