The first chapter in ‘Dark Nights: Metal’ hits your local comic book store today with ‘Dark Days: The Forge’ (check our review). Monkeys Fighting Robots spoke with the architect of METAL, Scott Snyder on Monday about ‘The Forge’ and how METAL differs from previous big events at DC Comics.
Snyder establishes METAL as the Anti-Crisis:
“Of course there are risks, but I mean here’s the thing, I’m not calling it a Crisis. Because for me, those have certain baggage, that is good baggage. I mean I love Infinite Crisis and I love Final Crisis and I love Crisis on Infinite Crisis, I mean as three of the best DC stories ever. But what I’d say is this story is less about sort of doing something dramatically subtractive or corrective to the DCU than it is about being additive in that way. Because Rebirth like you pointed out has put us in a great spot where Geoff has a lot of answers to some of the questions people have about continuity coming up and Doomsday Clock. And so, do we have consequences? Oh, 100 percent! Like there’s no point in doing a story unless there’s going to be big stories spinning out of it,” said Snyder.
In essence, Snyder understands the mythos of DC Comics but also wants to build legacy without destroying the Universe. Readers respect this approach and embrace it.
On the Post-METAL DCU:
“But with that said I don’t want it to be something where it’s like WHO WILL DIE. That’s not the spirit of this one you know. And that’s not what I’m after here. I was never out when I did Batman to kill anybody or to take things away from the mythology. It was always about trying to add. So there’s a ton of stuff that’s going to be coming out through Metal both as, not just crossovers and those things, but actual books that get their start sort of in some of the concepts of Metal will be announced soon in San Diego and other places. They’re going to be a bunch of stories that I’m doing coming out of it both with things like Challengers and another book that’s going to be announced really soon, and then also stuff that I have planned for Post-Metal and a rearrangement of some of the stuff that I’m doing,” said Snyder.
Are you excited for New Challengers? What other book do you think Snyder is going to work on? Plastic Man…?
On METAL vs METTLE:
“So there’s a lot of consequence when it comes to the story. You’re going to be getting on the other side of it but the other thing I don’t want people to feel like we’re going to do something that’s like a Crisis and that’s just as we’re getting things back on track and kind of setting the universe up in a way that people were happy with we’re just going to break it apart again. That’s not what this is. What this is really, is it’s about the discovery of a whole new area of the cosmology that’s unexplored and unknown and what happens when that area comes to test our heroes. I can even say, ‘test our heroes’ mettle’ which I haven’t said before which is super corny and hokey to say, but it is true,” said Snyder.
After reading ‘The Forge,’ there are a ton of characters introduced. Snyder is a Batman guy, so don’t expect Hal Jordan to save the day, but it will be very interesting to see where the Green Lantern storyline goes.
Snyder opens a can of worms:
“Ultimately that’s what this is for. We want it to be something that’s personal. You know it has a lot of heart from stuff that Greg and I talk about privately when it comes to how there are moments you can suddenly find yourself in a situation that feels like a story you never thought was possible. And the Dark Multiverse isn’t just evil versions of our characters or something that simple or reductive. It’s much more along those lines of dark matter, dark energy, something that’s reactive and unknown and imperceptible and scary and really unexplored. And in that way sort of when it comes here and it affects the DCU, it does things that seem almost impossible and I think that’s what the story is about for me and Greg,” said Snyder.
With one concept, “Dark Multiverse,” Snyder makes the DCU infinitely larger with possibilities, but also realizes the responsibility of creating interesting new characters, not crazy doppelgängers of the originals.
On Batman and Fatherhood:
“The ways in which sometimes before you even know it feels like the entire story you’re in has spun into a different direction than you ever thought was possible and something very scary and dark, and how hard it is to get purchase on that. That said, my way has always been whether it’s ‘Zero Year’ which is very personal about what I wanted Batman to mean for my kids. “Death of the Family” which was about fears of being a dad. All those things I like to bury those ideas or bury those feelings inside a lot of comic bombast. Especially with a story like this. I do want him to remind us how fun comics can be over the summer. How fun these events can be, how kind of bombastic and epic and zany they can be especially kind of on the 100th anniversary of Kirby’s birth,” said Snyder.
The first lesson in writing is “write what you know.” It’s very impressive that Snyder has established a way to apply his personal emotions to a character with a vast amount of history like Batman.
Snyder is the Anti-Crisis:
“You want it to feel like it has that crazy spirit and energy. So that’s what I’m going for with it. I really hope people dig it. Again, there are big consequences but it’s not grim. I’m not looking to kill off a swath of characters. I’m not looking to suddenly tell you that all the characters history is re-erased again. That’s not what I’m after here. It’s celebratory and I want it to be additive. I want you to come out and be like holy shit! We now have so many good series and so many good stories and so many new areas of the DCU to explore that we didn’t realize, this is great!” said Snyder.
Are you excited for ‘Dark Nights: METAL?’ Tells us your favorite Scott Snyder storyline in the comments below.
Check out a preview of ‘Dark Days: The Forge’ below.
