AUTHOR JOCELYNN DRAKE TALKS WITH THE INFORMANT ABOUT BATMAN, VAMPIRES, AND HER NEWEST BOOK DAYHUNTER

Jocelynn Drake burst onto to the paranormal and urban fantasy scene with her stunning first novel Nightwalker, last year. This week, her next book in the Dark Days series Dayhunter is on sale. If you love brilliant writing, kick ass heroines and vampires you can't go wrong with Jocelynn's fantastic books. What we learned when we ran into Jocelynn at New York Comic Con is that she's also a huge fan of comics. She joins us this week in a special interview.

Remember The Informant is here to promote and celebrate working artists. So do yourself a favor and pick up both of Jocelynn's books! She's an artist in the finest sense! Be sure to visit Jocelynn at her website. http://www.jocelynndrake.com/

Q. You've stated in previous interviews that you found some of the Batman comics from the late ‘90s and early 2000's were influences on your work in Nightwalker. What is it about the Batman canon that you think contributes to your particular writing style or story development?

A. I think what has drawn me to Batman is that he nightly walks a tightrope over this dark abyss, constantly in danger of becoming exactly what he is fighting against. Unlike so many of his other superhero counterparts, he’s still a vulnerable man with hopes and fears and weaknesses. And through it all, he’s got this singular sense of honor and duty that he clings to. It’s that kind of amazing character development and turmoil that I find myself drawn to. My characters are also on the other end of the spectrum. They have superhuman abilities and yet are struggling to retain that human element. The key to retaining their humanity is clinging to that sense of honor and duty, because if they lose that, they will fall into that same dark abyss that Batman is fighting.

Q. One of the great debates among students and critics of the comics world is that Batman stands for Vengeance while Superman is a seeker of Justice. In your view what is about Batman's quest for Vengeance that we as readers find appealing?

Wow! That’s a great question. It’s Batman’s quest for vengeance that making him appealing in many ways to readers. It’s a human verging down a dark path and taking back what was stolen from him little bit by little bit. As a vampire writer, I’m naturally drawn to the darker side of humanity. We’ve all lost something at some point in our lives and there’s sometimes that deep down selfish need that we want to steal it back or punish someone for what they did, not simply because it’s the right thing to do, but because we were hurt and we want to hurt them back. Batman is about larger, grander ideas, but I think there’s still a little part of the young wounded Bruce Wayne crying out in the darkness, wanting to strike back against the world.

Q. Do you have a list of favorite Batman Comics?

A. I really don’t have a long list of favorites. I wish I could just say all of them. They have been filled with amazing stories, stunning character development, and astounding art work. Some favorites just off the top of my head are: the Knightfall series, A Death in the Family, and The Killing Joke. I adore the Joker stories and any chance to throw in Harley Quinn is always fabulous (she’s my hero after Batman). Of course, I’ve recently fallen behind on my reading, so that list might still grow and change. I’m dying to get my hands on the Neil Gaiman stories of Batman.

Q. Do you still read comics and what current books are your favorites?

A. Since I’m currently on deadline for my own books, I haven’t gotten much reading done. Most of my comics are now compiled in graphic novel form. I am looking forward to the new Battle for the Cowl story arc. Actually, I’m dying to read the Battle for the Cowl series! I also read the No Man’s Land series in novel form, but I’m looking forward to picking up the comics and reading it again.

Q. Have you ever had the desire to write a comic script?

A. Hmmm… not yet. However, I written various forms of fiction, novels, short stories, poetry, screenplays, and plays. I hope to one day write plot for video games. I wouldn’t be surprised if the comic strip bug bites me one day. Yet, the real question is, will it be any good? Your guess is as good as mine.

Q. If Batman and Captain America (before he was dead) square off in hand to hand combat, who wins?

Do you really have to ask? Batman by a country mile! He’s quick, intelligent, and athletic. And come on, he’s Batman.

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader, Part II

SPOILER ALERT: Apparently, what's waiting for Batman is endless reincarnation and lots of work. After all that hard work, he gets more hard work.

In a way, it's sort of beautiful, in the same sense that a painter will always paint, a songbird will always sing, etc. In another sense, it's got to be a bit disappointing for the Batman. Can't you just see the spirit of Bruce Wayne secretly wishing he'd sent Dick Grayson to a better superhero school?

