Englehart talks "Batman: Dark Detective"

[Jonah Weiland]

Many comic readers feel Englehart & Rogers run on "Detective Comcis" in the '70s told the definitive Batman story. This May, the duo return to comics with their follow up "Batman: Dark Detective." CBR News caught up with with Englehart for a chat about the series.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=4920

[tricksterpup]

Many comic readers feel Englehart & Rogers run on "Detective Comcis" in the '70s told the definitive Batman story. This May, the duo return to comics with their follow up "Batman: Dark Detective." CBR News caught up with with Englehart for a chat about the series.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=4920
I think this is gonna be as hot as the Miller/Lee batman and robin coming out. I am looking so forward to this.

[lintubation]

i remain ever so cuious that this run is getting its own mini rather than being an All-Star arc. Curious and somewhat disinclined to pick it up until the trade, what with its bi-weekly shipping and all.

[Sean Whitmore]

Sounds great, but I wonder why Englehart insisted on making the mini in-continuity? Silver St. Cloud isn't even canonical post-Crisis. Given that, it's weird that he'd willingly impose all those restrictions on himself (no Commissioner Gordon, Batman's not a friend of the police, etc).



SEAN

[Mister Intensity]

It seems that Englehart is keeping the continuity ambiguous, which is probably the easiest way to deal with it. Earth One already already has its own continuity and that continuity ended sometime around Crisis (there were some Earth One stories Post-Crisis but that era ended once Year became canon), and supposing what things would be like is another story that's beyond the scope of Dark Detective.

And while those who read the original run are likely to pick up Dark Detective, it also has to appeal to those who follows current continuity. So by limiting the cast to Alfred and adding elements like Batman as a wanted criminial makes it easier for those pick up the main Batbooks to follow the series. Of course, it would be interesting if Englehart incorporates the changes Loeb made to Two-Face during Hush. If so, Englehart will be the one who defines the post-Hush Two-Face (assuming Dark Detective becomes canon, I really don't care either way).

Mister Intensity

[Astonishing X-Fan]

I'm kind of afraid that Two-Face's fate in "Hush" is just going to end up being ignored and he'll just show up again as a disfigured crook. I hope I'm wrong.

[sparky828]

Sounds great, but I wonder why Englehart insisted on making the mini in-continuity? Silver St. Cloud isn't even canonical post-Crisis. Given that, it's weird that he'd willingly impose all those restrictions on himself (no Commissioner Gordon, Batman's not a friend of the police, etc).



SEAN

Bear in mind that Bats wasn't too popular with the force during sections of the Englehart/Rogers run. The lack of Gordon's a shame though.

I'm getting a feeling similar to the feeling I got when I heard Claremont and
Byrne were doing a project together again, except a) magnify that feeling by a factor of ten and b) after seeing the preview pages, I don't expect to be disappointed.

This is going to be a nice little piece of work.

[sparky828]

By the way, the article mentioned that The Laughing Fish were the last two issues of the Englehart/Rogers run. I don't know that that is correct. I think the Clayface story came afterwards, as well as a story in Batman Family set on a train.

/obsessive old-skool geek mode

[The Shadow]

I can't wait!

Great interview.

Thanks

[Dave Richards]

Hi Sparky,

Len Wein actually wrote the two part Clayface III story, but Rogers still drew it. I used The Batman: Strange Appartitions trade when writing this article.

Thanks,
Dave Richards

[Kid Seven]

I'm excited about this a lot. Marshall Rogers never gets as much credit as I think he should for his work on Batman. He, as much as Frank Miller and Neal Adams, helped define his look.

[sparky828]

Hi Sparky,

Len Wein actually wrote the two part Clayface III story, but Rogers still drew it. I used The Batman: Strange Appartitions trade when writing this article.

Thanks,
Dave Richards

Ah -- I stand corrected. Actually, I should have just sent you an email rather than calling it out in a forum. Thanks for the clarification.

[Matches Malone]

Sounds great, but I wonder why Englehart insisted on making the mini in-continuity? Silver St. Cloud isn't even canonical post-Crisis. Given that, it's weird that he'd willingly impose all those restrictions on himself (no Commissioner Gordon, Batman's not a friend of the police, etc).



Silver appeared in a flashback in Batman #600. She is canonical, although the stories featuring her may not be.

That said, I'm betting this series will read better if one just forgets about continuity and considers it to be a sequel to the prior run. Trying to work it into some timeline will probably just give everyone a headache (and I'm also surprised to hear that Englehart cares one way or the other).

[Slam_Bradley]

Bear in mind that Bats wasn't too popular with the force during sections of the Englehart/Rogers run. The lack of Gordon's a shame though.


It's been a while since I've read these issues, but I seem to recall the Gotham mayor at the time being pretty anti-Bats.

This book may actually be enough to get me back to reading standard format comics.

[Ned Leeds]

Looking forward to this mini. Should be great.

[Mia]

Breaks my heart. Really it does. This story is going to be a doozy. A light of sunshine in the ho hum Bat books. It will be a breath of fresh air. Then we'll go back to the stale stuff. Sigh!!

[steeler80]

This is definitely one I'm looking forward to. I'm one of those who consider the original run one of the defining Batman arcs.

[pennywisdom]

I'm definitely excited for this mini.

I think Silver is one of the most interesting Batman girlfriends, and the one I would have loved to have seen him continue a relationship with. Is Silver the only one to figure out the secret ID, or am I missing someone? Did Vesper get killed before she found out? (I can't remember).

[Azrael52]

I'm kind of afraid that Two-Face's fate in "Hush" is just going to end up being ignored and he'll just show up again as a disfigured crook. I hope I'm wrong.
Yeah, I'm afraid of that, two (oops! I mean, too!) I love the character idea from the end of Hush. Former Lawyer/Former Crime Lord/New Vigilante. Punisher style?

[noodleboy]

I have already got the first solicits pre-ordered. I am really excited with this series. Silver St. Cloud and Sasha coming back in the OMAC Project, it looks like a little romance is coming back for Batman....with his recent demeanor, he really needs to get laid :)