CHUCK DIXON NAMED AS NEW BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS WRITER - NEWSARAMA

DOH!!!  I wasn’t going to get this, but now I can’t wait for it to come out!!

CHUCK DIXON NAMED AS NEW BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS WRITER - NEWSARAMA

CHUCK DIXON NAMED AS NEW BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS WRITER

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Ever have a dream where you’re reading more Batman comics written by Chuck Dixon?

Sure, sure, he’s already coming on to Robin starting with issue #170 (January),
but what else? Dixon has teased something more at DC was coming, and
now, Newsarama has learned that Dixon will be the writer on the
relaunch of Batman and the Outsiders, replacing the previously announced (and solicited) Tony Bedard. Issue #1 of the new series is due in stores on November 14th. Dixon will be joined by artist Julian (Wonder Woman) Lopez who replaces the previously announced artist, Koi Turnbull.

DC has released two covers for #1: the main cover by Doug Braithwaite,
and a variant cover by Ryan Sook. The covers have two characters that
were previously unseen/unannounced in the discussions of the series,
namely Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) and Cassandra Cain (Batgirl). The
publisher describes the issue as (solicitation for the first issue is
different from the original solicitation text:

The new era for the team begins with Catwoman, Metamorpho, Katana,
Grace and Martian Manhunter called into investigate a potential time
bomb at Jardine Enterprises – but will the new team’s first mission
also be it’s last?

BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS. Let the speculation begin.

Late Tuesday afternoon, we caught up with Dixon to ask him about the sudden change.

Newsarama: Well, first of all Chuck, sudden creative changes are
nothing new in this biz, but it’s somewhat unusual to see a full
creative team change before the first issue even ships. So as much as
you can divulge, can you tell us about the circumstances of you taking
over this title?

Chuck Dixon: Well, anyone in any kind of creative endeavor can
tell you that, no matter how hard you work at something, it all somehow
gets away from you. It’s happened to me enough times.

That seems to be the case here.

No one in this business has greater respect for Tony [Bedard] than I
do. The guy is dedicated, conscientious and has never written anything
less than world-class comics entertainment. But whatever it was that
the folks at DC wanted from this book, it just wasn’t coming together.
I take this on faith as I wasn’t shown any of their material.

That said, I’ll be running with what they set up in the one-shots in a
whole different direction simply because I have no idea what their
direction was to be. The character line-up and the dynamic of the book
will be what Tony set up in Outsiders #50. By editorial fiat and the
demands of continuity the line-up will change with issue #3 and #4.
Some jaw-dropping additions to the team will occur then. I’m also
playing with one of the team members I’ve inherited in a way that has
never been done in an ensemble book like this.

NRAMA: Not meant in a greater or lesser than way, but clearly a change of writers will have to have some affect. How would you say your take on this title will be different than what Bedard’s take was shaping up to be?

CD: Just from the inferences at the initial meetings it seems
like my take will be more direct action as opposed to Tony’s more
intrigue-laden plotlines. Tony does that whole intrigue thing so much
better than I do. Of course, I’m only going off of the very vaguest
notions of what the book was to be like with Tony on board.

It’s very weird because this was a book I was looking forward to reading.

NRAMA: Conversely, what do you think will remain mostly the same.

CD: Nothing, really. It’s a whole different gameplan.

NRAMA: Given that there have been changes, can you briefly give
us Batman and the Outsiders 101? What do readers need to get going into
next month’s issue #1?

CD: Well, Batman is forever frustrated by the way the JLA and
its subsidiaries operate. He originally formed the Outsiders to be a
more pro-active, preventative force for battling global baddies. He
returns to the group for the same reason. He finds mostly flawed or
secondary or unwanted heroes (and anti-heroes and outright villains)
and casts them into a kind of Impossible Mission force to bring down
evildoers while their plans are still in the making. The original
series’ premise is even more relevant today with real-life
supervillains threatening civilization every day.

NRAMA: What do you want readers to know as they weigh whether or not to give this title a try?

CD: It’s action. It’s team dynamics. We have a twist on an
established villain that takes up much of the first few issues. We have
some amazing guest stars and new team members coming up very quickly.
You get to see a writer who majored in agriculture in high school
struggle to learn the periodic table so he can write Metamorpho
convincingly. The artwork is stunning. Batman’s in it. And we have a
few DCU continuity shake-ups coming that should have the fanboys
buzzing around the cash register on Wednesday.

NRAMA: Assuming the team on the cover to #1 will remain the
team, can you maybe walk us through the team members and give us some
brief thoughts on each?

CD: And how ‘bout that cover?

Martian Manhunter. Who’s cooler? Maybe Batman. I have a lot of fun with J’onn in the opening issue.

Metamorpho. Hotshot test pilot turned elemental freak. And he’s funny.

Catwoman. She’s sexy, smart and untrustworthy.

Grace. A powerful Amazonian who’s not so sure abut this whole Batman-as-leader thing but is willing to give it a try.

Thunder. Inexperienced superheroine and daughter of Black Lightning.
She’ll provide some real sparks (no pun intended) in the opening arc.

Katana. Super-cool samurai. I have always adored this character and work to up her coolness factor to 11.

And Batman.

NRAMA: How do you approach keeping Batman “fresh” (for lack of a
better term), considering the number of titles he already appears in?
Is it all a matter of who and what you surround him with?

CD: Batman is always fun to write even though it’s a mite
intimidating. But with ten years experience, I think I know the guy.
And as complex and deep a guy as he is on his own, he’s even more
fascinating when confronted with leading a group; particularly a group
as disparate and rowdy as this one. And it’s gonna get a LOT rowdier.

This ensemble is very much aware that they are working for Batman not partnered with him. Some will rail under this and that leads to problems.

NRAMA: Okay, any final thoughts, first impressions you want to leave surprised readers with today?

CD: Julian’s art is gorgeous.

And, in addition to a great assemblage of characters, we do have some
stories to tell. An overarching plot of planetary domination that has not
been done before. And lots of superheroic punching up and breaking
things. Also a brand new super character joins the team in the third
arc that we’re all convinced the readers are going to like.

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