*If you still don't know whether Damian Wayne will return from the dead or another character will become Robin, now is your time to leave!*
Peter J. Tomasi is writing three of DC's most iconic characters and he's throwing them into all kinds of action-packed madness. In BATMAN AND ROBIN, the Dark Knight will stop at nothing to bring his son, Damian, back to life. Bruce is wearing an awesome new armor and not even an entire army on Apokolips will slow him down, but now he's come face to face with the publisher's biggest villain, Darkseid. In SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN, he began the tale by having the two Justice Leaguers take on Atomic Skull and Major Disaster. It didn't go too well for the couple.
What can we expect from the next issue of BATMAN AND ROBIN and how'd he approach Superman and Wonder Woman's brutal defeat? We had the chance to talk with the writer about that and much more. Again, now is the time to get out if you don't want to know who the next Robin will be!
COMIC VINE: It's already been revealed that Damian Wayne is coming back and he'll basically be "the boy of steel." Can you talk a bit about Damian's new powers and how it impacts his already arrogant personality?
PETER J. TOMASI: He's going to have some other talents along with being super strong and being super fast. We're going to play out just what it means for a ten year-old boy -- you know, all ten year-old boys and girls think they're immortal -- to have all of these powers and what it's like after being resurrected on top of that. Yeah, Damian's personality is such that it'll be a very distinct way that he handles his super powers.
CV: Just how powerful is he going to be? Will he be up there with someone like Superman or way lower?
PT: I wouldn't say he's as strong as Superman. In a weird way, I haven't looked at it like a one through ten scale. I would just say he's got some really kick-ass powers that are developing and coming along as we go. He's stronger than Batman, let's put it that way!
CV: When we spoke at NYCC -- before it was announced Damian would return -- we joked that if Damian doesn't return, Nobody should. Is there still any hope to see this villain make a return?
PT: Me and Pat [Gleason] have talked quite a bit about the Born to Kill arc over time, so I'll just leave it at that and say that we definitely really like that character. And if there's some way we can organically bring him back into the fold and explore anything else on that story, then we would definitely take the opportunity to.
CV: Batman vs. Darkseid (BATMAN AND ROBIN #37) is coming out next Wednesday. We've seen so much over-the-top and crazy action in the story, so it seems pretty safe to assume Batman and Darkseid aren't just going to talk this one out?
PT: No. Actually, the big double-page spread that Pat drew in the comic is a little moment when they've got to sit down for tea and figure out just where they both stand in regards to all this stuff. A lot of tea drinking, a lot of talking! Of course I'm pulling your leg. A lot of hitting, a lot punching and kicking and screaming and yelling and spittle flying and beams flying. It's all going to be there on Apokolips. It's all-out. It's crazy, balls to the wall, kick-ass, super action.
CV: Your first issue of SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN had an amusing date between them, especially the taxi scene, but the ending was a rough time for the heroes -- they get seriously beat up by Major Disaster and Atomic Skull.
PT: If have the heroes always winning and never getting their asses handed to them, there's not much drama in that! You go to the end of every issue and Superman and Wonder Woman are like, "Well, we beat up their asses again!" There's not a lot to really do with that. It's a question of just somehow putting them off their game sometimes. If you can't have any decent villains that can at least do some damage, you've got no villains. You've got no heroes. You got to have that mix. I always kind of look at it where, even if they're b-level heroes, come in and do some damage. Because otherwise you can't look at this roster of villains in the company and say, "Well, Superman and Wonder Woman, they just kick everybody's ass every time!" Trust me, it was definitely a concern as I was writing it, but I knew that Doug [Mahnke] could draw the hell of it. That's why I liked Skull and Disaster because Doug could really bring a really dark and powerful feel to it. I knew they' would look really great going up against Superman and Wonder Woman. It's one of those things to play with, just to make sure the heroes are on their toes; they can't always just wipe the floor with everybody they come against. There's definitely no fun in any action scenes if they win every time!
CV: You're now writing two team-up books. If DC said you could create a third -- for example, GREEN ARROW AND GREEN LANTERN -- which two characters would you pick to write?
PT: I think the book I'd really want to do is Alfred and Titus. That's the one I'd want to do. Brave and the Bold: Alfred and Titus! On special missions together. Shaggy and Scooby! No, I don't know. Right now I'm just focused on these guys, these books, so I haven't thought of anything else at the moment. It's a lot of fun and a privilege to be working on them, the three most recognizable characters in comics. To be able to do that at the same time -- BATMAN AND ROBIN and SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN -- is great. It's really just a special time to be working on these and I'm working with artists that are just great. I'm really very lucky.
CV: Any chance we could eventually see a crossover with the two teams?
PT: No. At this point, they're definitely staying in their respective zones and dealing with their own private hells at the moment.
CV: Damian Wayne was just voted as our Character of Month. We're going to look at his history and one of the things we'll do is highlight some of his best covers. Do you have a favorite one?
PT: Hmmm. That's a good question. You know what? I think it's the one for [BATMAN AND ROBIN] #38. The one with that brash, all attitude feel. The bullets bouncing off of him. That's my favorite at the moment and it's just Damian on the cover. There's a great one with Damian and Nobody next to the Bat-Signal. There's a bunch but I think right now, that one sticks out. It's a nice solo cover.
CV: Good choice. What about a favorite action scene with Damian?
PT: Yeah, it's coming up, actually. There's a great scene coming up in issue #39. I think it's probably one of my favorites right now. It's a lot of fun seeing a super powered Damian doing some super powered stuff to some Gotham baddies.
CV: Damian's first Battle of the Week is against Hit-Girl. Do you have an opinion on that fight?
PT: It's pretty simple. I mean, Damian would wipe the floor with her! It would be a quick fight. Damian would take her out lickety-split. She'd go down for the count in... half a minute.
CV: Is there anything else you'd like to say about the upcoming issues?
PT: It's going to be a lot of fun seeing where Pat and I go with Damian and Bruce in BATMAN AND ROBIN for the next couple months. I'm looking forward to really showing some cool stories with Damian with super powers and poor Bruce having to deal with it.
CV: Thanks!
BATMAN AND ROBIN #37 goes on sale next Wednesday (12/17/14)