Believe me when I say it's not worth your hard-earned disposable income.

Is There Anything Better Than A Super Teams Team-up?

The Informant admits that we likes us some super teams. Justice League. X-Men. Avengers. You name it, get a bunch of super-heroes together and it's sweet times. I don't know why this is, but it is. Maybe it's because you get to see a bunch of your favorite heroes on a single page, so there's a more for the money element to it. Maybe it's because you like watching all the personalities clash.

Whatever the reason, getting two teams together is twenty pounds of fun in a five pound sack and Titans versus Justice League Origins & Omens #10 is no exception.

If you haven't caught up on the story as it crosses through the DC verse, Jericho has been held in the Watchtower after his latest escapades. Of course he escapes and makes it back to Titan HQ and starts jumping bodies like a fool. What's great about this book is that Nightwing (and you know how we here at The Informant feel about Nightwing) takes center stage. The Titans make every effort to capture Jericho, whom they consider their responsibility, and bring him under control.

The only problem is that the Justice League has arrived and they want Jericho back. Mayhem ensues. Of course, everyone gets a chance to discuss their feelings and when Jericho jumps into Superman he suddenly learns that taking control of Big Blue is not as easy as it looks.

No spoilers here. I recommend this book and would say read the ending and see what happens. Especially with Nightwing. Writer Judd Winick has done a commendable job and while it isn't the best art you'll find in comics (a pained expression seems to cover the gamut of emotions on most of the heroes) it doesn't do anything to detract from the story either.

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?

OH man. Neil Gaiman + Batman. Arty comics lovers eat your heart out, this is going to be good. Unless by good, you mean terrible. Reading this 'piece' is a lot like coming home from a particularly gruesome day at the office, only to find out your one-and-only is having a Notebook viewing party in your living room with 6 other women...and also that same day you saw someone throw their McDonald's trash at a guy in the bike lane.. and also you have three separate letters from the IRS in your mailbox.

Neil Gaiman needs to get over himself and quit stewing in his own little world. Batman is Batman because he gets shit done. Neil Gaiman is Neil Gaiman because people like weird, noirish takes on circuses and hoboes. The two do not gel. It's a Batman comic, or even an Alfred comic or whatever, but for the love of god, enough already with "There's a separate world just beyond our reach, if only we'd notice it." For Christ's sake, just give Dead Batman a mystery.

Problem One: The whole damn thing. Bad, bad, bad.

Buy/No Buy: Avoid it like it's the plague. It's not worth $3.99.

War of Kings

One of my long held beliefs, right up there with my famous postulation that Luxembourg is imaginary, is that Marvel underestimates and mishandles its so-called Cosmic characters to an inexcusable degree. Black Bolt is just cool. Gladiator's dedication to the Shiar throne is a neat, never-gets-old plot device. Galactus and Silver Surfer - when they're done well, it works. But the cosmic players are almost always relegated to half-hearted cross overs with DC, or to some ridiculous adventure where there's 6-12 magical objects that turn all omnipotent when together.

Maybe Marvel rarely uses Black Bolt because he doesn't talk, which must suck for the publisher; they can't foist terrible dialogue on him. Or how about Gladiator, who is, unfortunately, almost always tied to the least believable plot lines in comics - M'Kronn Crystal, Cassandra Nova (a twin that Professor X murdered in the womb? is Marvel even trying anymore?), etc. That's why I approached purchasing the first War of Kings with a little trepidation, and that's while I'll casually try out #2 and #3 with optimism (reserved optimism).

Black Bolt is finally kicking some ass. He more or less just looked cool as an Illuminati member, but all he did there was give the old baldy a head to probe. Now, the Inhumans have left the moon, where they were never that consequential in the first place, to rule the Kree, one of the suckier alien races in comics. Two birds, one stone. It's working for me.

So, I won't resort to my usual glib spotlight on specific problems. I'll just recommend giving this one a try. At the very least, the newest event can't be any worse than "What Happened to the Caped Crusader." I'm going to tear that Neil Gaiman "Special" a new one in my next post.

Somebody Has To Win! Why Not You!

Hello Soon To Be Faithful Readers...

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You could snag some swag that will keep you in comics and graphic novels for a good long while! 

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