LIVE Q&A: Scott Snyder writer of BATMAN and SWAMP THING! Friday, April 3rd @11am PT/2pm ET

Mr. @ScottSnyder, how do you feel about Alan Moore’s take on the Batman/Joker dynamic, as expressed in The Killing Joke? Do you agree with the general sentiment that their relationship is inevitably going to end with one of them killing the other, or is there another way out in your view?

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Hi and welcome to the community @Brigham_ClarkDC!

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Hi and welcome to the community @TheImaginaryAxis!

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Hey Scott!
Dark Nights: Metal had its own rad “Enter Sandman” moment and Wild Hunt featured the Authority’s Carrier. With a mission statement like “Everything Matters”, how much Vertigo and WildStorm can we expect to see in the pages of Dark Nights: Death Metal and Generations?
#WildB.A.T.s?

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yeah that’s what i do sometimes but i feel like my stories ain’t good and i wanna know what scott think, ya know?

There are characters I didn’t think I’d enjoy as much as I ended up enjoying. Like Jarro (who will be in Death Metal, btw). But Lex is a big one. I didn’t think I’d believe what he was selling as much as I did, but as soon as I started writing him, I began to buy in and in the end I find him a really tragic character more than a villain (Last Knight underscores this).

And yes, I usually map out the beginning, mid point and end of every story before I start, whether it’s a couple issues or thirty. I give myself a lot of room to explore in the middle, but the ending is a need to know for me as it’s the keystone with regard to what the story is about . I have to know where I’m headed - meaning wise- to move forward. Sometimes things change a BIT as I go, but the ending is usually pretty fixed.

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I’ve thought a lot about this and I believe that it doesn’t have to end that way, no. I think there are other inevitable endings to that relationship possible. But, those are for other people to write:)

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In zero year. There’s a red hood member that said he is a chemistry teacher. is that the guy that becomes joker .
Did he swap places with red hood one. ?

Hey Scott! Wes here from Comics The Gathering! Hoping to ask you what we can expect from The Batman Who Laughs in Death Metal. Has everything he’s been doing in Batman Superman and Hell Arises lead to Death Metal?

I wanted to be an artist first - I had a portfolio all through high school and went to cons to show artists - but I eventually fell more in love with the storytelling around 18, 19 and started taking it seriously then. And 2, at DC I’d love to write Dick again. And I’d love to write a real run on Wonder Woman someday. I have a story I’ve been dying to do. But also Dr Fate. Marvel wise, I have a bog Captain America story I’ve been wanting to write forever. And a Hulk epic called “smash everything” that I hope to write one day. And a Wolverine idea… One day!

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Welcome, TheImaginaryAxis! Assuming you’re the real deal, I’m a big fan of your’s, too. An unexpected surprise to see you here asking Mr.Snyder questions!

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cool, I like to draw but I like to write more.

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With regards to Death Metal - I understand that the goal is to make as much as possible of DC History remain relevant and in continuity but since that isn’t always possible… who fills in the gaps and decides which of two conflicting canons will survive? Is that something you are involved in, is it up to the individual editors and writers of each title, is it something being determined by the team of the Generation specials…?

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The whole fun is that you can decide for yourself - we tried to give you one more possible origin for the joker without forcing it as a definite point. But for me, the red hood gang is about the embrace of random violence, the belief that your own desires and beliefs warrant any violence you think will get your point across or get you what you want. The DNA of OUR version of Joker - a monster who says, there is no meaning to anything beyond proving the lack itself through cruelty and violence - has some of that baked in - so it’s up to you!

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yeah that’s true

Hi and welcome to the community @blacksatinrose.88982!

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Hey Wes! You can expect a surprise… The end of issue one had the whole DC office emailing. I’m very aware that he’s been in a lot of stories this year for DC and the last thing I’d want to do is use him one more time in a similar way to how he’s been used. So expect us to try something very different with him…

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Hey, Scott! Big fan from Tennessee! Unfortunately, I missed your big visit to Memphis last year. If I didn’t have family obligations I would have gotten some VIP tickets for sure! Is there a chance you’ll be visiting our fine state again or at least do more fan dinners in the future? Can’t help but feel like I missed my chance on both fronts.

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What is next from you after Death Metal at DC?

Hi and welcome to the community @jasondward.93045!