After a brief hiatus from the DC Universe, acclaimed writer Scott Snyder returns with a bold new vision for Batman. Snyder, alongside artist Nick Dragotta, makes his comeback with the highly-anticipated Absolute Batman. A vital part of DC’s ambitious “All In” initiative, this dynamic duo is set to redefine the Caped Crusader in ways we’ve never seen before.
In this exclusive interview, Snyder and Dragotta discuss their dynamic collaboration, offering insight into the creative process behind reimagining Batman for DC’s Absolute line. The duo explores what makes this new iteration of the Dark Knight so unique while embracing horror, sci-fi, and engineering elements to deepen Bruce Wayne’s character.
From groundbreaking costume designs to an inventive new take on Gotham City and its rogues, Snyder and Dragotta have crafted a Batman story that’s both familiar and wholly original. Together, they explore not only the mythic underpinnings of the character but also how this project fits into a larger conversation about the future of superhero comics.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our conversation with Snyder and Dragotta on their bold new Batman journey. And, in case you’ve forgotten, Absolute Batman #1 debuts on October 9.
This is an edited version of the interview. Be sure to tune into the AIPT Comics podcast in October for an extended, unedited version of this conversation.
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: How did that first meeting go to bring you in as a consultant on DC “All In” and the Absolute line?
Scott Snyder: DC has always been really kind to me about inviting me back ever since I wanted to take a break in 2019, 2020, after Death Metal. They’ve been wonderful, like Marie (Javins) and Jim (Lee), about kind of checking in every now and then. Is there a book I wanted to do or anything like that? I thought about it a lot while I was doing creator-owned, and Marvel was kind enough to reach out about doing stuff, too. What I started to realize was I didn’t want to do a book. I didn’t feel like it was gonna scratch any kind of itch. But what did feel right, and I know it sounds hokey, was to be a part of a big initiative. I missed those things.
The feeling was almost like, there was this conversation in the cultural zeitgeist about how superheroes were over and there was this malaise, mostly because of the cinematic universes having peaked at that point before being restarted. Meanwhile, it felt like there were all these great superhero comics coming out. It really came down to this idea of I want to be part of something that we can be really proud of as a collective effort. It felt like there were all these great books, but things had gotten a little bit atomized.
People were used to finding the books that they liked, but there wasn’t necessarily the same centrality. There wasn’t that same sense of “We’re all going to do something together.” And that’s by no one’s fault, at DC or Marvel. There’s a change in the corporate structure of a lot of companies as well. And it makes it harder to just sort of take a risk and be like, let’s all try something nutty at once. Three years ago, there was a meeting at New York back. I’d love to be a part of something, but I didn’t want it to be the Scott show. I want to be able to come back and be a part of something we can all celebrate together. I had done a smaller consulting contract for the tie-ins during Death Metal. And so this would be more of a kind of creative guide for Josh (Williamson) and me.
And there were three parts. It was the meta-story, like creating this mega-story that would play out over a couple of years, including events and such with Josh about Darkseid. And that Darkseid as that ultimate troll that essentially is like, “I’m going to evolve and become this new threat that you haven’t seen, but a threat that it’s essentially designed to articulate that belief that superhero comics should be over.” Darkseid becomes the Omega. He figures out there’s something been hidden from him this whole time, and should he find it, he will become this thing. Meanwhile, the superheroes, led by Superman on the other side of this flip book, All In Special #1, decide that to overcome challenges, they need to think bigger than they ever have.
And instead include more members in the Justice League to look outside the boundaries that they’ve seen before. To think outside the box. That book embodies the thesis and the spirit of All In as an initiative. If you embrace every kind of superhero storytelling at once, it really feels like we have more to offer than anyone really wants to know.
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: Is any part of you worried your legacy will be explicitly tied to Batman?
SS: No. Is there a better thing it could be tied to at all? Believe me, there’s nothing better to be tied to. I was out with Brian Azzarello at the Mohegan Sun gambling the other night at TerrifiCon. He was like, “Dude, you realize you’re putting your whole legacy on the line right now.”
