Very interesting read is NEWARAMAS new Q&A with Dan DiDio who has agreed to be grilled bi-weekly here at Newsarama, with answers to 20 questions posted every other Wednesday. We’re kicking things off this week with 20 questions that cover everything from the art on Final Crisis #7 to the Red Circle and Milestone characters, what’s going on with Batman.
I've basically only focused on the Batman related questions and answers:
2) Let’s talk about the post Final Crisis DC Universe then...what’s it like?
DD: Here’s the way it works right now, and the reason why things will pick up from Final Crisis in March: where we stand right now in January, we’re addressing a common tonality in the DCU. That’s one of the reasons we created “Faces of Evil,” because we wanted to give a sense that the universe was coming back together again at the start of the New Year. Those stories are all stand alone, but tonally, address what it’s like to live in the DCU as a villain in regards to what’s happening in those issues.
In February, again, we’re bringing the line back closer together and working to bring the continuity back in synch. In that month, we’ll have a series of books – I think we’re up to about 19 in all now – that will have six page stories as backups, and each book will be branded “Origins and Omens.” What you’re going to see in those stories is a little of the origin of each character, what’s essential to know about each character to date, and more importantly, a little foreshadowing of what’s to come with the character. Each one of the “Origins and Omens” installments will have a common narrator, and that narrator has direct ties to Blackest Night later in the year.
So that’s why I said that the DCU will reflect ,Final Crisis starting in March – not only because we wanted to reach a point where we could give the lay of the land of the DCU and the various titles, and allow for the books to all have great jumping on points. Readers can get caught up with the six page stories, and then follow through in March and the rest of the year.
4) In writing the “new” origins of the characters, are these told within the tapestry of the larger DCU since the Red Circle characters are now a part of the larger DC Universe?
DD: Before I get into that, I’m already anticipating the first red flag people will throw in the air here, is that, “Wait a minute – that’s the Bruce Wayne Batman in those issues of Brave and the Bold”...but what we’re really more interested in is addressing and presenting these characters as they fit into the DCU. So we’ll be working with the Bruce Wayne Batman in those stories.
As for their origins – these are the original incarnations of the characters, showing how they came to receive their powers and take their roles. They have their own stories that take place in their cities with their own supporting characters. The stories we’ll read will show Batman entering into their world more so than they are entering into Batman’s. So Batman becomes our entry point into the world of the Red Circle characters, and we’re introducing them all for the first time so we’ll know exactly who they are, what their motivations are, what their powers are, and more importantly, what their purpose in the DCU is. Jesus Saiz will be the artist on the series with JMS.
7) We’ll get back to the generational heroes in a moment, but first, earlier, when you were talking about Brave and the Bold - Batman in those stories will be Bruce Wayne, which somewhat flies in the face of what’s been teased, or what readers have been led to believe is coming at the end of “Batman R.I.P.” Let’s talk about post “R.I.P.” – you’ve dropped the hint about “The Battle for the Cowl...” That seems to indicate that Bruce Wayne is not around, or the role of Batman is up for grabs...
DD: Let’s put it this way: the cowl is there, and people are battling for it. [laughs] I never said that Bruce isn’t fighting for it. The “battle” aspect of it seems to suggest that there are other people who are interested in the mantle of Batman...and at this particular point, we’re addressing what the cowl stands for, and what the name stands for. Is it just the person? Is it an ideal? Is it an icon? Is it something that needs to continue, or is it something that goes away with the man who is with it?
We’ve examined a lot of the importance of who Bruce Wayne is in “R.I.P.” We’ve examined what motives him, and what motivated him to be Batman. In Final Crisis #6, which follows directly after the “R.I.P” storyline – again, that’s one of the reasons why we had to make the artistic changes we did – there is a definite conclusion to Batman’s story.
8) Seen in that light, there is an argument to be made given Bruce’s condition in the latest “R.I.P.” that members of his family wouldn’t think he was fit to wear the cowl...not to mention, it’s often been said that Bruce will one day end up in Arkham himself...
DD: It’s either that or...there’s so much about generations and legacy in the DCU and the passing of the mantle. The question becomes, “Is it the person that matters, or is it he cowl that matters?” There are a lot of stories you hear about someone having to take over the family business, and always what adds the drama to those stories is the questioning – does the person who has to step up want to go their own way, or are they trapped in a destiny that they didn’t create? That’s one of the issues we’re addressing, and of course, we’re also addressing the makeup of the DCU and the importance of certain characters and what their roles are – not just what they do by themselves, but how they affect others.
9) Let’s go down that road for a minute – the generations and the “passing of the cowl.” At one time Dan, you were a big proponent of arresting the development of the sidekicks in order not to have them age while their mentors have to remain a certain age. In fact, your example of this gone amuck, and where DC was headed was that sooner or later, Nightwing, the original Robin, would be older than Bruce Wayne. Aren’t you going back toward by what you once argued against by having things move towards a passing on of the mantle?
DD: Not at all. What I did say was that I was against consistent reboots of the character – where you erased everything and started all over again. My two biggest conceits are, for a number of our characters: who is the most recognizable character in that costume? What is the one most people gravitate towards and the most people address as the definitive version of the character. The other is that I hate how we keep on erasing things and starting over. What I like to do is if there is a natural path to the story, to follow that story.
With Batman in particular, and in some cases with Superman, both of them are bigger than who they are. They’ve affected not just themselves and their respective cities, but so many other characters have been inspired by them, taken on their mantle, taken on their emblem. They operate on the assumption, for instance, that they are achieving what they believe that Batman thinks is right. That’s what we’re really exploring here. We have so many characters that are built off of who Batman is – not just his sidekicks, but so many other characters that inhabit his world, that I think there is a potential here to tell an interesting and compelling story, not just about Batman, but what Batman means to everyone that he’s touched throughout his life. That’s why we’re doing this.
10) So you’re seeing what you’re doing more as a lateral expansion rather than a forward chronological expansion?
DD: More importantly, we’re not going to be coming in with a brand new character, and he’s becoming a brand new thing. This – what we see in “R.I.P.” and afterwards for Batman is a natural expansion of who he is and the people that inhabit his world. That’s what we’re going to be focusing on.
Got my copy this morning, and can't wait to finishing reading... oh yeah!!!
Joker
The current Batman line-up includes the following figures:
(Source - Newsarama)
On sale January 14
On sale January 14
On sale January 28
On sale January 21
On sale January 7
Head on over to the following sites for some awesome preview pages:
I'm very behind with Superman/Batman, but I'm very keen to catch up very fast because of writers Michael Green and Mike Johnson collaboration with Rags Morales who will begin drawing Superman/Batman from #53.
Head on over to 
WOW!!! 
