The official DC Comics site spoke with comic book legends Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo ahead of the new crossover between Batman and Spawn
Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo. Two comic book legends conjuring up images of dark crusaders and explosive action. Individually, their work on Spawn and Batman represent the most dynamic and exciting comic book art in the history of the medium.
Do not miss: The paths of Batman and Spawn cross in SMASH and DC Comics Mexico
Now, after countless fan requests, legends Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo are joining forces in a new Batman/Spawn crossover.
December 26, 2022 is the date indicated for SMASH and DC Comics Mexico to bring you the clash of two figures such as Batman and Spawn, crowning it with the story of the legends Todd McFarlane in the script and Greg Capullo in the strokes.
So, to both whet your appetite and help you prepare for what lies ahead – because trust us, you’re not ready – we spoke to the extraordinary creative team along with DC Creative Director Jim Lee about their approach to bringing this upcoming movie to life. team, how their years of experience inform this new project, and whether we’ll get some awesome action figures out of the deal – this is Todd McFarlane, after all!
Todd, you worked on the first Batman/Spawn crossover book with the script by Frank Miller. The next one was made by a different creative team. For this new one, what did you want to do to differentiate your story from what came before and establish your own vision of the Batman and Spawn dynamic?
Todd McFarlane: The easy thing is that it was 25 years ago when I drew the first one. It’s like making a movie 25 years ago. It’s like we’re not doing a remake of it. It’s more like a reboot.
I’ve never worried about a reader having read the earlier ones, and if you’re interested in them, you can get them now. DC is reprinting them. But what Greg and I are doing is a reboot: doing a modern Spawn and Batman story without worrying about what came before.
The first crossover explicitly stated that Batman in that story was the Dark Knight Returns version. Did you have a personal version of Batman that you wanted to do, or did that not concern you?
Todd McFarlane: I remember when I was working with Frank Miller on that book, one of the DC rules was that you couldn’t change anything about Batman. Even down to the belt and the symbol. I wanted to do the version without the yellow oval, but they told me I had to keep it. Today, there are two dozen Batman and fifty different costumes. Everything is open to interpretation.
Greg Capullo: We are now prohibited from using the yellow oval!
Todd McFarlane: Yes! Now the oval is cool, retro-chic. So, we went from being in a box at the time to now we can do whatever we want, and it’s great.
Greg, you’ve been drawing Batman for over ten years now. This story with you and Todd was originally meant to come out in 2006. Between then and now, what have you learned about drawing Batman that helped prepare you for this book that you didn’t know at the time?
Greg Capullo: Drawing Batman, of course! It would have been great in 2006, but now it’s easy for me because I don’t have to think about anything. Todd has been my partner for a long time and we worked very loosely together, and on one of my favorite characters. Together, they are like a family to me. I can really let my instincts run wild. I feel free.
Do you think Spawn and Batman are different, but both suit your style?
Greg Capullo: Well obviously both suit my style! I never intended to be a dark hero artist. I guess I’ve been pigeonholed! They are similar characters, but I approach them differently. Spawn has crazy details, and the way I approach Batman is to make it more graphic, more monolithic.
So as not to add too many details. Putting them in the same story, it’s like a balancing act. I wanted to give fans of both characters what they’ve come to expect. It is a gap to bridge. The Batman I draw in this is very familiar, perhaps in a little more detail. But he is pure instinct.
Jim, is this your first time drawing Spawn? And did you ever think that you would draw him for a DC crossover?
Jim Lee: Oddly enough, I drew Spawn in different pin-ups and covers while I was at Image Comics and even after I left Image to join DC. However, this particular piece is his first time drawing Spawn with Batman and that was challenging on several fronts.
In many ways, Batman and Spawn are similar in that they are two dark and brooding characters obsessed with seeking justice, and of course they both share the same taste for giant, sweeping capes that are like characters themselves. But at the same time, they are very different below the surface and I wanted to highlight those elements visually through the final image.
You mentioned on your Instagram that one of the biggest challenges was finding a composition you liked that other artists haven’t used. How many other compositions did you try and what led you to this one?
