CBR continue their Bat-Signal feature, this week talking with new Batman and Robin artist Frazer Irving.

What do you consider the most iconic look of Batman as he’s been portrayed in comics?

Frazer Irving: For me personally it's a toss-up between Brian Bolland’s take in “Killing Joke” and Neal Adams’ version from the early seventies. I prefer the lean Batman as opposed to the chunky steroid Batman, as it made far more sense for the dude to be athletic instead of muscle-bound. I also felt that they both had a far better grasp of the moody environment that Batman existed in.

What about in other media? Are you an Adam West guy? Or do you think Christopher Nolan nailed the Dark Knight?

I like both for their own qualities. I admit that I was hopelessly addicted to the Adam West Batman as a kid, but after seeing Nolan’s version, I was totally won over by how well he had revised it from a more serious and plausible angle. I didn't like any of the other Batman movies, as I felt it was unsure whether it was farce or drama.

What is it about the Batsuit that is the biggest challenge as an artist, and what are the elements of Batman’s look and feel that you most enjoy?

The mask was always going to be the challenge for me, but I solved that by making a 3D model of it to refer to. The problem with it was how it fit on his face. If it was fabric then it would wrinkle lots and move in interesting ways but that also seemed to be less practical from a crime fighting point of view, so I went with the more solid helmet form. That way the mask never changes, regardless of Batman’s expression. The acting is all in the pose and the mouth area, which is good for when Batman needs to employ a poker face. Other than that, I'm exploring the cape as a character tool. Folds and shadows can say a lot about mood and character, and are also fun to draw. Otherwise it's just a lump of cloth hanging off his back.

What do you think about Dick Grayson as Batman? Does the suit fit him well?

I prefer Grayson as Batman to be honest [laughs]. Maybe it's just how Grant writes him, but there's something about the understudy coming into his own that really appeals to me. I get tired of the same old archetypes going through the motions in fiction, so when it's a new person wearing the same old costume it offers up a whole new take on the figure.

For the full interview click here...

(Source - CBR)