Hey guys, it’s Scott.

It is Thursday, April 9th. And I just wanted to say thank you guys so much for all of the response and support and excitement and curiosity over Absolute Batman #20.

We finally revealed the true cover behind the R just the other day and it shows our concept of Robin, all five Robins.

We’ll not say who, because we want you guys to see in the issues. But they’re in their mechs, their Jaegers, their suits, as they prepare to fight Batman. So their story is really special to us. We’ve been waiting to get here for a long time. Obviously, we introduced Dick Grayson earlier in the series.

The rest of the cast of the Robin crew is all coming in, and they all have really particular stories. We really gave a lot of thought to each character and we just hope you love the story. It’s very hard not to spoil anything here, but that’s all coming up. You’ll learn a lot about it in #19 and you’ll learn a lot more in #20 and 21.

Then in #22, you’ll get a really special issue by me and Werther Dell’Edera about Harley’s backstory and how she came to be leader of the Red Hood Gang as the story is moving forward. All this happens while the Robins are also hunting Batman in Gotham. So it has some really big forward-moving moments. It’s got a giant twist at the end that will definitely get you guys talking but it also will really give a good sense, I think, of the backgrounds of the different Robins and of Harley and explain a lot about why she is who she is. Can’t wait for you guys to see that, it really plays to Werther’s strengths and he’s amazing to work with. I’m a huge fan of Something is Killing the Children, obviously, and we’ve been friends a long time so I’m very excited at the chance of finally getting to work together. So yes, #19 it comes out next week.

It kicks off this really big arc called ‘The Straw Man’ about Scarecrow and the Robins and Deathstroke and Harley and it’s just a huge arc for us. And #20, again, introduces the Robins. #21 continues with the Robins and Scarecrow and such, but it also really features Two-Face and Penguin in a big way. They’re on the cover of #21, so you’ll get to see their designs.

And Penguin has an elevated design from what you’ve seen so far. Nick has tweaked it to make him even more, I think, glorious in all of his bravado to try and make up for him being so broken. He’s got different guns and canes and rings and all kinds of stuff. I love it to death. And I love the response to the Absolute Two-Face design, to see so many of you doing fan art and all of it. It means the world. We really appreciate it.

So that’s #21. Like I said, #22 is the Harley issue and then #23 is Clayface. Then things go completely crazy between #24 and 25. #25 is our big finale for this arc. It’s a seven-issue arc, and it happens in October right around New York Comic Con. So it’ll be really big, and then the series moves on from there. Can’t wait. Again, so, so grateful for all the support.

And yeah, I just wanted to talk for a minute about how special it is to get to do this book. I said it online, but it really feels like you guys are making it with us. It feels like such a collective story. I don’t know how to really articulate it, except to see all of the fan art, to see all of the questions, the arguments about what’s going to happen. Criticism, praise, all of it. Just the fact that it’s in conversation with you guys so much makes it feel really special. It makes it feel like we’re making it as a team, you guys and us. And as much as we’re going to take it in the direction we have planned to, regardless of whatever suggestions or whatever you guys want or don’t want, it still feels like your book as much as ours and it’s a great feeling that Nick and I talk about a lot. We wake up so thankful to go to work on this thing every day.

Anyway, I just wanted to say again, Robin to me is not only a point of view character, like a character that allows you to see Batman through this very different lens, but they allow you to imagine yourself walking into Gotham City. So I just want you to know, for anyone that’s worried that we’re just going to make the Robins villainous. They’re not just villainous, and they have a real reason for doing what they do. They’re really rich characters and they’ve each got their own story, but there also is kind of a collective story about why they are where they are at this moment. So I really can’t wait for you to see it. And I just wanted to say getting to write Dick Grayson again, it’s so great. Dick was the first character I got to write for DC in any real consistent way when I got to do Detective Comics.

He’ll always have an incredibly special place in my heart because as I was very frightened and excited to be writing a Batman book, Dick was very excited and scared to be Batman. So he was this incredible introduction to Gotham because even though he wasn’t Robin, he still felt like a Robin getting to be Batman to me. And that’s how I felt, like somebody who had just walked in and was getting to see all of this stuff for the first time, getting to inhabit it for the first time. And so to get to write him again, even though it’s a different version of him, is a real thrill. I’ll always have that soft spot for him. Again, keep the fan art coming. I hope you guys really love the issue next week. Let us know what you think!

And FOC (Final Order Cut-Off) for #20 is a week from Monday. After issue #19 comes out on Wednesday, you’re going to start seeing right all the different covers that retailers and other artists for DC have done for issue #20. We wanted the cover that Nick did to be hidden because we didn’t want the images of the Robins out there so early that it spoiled everything, even before we solicited or before FOC for #19. As much as we probably would have sold more and all that stuff if we had put it out super early, we’re just trying to create a rhythm where we don’t feel like we’re bombarding you with spoilers. But this was the latest we could withhold the images of the Robins and still allow retailers to really go out there and have a chance to sell their books. So you’re going to see a flood of images of covers that are amazing. I’ve seen a ton of them. They’re great. All coming on Wednesday, so just six days. Keep your eyes open. Some of your favorite artists are doing them. Interpretations of the Robins and Absolute Batman. Really hope you’ll dial in and order whatever you love. We’re really excited to see your guys’ response to all of these as well.

So let us know what you think! And again, a lot, a lot, a lot of images of the Robins and Absolute Batman are coming next week for you guys to order. But order quick because FOC is the Monday after that. So this coming Wednesday, you’ll see all the covers. That Monday, order’s closed. So small window, get ready. And thank you guys again!

S

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