Interview: Scott Snyder on BATMAN: ZERO YEAR
by Paul Montgomery at iFanboy
Today we spoke to writer Scott Snyder about Zero Year the next major arc in his ongoing Batman series. The 11-part story line takes us back about six years to the Bruce Waynes first tentative cocksure efforts as a masked vigilante. Readers should have some idea as to young Bruces characterization and the Gotham he inhabits from last years Batman #0, a standalone story orchestrated after Snyder and Capullo had already planned this longer arc.
We asked Snyder why this was the right time to revisit the Batmans origins at this point in his run.
I feel like there are aspects of the Bruce youve been watching in our run that are markedly different than the Bruce that you saw in Batman: Year One and some of the other stuff in pre-New 52 continuity, Snyder explained. So along with artist Greg Capullo, he began plotting the early years of the modern Batman as they saw it, unsure how or when these elements would materialize in the ongoing story.
Increasingly, Snyder received questions from fans at conventions or on Twitter. Was Year One still in continuity. He would instinctively answer that of course it was. But over time, said Snyder, we realized a lot of the aspects that I love most about Year One just arent compatible with the Batman in the 52, whether it was James Jr., who I obviously have a personal connection to; hed be very young, only five or six years old. Barbara Gordon being the biological daughter of Jim Gordon. Selina Kyle having a different background. Things werent tracking. Snyder and Capullo had to make a choice. Go back and tell the story they wanted to tell or simply move forward, telling safer stories about familiar rogues.
They opted to go bold.
One thing I can promise everybody at iFanboy, said Snyder, is that hopefully youll open up the book, and from the early pages, see that while its nothing like Year One or Batman Begins, its also respectful of the things we love most about those stories.
Snyder considers that #0 issues a window into the quietest stuff that happens during this story line. Just a moment in this turbulent year in Bruce Waynes life. And it really does represent close to a year, some 11 issues all told. We asked about the decision to devote so many issues to this formative tale.
I hear that, Snyder laughed. You know, That asshole, Snyder, hes so self-indulgent. Hes doing this giant story line just to tell us stuff weve seen before. I can promise you that its all plotted out. If I could tell you whats involved, I hope that you would see why it takes as long as it does. But I really want to play this one close to the vest. I usually give out a lot of spoilers as to plot and structure and what the backups are going to be, but Id like to back away from that in this instance. I dont want to sell it to you. I want you to love it or not based on its own merit.
As such, were not sure just how many familiar faces well see in this arc, or how significant any new ones might be.
He was willing, however, to talk about his characterization of young Bruce. One of the things Ive always been fascinated in that wasnt so much in Year One, was this notion of what it means to be Bruce Wayne, and the crushing weight of being Bruce Wayne as well as Batman. After traveling the world, Bruce Wayne is legally dead. Why bring him back from that? Why choose to continue being that person? Thats one of the key things Im interested in exploring in addition to the giant, giant, explosive plot. Thats relatable to a lot of people, that challenge of living up to a legacy and figuring out what it is you want to be. Not just a family like the Waynes, but anybody.
As for the difference between Zero Years Bruce Wayne and the Batman were reading currently, it all comes down to impulse control. Hes brasher. Hes going to make mistakes. Hes someone youre going to relate to, whereas Batman now is so in control. It takes a massive, city-wide conspiracy like the rise of the Owls or these more recent tragedies to really rattle him. But he went through a period before becoming Batman and in the process of becoming Batman where he just messed shit up. Its a character you can connect to and in a way it will show how he became the man he is today.
In closing, Snyder was eager to address the concern of longtime Batman readers and not just Snyder devotees. He hears the concerns. He hears the anxiety. This is us doing something that really matters to us, thats different. We want to take a page from the guys we admire the most. For me, thats Grant Morrison and Frank Miller. Guys who are constantly fearless. We might not be able to achieve what theyve achieved, but at least we can go out knowing that we tried to be as brave as they are, issue to issue.
Zero Year starts in June with Batman #21.
