EXCLUSIVE: John Layman Serves Up "Detective Comics"

[CBR News]

"Chew" co-creator John Layman spoke with CBR exclusively about his new gig writing "Detective Comics," his plans to focus on the detective aspect of the Dark Knight and working with Batman's infamous rogues gallery.


Full article here.

[Predator jp]

I am trying to do this like "Chew" in that every issue will be a case or its own self-contained adventure. I am not a huge fan of decompressed storytelling where you spend three or four bucks and you get one scene of one guy doing one thing. I am going to try and satisfy everyone, every issue, while leading to a bigger story. I am doing that with "Mars Attacks" and I am doing that with "Chew." That's how I think comics give you the most satisfying experience for the non-trade waiters.

sounds really good.

[FHIZ]

Yep, that's the quote that got me excited. It should work well for this title. Batman will have it's own Joker arc, the Scarecrow one will still be happening in The Dark Knight, so to have this one be shorter, self contained stories, will really help it stand out from the crowd.

[MegaNaught]

I am looking forward to the detective focus. I have always like the "Batman as a modern Sherlock Holmes" aspect. I hope Layman really plays up Batman's intelligence.

[reubs]

Sounds like a nice little return to Dini's approach to the title. I'm excited to add 'Tec back to my pull list, and I guess I'll have to check out Chew, also, as disturbing as it sounds. Also, I wouldn't mind the title moving a little bit away from Batman every now and then. I really liked how Snyder could focus on Gordon for a whole issue, and I never really missed Batman at all in those issues of his 'Tec run.

Should be fun to keep up with.

[TZDEKA]

Yeah, it definitely sounds like it's filling it's own niche which is good. I've been enjoying the big, "epic" stories that Morrison, Snyder, and seemingly Hurwitz are into doing and I enjoy the horror aspects of the latter two runs, but I think it's good to get a difference tonally from all that stuff. It justifies the existence of this many Batbooks a little more. Looking forward to this, definitely sounds fun.

[havok1977]

I'm not familiar with Layman's work but the approach the describes really makes me interested, a more adventure oriented detective approach would make a great companion to Snyder's darker stories. Giving it a try while getting rid of some clutter from my pull.

[El Sombrero]

I like everything he said, especially the stuff about compressed done-in-ones and lots of classic rogues. Very much looking forward to his run.

[maxpower00044]

Yea, like everyone else, I'm stoked for the one-and-done approach it seems this book is going to take. Not only is it a great idea, it's vastly different than what's being put out. Totally lookin forward to this.

[RoughNTumble]

woohoo! love compressed storytelling

[doordoor123]

Yea, like everyone else, I'm stoked for the one-and-done approach it seems this book is going to take. Not only is it a great idea, it's vastly different than what's being put out. Totally lookin forward to this.

Lol I don't think you understand what he was talking about -- he didn't mean it was going to be a one-and-done. He meant that he likes to make it seem like it is one big story rather than separated by "this is THIS villain's story". He rolls them all at once so they are more stories than one in one story.

[kitonok]

Jason Fabok on a ongoing batman title!

[Seattle Freeze]

his plans to focus on the detective aspect of the Dark Knight

Shouldn't that be a no-brainer for "Detective Comics". I've been diappointed with Detective Comics currently not being a very cerebral title. I hope we get more of Batman investigating mysteries in the shadows than fighting and interregating.

[maxpower00044]

Lol I don't think you understand what he was talking about -- he didn't mean it was going to be a one-and-done. He meant that he likes to make it seem like it is one big story rather than separated by "this is THIS villain's story". He rolls them all at once so they are more stories than one in one story.

I am trying to do this like "Chew" in that every issue will be a case or its own self-contained adventure.

Yeah......maybe it will have a bigger idea tying it all together, but that sounds like self contained one and done stories to me. If an issue has a definitive beginning and end, even if it's got a bigger scope behind it, then it's basically a one and done.

[Desaad]

Yeah......maybe it will have a bigger idea tying it all together, but that sounds like self contained one and done stories to me. If an issue has a definitive beginning and end, even if it's got a bigger scope behind it, then it's basically a one and done.

Yeah, that's how it goes for the most part. There are plots and subplots and conspiracies and set pieces that run across large swathes of issues, but each individual issue tends to tell one complete story, even if it's not necessarily the main characters' story.