All Star Batman and Robin becomes Dark Knight: Boy Wonder

[Mogwai]

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25536

More than a few comic series have fallen victim to the complications of scheduling, never to be heard from again. But today, one particularly high profile comic series earned a new life...though it's one that won't start just yet.

On their official blog The Source, DC Comics announced plans that the team of Frank Miller and Jim Lee would complete the journey started in 2005 with "All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder," with a twist. In the post, Lee explained that the pair of legendary creators have six issues to go to complete their origin tale of the crimefighting partnership between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, though for this last leg of the series, the book will be called "Dark Knight: Boy Wonder" and will ship monthly starting in February of 2011. The purpose behind the re-titling and far out launch date for "Dark Knight: Boy Wonder" was cited by its creators as both ensuring fans that they'd get the complete story they were promised, as well as a story which fits into the personal creative canon of Miller along with his classic "Batman: Year One" and futuristic "Dark Knight" collections.

CBR News reached out to Lee for further comment on what brought the series to this point, and the recently promoted DC Co-Publisher stressed that the long delays (the last "All Star" issue to ship was #10 in August of 2008) experienced by the series "had nothing to do with Frank. He's been a prince through this entire process, and I've never had to wait on him. I was swamped with several projects at the same time that went longer than anticipated, and the original intent of 'ASBR' was that it was only to be six issues. But as we got rolling, the story got bigger and grander, so I'm happy we took the time to develop the relationship between Batman in his prime and his new sidekick. Work then hit a logjam, and I was continually playing catch up. Frank told me in our last meeting that I need to stop, take a deep breath, collect myself and set a realistic date where we could come back out on a regular basis, and that's what we decided to do."

Lee explained that when it came to aligning the new "Boy Wonder" title with Miller's other Batman works, "I think Frank always wrote it with the mindset that it fit into the 'Dark Knight' mythos from the very start. From the introduction of characters like Joker's henchwoman that fans will recognize from 'DKR,' and even some of the cops mentioned by name in this series...Frank has seeded the connections all throughout. As for my part, I know that when I added the Dragon tattoo on Joker's back that I combed through all the other Frank Miller Batman stories to make sure there was never a shot which contradicted that tattoo. In fact, the only parts of Joker that were exposed and tattoo free were his face, his upper chest and his forearms and hands, so that's why I ran with the tattoo on the back after running it by Frank and then editor Bob Schreck for approval.

The artist added that when it comes to Miller's work, "I can probably tell you from memory what's on every page of those books," with a laugh, noting that the future of the book will focus on "Gotham City. Frank really uses the city as another character in the storyline, so the same way we really gave the Batcave its due, we're gonna do the same thing to Gotham. That, and showing the growing relationship between Batman and Robin. And more of the over the top Batman action that fans have loved about this book from the start."

As for why now is the time to start talking about getting "Dark Knight: Boy Wonder" off the ground, Lee said, "My work on the DCU Online game has been winding down, freeing up a chunk of time. I've also tried to become better at telling others 'no' when asked if I could do a cover here and there. The covers add up over time, and each can take a day or two or three. Days better spent drawing 'Dark Knight: Boy Wonder' pages. I still have a backlist of work I need to do that I committed to, but after that - no more side gigs. I prefer doing interiors and telling stories than doing just cover work. That said, some projects, like doing the 'American Vampire' variant cover, were impossible to turn down. It's the toughest aspect of the freelance part of my job."

Just because he's shying away from some cover work doesn't mean Lee will step away from the drawing board as his new duties as Co-Publisher take effect. The artist told CBR, "There's an overt acknowledgement by the rest of the executive team that one of the ways I help DC Comics the most is by doing creative work. The same goes for Geoff Johns, so to that purpose, we are given the latitude to take on projects and fit them into our schedules. So putting this book back on a track is the biggest part of my creative efforts this year. That, and a ten-page story I am doing with Paul Levitz featuring the Legion of Superheroes from the late 1970's that will be a centerpiece of a new art of Jim Lee book called 'Icons,' coming out this July."

 

[WolfCypher]

I really wish DC would get their act together with the All-Stars brand.

 

[hippie_hunter]

The All-Star label is dead. All-Star Superman has ended, All-Star Batman & Robin is being rebranded, All-Star Batgirl never even got off the ground, and I bet that All-Star Wonder Woman will end up being rebranded as well.

