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Eisner Award winning writer Brian Azzarello discusses writing for upcoming DC Universe Original Animated Film, "Batman Gotham Knight"
Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
One of the most sought-after writers in comics today, Brian Azzarello is one of the six acclaimed scribes to pen a segment within “Batman Gotham Knight,” the third in the ongoing series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 movies.
Unlike many of his past works, Azzarello’s segment – entitled “Working Though Pain” – takes a decidedly non-violent direction. The segment, which falls chronologically as the fifth of the six segments, explores an early chapter of Bruce Wayne’s training as a mysterious and exotic Indian woman named Cassandra introduces Batman to techniques that would help him to conquer the physical and spiritual consequences of what he does.
Azzarello achieved widespread notoriety – and garnered multiple Eisner Awards – for “100 Bullets,” a collaboration with artist Eduardo Risso which was published by Vertigo for DC Comics. He has continually broken new ground with offerings like Vertigo’s “Jonny Double,” “Hellblazer” and “Loveless” series. Azzarello is no stranger to Batman, having written for the character in “Broken City,” “Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire,” within the “Batman Gotham Knights” series and in “Lex Luthor: Man of Steel.”
A Chicago resident, Azzarello will travel across town to join fellow “Batman Gotham Knight” writers Alan Burnett and Josh Olson, along with producer Bruce Timm, for the film’s world premiere at Wizard World Chicago in late June. "Batman Gotham Knight" will arrive July 8, 2008 on DVD and Blu-Ray disc, and will also be available that day On Demand via digital cable and for download through broadband sites. The film is produced as a collaboration between DC Comics, Warner Premiere, Warner
Home Video and Warner Bros. Animation.
Azzarello took time away from his Mac Power Book to discuss “Batman Gotham Knight,” the character of Batman, the motivations of a writer, and a little cooking, too.
Question: For starters, what was your overall impression of “Batman Gotham Knight,” and were you pleased with your segment?
Brian Azzarello says:
I liked the film – it’s a very interesting take on the Batman character. It holds together cohesively, yet each episode is strikingly different. And I loved (my segment) – it’s great. I really liked the animation. It was fascinating seeing my words moving around. When I write, I see it in print – I don’t see it moving. So it was fun and it was a good experience.
Question: How did you find the translation from your written page to the vision of the Japanese director and artists?
Brian Azzarello says:
I was surprised how seamless the translation was. I definitely got what I wrote. The hospital scene is almost exactly the way I thought of it, while the fight scenes – that’s where the animators really put their “wow” into it. But I expected that. Usually that’s where the animators just go crazy.
Question: Were there any particular visuals that struck you within your segment?
Brian Azzarello says:
Seeing wounded Batman – now that struck me. I enjoy wounded Batman. It humanizes him. It showed a true physical struggle, and that’s something you can relate to. And the character Cassandra was a bit hotter than I thought she’d be … but that’s okay.
Question: When you’re writing for comics – and now for animation – do you put fairly detailed direction between the dialogue, or is it more of a collaborative process for you and the artist/animator?
Brian Azzarello says:
I wrote the script and then I handed it off, and that’s pretty much the same relationship I have in comics. I really trust my collaborators, and I try to leave them plenty of room so they can bring their strengths to the work. I think that happened in this film, and definitely for my segment – the animation is just amazing. Really amazing.
I have more of an affinity for the stage than I do for the screen, so I’m very conscious of the dialogue. And because I’ve always worked with collaborators, I tend to leave the visuals up to them – on purpose. It’s my belief that if I get the dialogue right, and the artist understands what motivates the characters and what they’re saying, then the visuals will come.
Question: You’re fairly particular about the projects you accept. How’d you get involved with this film, and what made you say yes?