First, I was like, “Thank you, Brian.” Secondly, the feeling was great. “All In” is about taking your biggest swing and giving everyone time to do that. Taking two years, starting all new stories, everything needs to be jumping on point.
For me, honestly, the scariest thing was doing Batman again. But this idea was the proof of concept that I used when I went around to people and pitched them about the Absolute Universe when I went to creators. And I said, look, the ethos of it is you take the hero, you stay true to the core, but you do something that nobody’s seen before that makes this hero feel exciting, relevant, personal to you. And don’t be scared. For me, I went around being like, this is what I would do with Absolute Batman if I did it, but I’m not gonna do it. This is just an example, and you can do it if you want.
Jason (Aaron) decided to do Superman. He’s been my co architect on the Absolute stuff, it’s been amazing. And then Kelly (Thompson) came on Wonder Woman, and she’s been instrumental in shaping that world too. Batman was still open, and it was James Tynion IV who called and said, ” You know who has to do Batman?” I was like, “Who, who? Tell me, I’ll call him right now.” And he was like, “You.” And I was like, “I can’t, man. That’s too scary.” And he was like, that’s the point, man. That’s the point. When he was in my class, the rule is you always got to be the most exciting writer to yourself.
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: This new Batman suit seems to invoke a bat even more. Is that on purpose?
Nick Dragotta: Absolutely. We drew upon bats for inspiration. When you read the story, I think we’re gonna reinforce what I just said. The idea was this wouldn’t be a new Batman and look, but function. And what’s interesting is that everyone is now talking about how different he looks. It really informed giving him that new feel. It all goes back to story and who this Bruce Wayne is and every aspect of his costume. It’s not just a utility belt anymore. It’s a utility cowl or a utility suit cape. Everything’s usable.
AIPT: I feel people haven’t been talking about Batman like this since Christopher Nolan’s Tumbler was revealed, and the Batmobile was just so shockingly different.
ND: Wait till you see the Batmobile, we debut it issue #2. We’re having a blast. I think the proof is in the pudding because people are talking. I feel really strongly like people can have all these opinions, but when you read the book, I think all of our choices get reinforced. I feel really good about the book and the story.
AIPT: Do you work with a mood board by chance or listen to any particular music when you’re designing these characters?
ND: That’s really interesting. When I’m thumbnail, I got to turn the music off. I definitely like getting into moods, and I’ve been in a real nineties nostalgic kick with music. But I also like more ambient stuff. I don’t want to be distracted. I want to get lost in the work. Stuff that would definitely fit the mood.
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: Is Nirvana potentially one of those bands?
ND: Oh, definitely.
AIPT: The use of Nirvana in The Batman was so excellent.
ND: You know, that’s interesting you bring that up. I just saw Matt Reeves’ movie, and it’s so beautiful. I could watch that all day. And then the use of music in it is awesome. I want to evoke all of that. And I think when you read our book too, like we really strove to make a very readable comic. And I say that like there’s no confusion. You know exactly where to go next, you understand who these characters are, and then really hitting beats, like really merging the words with the picture. And when Scott makes a thought, I want to make sure my picture’s right there, reinforcing it or adding to it. And vice versa, words supporting pictures or pictures supporting words. I feel like it’s a very cinematic comic, too, in that respect.
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: Your Alfred designs made me think of Ra’s al Ghul. Is that an insane thing to say?
ND: Yeah, I mean, there’s no connection. I’ll spoil that. It’s just that aesthetic. Like when I go drizzled, the hair’s too long. It’s disheveled. Little cartoon tricks. I can see the connection, the hair with the silver wings he’s got on the sides. But, there is no connection.
AIPT: How has the collaboration been?
SS: It feels like this creative fever dream, you know? It’s just pure. That’s the word I keep coming back to with this Batman. Just the core concept of him. It’s not just like Batman: poor; villains: rich. What does Batman stand for? If he and the main universe is this kind of guy who holds things together, and he is order, and he is the system, and his villains are chaos and anarchy, then here he’s that small bit of chaos and anarchy, and his villains are sort of entrenched.
