You may want think that Scott Snyder would want to take a break after writing the massive Court of Owls storyline as initiating the Night of the Owls crossover, but than again there Snyder continues to prove people wrong. After the reveal in Batman #10, what else does he have up his sleeves? Newsarama attempted to get that answer while asking him about the upcoming zero issue and the next major story arc.
Newsarama: Scott, we just heard about Batman #0 that's coming up in September, and we've also seen solicitations for #12, which focuses on the character named Harper that helped Batman in a recent issue. Can you describe what we'll see in those two issues after the "Court of Owls" finishes up?
Scott Snyder: Issue #12 is a stand-alone story that revisits the character named Harper Row who saved Batman when he escaped the Labyrinth in issue #7. This young woman pulls him out of the icy waters of Gotham Bay, and she basically shocks him back to life. And this is her story. So it's an important one-shot that features her. And Becky Cloonan is on art. I've been a fan of hers forever. And Andy Clarke is actually doing the back-up, which is a continuation of the feature. It's one big story about Harper and Batman and Gotham.
After the really ambitious scope of something like Court of Owls and the bombastic, fun, over-the-top action that's going to come at the end of it, we wanted to do something quieter that's more of a palate cleanser that was really a deep psychological and emotional story about what it's like to live in Gotham if you don't have a lot. You know, you live in a bad neighborhood called the Narrows and, you know, you're emancipated from your parents, and you're just trying to make it in school and work to make enough. And you're trying to be a hero in your own life in a terrible place. So it's an issue I really care about a lot.
And then we have our #0 issue, which I'm really excited about, and it will give you an important slice of Bruce's life from when he first gets back to Gotham after his travels. It will happen within the shadows of Batman: Year One, taking place in a moment of time that you haven't seen. And I think it will be very surprising to people and exciting. You'll see some things that will catch you off guard and will get you excited to see what's coming. And both issue #12 and #0 have elements that are going to play into the next year of Batman in a big way.
Newsarama: Can you describe the story we'll see in Batman #0? You said it's something that fits within Year One?
Scott Snyder: Yeah. I love the period where Bruce first gets back, that's in Year One, after he's been traveling. But I feel like, because of the way Year One is structured, jumping month-to-month, there was room to play within that time period without stepping on anything that was already there. So I was really interested in doing this story that had to do with Bruce getting back to Gotham and not being sure of himself, but also being a little too angry, and a little too cocky just in that way, and taking a few missteps.
So my #0 issue is about Bruce returning to Gotham after being away for years, but it takes place before he's wearing the Bat-suit. It focuses on Bruce setting up shop in Gotham, before he moved to Wayne Manor, before he was part of Wayne Industries, and before he adopted the symbol of the Bat. It's really a story about Bruce needing to grow up and be a man. My #0 features a Bruce who's not there yet as an adult. He's fun to watch because he does make mistakes and Alfred doesn't approve of what he's doing.
And there will be some fun surprises as to how he's proceeding as a vigilante at this particular time period that you haven't seen before. This exists in the crevices of Year One, and it tells things that you haven't seen that seem new, but honor what's come before. So there will be some new twists and new surprises and new enemies and new allies.
Newsarama: We haven't heard anything about October, but it sounds like you'll be ready to start a new storyline. Can you tell us about what's coming after issue #0?
Scott Snyder: With the storyline coming after that, with issue #13, I can't really talk about it yet. But all I can say, and I've said this before, but I'll say it officially here, is that it features my favorite villain from the Batman rogues gallery. And it's going to be really fun and big. And Greg is with me on that too. So he'll be on #0, and he'll be on the next story starting in October with #13.
For the entire interview, including talk about the other Bruce stories for September, head over to Newsarama. Batman #0 hits stores in September and Batman #10 is in stores now.
Posted by Dustin Fritschel
