Yesterday IGN brought you quite the hot bit of news - Grant Morrison is returning to the Batman franchise alongside his frequent creative partner, Frank Quitely. The duo will be launching Batman & Robin, which is being pegged as the "flagship" Batman title, in June. In addition to bringing you those details, we revealed the first cover and first interior art for the project.
Today we're bringing you more news about Batman & Robin. We were able to get in touch with Morrison via e-mail for a brief chat, and learned some basic details about his intentions for the new Dark Knight and Boy Wonder. Keep in mind that much is being kept quiet until Battle for the Cowl ends. We'll be interviewing Morrison again, and in more detail, when we're able to discuss the series in full. Until then... enjoy our quick check-in with the modern legend.
One more thing before we get to the interview. Friday we'll be hosting a spotlight video on the June Batman titles. The piece will take a look at the seven major series, touching upon the basic concepts behind each book and revealing covers and art for them all, including some new pages for Batman & Robin by Frank Quitely. Be sure to check back.
Grant Morrison: 'Batman and Robin', which opens with the 3-part 'Batman Reborn' arc, is maybe more poppy, and more colourful, but it's also creepier. It's like David Lynch doing the Batman TV show. The story arcs are 4 short 3-part 'events', which combine to tell a longer, 12 part mystery.
IGN Comics: With the June relaunch of the Batman franchise comes a new Batman and a new Robin. DC will kill us for revealing their identities, but can you describe, as much as you can, the new relationship/chemistry between this Batman and Robin and how it would relate to previous Dynamic Duos?
Morrison: It's much more…contentious. This is a very different Batman and Robin team from any that we've seen before. It's almost a reverse of the traditional dynamic, with a more light-hearted and spontaneous Batman and a scowling, badass Robin. Expect fireworks and violence.
IGN Comics: We've chatted at length with you in the past about your plans for Batman and how you view your work on the series as a long novel. Despite this being a new series, do you view this as a direct continuation of the previous work or would you consider this the beginning of a new novel?
Morrison: This is the next book in what will be a 5-volume series beginning 'Batman & Son' but it can be read on its own too. 'Batman and Robin' welcomes new readers!
IGN Comics: Do you consider Batman & Robin, despite featuring new people under the mask, yet another lens on the life of Bruce Wayne?
Morrison: No, this isn't about Bruce Wayne at all, except in as much as it deals with his absence.
IGN Comics: One of the things your Batman work has done this far is really dig into the past of the franchise, resurrecting old concepts and breathing new life into them. Will you still be doing that now that Bruce is no longer wearing the mask?
Morrison: 'Batman and Robin' mostly features all new characters, villains and situation – although some were previously glimpsed in Batman #666 - but it builds on everything that's gone before.
IGN Comics: You've also mentioned to us that Bruce and Batman are inseparable – will a large part of Batman & Robin deal with the fact that this new hero can't actually be Batman?
Morrison: Absolutely. That's part of the fun of this particular iteration of the character. No one can live up to Bruce Wayne's standards.
IGN Comics: Because of his major role in R.I.P. we have to ask – will the Joker play into your plans for the series?
Morrison: Frank Quitely's coming back to the book to wrap up our year-long storyline and I think we'd all love to see his take on the Joker, so yeah, I'd like to think I can make that happen in some way.
IGN Comics: Frank Quitely has worked with you numerous times, and we believe this would be his first Batman related work with you since JLA Earth 2. What is it about Frank's art that makes him the ideal creative partner for so many of your projects? What does he bring specifically to Batman & Robin?
Morrison: We're friends and he instinctively understands what I'm looking for. In terms of 'Batman and Robin', I'm sure readers are familiar with Frank's previous Batman work on Batman and know that he was made for this character.
Specifically for the project, I've asked Frank to choreograph the flow of the action in his own way, rather than dictate detailed panel compositions like usually do, and I've asked him to re-introduce the much-maligned sound effects to superhero comics but in a way that integrates them more closely with the art. 'Batman and Robin' is a shorter, pacier collaboration so we've tried to keep it looser and more open than 'All Star Superman'.
That's a wrap on Batman & Robin details... for now. We're sure Morrison's answers raised just as many questions as they answered - rest assured he'll be back for a more in-depth interview down the road.
Be sure to check back Friday for a ton of art and covers related to the Batman titles coming in June. And stay tuned to IGN Comics for more news, previews and exclusives (Batman and otherwise) in the coming days, weeks and months!
The Avengers looks like it's giving fanboys everything we've...
