Here’s a behind-the-scenes bit of fun for all you Sourcers out there. As one of the most fun editorial tasks yet, I’ve spent the past two days running up and down the hall getting pictures of some of our editors. They all seem to be pretty scared of…something… Can’t be Halloween-related at this point, right? So what’s going on here?

For instance, here’s Mike Carlin and Rachel Gluckstern, looking very unhappy about whatever’s going on over Mike’s desk:

Maybe it’s the same thing that’s about to hit Harvey Richards in the head:

Janelle Siegel is doing a pretty good job keeping it at bay:

While Mike Marts isn’t so lucky – it’s coming right at him!

Sean Ryan and Wil Moss are doing the smart thing and high-tailing it out of here:

Which – oh, man – gives it a clear shot at me. Look out, me!

Welp, looks like it passed me by, considering I’m still here typing. And I think I know where it went – straight for Eddie Berganza and Adam Schlagman:

That’s gonna be trouble. As soon as we can actually see what it is, that is….

Until next time – wish us luck!

In the spirit of my favorite time of the year…here are a few things that scare me.

THE FLAMINGO. This guy has death and danger written all over him. He rides a motorcycle and rips people’s faces off for fun. Oh yeah, and to top it all off, he’s dressed head-to-toe in pink. What’s not to be afraid of? If Batman & Robin thought they had their hands full with Red Hood & Scarlet, well, they haven’t seen anything yet. Check out the Flamingo in all of his pink and face-ripping glory in BATMAN & ROBIN #6.

TONY DANIEL. This guy scares me. True, he’s one of DC’s exclusive artists. He’s also one of my good friends. But he still scares me. Why? Because he’s a double-threat. Not only can he draw circles around anyone holding a pencil, but this guy can write, as well! In case you didn’t already know, Tony’s both writing and illustrating the current arc of BATMAN, which runs from #692-697. Will Tony reveal who’s under the Black Mask in this storyline? (Hint: I wouldn’t be teasing it, unless he was.)

BLACK MASK. His true identity scares me. Stay tuned.

WHITE GHOST. Sure, he has a name that sounds like a discounted Halloween costume, but this right-hand-man of Ra’s al Ghul is scary because he appears in not one, but two Batman titles this month–RED ROBIN #6 and AZRAEL #2

The PHILLIES don’t scare me.

MARCUS TO. Have you seen this guy’s art? Incredi–I mean, scary. Marcus debuts as RED ROBIN’s new regular artist this month, and I can’t tell you how excited we are about this. We’ve seen several complete issues of art from Marcus already, and each one gets better and better! Welcome aboard, Marcus!

Till next time, Stay Scary.

The Battle for the Cowl is over – what’s next?

That’s the big question that will be answered in a few short minutes during the San Diego Comic Con “Batman: New Dynamic” panel, as Batman Group Editor Michael Marts rounds up a band of creators, including writers Paul Dini, Greg Rucka and artist Dustin Nguyen, to discuss what the future holds for the new Caped Crusader.

And since we’re a little early for the panel ourselves, what questions do you, Source readers, have about the Bat-verse? What’s gotten your attention? What titles have you added to your pull list?

And if you’re not out here in San Diego, fret not. We’ve got some Bat-art for you to check out. The Source: We bring the con to you.

Hello there, Bat Nation! As BATMAN REBORN kicks into high gear, I just wanted to send a quick note to you all–a friendly reminder–to run (don’t walk!) to your local comic shop this coming Wednesday for two spectacular debuts!

First up we have DETECTIVE COMICS STARRING BATWOMAN. Writer Greg Rucka and artist JH Williams III have been pouring their hearts and souls into this comic over the past several months–from the very first page you’ll see what we mean.  You won’t want to miss this first adventure, which unveils a new villain for Batwoman to face.

And if one story isn’t enough for you, fret not–we have not one, but (count ‘em!) TWO stories in DETECTIVE COMICS each month. Following the lead feature is THE QUESTION, written by the very busy Greg Rucka and illustrated by Cully Hamner. Renee Montoya and her inquisitive alter ego take center stage each month in this second feature.

