If you could bring back Alfred, how would you do it…have Ra’s Al Ghul steal his body, dump him in the Lazarus pit and turn him against me, I mean Batman. And make him his most difficult foe ever.
Thanks
M. Malone
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First off, I want to thank you for taking two of my favourite characters (Kyle Rayner and Scott Free) and featuring them in bold, original stories. Kyle especially hadn’t had a really good showcase in a while, and Omega Men gave him a real opportunity to shine away from the rest of the GLC. My questions are:
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What era of DC Comics was most formative to your fandom? Post Crisis 80s? Much maligned 90s? Early 2000s? Or did you first fall in love with the DCU by reading back issues from even further back?
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Are there any plans to adapt your novel A Once Crowded Sky for television or film? I think it would make an incredible prestige series for HBO or one of the streaming networks.
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Hi! I met you at C2E2 and you made me a “how to draw Batman” sketch. It was awesome meeting you. I was wondering…
- Is there anything more you can share about your Watchmen project?
- How do you pace out the story and plan for something like a 12 issue series? Are there ideas that you like but have to leave out?
Love your books, stay safe!
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Hello Mr. King,
This might be a hard one, but here it is:
What are your favorite Alan Moore comics?
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Mr. King, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule (which I assume consists mostly of convincing people that you didn’t write DCEASED) for this. I wanted to make sure I started out by saying how much your comics have meant to me the past few years. Batman alone has gotten me through some pretty hard days, and I don’t think there will ever be a way for me to thank you enough for that. Now for the actual questions:
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On average (if there is such a thing as average) how long does it take you to write a single issue, from the start of plotting to the end of scripting?
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I don’t know how much you can actually say about this, but how much of Heroes in Crisis is your original vision, and how much changed due to editorial or other outside influences? I’ve read and heard various rumors about things getting changed around, especially involving Wally, Booster and Harley, but hearing the story from your perspective could help clear up a lot about that.
Again, thank you so very much for doing this and have a great day!
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Hi Mr. King!
I hope that you are safe and healthy during the pandemic.
Thank you for coming to answer our questions.
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How do you think up ideas for arcs?
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Have you ever procrastinated writing, and for how long?
Thanks again Mr. King!
2:06pm
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Hello, Mr. King. Thank you for taking time off of your busy schedule to do this. We are immensely grateful. I also want to thank you for your kind and humble nature during the cons. I understand this is a very stressful job and we appreciate all of your hard work. Your Batman run, Mister Miracle, and Vision run were some of the best comics I’ve read in a very long time and you deserve all the praise. And on behave of all of us, I sincerely apologize for any kind of death threat you’ve received during your Batman run. It is a small segment of us and they have been unconditionally disowned by the Bat community. Any who, my questions and I apologize if you’ve already had these asked before:
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I do feel there’s a disconnect between the creator and audience sometimes. It seems like whenever there’s a change, the immediate reaction is that it’s bad but these are the same people who bemoan at things being the same. As a writer, and divorced from the usual editorial changes DC wants, do you simply do what you feel must be done and not worry about the reactions or do you try to make everyone happy?
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Catwoman is my favorite comic book character of all time and will be celebrating her 80th anniversary. The best writer can bring up the complications, the morality, the struggles, all without making her into fan service but what do you think has made her so iconic and enduring for the past 8 decades?
Thank you once again, and please be safe. We love you.
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Hello Mr. King loved issue 1 of strange adventures it had that watchmenesque style can’t wait to read issue 2, and also bat and cat.
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Hey Tom,
First, I just want to say your work is why I’m even buying and reading comics today. I’ve only been reading for a couple years now, but it started because I read a came across a very positive review of Batman 41 and saw the gorgeous double spread of Ivy from Mikel. The comic shop that I’ve always just walked by at the end of my block had the issue. I was like “Eh… I’ll drop 3 bucks on one issue for the art, sure”…and cut to now, I’ve collected most of your Batman series and so much other awesome work. So thank you.
Now questions:
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In Heroes In Crisis (which I LOVED), you twist the ideas of good vs. evil by putting Harley at the sort of heroic center and ultimately revealing Wally to be the “bad guy”, why do you think it’s important to challenge people’s conceptions of what makes characters/ people strictly good or bad?
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The incredible Joelle Jones was here a few days ago to answer questions! Did you get a chance to check out her Catwoman run (which pairs so well with your story)? What was it like to create as story with Batman and in Heroes in Crisis that anchored so many other stories such as Catwoman, Flash Forward, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, Nightwing, etc.?
Hope you’re well and thanks for spending time with us!
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Hello Tom Taylor-uh, I mean King.
