Comics Interview — Super Special - Batman Returns

Strick discusses his path from film criticism to screenwriting and his work adapting Batman Returns, explaining how he developed the Penguin and Catwoman characters and balanced their storylines with Batman's. He describes the collaborative process with director Tim Burton and the tonal shift from the first Batman film toward a darker, more grotesque aesthetic.

Uslan and Melniker recount their decade-long effort to acquire the Batman film rights and produce the 1989 blockbuster, discussing the resistance they faced from studios skeptical of a serious take on the character. They describe their vision for Batman as a dark, mythic figure rather than a campy TV hero, and how that vision ultimately prevailed.

Craig looks back on her role as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the 1960s Batman television series, discussing how she was cast, what it meant to play one of TV's first prominent female crime-fighters, and her memories of working alongside Adam West and Burt Ward. She reflects on the show's campy legacy and the convention circuit enthusiasm that has followed her for decades.

Rude discusses his approach to drawing Superman and Batman together in World's Finest, describing how he distinguishes the two characters visually and what drew him to the project. He speaks about his admiration for classic comic art and how that influences his clean, retro-influenced style.

Reis describes how he assembled his extensive collection of Batman original art and explains his work creating three-dimensional renderings of Batman imagery.

Hannigan talks about his work on Legends of the Dark Knight, describing the storytelling latitude the anthology format gives creators to explore different eras and interpretations of Batman.

Dixon explains his approach to writing Robin as a character in his own right rather than simply Batman's sidekick, and how the Robin miniseries developed Tim Drake's personality through a globe-trotting adventure structure.

Lyle describes his visual approach to drawing Robin and how he conveys the character's youth, agility, and energy on the page, discussing his collaboration with writer Charles Dixon.

Grant discusses his long-running Batman work, his process for developing villains, and his preference for psychologically grounded storytelling that defines Batman as a figure of obsession and fear.

Bisley talks about his explosive painted artwork on LOBO and the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgment on Gotham, describing his frenetic, highly detailed style and influences ranging from heavy metal album art to classical painting.

A showcase of pieces from Reis's collection of Batman original art.