CHUCK DIXON ON HIS RETURN TO ROBIN - NEWSARAMA

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CHUCK DIXON ON HIS RETURN TO ROBIN - NEWSARAMA

CHUCK DIXON ON HIS RETURN TO ROBIN

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Announced this afternoon at the Baltimore Comic Con long time and in fact original Robin ongoing series writer/creator Chuck Dixon will be making a return to the title beginning in January 2008 with issue #170.

We briefly spoke with the writer about going home again…

Newsarama Chuck, first off, do you have an artist lined-up for he start of your second run?

Freddie Williams is staying on the art. I think he and I are going to
have a blast. We have the same work ethic: the deadline is king.

NRAMA: So tell readers how a return to the title came about? Was think something you pursued with DC, did they come to you?

Chuck Dixon: I spoke to Mike Marts at Megacon in Orlando
last year and, while the conversation was short and about nothing
specific, we clicked. We share a lot of the same sensibilities about
what makes a good comic and I don’t think years in this crazy business
has managed to beat the enthusiasm out of either of us.

When I heard through the jungle telegraph that Adam {Beechen] was leaving Robin, I sent an email to Mike to let him know I’d be interested if they hadn’t found someone else.

He called a week or so later to tell me that Robin was mine if I was still interested.

I was.

NRAMA: Just as a reminder to readers, can you talk about the
circumstances that led to your departure the first time? Was it simply
a matter of moving on after an extended run with the character?

CD: I’d been on the title for 90+ issues. My Nightwing
run was approaching my 70th issue. I was still enjoying both books but
felt I’d better force myself to move on to something different. I like
to think that I know when to make a change before things get repetitive
or stale.

The problem was, there was nothing to move on to. The other DC groups
didn’t seem open to having me on board and I wasn’t getting any
traction on proposals. That and the fact that my ambitious plans
leading up to, and past Robin #100,
got shot down in flames convinced me to leave DC entirely for CrossGen.
I don’t think DC wanted me to leave at the time. They had set up the
most lucrative exclusive deals they’d ever offered me long before I
ever spoke to [Mark] Alessi at CG. But, while on one hand they seemed
anxious to keep me on, I got the sense that they weren’t sure what they
would have me doing. And I wasn’t interested in simply grinding on with
my three monthlies and no further, challenging, prospects in sight.

There was no offer/counteroffer kind of thing. Don’t like that kind of gamesmanship. I just gave six months notice and left.

NRAMA: So despite those circumstances and back to the present,
creatively speaking, do you feel like your batteries are refreshed
today?

CD: Oh, yeah. A break was what I needed.

Writing the first three issue arc was a thrill. I remembered everything
I loved about writing Robin from the get-go and new ideas came in a
rush.

NRAMA: So tell us what you think are the major differences between the character as you left him and the character today?

CD: He’s more experienced and a bit more serious given the events of the past years and months.

NRAMA: Do you feel though that he’s essentially the same
character underneath the things that have happened to him, or is he
significantly changed?

CD: Absolutely. The core of what makes all of us who we are
never changes. Tim still lacks the 110% certainty about all of his
actions that Batman or Nightwing have. He’s always going to be the guy
who keeps on trying.

NRAMA: What would you consider the major story beats that have
affected the who Tim Drake is today and why he does what he does over
that time you were “away”?

CD: He’s been surrounded by death. His dad. Stephanie Brown. He’s coming out of a particularly dark period for the whole DCU.

NRAMA: How about in his relationship with Batman? Is it significantly different today than it was then, and if so, how?

CD: It’s closer. With the adoption of Tim by Bruce Wayne it’s
even more parent/son than it was before. And, in a lot of ways, life is
easier for Tim. No real secret identity worries in his private life as
the heir to a mega-billionaire. He’s actually got it pretty sweet.

No way I’m not going to let that go on.

NRAMA: Generally speaking, how do you approach a second act
creatively? Do you have demonstratively different goals than you did
the first time?

CD: Not really. Now that I’m back at the old stand I’m going to
go at the book I created with a lot of new ideas. But, in the end, my
goal is still to create fast-paced escapist entertainment.

NRAMA: So finally, and more specifically speaking, can you give readers some insight as to what you have planned for Robin upon your return? A little early preview/primer?

CD: The first arc introduces a new female foil to vex Robin in
the coming year. Her intro leads to a revelation that I promise will be
a shocker for long-time Robin fans. He also runs into more trouble with
the Gotham cops. Adam Beechen amped up the tension twixt Robin and the
GCPD and I’m going to keep that going. Robin also runs afoul of a major
Gotham gang figure and that complicates everything. Tim Drake’s life
isn’t any more sedentary as an old friend from the past pops up with a
problem that Tim can’t solve. And Tim’s dating life is going to get a
lot more interesting. The return of some former foes and a few new
baddies come on stage in the opening arcs.

I’m having a lot of fun. I hope everyone else does as well

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