Next up we have the series debut of GOTHAM CITY SIRENS, featuring Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn! This new series is written by a guy named Paul Dini–perhaps you’ve read his work in DETECTIVE or BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM. And this series is beautifully illustrated by Guillem March, whose work you may have seen in GOTHAM GAZETTE, or in last year’s BATMAN/DETECTIVE “Last Days of Gotham” two-part crossover.

And this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg…Phase Two of BATMAN REBORN kicks in later this year, with the return of two long-time favorites–the all-new BATGIRL series in August, and the all-new AZRAEL series in October!

Thanks for reading!

Try not to get mad at us, folks, but we decided it’d be a nice kick-off to the weekend to throw you another cool BATMAN AND ROBIN image.

This morning, you saw the cover to BATMAN AND ROBIN #4, by Frank Quitely, And, as some of you know, Philip Tan will be stepping in for a three-issue arc on the series, pairing him with writer Grant Morrison. Imagine how pleased I was to get a note from BATMAN Group Editor Michael Marts letting me know he’d just gotten the pencils for Tan’s variant cover to #4. It’s almost like we planned it this way.

So, not only will you be getting Quitely cover goodness for the series, but Tan will be creating stunning variants for his time on interiors. But enough of my mutterings. Here’s the image.

Here’s hoping everyone had a relaxing weekend. In case you weren’t chained in front of your computer, here are a few of the things you may have missed while enjoying two days or rest.

• AIN’T IT COOL NEWS unveiled an exclusive first look at BATMAN AND ROBIN #1, by Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely. Keep your eyes peeled for a few more sneak peeks at the first issue in the coming days.

• Pete Tomasi talks to NEWSARAMA about the road to BLACKEST NIGHT. The site also talks to writer Keith Giffen about the newly-announced MAGOG series, and to the supremely talented J.H. Williams about Batwoman’s upcoming stint in DETECTIVE COMICS.

• COMIC BOOK RESOURCES’ Jeff Renaud chats up artist Mark Bagley to discuss the conclusion of TRINITY, while the folks io9 explain why TRINITY is a ‘metaphysical epic done right.

• Remember that time back in March, where BATMAN Group Editor Michael Marts talked to IGN about his very neat photo board, featuring key characters heading into BATTLE FOR THE COWL? Well, now that the major event is over, the board has changed, which means Marts once again drops hints as to where your favorite characters are going, in a chat with IGN’s Dan Phillips.

• And last, but certainly not least, THE NEW YORK TIMES unveiled their Graphic Novel Bestseller list for the week of May 23. Of note: SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON, BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE, BATMAN R.I.P., JOKER and BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS all made the list.

In a few short days, the final chapter of BATTLE FOR THE COWL hits the stands and the entire world will learn the identity of the new Batman. It’s a journey long in the making and it’s hard to believe all the hard work from all of our creators is finally paying off on the printed page.

But we’re not wasting any time resting on our butts. Nope, we’re diving straight into the next exciting phase of the Dark Knight’s life, an era which reflects the new world order for Gotham City and its favorite protector–BATMAN REBORN.

We kick things off in June, starting with a brand new monthly series by the most exciting creative tag-team in comics–BATMAN & ROBIN by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely. Trust us, this isn’t your parents’ Dynamic Duo–expect the unexpected (including the surprising return of several characters)!

Judd Winick returns to the Bat-family to write our flagship title, BATMAN–with art by two of the most amazing artists in comics–Ed Benes illustrates our first issue back and then the great Mark Bagley draws the first big storyarc!

Over in DETECTIVE COMICS, we’re operating outside of the box with this title and allowing someone other than Batman star in the title for the first time in many years. Kate Kane–BATWOMAN–takes center stage in this long-running series, courtesy of the incomparable team of Greg Rucka and JH Williams.

