It’s only fitting that New York Comic Con should be host to Sunday morning’s DC’s Gotham City Panel, seeing as the fictional abode of the Dark Knight and his many cohorts is inspired by the worst of the Big Apple’s criminal excesses. (And the best of its architecture, let’s be honest.)
Keeping the lines between the real life NYC and the fictional Gotham blurry this morning are none other than Frank Tieri, Meghan Fitzmartin, and new Detective Comics writer Ram V, with editor Ben Abernathy ensuring that no-one is going to spill too many secrets in talking about what’s upcoming for Batman, Robin, and the multiple other crime fighters and criminals stuck in the creepy metropolis over the next few months.
Perched atop a gargoyle of our own, Popverse is ready to live-blog the entire panel as it unfolds, keeping you up to date with the latest stories, spoilers, and more. Want to stay up to the minute? Then keep this page bookmarked and stay on this Bat-channel, but if you’d rather come back at a later Bat-time, then why not pop back in an hour from now, when you’ll find the whole thing waiting for you, wrapped up like a thief dangling outside of GCPD headquarters.
Throughout all of New York Comic Con 2022, Popverse is going to be keeping tup with everything that happen, from panels and breaking news to interviews and the best cosplay on the show floor. We’ll be sharing everything as it happens — including exclusive livestreams from the biggest panels at the show — so let us keep you in the loop all weekend.
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Hi everyone! We are here for DC's Gotham City Panel at NYCC!
– Pierce Lydon
Here is the description from the NYCC guide: Find out what’s next for the famous—and infamous—Gotham City, and its denizens of Super-Villains and Super Heroes.
– Pierce Lydon
This panel will feature Ram V, Frank Tieri and Meghan Fitzmartin.
– Pierce Lydon
A hush comes over the room as the DC Universe Infinite sizzel reel plays and the panelists arrive.
– Pierce Lydon
It looks like we have a couple of additional panelists as well.
– Pierce Lydon
In addition to V, Tieri and Fitzmartin, executive editor Ben Abernathy, Paul Dano and Ed Brisson are here.
– Pierce Lydon
First up is The Riddler Year One, Abernathy asks Dano what his process is for being a storyteller in comics versus playing the character.
– Pierce Lydon
He says that it's a much different process because you have to think about the entirety of the world versus just inhabiting a singular person.
– Pierce Lydon
Matt Reeves encouraged Dano to take the story he had in his head for Riddler to DC so that it could become a comic.
– Pierce Lydon
Abernathy asks if Dano read some of the Batman line to prepare for his role. "I just kept reading Batman comics throughout the entire shoot to really worship at the altar of Batman." - Dano
– Pierce Lydon
But he feels that his Riddler story is not specifically inspired by any previous comics.
– Pierce Lydon
Dano explains that he didn't think that his artist Subac would be the right fit but after getting additional samples and a horror comic he had done, Dano felt they had something special.
– Pierce Lydon
A video message from Subic plays and he thanks for the fans for their support and regrets not being able to be at NYCC but he hopes they really enjoy the title.
– Pierce Lydon
Next up is Ed Brisson's Batman Incorprated. This series will arrive next week with Ghostmaker leading the book.
– Pierce Lydon
Brisson was familiar with the Batmen of All Nations because he was reading the Morrison run as it came out. But he isn't sure that Ghostmaker is a perfect fit to lead them.
– Pierce Lydon
"He's sort of testing himself to see if he can make this something more than what it was before." - Brisson
– Pierce Lydon
Brisson is going to explore how Ghostmaker is going to earn the trust of a group that is so specifically inspired by Batman.
– Pierce Lydon
John Timms is joining Ed Brisson on this title. Brisson says that Timms does big and splashy art so well but without losing the emotional core.
– Pierce Lydon
"You can get lost in his pages because he never skimps on the small details." - Brisson
– Pierce Lydon
Abernathy asks if there will be a Batman of Nova Scotia. Brisson jokes that if there is, he will be lobster-themed.
