To paraphrase Vince Gilligan who is probably paraphrasing someone else, “I don’t enjoy writing so much as I enjoy having written.”
Part of that is because I can see how the finished product came out versus my grand plans at the conceptual stage, figure out where I could have improved, and make the next thing that much better.
To that end, since it’s now available for reading on DC Universe Infinite, I thought it’d be fun to do some quick notes on my Batman/Plastic Man story from Batman: Urban Legends #15, “Bending the Rules.”
This is both for readers who may want insight into the comic-making process and my intentions, and also for myself to take a more critical look at the final product.
Page 1
Two things immediately jump out to me here — Pat Brosseau’s used his own font instead of something you typically see in a Batman book, and I love it. Also, artist Jason Howard keeping Batman in shadow for the whole first page is a great choice.
Some Easter eggs here: the first is obvious, which is that “Dixon Shipyard” is obviously a reference to longtime Batman scribe Chuck Dixon. I believe originally it was in the script as “The Gotham City Docks” or something and at the request of Editorial I gave it a real name.
The second is the character upon which this story centers: Brad Sampey. Brad is based on a very real friend of mine. He’s got the build of a bouncer, very tall, very imposing. He’s a huge Batman and DC fan, and a very long time ago he told me it was his dream to be a bodyguard to the Penguin.
And so in my first DC story, “Catwoman: Pedigree” from the DC New Talent Showcase 2018, I made it happen. Unfortunately, in that tale, the Penguin riddled him with bullets in an attempt to take down Catwoman and Robin.
And now, “Bending the Rules” is a light continuation of Sampey’s story, where because of Penguin’s treatment of him, he’s decided to turn against him and rat to the D.A. Which is where this page picks up.
I don’t know that anyone would’ve put this together without me connecting the dots, but I love the idea of building my own secret continuity within my work, even if it’s only the Real Brad who appreciates it.
In any case, he’s a living, breathing part of the DC Universe and I know that it brings him joy and thus, it brings me joy.
Pages 2 and 3
I’m a big fan of utilizing the Page 2 splash page, and I love this one because it’s not Batman being cool, it’s Batman getting intercepted in the most awkward way possible.
Plas making his hand into a stop sign was 100% Jason, and it’s incredible. It makes me think of how Eel probably has involuntary reactions like this depending on how he’s feeling in a particular moment.
Also, the only reason this story is set near water is to get to the moment at the end of Page 3—Plastic Man transforming into a sailboard, which will pay off in a couple pages time.
Page 4
In my original outline, there was no scene with the Penguin/KG Beast — originally, Beast showed up at the end in a big reveal before the fight. But at the suggestion of my editors, Dave Wielgosz and Jess Berbey, this scene was added—and it’s so much better for it (editors know what they’re doing!).
Not only is writing Penguin the best (see also: Catwoman: Pedigree and Batman: The Murder Club Part 1), but it let me give additional context to Sampey’s situation. Again, only the most eagle-eyed, committed readers with a memory second only to Barbara Gordon probably picked up on the connection between this story and “Pedigree,” but it’s fun nonetheless.
Also, bats aren’t rodents, as Oswald says here, but I felt as though he wouldn’t care so much about being factual if it was a solid burn.
Pages 5 and 6
I asked a lot (too much?) of Jason on these pages (particularly 5) and he delivered big time.
Not only is Batman windsurfing on Plastic Man (the highlight of this story for me, personally), but the flashback provides the kind of stuff I adore about superhero comics—mining previously unknown histories or interactions between characters at a relatively unexplored time in the past.
Here, it’s during Eel’s past life as a crook, before going on the job that ultimately led to his powers.
I loved the idea that Eel was inspired to dig himself out of his life of crime before he had his accident, because it mirrors Sampey’s journey and many people who find themselves turning to crime to survive: it’s a systemic cycle that is sometimes your only option because the systems around you make it so.
In this case, Eel has an accident that ultimately aids him in getting out and using his newfound powers for good. But Sampey—who theoretically has just as much of a life-changing experience being saved by Batman—continues down the same path, ultimately landing in the employ of Penguin.
Readers can intuit, I hope, that Sampey’s destructive cycle continued because that is how the system is stacked against people like him—Eel likely only managed to follow through because he found himself with superpowers.
And so Eel is trying to help his old friend to finally do the right thing, even if it means bristling against Batman a bit—not to mention Batman’s own role in the never-ending churn of criminals in and out of prison.
But also, because Plas is generally so quippy and light-hearted, giving him this moment of self-reflection about Batman’s perception of him is really moving to me. And for his part, Batman seems to take it to heart (though he escapes the tough conversation by grappling onto the incoming helicopter, classic Batman emotional avoidance).
Two obvious Easter eggs here with “Aparo Heights” named after, for my money, the most iconic Batman artist of all-time, Jim Aparo, and Batman’s old-school (and best) gray-and-blue costume during the flashback.
Pages 7-9
This fight was challenging to script in a way that felt meaty enough to be important but also appropriate for a 10-page story. All in all, I think it rules, mostly thanks to Jason’s incredible work.
When I script fight scenes like this, I generally leave a note for the artist that they’re free to change it from how I wrote it. If there’s an important plot point that needs to happen—this fight doesn’t really have one, other than Batman and Plastic Man should win—I’ll note that to make sure it’s not missed should the artist adjust anything.
But Jason basically followed what I had scripted, except elevated it far beyond what I could have hoped for. Plastic Man shielding Sampey from the bullets, the energy of KG Beast’s big honkin’ gun, Plas wrapping Beast up—I love it all.
Batman’s line of “Surprised to see you back on your feet, Beast” is supposed to be a reference to Batman’s hardcore battle with KG Beast during Tom King and Tony Daniel’s Batman #57 from 2018.
Also, a fun piece of comic book making comes when you add things to the story that weren’t originally in the script. On Page 9, for example, there were no lines scripted for Batman, but after the art came back, editorial suggested it felt like Batman should be saying something in that first panel.
So that became Beast saying “You can’t beat me without your toys!” after he gets pummeled with some batarangs (another reference to the King/Daniel story mentioned above, wherein Batman shot Beast in the neck with his grapple gun) and Batman says, “Funny… you can’t even beat me with yours” which is just a super badass moment that I’m proud of. And that wouldn’t have happened without all parts of the assembly line firing at all cylinders.
Page 10
I think it’s important for Batman to need reminders about his war on crime not always being black-and-white, and who better to personify that than a former criminal-turned-Justice Leaguer like Plas? I think when you’re writing these characters, it’s important to keep in mind that you don’t have to agree with their stances.
For example, I don’t agree that all criminals are cowards, as Batman says, but in his darkest moments, moments where he’s maybe lost some perspective or at least tucked away his empathy, I think he believes it. And that’s why a run-in with Plas is so important (and why the Robins are critical)—Batman operating in a vacuum can be scary, so he needs a dash of light here and there to keep him level.
Batman’s still kind of a dick about it (“if you want to thank me, you’ll make it one worth saving” — lighten up, Bruce!), but I love how Jason renders Eel’s expression in that final panel, like he’s more satisfied about winning a philosophical debate with Batman than he is winning a fight against KG Beast.
If you’d like to pick up this issue, you can purchase on Amazon or find a copy at your local comic book shop.