Comic Book Resources has posted an interview with the new writer of Superman/Batman, Joshua Hale Fialkov. Fialkov is penning the three-issue arc appearing in the pages of Superman/Batman starting next month. While the series has focused heavily on Superman and his universe. Fialkov is taking the series back to The Batman Universe. Here are the highlights from the interview.
CBR: What can you tell us about your upcoming three-issue story arc in "Superman/Batman?" I understand that your story brings Superman into Gotham City to solve a murder?
Joshua Hale Fialkov: I think fans of my independent comics will be pleasantly surprised. The Batman and Superman that really reverberate with me are the golden age pulp versions of the characters, and I tried my best to steer the story in that way. Rather than having Superman come to Gotham, instead I have Clark Kent, Reporter come to Gotham, and he finds himself immediately having to make decisions that Superman would never have to, especially involving his new "friend" Batman, who he admires and doesn't quite understand at the same time. So, you throw in a murder that very clearly points to the Dark Knight, and Clark is just about swallowed up by the gray that is Gotham and Batman.
CBR: Does putting Clark in Gotham allow you to explore aspects of the city that you don't get in a normal Batman story?
Joshua Hale Fialkov: Sure. The two cities have evolved into arch representations of the characters. Gotham is the filth and the sickness of modernity, while Metropolis is the hopes and dreams of tomorrow, which is also a pretty convincing description of both characters, as least thematically.
By taking Clark — who has certainly seen evil and corruption and all of those things — and placing him in a city that those things are the rule, rather than the exception, you introduce some of Bruce's psyche into Clark's, and then open up a whole new world for him to face.
Superman wouldn't be effective in Gotham, he's a big picture guy and Gotham is a one at a time city. So here he is forced to do one-on-one work.
CBR: Now, the solicits say these next three issues will take place during the early days of Superman and Batman's partnership. Does this mean it's taking place far in the past, before Dick Grayson took up the cowl? Will this be Bruce Wayne Batman?
Joshua Hale Fialkov: Oh yeah, this is probably year three or four of Batman's career, probably a tiny bit earlier than that for Superman. You know, for me, Scott Snyder is just murdering over at Detective, and I couldn't even come close, so I went the other way.
For the entire interview, including more talk at comparing Batman and Superman, head over to CBR. Fialkov's work on Superman/Batman kicks off with #85, which is scheduled to hit stores June 8.
Posted by Dustin Fritschel