Brian Azzarello says:
Gregory Noveck of DC Comics talked to my agent, then I had a conference call to discuss the story. They explained the film to me in broad strokes, and asked me to come up with an idea. I chose to focus more on Bruce Wayne, and they liked my pitch. As always happens, they needed the script yesterday, and I was I was on my way to Europe at the time. All I can tell you is that the hotel room in Barcelona was pretty nice, but I can’t tell you much about the city.
Question: You were quoted in a UGO article as saying “Hollywood is nowhere I aspire to be” … and yet, here you are. What happened?
Brian Azzarello says:
Well, the production may be in Hollywood, but I’m in Chicago – and I’m going to stay here. Is that semantics? I’m not sure. I enjoy doing the work, and I really liked writing for this project – I’d like to do it again. And I know there are people that would kill to work in Hollywood. I’m just not one of those people. I’ll do it, I have done it, but the project has to be right. I’ve been asked to write a lot of things that I’ve declined mainly because the projects didn’t interest me. If I were just writing to pull a paycheck, there’s a lot of other things I could be doing.
Question: What’s your motivation for writing?
Brian Azzarello says:
If I have a story, if I have something to say, that’s my motivation. For this film, I had something to say about Bruce Wayne as a character, what his motivations are. That there’s something dark and wrong about what drives him. Batman is a super hero and he does good. But I think the Bruce Wayne part of the character’s motivation is slightly twisted. Bruce’s motivations don’t come from a good place. He’s angry and, in that revenge is really his goal, he’s a dishonest character. That’s why he has to wear a mask. He’s doing good, but he’s not doing all the right things for all the right reasons.
That plays into this story. It should be a story about non-violence, but that’s the lesson that Bruce doesn’t learn. On the surface, Bruce is on a spiritual journey, but his spirit was corrupted when his parents were killed. And it’s not something that I think he’s even interested in fixing.
Question: How much research was involved in scripting a story set in India that focuses on the mind-over-matter theme of conquering your pain from within?
Brian Azzarello says:
I spent a lot of time surfing (the Internet) – it’s a wonder how we all have libraries at our fingerprints these days. I needed to do research on India, and I gathered a lot of information on pain management. What I learned is that a lot of pain management practitioners are con men.
Question: You’ve had some notable experience working on Batman – can you compare the differences in working on this Batman tale vs. “Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire” and “Broken City” or the “Batman: Gotham Knights” comics?
Brian Azzarello says:
Every time I approach Batman, I like to come from a different angle. In Deathblow, I saw him as a James Bond-type but on an urban level. For Broken City, he was the bitter private eye. On this project, I guess he’s lying to himself. He’s not intentionally conning Cassandra, but he does ultimately con her. He wants to learn what she knows, but he doesn’t want to know it for the reasons she teaches it. She finally figures out that he’s doing it for the wrong reason, but it isn’t until the end – and it’s not until then that even he understands that he’s been lying to himself.
Question: What are you reading these days?
Brian Azzarello says:
I have a stack of books – The Crime Writer by Gregg Hurwitz; one of Jason Starr’s novels; and then I’ve got Mario Batali’s Italian Grill cookbook. I actually read a lot of cookbooks – I grew up around cooking, and cooking really relaxes me. Nine times out of 10, I’m cooking something Italian, but the weather is turning, so my grill has been fired up a lot lately. I love barbeque – it’s great to cook something for 8-10 hours. That’s such an American way of cooking, but I try to bring a lot of Mediterranean influences into that.
Question: So if you could hand-pick your next achievement, what would it be – win another Eisner, write the next Batman, or have your own show on Food Network?
Brian Azzarello says:
Well, having my own cooking show sounds like no work at all. Winning another Eisner would be nice. But I think I’d have to pick writing the next Batman – that would be the biggest challenge for me. As a freelancer, if you’re not challenging yourself, nobody is. Every day I have to paint myself into a corner and then write my way out of it.
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Dez Skinn's "Comic Art Now" Out Now...
Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
In Comic Art Now, many of the medium's finest exponents from around the world are gathered together for the first time in a volume that reveals the sheer diversity and rich talent that abounds in this thrilling artform. This book showcases the creme de la creme of contemporary comic book creators, whether they're established professionals or hot new bucks making waves in the industry. From superlative superheroes to heart-stopping horror, the artwork is divided into today's most popular comic-book genres. This book takes a rare holistic approach, incorporating small, self-published projects, through independent artists work, right up to big established names working for Marvel, DC and Dark Horse. What qualifies them for inclusion is the quality of their work, regardless of genre, labels or preconceptions. Comic Art Now is at the razor’s edge of one of the most important, relevant and misunderstood artforms on the planet.
Published by Ilex on 5th May, writer Dez Skinn is possibly the most well-known and most-experienced man in British comics - his reputation precedes him world-wide, and this book is destined to be the de facto guide to early 21st Century comics creators.
"Thank you for including me in the Comic Art Now book.... it is gorgeous and an honor to be in it with such illustrious company." – Roberta Gregory (USA)
"I just received your sumptuously printed volume. You must be proud of it. Almost as proud as I am to have a few spreads to myself." – Siku (UK)
"Just received the book! It’s amazing! And thanks for putting me next to my idol Mr Frank Cho!! Gosh that's just too cool." - Ben Ang (Singapore)
"Just got the book, it's truly beautiful -- guess you're gonna hear that sort of thing for quite some time." - JJ Dzialowski (France)
"A great selection of material!" - Rian Hughes (UK)
"Thanks very much for my contributor copy. I'm very pleased with how my story's come out, and it all looks fantastic!" - Chris Reynolds (UK)
"GREAT WORK DEZ! Nice production, and a good variety of styles, most of which dwarf my humble effort but it's an honour to be included alongside such talents." - Lew Stringer (UK)
Comic Art Now is available from all good bookshops, and online via amazon.co.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Comic-Art-Now-Contemporary-Illustration/dp/1905814259/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210263015&sr=8-2) or amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Comic-Art-Now-Dez-Skinn/dp/0061447390/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-3916096-9728822?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210263680&sr=8-1) - other internet retailers are available.
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Michael Turner Cover For Ultimate Origins #1!
Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
Marvel is proud to unveil superstar artist Michael Turner’s variant cover to the hotly-anticipated Ultimate Origins #1! It’s the beginning of the end for the Ultimate Universe—but just what are the secrets behind the origin of the Ultimate Universe? The critically-acclaimed, award winning scribe Brian Michael Bendis (Secret Invasion, Ultimate Spider-Man) and fan-favorite artist Butch Guice (Captain America, Iron Man) join forces for the first time to present a jaw-dropping journey that leads into this fall’s ULTIMATUM! And the Ultimate Universe will never, ever, be the same again! Wrapped up in gorgeous covers by superstars Gabrielle Dell’Otto, Simone Bianchi and Michael Turner, no Marvel fan can miss Ultimate Origins #1!
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #1 (of 5) (APR082246)
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #1 (of 5) TURNER VARIANT (APR082247)
ULTIMATE ORIGINS #1 (of 5) TURNER VARIANT SKETCH VARIANT (MAR088241)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by BUTCH GUICE
50/50 Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI
50/50 Cover by GABRIELLE DELL’OTTO
Variant Cover by MICHAEL TURNER
Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC—5/15/08, On-Sale—6/4/08
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Valiant Entertainment Joins ComicSpace
Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
Fans Can Befriend Them at http://www.comicspace.com/valiantentertainment
Valiant Entertainment has joined the more than 700 other publishers on www.comicspace.com, the premier social networking site dedicated to comic books and comics fans. Fans can befriend Valiant Entertainment by heading to www.comicspace.com/ValiantEntertainment. On the Valiant page, fans can learn about Valiant Entertainment and read a 20 page sneak preview of the Harbinger: The Beginning hardcover edition and a 12 page sneak preview of the X-O Manowar: Birth hardcover edition.