Jim Lee: Oh, there were probably five or six compositions I played around with before settling on this final piece, which has them kind of ‘dancing’ around each other. My fellow artists have already brought a number of great compositions to life, so he eliminated a number of options early on. One variation that I liked initially but eventually abandoned had the two in close combat, very clipped and intense.
But at the end of the day, I didn’t want to show one character overshadowing the other, so I chose a different path. He also wanted to accentuate their personalities through their mannerisms so they would play a role in how Batman and Spawn would stand or pose. And that ruled out a very close shot of the two with their faces inches from each other.
Greg and Todd, a lot has happened since Spawn’s debut in the 1990s, and now we’re in the midst of a comic book media boom. What do Batman and Spawn mean to you, after everything that’s happened to them as characters and the general comic book medium, in 2022?
Todd McFarlane: I would say that putting the two together is different in the comics than anything else. Outside of the comics, the Batman brand is much stronger, especially globally. Spawn is not what Batman is in that field. In the comics, they are much closer. In the past, Spawn has outsold Batman.
The two standing next to each other is not a gimmick, they are both A-listers. It’s fun to do that with any heavyweight in the industry. This is just going back to what worked before, for a whole new generation of fans who didn’t read them both together the last time we did this. You may have heard of it, but never got to share the moment. Not until now.
Greg Capullo: The characters are very different. Spawn will kill or do anything, he is a mercenary from hell. Batman is very different to me. The reason why he is so cool and amazing is because he was given the chance to claim victim or victory. He could have been an alcoholic or a drug addict, but he didn’t. That willpower makes the character so special and relatable.
Spawn is the complete opposite. There are no moral barriers to keeping you in line and just doing whatever. That is what divides them. But both are highly-skilled physical fighters. Batman doesn’t cross the line to kill, but if he did, he’d be on par with Spawn. This is how I see and describe them.
Jim, what has been the best thing for you, both as an artist and as a fan, about seeing this book come together?
Jim Lee: I remember being a fan and being so excited when my favorite characters from different universes would come together. It was such a powerful moment in the fandom to see that kind of collaboration between companies in the past and being able to help put this deal together now in 2022 was a special highlight for me this year. And getting Batman’s lead artist in Greg Capullo tattooed by Todd McFarlane was just the icing on the cake! A world-class crossover with world-class talent… these are the moments we comic book fans live for! And being able to contribute to this project, even if it’s just a variant cover, brought out the kid in me!
Last question, what else would you like to see come out of this? Can we expect some Spawn and Batman action figures designed by Greg Capullo?
Greg Capullo: Haha! Good! I’ve been telling Todd we better get down to business!
Todd McFarlane: I’d also like to see… I mean, we probably could have had a hundred artists doing variant covers. We have thirteen, but we could have put together a hundred covers, easy. But I would have liked to see those covers done in the book. But also, it would be nice at some point to do a book featuring Greg’s amazing pencils. Showing the black and white inks without lettering, so people can see the full artwork.
Greg Capullo: And I filled in all the blacks and did full pencils in anticipation of a pencil-only version. I’m going to go the extra mile because I anticipate something as cool as this, I imagine something like this will happen in the future.
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Source: DC Comics
Jean Paul Valley launches The Crusade of the Bat in SMASH and DC Comics Mexico
Bruce Wayne is out of commission, but Batman must carry on! A new era begins as an unknown Batman arrives in Gotham City. Bruce Wayne, broken in battle and unable to carry out his duty in the field, after the epic confrontation with Bane, has appointed a new Dark Knight as his replacement.
Jean-Paul Valley (aka Azrael) has assumed the role of the Caped Paladin but, without his mentor’s integrity and experience, he quickly spirals out of control. His unruly behavior especially worries both Robin and Commissioner Gordon.
SMASH and DC Comics Mexico bring you DC Modern Classics – Batman: KnightQuest – The Crusade Volume 1. The first volume of this story that caused a sensation in the 90s.
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