His villains are this kind of giant, immovable things. We tried to just burn it down to this simplest thing where, “What is Batman?” And all he is is like a boy who has this horrible thing happen to him, this trauma. And instead of kind of being hopeless, he’s the opposite. He’s determined to make the world better. He believes he can do it against all odds. And he dedicates every moment and every cell in his body to making that happen. And everything else is flexible. And so it became this complete reinvention where from the villains to the city, to the Batmobile, everything was this sort of born of that same ethos, that kind of like inversion. He grows up in Crime Alley. He’s friends with Eddie Nigma and Ozzy Cobblepot, as well as Waylon and Selena.
They’re all neighborhood kids that go all the way back. They knew his parents. They have different relationships. He couldn’t go around the world and train. There’s no Henri Ducard for him, no League of Assassins, for him here, it’s like he’s got to do it local. He’s MMA. Everything is resourceful. Having to be a gorilla fighter. Having to be somebody who has stash houses, all of it. I love him. I’ve never been as confident walking into a superhero book. With Batman, I never got a second to assess. I always went with my gut, and Greg was the best partner in the universe, but there wasn’t any time to breathe or plan. Go with your instinct, tell the story you love, and that’s it. But with this book, I think the difference is simply that we had over a year to think about it.
Every aspect of it has been considered, from the emblem on his chest to the end of issue 13. I know the book inside and out. And I can see we’ve been building it for so long that it just feels like there’s a different level of confidence with it. Not because I think it’s better than the stuff I’ve done before or anything. It’s wildly different. But just because it’s all considered, it’s one pure thought from top to bottom. Like it’s a thesis, you know?
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: Nick, I positively loved your work on East of West. Are you bringing any kind of futuristic or sci-fi edge to Absolute Batman?
ND: Oh yeah. I think that’s definitely in my work. And I think that’s to come. I think right now, where our character is out at he’s getting off the ground, and we have to establish this Gotham first and foremost. It’s so different yet familiar. So our Bruce is that genius. He is that problem-solver. And I think all those things are gonna come, and I think you already see it with just in how he’s with working with the cape. Not only sci-fi though, but I really want to push the horror element and like lean into some of Scott’s chops. Bring that scary Batman back. And I think that’s what you’ll see in scenes. I can say he’s definitely a more violent Batman, and he’s going to use that violence as a tool. Everything is a tool to him to be used and manipulated in order to do what he has to do. It’s everything man. It’s everything.
Courtesy of DC Comics.
AIPT: Since Bruce is an engineer, do you guys feel like you need to bone up on engineering terms or anything like that?
SS: Yes. Now I have to like, research everything. But it’s fun. As an engineer, he’s a builder, and he built Batman. In the first issue, you see, like, one of the first things he did as a kid was an engineering project based on a bat’s wing. You get to learn secondary subjects when you write Batman.
AIPT: Does it feel important at all as far as in what order you introduce familiar rogues in this new Batman?
SS: Yeah, very much. It’s about establishing the world and the relationships and seeing it all through the eyes of this Bruce. So we don’t want it to be like villain fest. We don’t want it to feel like it’s existed before. We want you to feel like everything is new and you’re being introduced to it in a way that feels organic and has oxygen, all of it. I mean, everything is considered in this book, honestly.
AIPT: What would Greg Capullo Batman think of Nick Dragotta Batman?
SS: They get along. They might fight at first, but then they get along.
ND: I met Greg for the first time recently at a show, and he said he dug it (Absolute Batman). That’s high praise. I started reading up on all of Scott’s work, and I read the New 52 bat stuff when it first came out, and I still read the Court of Owls. And when Batman transforms into that owl, that splash that Greg did. I’m inspired by all that. I want to inject that kind of horror and the storytelling Greg does. It’s just awesome.
