This article contains spoilers for the Batman "Failsafe" Arc
Eisner-winning comic book creator Chip Zdarsky's first arc on Batman has just wrapped, but his time with the Caped Crusader has only just begun. The "Failsafe" arc was packed with memorable moments and rarely slowed down as Batman and his allies struggled to take down a seemingly undefeatable robot of his own design. From the shocking return of Zur-En-Arrh to the surreal sequence of the Dark Knight calculating how to safely fall back to Earth from the moon, Zdarsky kept readers on their toes in this action-packed first arc. After the emotional cliffhanger, what comes next?
CBR delved deep into the "Failsafe" arc with Zdarsky, discussing everything from how he handled the "sublimely ridiculous" moon scene to the themes behind the epic tale. Plus, Zdarsky remarked on his favorite Batman villains and story arcs, his long-term plans for the series, and working with his fellow creators. He even suggested how the next story will contrast "Failsafe."
CBR: First and foremost, congrats on the "Failsafe" arc. How does it feel seeing such a positive reaction from fans and critics?
Chip Zdarsky: Well, I try to tune all that out, but obviously, some of it slips through my impenetrable social media firewalls... It's been great! All I really want to do is give people entertaining books to read, so I'm pretty happy that we seem to have done that so far!
We have to talk about the opening sequence of Batman #130. From Batman's calculations to Jorge Jiménez's absolutely badass artwork, please talk about where that idea came from and then how you went about executing it. You've mentioned on social media that you texted Ryan North to help with the "stupid science questions," and the casual "I fell from the moon" remark was just the perfect way to conclude that entire sequence.
Ha! For this arc, I always had the idea that Batman would be on the run a bit, and I had the phrase "from the depths of the ocean to the height of the moon" in my head. It felt like it would be just a sublimely ridiculous Batman moment to somehow get from the moon to earth with just a few key bits of technology and his amazing mind.
Ryan helped a ton. We talked through what would be just plausible enough in this world for this Batman. A lot of talk about g-force, the frictionless nature of outer space, the heat resistance of a top-notch batsuit -- the math of it all. It's ludicrous and fun, and Jorge [Jiménez] drew the hell out of it.
Now that "Failsafe" has wrapped, I'd love to have you elaborate on the themes behind this arc and why they were important to you.
Batman has been going non-stop. He's a little off his game. He's feeling his age. And when you hit that point as someone who is very much an overachiever, it can be hard. When he was younger, he was more sure of his mission, of his decisions. The result of that was Failsafe and Zur-En-Arrh, which clearly hasn't worked out the way he thought it would.
Really, the theme is, "you're not what you once were in both good and bad ways, so how will you chart a future with what you've learned?" He's brought a lot of people into this life with him. What's his responsibility to them?
Kicking things off with Zur-En-Arrh was quite a surprise. Talk about the balancing act of introducing new elements to Batman's world while also capitalizing on his rich mythos.
It's the beauty of serialized comics. Why would you not play with what's come before? Part of it is intimidation. I mean, I'm not Grant Morrison, not even close, but this is the job -- to try and make the best stories you can, and that involves using all the tools at your disposal and not being scared by them. Then, yeah, adding your own bits.
Is there anything you would've changed or wish you kept in the script?
It's basically everything I outlined, so no regrets! You always want a bit more space here and there to explore other characters, but it's not always possible.
What was your favorite moment from the "Failsafe" arc, and why?
Oh man... that's tough. So much of it is just seeing Jorge pages come in. He does the heavy lifting here, and I do my best to get out of his way. A lot of writing, especially for a talent like Jorge, is re-writing to strip away as many words as you can because the art is the story, and you don't want to compete with it. I will say, the last few pages are just beautiful. Jorge sold the emotion in Tim [Drake] and the care in Bruce before Failsafe did his thing. That was a favorite moment for me.
Coloring and lettering are often underappreciated, so please take a moment to talk about how Tomeu Morey and Clayton Cowles played a pivotal role in "Failsafe."
They're amazing! Clayton has a tricky job here because a lot of the SFX are done by Jorge in the art, so he has to really match the feel in spots where he jumps in. Tomeu can make a scene feel dark and foreboding yet bright and pop-y at the same time. I don't know how he does it. Just the best.
Alright, it's tough to talk about Batman #131 without delving into spoilers, but I think we can do it. First off, why are you excited for fans to read this next arc?
I think I'm looking forward to the tonal shift and how readers react to it! This is the opposite of Batman falling from the moon. This is him in the gutters, in the streets, fighting a hopelessness that has its hooks into Gotham. It's one of my favorite parts about Batman, the fact that there are so many ways to envision the character and his stories.
While dancing around spoilers, what themes are you hoping to incorporate in this new arc?
Can you escape your fate? How far are you willing to go to help a stranger when you yourself are drowning?
Jiménez's work was phenomenal, but I'm also thrilled to see your former Daredevil artist Mike Hawthorne join this arc. Please talk about how his work complements what comes next in the series.
Mike's so damned good! He's obviously a technical master. You can check out his sketchbooks and "drawing cheat codes" to see all of that. He's also the guy who will draw every brick and drop of rain in order to make you believe the world he's putting down on paper. This arc is about Gotham and the hard times it's under, and as cheesy as it sounds, Mike draws the city like it's its own character.
With "Failsafe," you brought a new antagonist to Batman's world (while also capitalizing on what has come before with Zur-En-Arrh), but who are some of your favorite pre-existing Batman villains, and why?
Ha! All of them! Is there a better rogues' gallery in all of fiction? Joker! Riddler! Mr. Freeze! Ra's Al Ghul! All with their own motivations and desires fully fleshed out with amazing gimmicks. You really can't choose just one.
We never know what the future holds in the world of publishing, but how many arcs do you currently have planned for Batman? Personally speaking, I'd like to see DC keep you on the title for as long as you're interested in doing it.
I mean, I've told DC that I'll stay on the book until they fire me. We've got a year fully worked out, another year in progress, and I've got a notebook with stuff for beyond that. I also understand this is a coveted spot, and if I slip up and people aren't into my "Batman joins the circus" arc, I'll be gently ushered away and some young punk -- some goddamn young punk! -- will take the throne. Then I'll give a bunch of interviews about how comics were better back in my day.
While people wait for the next arc, there are plenty of other Batman collections they can pick up. What are your three favorite Batman stories and why?
Look, I'm assuming everyone has read Year One and Dark Knight Returns, so I won't suggest those. Instead, you have to read The Court Of Owls. It's the best modern Batman story. Arkham Asylum because it's beautiful and twisted, and of course, Gotham Central, which isn't a Batman story exactly, but it's an amazing bit of realistic world-building.
Thanks for your time, Chip. Is there anything else you'd like to say to the Batman fans out there?
I think this is the year where the character of Batman finally takes off in a big way!
Batman #131 is currently available for pre-order at comic shops.