 

[Mogwai]

I bet that All-Star Wonder Woman will end up being rebranded as well.

probably

 

[SpideyInATree]

Ha! I thought that DC had just given up on this series. It's good to see that it's going to be finished but if it goes at the pace it's been going it will be 2020 by the time it's freakin' over.

Though I am kind of looking forward to it because I did kind of like the series. It was a guilty pleasure.

 

[yenaled]

Well this was the news everyone was looking forward to!!

 

[ImWithTeamConan]

Damn. Feb 2011? That's farther than I thought.

 

[Drz]

Best news so far from Wonder Con. I love my God Damn Batman and his God Damn Dick Grayson, Age Twelve.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Cool that they may (but probably won't) actually finish it. Not interested myself; I never liked the series

The All-Star label is dead. All-Star Superman has ended, All-Star Batman & Robin is being rebranded, All-Star Batgirl never even got off the ground, and I bet that All-Star Wonder Woman will end up being rebranded as well.

A shame, too. I liked that concept a helluva a lot better than this Earth-One/Ultimate stuff. DC kind of was in a losing situation with All Star, though. Picking the talent they did meant that it was a sure go for slow scheduling

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I finally read All-Star Superman and loved it. That, at least, will probably endure as one of the better Superman stories, even though it occupies its own wonky continuity.

 

[Mystirious]

Great. More of this garbage. There's been nothing but bad news from DC recently. Now we get more of Miller's adventures of Bat-Pedo and Stockholm Syndrome Lad.

 

[Drz]

I finally read All-Star Superman and loved it. That, at least, will probably endure as one of the better Superman stories, even though it occupies its own wonky continuity.

Morrison had a few ideas for special minis and stuff. From Golden Age Superman to Legion of Superheroes in the future, oh and even Superman II & Batman's Son teaming up. Right now they don't have any plans and tbh we shouldn't really except anything until maybe after Multiversity is done.

Still ya for more Frank Miller Batman! Can't wait to see how the Gordon subplot goes. Then again i've already been waitin for years. 1 More year can't hurt. right?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Sure, if you're willing to wait as long as you've already waited for All-Star Batman, waiting longer shouldn't be a problem. Personally, I write off any big 2 comic that takes more than 2 or 3 months between issues. If it's not worth the creators' time to put them out on a reasonable schedule, it's not worth my time or hard-earned money.

 

[Drz]

The thing is i just love Dark Knight Universe as a whole alot. Theres so many questions i'd love to get answered and so many scenes i'd love to see aswell. I mean All-Star Batman and Robin has Batman freaking hating on Hal Jordan, but hey guess what? When Hal decided to leave earth, who was it that *begged* him to stay? Thats right it was Batman. Can you imagen the God Damn Batman begging someone?

 

[Mystirious]

You know, having Robin crush Hal Jordan's throat was the only moment of ASBAR that I can honestly say I utterly adored. I love the cover, with Batman just reading the paper while Robin beats him senseless as well.

Batman may be a d*** in All Star but he is one you can laugh at.

And...that's pretty much all the praise I have to give for this...thing.

 

[yenaled]

I finally read All-Star Superman and loved it. That, at least, will probably endure as one of the better Superman stories, even though it occupies its own wonky continuity.

! I am very happy! Does that mean oen day you might consider Starman?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

No, never!

But maybe.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Any reason you don't want to read Starman, Corp? Is it because he's out there somewhere, and you're afraid that he'll blow your mind by coming down?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It's not that I don't want to read it, it's just not very high on my reading list. There's a lot of other stuff I want to read than it. But excellent use of Bowie.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Oh, well, I kind of blotched that, anyway. I was listening to Bowie's Starman right as I read that post. I tried to play on it, but I didn't do it very well

 

[Drz]

Stop talking about bad comics and focus on the God Damn Batman! :P

 

[Tron Bonne]

So, stop talking about bad comics, and start talking about horrible comics

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Eh, points for effort.

 

[Tron Bonne]

It's not that I don't want to read it, it's just not very high on my reading list. There's a lot of other stuff I want to read than it. But excellent use of Bowie.

Ah, I enjoy this edit. Maybe I did better than I expected

 

[Drz]

So, stop talking about bad comics, and start talking about horrible comics