ComicSpace is a social networking community of over 29,000 comic fans and creators, hosting over 16,100 comic galleries and containing over 187,300 comic pages.
“ComicSpace has become the place to go to reach the dedicated comics fan,” said Walter J. Black, Senior VP & Publisher of Valiant Entertainment. “Other social networking sites have more subscribers, but they aren’t nearly as focused on comics. When we were deciding where to start our social networking campaign, ComicSpace was the only logical choice. Here we know that everyone that comes by our page to read our previews and see our material is within our target audience. And you can’t ask for a better situation than that. I hope everyone will come by our page and add us as a friend.”
For more information on the Valiant Entertainment Universe and titles, please log on to their website at www.ValiantEntertainment.com. While you’re there, be sure to join the mailing list to receive future updates in your inbox.
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The X-Files: I Want To Believe Trading Cards from Inkworks
Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
The X-Files: I Want To Believe Trading Cards from Inkworks
Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising and Inkworks today announced new premium trading card collection based on the upcoming X-Files motion picture along with a small subset of cards from fan favorite episodes. The collection will be released July 25 to coincide with highly anticipated debut of the motion picture THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE.
"We are particularly excited about this collection, and we anticipate that fans of 'The X-Files' will share our passion," said Virginia King, vice president of Fox Licensing and Merchandising. "In building this collection, we have benefited from our close collaboration with the film's production team, as well as from invaluable support from writer-director-producer Chris Carter, writer-producer Frank Spotnitz, and our long term licensee Inkworks. There are a few firsts in this trading card release that will energize both retailers and fans."
The 72-card series will feature the franchise's iconic lead characters Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, as well as the new film's action and intrigue. This will be the first new "The X-Files" trading card product from Inkworks since the sold-out THE X-FILES: CONNECTIONS trading card set in 2005. In addition to the base set, collectors can also find several levels of randomly-inserted bonus cards including:
AUTOGRAPH CARDS - David Duchovny (Agent Mulder), Gillian Anderson (Agent Scully), Frank Spotnitz (Producer/Writer) and Chris Carter (Director/Writer). Additional signers to be announced.
PIECEWORKS® CARDS - Cards featuring pieces of the actual costumes worn on-
screen during the movie. Costumes to be announced.
Fans can get a free foil promo card for THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE through a special offer on the Inkworks website (www.inkworks.com) while supplies last.
Packs of THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE premium trading cards will have a suggested retail price of $3.49 and will contain seven cards. Twenty-four packs will be inserted into each sealed display box. A collector album will also be created especially for THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE trading card set (SRP $19.95).
ABOUT FOX LICENSING & MERCHANDISING
A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.
ABOUT INKWORKS
Inkworks is the award-winning entertainment trading card manufacturer based in Morrisville, North Carolina. Current Inkworks licenses include SUPERNATURAL, ALIENS VS. PREDATOR: REQUIEM, SMALLVILLE, CHARMED, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, JERICHO, KUNG FU PANDA, FAMILY GUY, THE SPIRIT, THE X-FILES and many others. For a product release schedule, more information on Inkworks products or to find out how to get free collector cards, please visit the Inkworks web site at www.inkworks.com.
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Invincible Iron Man #1 Sells Out
Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
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Please note that Marvel currently has no plans to go back to press on Invincible Iron Man #1
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Marvel Comics Exclusive Preview: Thunderbolts #120
Posted: Thursday, May 8, 2008
Posted By: Keith Dallas / Paul Brian McCoy
Marvel Comics has graciously provided ComicsBulletin.com with an exclusive preview of Thunderbolts #120:
WRITER: WARREN ELLIS
ARTIST: MIKE DEODATO
THE STORY: It's all-out war inside a locked-down Thunderbolts Mountain, where a team of rogue psychics are twisting the minds of the field team. Venom's on the loose, the Swordsman has reverted to the crimes of his father, Norman Osborn is losing it...but the psychics have already written off one Thunderbolt, and completely forgotten about another...