– Pierce Lydon
Next up is Meghan Fitzmartin's Time Drake: Robin.
– Pierce Lydon
Abernathy asks who Fitzmartin's favorite Robin is. She says that she can't pick a favorite but Tim is the Robin that she grew up with.
"Tim has always sort of been like my buddy growing up... it's felt like we've been classmates this whole time." - Fitzmartin
– Pierce Lydon
"I think he represents the burnout generation... Tim was always trying his best and what makes Tim the detective that he is is his empathy and I think that speaks to a generation [of comics readers'." - Fitzmartin
– Pierce Lydon
Fitzmartin explains that her take on Tim is about how he's venturing out on his own to find his own identity and grow as more than just a detective or a Robin.
– Pierce Lydon
Abernathy asks why Tim lives in the Gotham Marina. Fitzmartin says that she finds boats and the people around them really unique and interesting.
– Pierce Lydon
Abernathy asks about the collaboration with artist Riley Rossmo.
– Pierce Lydon
She says that she loves the lived in elements of Rossmo's art. "His art is incredibly kinetic and that is what I felt like Tim needed at the time." - Fitzmartin
– Pierce Lydon
We're moving on to Multiversity: Harley Screws Up the DCU #1
– Pierce Lydon
Frank Tieri jokes that it was not originally pitched as "screws up"
– Pierce Lydon
Abernathy asks what helps Tieri get in Harley's headspace. He says what's fun is that she's a bit of a gray character and that she out of her mind.
– Pierce Lydon
This series will see Harley inherit a time machine. She uses it and when she returns the world is in shambles and it was been taken over by Starro.
– Pierce Lydon
She realizes that she has messed up the origins of all of the DC heroes so she needs to go back in time to fix them.
– Pierce Lydon
This will represent one of Logan Faerber's longest assignments for DC. "He's really been rising to the occassion." - Tieri
– Pierce Lydon
The series will also have variant covers from Amanda Conner.
– Pierce Lydon
Next up is Detective Comics by Ram V and Rafael Albuquerque
– Pierce Lydon
Ram says that his introduction to Batman was Batman The Animated Series and he always felt there was an underlying dread to Batman stories.
– Pierce Lydon
He wanted to do something operatic and tragic in Gotham: Nocturne as opposed to the direction happening in the main Batman story.
– Pierce Lydon
Two-Face will be playing a significant role. "Very early on, I discovered that Two-Face was kind of cured and I thought that was interesting because what I was doing with Gotham was having someone come in to fix Gotham City." - V
– Pierce Lydon
Two-Face becomes a metaphor for the rehabilitation - "When you fix Two-Face, are you taking something away?" - V
– Pierce Lydon
V says that his run will follow the structure of an opera. "Nocturne is intended to be epic in terms of external scale but also a return to the roots of what Bruce is dealing with inside." - V
– Pierce Lydon
V has been a fan of Rafael Albuquerue for a long time and that Rafa was excited to be part of the project. "You can see the sheer joy in the art." - V
– Pierce Lydon
Music plays a big role in the series. V was inspired by operas as well as music from Sergio Leone westerns.
– Pierce Lydon
Abernathy asks the panel what their first and favorite Batman comics are. Brisson says Batman Year One is his favorite and he probably got started on Batmna with 80s Denny O'Neil comics.
– Pierce Lydon
Fitzmartin's Batman introduction was a novelization of No Man's Land. Her favorite is the Batman: Fugitive storyline.
– Pierce Lydon
Tieri's introduction to Batman was the Adam West show. His favorite Batman story is Knightfall. "I like when they broke his back. That was cool." - Tieri
– Pierce Lydon
V's introduction was the animated series but his favorite was Long Halloween but he also has a newfound appreciation for the Grant Morrison run.
– Pierce Lydon
Brisson and Fitzmartin are working on stories for Wildstorm's 30th Anniversary. Brisson did a Stormwatch story and Fitzmartin did a Apollo & Midnighter one.
– Pierce Lydon
And that's the panel! Thank you all for following along!
