Last week DC announced that September would be "Zero" month as well as the debut of some new titles in the "third wave" of the "New 52." One of the new titles, TALON, will be written by James Tynion IV and co-plotted by Scott Snyder.
While talking to Scott about BATMAN #10 and the big reveal, I also asked him one question about TALON. When I heard that a Talon had been trained in their ways and managed to escape, while being hunted by the Court of Owls, one thought came to mind. Turns out I was a little off. But here's what Scott had to tell us about TALON. I'm definitely more excited now after this.
Comic Vine: Is TALON going to sort of be like Jason Bourne? He has all this training but he's on the run?
Scott Snyder: I hadn't really thought of that movie or book that much until you said it now. Now that you say it, I can definitely see elements of that being part of the DNA of the series in some way. For us, what the series is really about is not about someone who doesn't know his past or what he's done. Our character is very much aware of what he did and that's part of what drives him. He was in the circus, back at Haly's when he was a child. He was an escape artist with a really troubled past. Being a master escape artist is what brings him to the attention of the Court. He can escape from any trap, you can imagine how valuable that be to an assassin. He could get into any house, pick any lock and so on.
What happens is he's just made of better and brighter stuff than they expect. He makes his greatest escape ever which is escaping from them. He's the only person to ever escape that fate. Obviously you know from BATMAN that Dick was supposed to be a Talon but they never actually got their claws on him. This is someone that went through the Court's full training. You'll also see things you haven't seen about the training that will surprise you.
This is a wonderful character that James [Tynion IV] created. I really want to point out firmly with this, this series is going to take you all over the DCU. It's going to show you big secrets about the Court. It's going to be fast paced and fun. And here's the truth guys, for everyone out there reading this article, DC approached me about doing a TALON book or spin off about the Court of Owls a few months ago…about six months ago. I wracked my brain and said, "No, I would be milking it for more than I have. I have some deep stuff about their history. I have stuff about their resources all over the DCU. But I don't have a story and I don't want to force one."
I went back and was writing BATMAN and I told James about this. I told him, "You know, I feel bad but I just don't want to cheapen the idea." He said, okay. A couple weeks later he asked if he could pitch me the idea because he had an idea in his head. He had an idea how to continue it but I have very skeptical.
He pitched it to me and I thought it was wonderful. I said, "If that's the kind of series I could write, I would write it. I just don't have the ability or the time." He said he'd love to try it so I mentioned it to Mike [Marts], Bob Harras and Dan [DiDio]. They had him draw up a pitch and they liked it from the beginning. I've been helping him figure out the first and second arc and plotting. What I'm so proud of is he has really come up with this on his own. This is something I fully stand by and support. I'm very judicious with what I put my name on and this is something I'm extremely proud to have my name on. James is just somkleone that deserves a really big chance and he has a great voice.
I would just say to everyone out there, as you'll see, Justin Jordan on TEAM SEVEN, he's another guy I'm very enthusiastic that DC pursued to get over here. One of the great things since the New 52 has been DC has really given some of us writers, like me, an open ear about guys we'd recommend and bring in. Some new guys, new blood. For me, there's nothing more gratifying in seeing someone get the same chance that I got. Someone with a voice that's really dynamic and great that has something to say.
What I would say with TALON, this is that book. This is not the book that I'm doing for an extra book, more material, for more money or anything like that. I swear on my kid's head. This is a book that I'm proud of because my former student and my colleague now came up with an idea that I thought was really brilliant and made a really fresh original series. I'm really super proud to support it. If you pick it up, just know that you're giving it a chance, you're giving a young writer a chance. When you say, "I wanna see new blood at DC or Marvel, then try out the books and give these guys a chance. Not that I'm a veteran, I've only been doing this a few years but it keeps us guys that have done this for a little while at this point, like me, excited to have guys like him in the room. You can see what they can bring that new and different. So please give it a chance. I hope you like it as much as I do.
TALON #0 is on sale September 26.