The very talented Paul Dini has signed on to pen not one, but two Batman series, both brand-new monthlies. GOTHAM CITY SIRENS follows the mis-adventures Gotham’s most lethal ladies–Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. With amazing art by newcomer Guillem March, this series is a can’t-miss. And over in BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM, a series devoted to all of the other heroes in Gotham, Paul is joined by long-time DETECTIVE COMICS partner Dustin Nguyen.

RED ROBIN is another new title debuting in June (who’s behind that mask, you ask? We’re not telling!). Chris Yost writes this news series with artwork by Ramon Bachs.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg folks–Tony Daniel makes his triumphant return to the Bat-books in a short while, and later this year we have the series debut of both BATGIRL and AZRAEL!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Computer’s on, the day begins… 45 emails overnight, argh. Start with the easy ones first. No, wait—Executive Editor Dan DiDio is pulling the Bat Group down into his office for an urgent meeting. Topic: BATGIRL.

Just emerged from Dan’s office. Decided the fate of several characters. As usual, we created more questions then we set out to answer, but hey—that’s the fun part of the job. I’m surprised we ended up where we did, but WOW. Can’t wait to actually start on the title.

Back to the emails… confirmation that BATTLE FOR THE COWL #2 made it safely to the printer. Phew. That’s a relief. We just made it in time. Tony Daniel drew twelve pages in five days! Issue looks great…  Jeremy Haun completed his final page of BATTLE FOR THE COWL: ARKHAM ASYLUM—and he saved the best page for last—readers will think of the LOST map when they see this page…  Heard from that New York Times best-selling fantasy author I’ve been speaking to. She wanted to check in on the artwork of the hardcover we’re doing… Oh yeah—also received new artwork from Frank Quitely on BATMAN & ROBIN #2. Truly amazing artwork.

Got through emails… on to the phone calls. Andy Kubert to run over DETECTIVE #853 balloon placements. Pete Tomasi to talk about the OUTSIDERS roster issues. Tony Daniel to discuss plot notes on BFTC #3 and his AMAZING cover to BATMAN #688… DCU Publicity Manager Alex Segura and Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler stop in for meeting with IGN.com to discuss “the wall”… have Neil Gaiman’s lettering corrections come in yet? Must check with Janelle.

Have to push back color deadlines for SGT. ROCK #5 and ARKHAM ASYLUM… more BATGIRL discussions… have I eaten lunch yet?

Received RED ROBIN cover sketches from Francis Manapul—three great designs to choose from…should we have the camera looking down at the grave or up from inside it? Also received final colors on Freddie Williams RED ROBIN cover… talked to Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen about cover to STREETS OF GOTHAM #3—too risky to put Tommy Elliot on the cover?

Ate lunch, finally… Email from Grant Morrison, checking to make sure correct tombstone reference was used… plot discussions, more plot discussions, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Misfit…

Just realized three phone calls will have to wait till tomorrow… Frazer Irving’s final colors on AZRAEL #2 just came in…breathtaking. Script in from Fabian Nicieza, script in from David Hine…do quick balloon placements on both and send down to lettering.

Wait—is the day over? Still so much to do… ah, tomorrow’s another day.

Over at IGN, Batman Group Editor Mike Marts talks about his editorial office’s unique way of juggling the many characters populating the Bat-universe during and after BATTLE FOR THE COWL:

IGN Comics: Mike, you’re giving us a bit of a look at how the Batman editorial team plans out titles and tracks characters with some shots of what you call “The Wall”. How long have you been using something like this and what necessitated doing something like this?

Mike Marts: We in the Bat Group — myself, editor Michael Siglain and assistants Harvey Richards and Janelle Siegel - have been using “The Wall” technique for two or so years now… but for the first year and a half, it was all in our heads!

When we started diving into the complexity of Battle for the Cowl (and all that follows it), we soon realized we needed something a bit more graphic and “in your face”. There were just too many characters moving in too many different directions. So was born “The Wall”.

IGN Comics: Is this something you plan on working with into the June relaunch?

Marts: Definitely. The June plans have already crept on to The Wall in a few places. I’m not saying where!

BATTLE FOR THE COWL #2 hits 4/8.