IN STORES: May 14, 2008
Log on to ComicsBulletin on Tuesday for advance reviews of Thunderbolts #120 and other Marvel titles coming out on May 14, including Captain Britain and MI:13 #1, newuniversal: Shock Front #1, Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #1 and Guardians of the Galaxy #1!
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4 Previews of Image Books Coming Next Week!
Posted: Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
CASANOVA #14
story MATT FRACTION, Art FÁBIO MOON, Cover GABRIEL BÁ
24 PAGES, 2C, $1.99
The second album of CASANOVA comes to an end and you absolutely won't believe it. If Casanova comes back, surely this would be the issue, right? Right? He's gonna come back, isn't he? It's all gonna work out all right, isn't it? At the end of the issue, everything will be beautiful again and nothing will hurt, right? Right? Hello? God? By MATT FRACTION (PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL, THE IMMORTAL IRON FIST) and FABIO MOON (SUGARSHOCK, De:TALES), it's the comic GQ called "Brilliant."
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
PVP, VOL. 5: PVP TREKS ON TP
story SCOTT KURTZ, art & cover SCOTT KURTZ
144 PAGES, BW, $14.99
In this collection of side-splitting strips, Brent and Skull swap bodies, the boss puts everyone through sexual harassment training, the gang travels through time to medieval England... and is somebody PREGNANT?
Collects PvP #25-30
SCREAMLAND #3 (OF 5)
story HAROLD SIPE, art & cover HECTOR CASANOVA
32 PAGES, FC, $2.99
Now it's time for everyone favorite convention: BAR CON! Carl London, the Wolf-Man, barnstorms the Midwest comic-con scene with third-string aging sci-fi actors in tow. How can one help but party like a rock star at Kansas' PREMIER sports /hotel bar? Hard questions are asked: Does one drink "in character?" If you buy your B-actor idol a drink, MUST he read your fan fiction? At the end of the night, the Wolf-Man faces a foe even his drunken, wolf-y prowess may be unable to defeat!
"Washed-up monster ennui never looked so good" - Joshua W. Cotter
TRUE STORY, SWEAR TO GOD #11
story TOM BELAND, art & cover TOM BELAND
24 PAGES, BW, $3.50
“COUNTDOWN”
How do you plan a wedding when one family lives in Puerto Rico and the other family lives in Napa, California? And what happens when the Happiest Place on Earth wants to make money off your story? Simple. You WHORE your story to them and get married for FREE! A fun-loving issue... and NOBODY DIES!!
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Wolverine and the X-Men Trailer!
Posted: Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
http://www.marvel.com/news/moviestories.3499.EXCLUSIVE%7Ecolon%7E_Wolverine_and_the_X-Men_Trailer
From Marvel.com: The first, official trailer for Marvel's upcoming animated series, "Wolverine and the X-Men," is here! Packed with more mutants than you can shake a stick at, check out what's in store for a world in which Professor X has been taken out and Wolverine must lead the X-Men into a very uncertain and dangerous future!
"Wolverine and the X-Men" begins as an explosive event shatters the lives of the X-Men and takes away their mentor, Professor X. The beaten heroes, including Beast, Storm, Cyclops and Nightcrawler, walk away from it all but then they are given a rare glimpse into the future, where they see a world in utter ruin…ruled by giant destructive robots. They discover the world has spiraled out of control because the X-Men have given up. So now the most legendary of all X-Men, Wolverine, must take the lead on the ultimate mission—to prevent the world's destruction—while fending off enemies Magneto and The Brotherhood.
KP's Take: Looks pretty damn good.
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Star Wars: Clone Wars One-Sheet Revealed!
Posted: Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Posted By: Kevin Powers
http://www.starwars.com/theclonewars/news/news20080506.html
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