Since it's announcement last week, one of the title's I'm looking forward to out of the BFC arc is "AZRAEL: DEATH'S DARK KNIGHT".

For me Azrael was my first introduction into the Batman comics was with Knightfall. Created by Marvel Comics Chief Editor Joe Quesada and DC editor/writer Denny O'Neil, this marks his return since the title's cancellation in May 2003 with issue #100.

IGN Comic.com has tracked down writer Fabian Nicieza and get the lowdown on Azrael's return to the DCU, his exploration of a Gotham City without Batman and the creative process behind one of these major line-wide events.

IGN Comics: Let's start with Azrael. I realize the project is still three months away, but can you give fans a general idea of what to expect from the three-issue mini-series?

Fabian Nicieza: In a broad sense, DC wanted to do something different with Azrael. Editor Mike Marts had been thinking about it for a while, and hadn't been able to come up with the right package, as it were. And as Robin was winding down, Mike wanted to keep working with me, and I wanted to keep working with Mike, and he said, "What do you think about Azrael?" And I said, "That's Denny O'Neil, not me! That's a hundred-plus issues of Denny!" And he said, "We know that, but the concept is great. We want to do something with the concept, but not necessarily with Jean Paul Valley or even Azrael as you know him." I had to think about it for a while, because it's a minefield to walk into - almost a no-win when you step into those situations.

So I thought about it, and one of the main questions became, "Who's in the armor?" I had a great lunch with Mike and Michael Siglain, and we bounced ideas around as to who could be in the armor. We had lots of varied and valid ideas, but we just hooked on one thing that we thought would really work. I don't want to say who it is yet. He's known and not really known, but it's a character that spins out of his introduction to the Bat-books in a very interesting way. Wearing this armor and the responsibility it brings – and what he hopes it means for him – all become part of a very logical process . The three-issue mini-series really serves as an introduction to the man and as a launching pad for the character's future.

The new approach is very similar in many regards to the original concept. A splinter group from the order of St. Dumas called the Order of Purity, which was introduced in Detective Comics #842 from last year, is looking for an avenging angel of justice to serve their calling. They possess a suit of armor called the Suit of Sorrows, which very well may have some magical properties to it, but it also combines with tech-related aspects to create a formidable weapon.

The suit has historically driven whoever has worn it mad, because no one is pure enough to be able to bear the burden. And even if you are pure enough going in, the minute you start acting as Azrael, you become impure as a result of your actions. So we have a character that desperately seeks redemption, has a lot of sins to atone for and had great wrongs done to him for which he seeks justice, but not just for himself, also for others who have suffered as he has suffered.

In essence he's been given, as far as urban warfare is concerned, the keys to an atom bomb. And he's been told to ride it like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove and "good luck to you!"

It's early in the ballgame as far as writing goes, but there're some very cool, interesting things with this character that are well worth exploring. The Suit of Sorrows is a very interesting concept whose very existence creates great character conflict. There's a lot of potential to develop a very unique kind of hero. I wouldn't exactly call him a good guy, but I wouldn't call him a bad guy either.

This is a fantastic interview with Fabian Nicieza and has laid all my fears to rest at the reasons for the resurrection of "Azrael", not Jean-Paul Valley...

For the entire interview click here and head 0n over to IGN Comics.com