Q: When it comes to writing Batman, are you distinguishing this version from the previous one? Is your approach to the character different than the pre-New 52 Batman? SS: No, my version of Batman is as different as the version that came before, just like every version is, because the truth is, the only way to write a character as iconic as Batman is to accept that you're going to have to make him your own, almost as if you were writing fan fiction and no one is ever going to read it. I brought my wife to her first con last year and when I asked her what she thought, she said-and I was nervous to hear her response-that she was really moved by how passionate the fans were about these characters, and I feel the same way. I always knew it, but seeing the responses online through Twitter and Facebook is overwhelming and inspirational. Q: Has social media and increased direct interaction with DC Comics' fans changed your writing/drawing approach at all in regards to The New 52? SS: It hasn't changed my writing approach it has made me appreciate how much the fans love these characters. I particularly like All-Star Western for its interesting mix of old west and gothic horror. And I'm really excited to be a part of everything happening in Gotham between Batgirl, Batman and Robin, Nightwing, and all the great books in our neighborhood. Q: Do you keep up with any of the other New 52 books? Which ones and why? SS: My favorite of The New 52 would have to be Animal Man by Jeff Lemire, who is also one of my closest friends.

And now the fun thing is that I have a five-year-old son and I get to fall in love with some of the tamer versions of Batman all over again. Q: What stories or creators inspire you most when working on your character? SS: For Batman, I have my favorites: Dark Knight Returns and Year One, but it's hard to only pick a couple because he's a character who grew up alongside me, where the kinds of stories that were being told about him were becoming more sophisticated and complex right as I was coming of age. For Swamp Thing, I'd say what defines him is his inability to give up his humanity even when he's at his most monstrous. Q: What would you say defines the characters you are working on? SS: For Batman, what defines him is his relentless determination, which is both his most heroic quality and his most pathological. With an imitative this big, seeing how many new readers came to the table to read comics after having lapsed, or never having read one at all, was a real thrill. So if the best story meant making changes to a character's history, there was flexibility to do so.

Q&A with Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo Q: What is it like working on a huge initiative like The New 52? Scott Snyder: For me it was exciting because we were given the opportunity to work on characters we love with no restrictions.

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