It's become something of a tradition here at The Source to start the week with some news, and we've got a nice bit here, with more to come later this week. bm-cv691_100b You all saw the preview pages from Judd Winick and Mark Bagley's first BATMAN issue, right? To say it's essential reading is an understatement. Heck, for us to say anything at all might be pushing it. So, we gave Judd a quick ring and asked him for the 101 on why this arc is so integral to the new Dark Knight. Judd?: "This is Dick Grayson's first chapter as Batman. Despite all his training, despite growing up at Bruce Wayne's side, it's a hard transition. He's going to make mistakes, and he's going to pay for them. But it all begins here." bm-cv692_100 And the fun doesn't stop there. Starting in October, after the conclusion of his "Long Shadow" arc, Judd Winick and Mark Bagley will pass the BATMAN baton to writer/artist Tony Daniel, who'll be pulling double-duty on the title for six issues. You may recall Daniel did a pretty bang-up job on a little thing called BATTLE FOR THE COWL, which set the stage for all the Batman excitement going on now. Because we're all about consistency here at The Source, we got Tony chatting about his plans for a certain Caped Crusader: "It’s a very exciting time right now. I’ve done my research, I've chosen my players, and I’ve outlined six months worth of story and I’m in the scripting phase of my first issue. We’ll be seeing the return of  some once-familiar faces,  faces, I can say, who are not so friendly to Gotham. I’ll be introducing a new character to the city of Gotham. There are also a few surprises in store that I hope will get people excited. "