When scottbeatty.com debuted last month I made some cryptic comments in my initial WHAT'S NEW? posting (see below) about some of the writing assignments keeping me busy in recent days. I also swore that come April 1st I'd reveal juicy details about those "Top Secret" projects.
It's time to make good on that promise. And to avoid any chance that what I'm about to divulge is misconstrued as an "April Fool's Joke," I've purposely delayed posting until the day AFTER that unfortunate faux holiday.
This
past March 30-31, DC
Comics unveiled a significant portion of its 2001-2002
publishing plans during a retailer soiree in Dallas, Texas. One
of the books spotlighted was a mini-series that co-writer Chuck
Dixon (dixonverse.net)
and I have been slaving over since first pitching the concept
to DC a little over a year ago.
THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH is DC's October "Fifth Week" event, a high-concept adventure spanning its own weekly six-issue mini-series and crossing over into nearly every DC title that month. The madness begins in a very special SECRET FILES book which is integral to the story and kicks the whole shebang off in a 30-page adventure drawn by the phenomenal Pete Woods.
And what IS the story? Now that would be telling...
The basic gist, however, is this:
Thanks to Barbara Gordon, the Ace of Knaves has been cooling his heels in the Slab, DC's maximum security prison for metahuman miscreants. When Mr. J discovers that he's dying from an inoperable brain tumor, he decides to go out with a resounding BANG! The Joker's got major plans to set in motion before his final curtain call, and one of those involves "Jokerizing" a significant portion of meta-villains as part of his diabolical "Last Laugh."
Having his own skin bleached chalk white, his hair turned emerald green, and his lips pulled back into a ruby red rictus wasn't all that fun for a certain Clown Prince of Crime.
Imagine what it's gonna be like for DC's "other" super-villains?
Needless to say, Batman, Nightwing, and the rest of the supporting cast are in for a pretty hard time as the Joker bids a fond and fiery adieu.
All told, it's a 210-page extravaganza, with each chapter illustrated by some super-spectacular talent:
LAST LAUGH SECRET FILES #1 - Pete Woods
THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH #1 - Pete Woods
THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH #2 - Marcos Martin
THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH #3 - Walter McDaniel
THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH #4 - Andy Kuhn
THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH #5 - Ron Randall
THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH #6 - Robert Teranishi
And if THAT weren't enough, JLA Editor Dan Raspler gave DC's starting team to Chuck and me that month for a very special crossover adventure with definite repercussions for the tale's cataclysmic conclusion. We were pleased as punch to learn last week that JLA #59 will be drawn by regular GREEN LANTERN penciller Darryl Banks.
Oh yeah, almost forgot...Brian Bolland's rendering all the covers. Yup. Brian "THE KILLING JOKE" Bolland. The guy who drew the definitive Joker story is drawing the character's swan song, too. How's THAT for "gallows humor"? You can spy a sample of Brian's LAST LAUGH work right here.
THE JOKER: LAST LAUGH begins this October and runs right into the first week of November 2001.
Okay, one down...
Besides
working day and night on LAST LAUGH, I've been putting the finishing
touches on a project near and dear to my heart, a hardcover book
I began in early Fall 2000 and (as of this writing) I'm about
to finally put to bed.
Set for publication in Fall 2001 is BATMAN: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE DARK KNIGHT, a joint-effort between Dorling Kindersley (DK) and DC Comics. In the grand tradition of DK's wonderful "Eyewitness" books, this 130-page tome is a comprehensive look at the Dark Knight Detective, with chapter-spreads devoted to each and every major and supporting character in the Bat-Universe, plus all the Bat-Rogues you love to hate.
BATMAN: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE DARK KNIGHT also spotlights dynamic cross-section diagrams of the Batcave, Bat-Gadgets, Bat-Vehicles, and all the technological tricks up Batman's sleeve by the truly remarkable Roger Stewart, whose intricate illustrations graced DK's JAMES BOND: THE SECRET WORLD OF OO7. And it's all in full-color with a six-page Timeline spanning over 60 years of Bat-History.
I pretty much see bats in my sleep at this point.
Look for it this Fall in comic specialty stores and all major booksellers. What's more, it just may be the first in a series devoted to DC characters. More on that later...
Check back in a few weeks for preview pages from BATMAN: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE DARK KNIGHT to whet your appetites for the real deal.
Last
month, Tim Drake and Brentwood Academy pal Danny Temple took off
on a little Spring Break walkabout. Of course, readers of ROBIN
#88 know that Tim and Danny met a couple "sea-snakes"
off the coast of South Carolina, a pair of Servitors controlled
by that krazy kriminal kult Kobra. Say it three times fast if
you dare!
The conflict heats up this month in issue #89, the second of a four-part arc I co-wrote with longtime ROBIN scribe Chuck Dixon.
As Tim continues to deal with Batman's "betrayal," Danny's plight grows more complex. For those readers who think they've got it all figured out, a few words of caution: Things may not be as they appear.
And if you're interested in some background material on Pete Woods' update of the classic Kobra Servitors, check out the updated BEHIND-THE-SCENES section for some nifty "turnaround" sketches.
That's it for now. Enjoy the site
and check back soon for more news and updates!
Best Wishes,
Scott