With tons of news today about the next wave of New 52 series, Comic Book Resources caught up with Batman group editor Mike Marts. In their discussion which focuses on the return of Batman Incorporated, Marts explains what we can expect from Morrison this time around.
CBR: "Batman Incorporated" is coming back this year, which is obviously big news. Will the title be a continuation of the storyline begun in "Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes," or is this doing Grant Morrison doing completely new, different "Batman Incorporated" stories?
Mike Marts: I think the "Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes" one-shot, that project we should really treat as a bridge project. It's a culmination and conclusion of what Grant had been working on in "Batman Incorporated" last year and the year before, but it also sets the stage for everything that's coming up in the new series that will debut in May. Readers will be super-excited to know, not only is Grant Morrison writing this, but Chris Burnham is going to be the full-time artist on the series. This will be fully entrenched in the New 52, and we'll continue plot threads that Grant has been developing since he came onto the Batman books, but we'll also be introducing plenty of new material. So, it's a lot of fun. I've seen some of the artwork already, and it's amazing. There will be characters returning, revelations, new characters will be developed — it should be a lot of fun.
CBR: Despite coming out after the New 52 relaunch, "Leviathan Strikes" was still set in pre-relaunch Batman continuity. Since that is the bridge into the new "Batman Incorporated," how much of the original "Batman Incorporated" continuity will survive in the New DCU?
Mike Marts: You know, my belief is, readers who pick up the new series will be able to move into it and won't feel weighed down by past continuity. It will be a good chance to pick up a new book and to read new continuity. And people who have been reading everything over the past few years will also be satisfied and see that elements of what Grant had set up previously will be incorporated, so to speak, into the new title.
CBR: While this is news to us, at this point, as you've said, you've already seen some of the artwork and the storylines. What do you think is going to be most surprising to fans about this new "Batman Incorporated?"
Mike Marts: I think that fans will be a little shocked in what new directions Grant will be taking the characters in. I think he's managed to do that with each new phase of the Batman story he had done. "Batman And Robin" was different from his "Batman" run, as well as from "Batman Incorporated." I think you'll see another transition here — readers will be surprised in the direction Grant is taking things in.
For the entire interview, including talk about the cohesion between Batman Incorporated and the other Bat-books, head over to Comic Book Resources. Batman Incorporated #1 is set to hit stores in May.
Posted by Dustin Fritschel
