Snyder: "Batman: Zero Year" Is Not "Year One" Redux

[CBR News]

With word out that his and Greg Capullo's next "Batman" arc will be the eleven-issue origin "Zero Year," Scott Snyder explains why he's telling a story new and separate from Miller & Mazzucchelli's "Year One."


Full article here.

[Jim Thompson]

With word out that his and Greg Capullo's next "Batman" arc will be the eleven-issue origin "Zero Year," Scott Snyder explains why he's telling a story new and separate from Miller & Mazzucchelli's "Year One."


Full article here.

I'm getting increasingly curious about this story arc.

[hunter_peterson]

I'm getting increasingly curious about this story arc.

Same. This sounds like a really comprehensive retelling/retooling of Batman's origins that incorporates a lot of old material in a new way. It also sounds more overtly superheroic, which is nice, given the collapsed timeframe. I'm hoping for Hugo Strange and the monster men to show up, Catwoman's origins to be redone, Robin's origin to be done, whatever he wants to do with the Red Hood Gang, more of the Wayne/Kane intrigue (maybe a Kate Kane cameo) and also to see the Gordon family before Batman changed their lives. Which is a lot to ask for, really.

It WILL be nice, anyway, for there to be a defined base for the Bat-history moving forward.

[Jim Thompson]

Same. This sounds like a really comprehensive retelling/retooling of Batman's origins that incorporates a lot of old material in a new way. It also sounds more overtly superheroic, which is nice, given the collapsed timeframe. I'm hoping for Hugo Strange and the monster men to show up, Catwoman's origins to be redone, Robin's origin to be done, whatever he wants to do with the Red Hood Gang, more of the Wayne/Kane intrigue (maybe a Kate Kane cameo) and also to see the Gordon family before Batman changed their lives. Which is a lot to ask for, really.

It WILL be nice, anyway, for there to be a defined base for the Bat-history moving forward.

The only thing you and I aren't in sync with is the re-telling of Robin's origin, which I think was handled very well in Batman: Dark Victory.

[adkal]

... Which is a lot to ask for, really.

With 11 issues, there's plenty of room for all that.

[shingi70]

I'm hoping similar to Morrison's Action Origin Snyder references early golden age superman stuff. I love how the Kryptonite Man is the Domestic abuser that superman throws in the river in one of the early GA AC issues. I kind of hoping timeline wise this is a bit before Action comics and Half ways synchs with it halfway through (some sort of broadcast going on in the back ground). Only thing I'm disappointed about is this means no Snyder penned Harper Row for at least a year.

[Concept Coop]

Only thing I'm disappointed about is this means no Snyder penned Harper Row for at least a year.

Same. Really want the current story to continue, rather than another origin story. But I've got high hopes for the arc, as a story. Excited to read a non-crossover Synder arc.

[JokersNuts]

Here's an idea. Ditch this incredibly ridiculous "five years" conceit and then all these problems are solved.

[Kiryu]

Here's an idea. Ditch this incredibly ridiculous "five years" conceit and then all these problems are solved.

Yeah this. It really is a completely stupid notion.

[Jim Thompson]

Here's an idea. Ditch this incredibly ridiculous "five years" conceit and then all these problems are solved.

What problems?

[RKitch]

I know I won't be disappointed without Snyder's Harper as long as she's well written in Detective Comics. But that's what I'm scared of. 'Tec can be hit or miss from me, but I am enjoying it currently, but we'll see.

[Jay_Kay]

Same. This sounds like a really comprehensive retelling/retooling of Batman's origins that incorporates a lot of old material in a new way.

It kind-of reminds me a bit of what Geoff Johns and Gary Frank did with Superman: Secret Origin a few years back--where a little bit into their retooled take on the character (after Infinite Crisis), they sat down and showed Superman's origin, but bringing in all sorts of stuff from the Silver Age to Man of Steel to the Smallville show, and a few of their own original ideas. Let's just hope that unlike SO, this doesn't get stricken with massive delays and finishes off just before the next reboot.

Here's an idea. Ditch this incredibly ridiculous "five years" conceit and then all these problems are solved.

My assumption that the five years with Batman is how long he's been a PUBLIC superhero with the Justice League, but he's worked as a sort-of urban legend in Gotham for years.

[kisstour03]

I haven't picked up an issue of Batman since the reboot. For no other reason than I've never been a big Bat reader. Been picking up Detective and Batgirl since the start and reallly enjoy them. But I'll be picking up this arc. It sounds really interesting.

[kisstour03]

My assumption that the five years with Batman is how long he's been a PUBLIC superhero with the Justice League, but he's worked as a sort-of urban legend in Gotham for years.

This is what I've kind of thought too. "Batman's real!!" in JL #1.

[Jay_Kay]

This is what I've kind of thought too. "Batman's real!!" in JL #1.

In that way it makes sense. The problem is that they've never come out and said what the Robin history is, which kind-of throws people off.

My interpretation is this--since you read Batgirl, remember in #0, when Barbara's at the station, and her dad's doing a presentation on what Batman could be? That says to me that Batgirl came into the picture BEFORE the Darkseid Invasion, and since Robin (presumably Dick) was with them when she officially becomes Batgirl, that would imply that there was a Robin for a little while before the public superheroes. So instead of four Robins in five years, I'd say it's more four Robins in six years.