C2E2 is underway and The Batman Universe is on site getting interviews with some of the The Batman Universe's biggest creators. First up is current Nightwing writer, Kyle Higgins. Not only is Higgins currently writing Nightwing, but beginning with issue #19, Higgins will be taking over writing duties on the Batman specific chapters in Batman Beyond Unlimited. Here are the questions we posed to Kyle about both of his projects.
TBU: Where did the idea to bring Nightwing to Gotham originate from?
Kyle Higgins: When we were talking about moving him, my editor and I were in an agreement that a real city would be more interesting than a made up city. There are notable exceptions; Gotham and Metropolis have their own personalities now. They also have been developed over the course of sixty years. So when we were talking about where to move Nightwing to, the first place that came up was, what about New York? It seemed like an obvious choice, but I said New York is used so frequently. Nightwing pre-New 52 was in New York. And then New York is so closely associated with Marvel and Spider-man and Daredevil, that I wanted to do something different. So I suggested Chicago, having grown up [in the area] I know the city pretty well. It has its own unique characteristics. So trying to bring that into Nightwing, it brings a plethora of opportunity.
TBU: Moving Nightwing to Chicago, Dick will be dealing with Tony Zucco. Has the plan always been to use Zucco going forward, with his daughter playing a role in series for almost a year?
Kyle Higgins: Yes. I brought Sonia in with issue ten with an initial idea that Tony Zucco played a role in Dick becoming Nightwing within the New 52 continuity. As I worked more with Sonia, I came up with this idea of what if Zucco was still around. I didn't want to do it unless I had a good take on it and could explain where he has been the last couple of years. But that ended up being one of the reasons to change cities. I remember being out with Geoff Johns and talking about my plans of moving Nightwing to Chicago and he was the one that really hit the point to me that made me realize that it couldn't be just an emotional state of mind move where Dick says "Death of the Family really sucked, so I'm going to change cities." We really needed something that as a reader you read and say "I totally want to see him move." After I told Geoff about the Zucco idea I had, he was convinced that that was the story reason. And that was what tuned into everything we are going forward with right now.
TBU: Moving over to Batman Beyond, what are your plans for Batman Beyond? Do you plan on tying it into continuity with the comics and the TV series as Adam Beechen has or have it as a standalone universe?
Kyle Higgins: It is very tied into former continuity. It is our own thing because when our first issue launches a year has gone by. So the dynamic of some of the characters has changed a little bit from what Adam has been doing. But it all will still tie to what Adam did and the TV series. You will see us go back and deal with why some of the relationships have changed from events that happened in the original series.
Nightwing #19 is in stores now and Higgins will begin Batman Beyond Unlimited with issue #19.
Posted by Dustin Fritschel
