Detective Comics is currently being written and drawn by Tony Daniel and starting with issue eight the series will be adding a back-up. Comic Book Resources talked with Daniel about not only what is going on with the Penguin storyline, but also what we can expect from the Two-Face back-up.
CBR: This arc also gives you a chance to dive into writing and drawing Gotham's underworld in a more intimate way, as the Iceberg Casino is a prominent set piece. To your mind, does Bruce fighting on Penguin's terrain put him at a disadvantage when it comes to the mystery killings? And how do you as an artist go about visually reimagining Penguin's lair for the new DCU?
Tony Daniel: There's definitely a disadvantage for Batman here. He's never set foot inside and when he finally does, he'll be in full-on crisis mode. I love being able to use locations or characters that are new to Batman because I like using the unknown as another element of danger. The more obstacles you throw at your hero, the more danger they face, the bigger they seem when they are able to overcome them. I like having temporary setbacks for Bruce, because it really keeps him grounded into reality. And it keeps him real. It's how we all learn to cope, and it's how we all better ourselves. That's a long-winded answer, but I think it shows why I tend to gravitate towards the unknown in "Detective Comics."
As for the Iceberg, the idea first came from editor Mike Marts to make a big floating casino. Initially I laughed. I thought, "Like what? Floating in the sky you mean?" We were just throwing ideas around over beers — or maybe it was something harder — in the summer and that was one of them. Then my mind went back to it a few times and suddenly I didn't find it funny. I thought there would be a cool way to do it. So I sketched out some basic ideas and I ended up going with something that sort of resembles the Sydney Opera House — only bigger and made to look like it's made of ice. In the concluding issue we'll see Penguin's awesome lair, complete with a lifelike penguin habitat.
CBR: (In the back-ups) Will this psychological look into Harvey Dent revise or change parts of the villain's past for the New 52, or are you looking to touch on things we've never seen before, really fleshing out every part of Two-Face's history?
Tony Daniel: The latter, really. I want to take us on a journey inside his mind, and out, and reveal how he came to be the iconic figure he is today. The end result will hopefully leave people with a new understanding of Harvey Dent and Two-Face.
CBR: After this second Penguin arc ends, what's next for Bruce? Are you dovetailing right into the "Night Of The Owls" crossover?
Tony Daniel: One of the things DC has let me do is to maintain what I'm doing on "Detective Comics." I think what people are enjoying most from "Detective" is that it's very self contained and focused on Bruce Wayne as Batman. And that would've been the dilemma if "Detective Comics" was included in the crossover. Basically, Batman couldn't be in two places at once.
For the entire interview, including talk about working with Szymon Kudranski, head over to Comic Book Resources. Detective Comics #6 is out in a couple of weeks.
Posted by Dustin Fritschel
