This weeks Batman comic hype focuses on Batman #697, with the big reveal to Black Mask. Newsarama posted an interview today to talk about Tony Daniels run that's he beautifully drawn and kind of written ok(ish)...

Newsarama: Tony, before we start talking about the buzz surrounding Black Mask's identity, how do you write and draw an issue every month? Isn't that a lot of work for a 30-day span? Or did you get a big head start on this?

Tony Daniel: I did get a good head start – about two months, but I quickly ate all that time up outlining a few different scenarios for the six-part story. I had a whole half-a-year to work with, and for me, I wanted to make sure I had enough interesting elements to keep the story moving forward. The easy solution would be to do something decompressed, but I wanted to do something that moved along quickly.

But to answer your question more clearly, after I figured out the beats of the story, I had a basic page-by-page breakdown of each issue to draw off of, with rough dialogue added in. After all the art was done for each issue, I would provide final scripting dialogue. It worked out fine in the end, though next time I won’t eat away my cushion so I have more time to devote to the actual drawing of the book.

Nrama: During this arc, critics have been talking about your evolution as a writer since the beginning of Battle for the Cowl. Do you feel like your writing has evolved the longer you've been writing Batman stories?

Daniel: Well it’s like any art form where the more you do it, the better you get at it. You’re constantly learning as an artist, whether it be in a writing capacity, an oil painter or a penciller. I’ve already learned some lessons from the "Life After Death" experience that I’ll carry into my next assignment.