A Few Quick Batman Questions With Frank Miller

On Saturday, September 14th, I had a chance to ask writer/artist Frank Miller a few questions about Batman!

For the month of September, DC Comics has been holding events at FAO Schwarz in New York City, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Batman. 

This weekend, DC Collectibles and Warner Bros. Consumer Products unveiled the latest in the line of Batman: Black & White statues. A Batman statue based on the Dark Knight Returns. On hand for the event was the writer and artist of the comic book series, Frank Miller.

I was fortunate enough to sit with Frank and ask him some questions:

You changed the way people saw Batman with both the Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One. There this re-discovery of these 2 stories. After 80 years what would you say is the staying power of Batman:

Frank Miller: Over the years I would have given you a different answer to that. Pretty much every decade. I used to think he was the symbol of rebellion and anger in especially in a 1980s world he came out in Dark Knight. Then in Dark Knight Strikes again, he was much more radical in that. Now  I think he’s a bit more of a father figure that he’s bringing sense to things, but in the course of the Dark Knight series he’s clearly become a father figure and he’s bringing order from chaos by disrupting the real villains out there. He’s laying down the foundation for a better world

Leading into the, within the Dark Knight universe, you have Superman: Year One, and you have, what was announced on Friday, Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child. Can you tell more about that?

Frank Miller: That’s a dream project for me. First I get to explore the edition to the Superman family, which is young Jonathan. Lara, his and Wonder Woman’s daughter, is possessed of Superman’s abilities in wild measure. Jonathan is possessed of the wisdom and mental capabilities of the Kryptonian race. So if Lara is the Athena, then Jonathan is the Buddha. So the 2 of them bump quite a bit.

So it’s kind of a Ying-Yang situation

Frank Miller: Yeah, but Jonathan is not to be underestimated. He’s quite powerful. And he is very wise.

Sound really cool. If I just ask one last question, after 80 years of Batman, do you have a favorite story?

Frank Miller: That’s really tough. I remember there was one newspaper strip story that was done in the Dick Sprang style, which I found unforgettable. When a man begged to see Batman when he was on Death Row. And Batman went and investigated his case. And after a long, long adventure, all over Gotham City he first found out what he thought was going on and what was really going on, and found out that the guy was actually guilty. The story ended with Batman simply watching the many being executed. It’s one I’ll never forget. But then there’s the epic story by Denny O’Neil and Neal Adam of Ra’s al Ghul, with the romance between Batman and Ra’s daughter Talia. There are many more Batman stories. He’s an inexhaustible character.

You can check out Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child when it hits shelves on December 11th. 

And check out the other Batman events going on for the rest of the month at FAO Schwarz HERE

Many thanks to DC Comics, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Weber Shandwick for making this interview happen and making this fanboy especially happy!