I hope all is well with you during these times. My question is:
How is New Gods with Ava DuVernay coming along and have you two shared some ideas on who you might want to see in the roles?
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Hello, Tom Ta-I mean Tom King!
Two questions:
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I know that plans for the Batman world have been (and continue) to be in flux since your exit from the main title. With that in mind, is your upcoming Batman/Catwoman project with Clay Mann in-continuity, not quite in-continuity (like Mister Miracle), or does it straddle the line (like Strange Adventures).
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A more non-serious question: which member of the Bat-family do you think would best handle self-isolation?
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Hey! Huge fan of your work, Tom. Just wanted to know:
Do you know the comics YouTuber Linkara (Lewis Lovhaug)? He did a review on you Gift arc (Batman #45-47).
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Tom,
No questions, just a sloppy you-know-what of a fan letter.
I was a teenager during that glorious period in the late 80’s when pull lists consisted of The Dark Knight Returns, Sandman, and Moore’s Swamp Thing. I was the perfect magical age to appreciate the so-dubbed British writers invasion and the advent of the Vertigo imprint. Eventually, life happened and I was gone from comics for awhile.
Flash forward to a few years ago and comics streaming on tablets and I started reading again and after a few weeks of trying to pick up where I left off in the mid-90’s and fearing I hadn’t missed much—bam!—I stumble randomly across The Vision. I knew immediately this was something special and you time-warped me back to a time when no other medium could produce the effect a well-executed comic could. I was back on my parents’ deck reading Morrison’s Animal Man and Milligan’s Skreemer. I sought out your other work and realized the projects you and your artist collaborators put out filled a hole in me I didn’t know I had. You made me fall back in love with comics,
I see the progress with each maxi-series you produce, with each new installment of your great Batman opus (eff the haters). You’re honing your craft and it’s a joy to witness. There’s a Watchmen in you, I’m confident of that. Not to diminish your work up until now, but we haven’t seen nothing yet. And when this future masterpiece comes to you, whatever it is, it will be uniquely your own and some kids today will reminisce about it thirty years from now like we do that. And lucky me, (God willing) I get to be here for it. I get to experience that magic again. Priceless.
You’re living your dream, brother, and because of that, I am, too. I get to relive the giddy anticipation I got returning home with Ennis’ newest Hellblazer whenever I sit down to read your work. Thank you so much for that.
Also, shout out to Word Balloon podcast. I spend a lot of time in a vehicle and enjoy listening to you and John Siuntres riff for hours (by the way, quit complaining we don’t want to hear you talk about old movies, we do!). PSA to the community: check out Word Balloon, I guarantee your favorite comics talent has an interview awaiting you there.
Finally, from a proud member of DHS: thank you for your service and sacrifice home and abroad.
Best,
Tim
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Ha! Yes. I remember him telling me this just as I started out. And realizing that Grant and Scott had done it over dozens of issues, I decided to do it in one. Just to be difficult. I put the birth and death in Batman Annual 2. The start of his relationship with Catwoman to the end of his life. Probably the best issue I wrote. Bat/Cat comes right out of that issue.
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Good afternoon Mr King,
I’m just finishing up reading all the new God series and I’m starting to the Orion series. Also Justice league the darkseid war is next on my list looking for anything after that.
April 26th is superhero day, what do you recommend reading? what are you reading?
We’re starting now. Thank you so much for coming by and asking all these questions. You all are the best nerds. Stay safe out there. We’re working hard to make sure you have some amazing comics coming your way on the other side of this madness.
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Which comic runs do you think inspired you the most?
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I’m not sticking around for fear of spoilers, but I just wanted to pop in to say ty for doing this Q&A for the community. Your writing is some of my favorite, your answers to fans in letter columns always generous, and I find your career journey inspiring. Take care out there!
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Afternoon Mr. King… love your work. Quick question, to date whos your fave Batman on the big screen?
Secondly, how do you feel or whats your stance on the whole #ZackSnydersJusticeLeague and #ReleaseTheSndyerCut… just your personal thoughts. Thank you and stay safe
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That is so awesome. God, I miss seeing everyone at cons. It really sort of makes you realize that someone is reading all this stuff you do while you’re alone. See you soon enough, I hope.
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I hope so. I always thought Superman would be super hard to write, but to me he was easier than Batman. He just always does the right thing and you follow that thread as it goes. Love to get back at that character, he seems perfect for our current moment. We could all use a little hope.
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I was actually just talking to the Bat office about Stephanie. I can make no promises, but I can say that the office knows how much she deserves a spotlight and I passed along the passion I always see for her. Her Batgirl book was so good. Got to read that again.
And thank you.
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