DTECTIVE GETS A NEW TEAM

[MattBrady]

<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/DC/detectivecomics777.jpg" width="180" height="277" border="0" hspace="1" align="right">Come winter, there will be two new faces in Batman’s world – namely Andersen Gabrych and Pete Woods, as DC has confirmed for Newsarama that the duo will be the new creative team on <b>Detective Comics</b>. If you know Gotham, you’ve probably heard of Woods. Gabrych on the other hand, is all new.

<i>Really</i> new. <b>Detective</b> not only marks the new writer’s first ongoing gig, but by the time his first issue comes out – currently scheduled for December – it will be one of only a handful of comic writing assignments he’s had personally.

Where’d he come from? Well, if you’re one of those types who think everyone else gets all the breaks, and if you could just talk to an editor for a few minutes they’d see your obvious brilliance and give you the keys to the kingdom…you might want to find another article to read.

“I first met Andersen at a friend's birthday party,” Batman Group Editor Bob Schreck told Newsarama. “He’s an avid comics reader and absolutely loves the medium. Almost a year later he called and made an inquiry as to how he might get into writing comics and I took a chance and read his work. He's an actor and has also written a few plays.

“Putting it bluntly, I think I know a good writer when I read their work. I better, it's my job. He's already written an issue of <b>Batgirl</b>, issue #38, and several other as yet, unpublished books for us. Generally, I run work by Matt Idelson and Michael Wright to double check me on my sanity.”

Idelson agreed with Schreck’s judgment. “Despite the aggressive consonants of his name, Andersen’s a really nice guy,” Idelson said. “He’s very new to the field – he’s written some stuff for Bob and me, and he’s shaping up to be really, really good. In putting him on <b>Detective</b>, we just wanted to, for a change, have a writer start out, not on some ancillary book where we’d build him up, but put him where people are going to come in, so readers can see what he’s able to do from the very start”

The change in writers came when, according to Idelson, current <b>Detective</b> writer Ed Brubaker felt it was time to go. “Ed had enough,” Idelson said. “He was looking to leave Batman for a while, but we guilted him into staying on, because we wanted some continuity flowing into <b>Detective</b> after the ‘Fugitive’ story. But finally, he was done – he has a lot of books going on right now, as well as a lot of other stuff he has cooking, so he figured it was time to go.”

While he’s supremely confident in Gabrych’s abilities, the new writer’s contribution to the book, according to Schreck, is something that will be in the eye of the beholder. “Andersen will bring in his own voice and perspective – that’s what an editor always looks for,” Schreck said. “It's not easily defined, and best experienced first-hand, by reading what he brings. Just look at the different, yet in many ways, similar takes that Kevin Smith, Brad Meltzer and Judd Winick have all brought to <b>Green Arrow</b>. Each have been met with critical and reader praise, yet each is distinct and different.”

“Andersen has a really good instinct on the themes and the characters, and every idea he has starts with the character,” Idelson added. “I was just blown away in just talking to him. He’s really good.”

Early in his run, Gabrych is looking to take <b>Detective</b> to The Hill, a part of town that’s been neglected, both in the city’s fictional history, as well as editorially, according to Idelson. “We’ve all kind of let that part of the city get away from us,” Idelson said. “Andersen’s story will deal with a growing gang problem there, and that will all tie in thematically with another character in the Batman mythos.”

On the artistic side of the coin, Pete Woods, probably best known for his Gotham City contributions to the <b>Robin</b> series, is slated to start the same month as Gabrych. For those keeping track, this means that Ryan Sook, who was supposed to be the new regular artist on the series following the conclusion of the current <b>Arkham Asylum</b> miniseries written by Dan Slott, won’t be signing onto <b>Detective</b> for the long haul.

“I think Ed and Ryan are going to be doing this Batman story that they wanted to do, either in <b>Detective</b>, just much, much later, or as its own thing, which is what I’m pushing for,” Idelson said. “As for Pete, he and I talked about him moving to one of the main Batbooks a couple of years ago, and at the time, there was still a level of cartooniness to his art. That worked well on <b>Robin</b>, and it would have worked well on a lot of different books, but I didn’t think it would work well on Batman.

“But looking back at his stuff from a year or even six months ago, you can see the growth in his art compared to what he’s drawing now. He’s really bringing in a level of realism in without sacrificing his style. I just think it’s going to be incredible. It’s his dream come true, and he’s just loving the heck out of being on the book –and it shows.”

[jawaplumber]

I was very much considering picking up DETECTIVE COMICS when Ryan Sook took over as artist. I'm not so much into following Batman comics on a monthly basis anymore (with the Loeb/Lee BATMAN being a major exception, and it's ending soon), but I like Ryan Sook enough to have checked out his TEC run. Hopefully, he'll find himself something else interesting :) I wish this new team the best of luck, but I'm not much of a fan of Pete Woods.

[tomwe]

in all honesty i really havn't dug brubaker's work on tec at all. on 'batman' it was a fun ride, but once he took over from rucka i got a bit bored.

i'm excited by the prospect of some fresh blood on the book, and pete woods is a real class act. bring on december!

oh, and i loved spore!!! :p

[Barry]

Guess I'm dropping Detective....

[Zadillo]

Originally posted by tomwe
in all honesty i really havn't dug brubaker's work on tec at all. on 'batman' it was a fun ride, but once he took over from rucka i got a bit bored.

i'm excited by the prospect of some fresh blood on the book, and pete woods is a real class act. bring on december!

oh, and i loved spore!!! :p

I thought Brubaker got off to a slow start, but I have really started enjoying his stuff more lately..... in particular the current "Made of Wood" storyline is one of the best Batman stories I've read in a long time.

I'm sort of sorry to see him go, as I really thought he had this down.

I'm looking forward to what the new creative team can do though.

-Zadillo

[Matches Malone]

*very* sorry to see Brubaker go. Gabrych did a good job with his issue of BATGIRL but.. geez.. Brubaker rocks. *and* he seemed really enthused about a lengthy run on DETECTIVE. This is odd.

[Zadillo]

Originally posted by Matches Malone
*very* sorry to see Brubaker go. Gabrych did a good job with his issue of BATGIRL but.. geez.. Brubaker rocks. *and* he seemed really enthused about a lengthy run on DETECTIVE. This is odd.

Yeah, I can't say I understand it at all..... I wonder what the story is behind it.

-Zadillo

[COREMARK]

I'm going to miss Brubaker on this title, but I'm willing to give this creative team a shot. I've always found Woods to be a little cartoony, but I haven't seen any of his work for over a year.

[Kevin T. Brown]

Originally posted by Barry
Guess I'm dropping Detective....

That might make 2 of us..... This really sucks. I dropped Robin because of bad writing and art, now the artist of Robin is moving here. Sheesh. I was extremely excited about seeing Ryan Sook's artwork and now it's been basically yanked out from under us. Didn't Schreck and DC learn from the Tommy Castillo debacle???

I repeat: This really sucks! :mad:

[Zadillo]

I hope Ryan Sook gets a good gig somewhere.... I've really loved his art.

-Zadillo

[Ian]

I think I'm going to pass on this too. I pretty much was picking 'Tec up because of Brubaker and stayed on despite Castillo because of the promise of Sook. I've enjoyed Woods' work on Robin, but I just don't see it for 'Tec.

Good luck to the new team but I won't be getting it. On the brighter side, I think I'll use that saved money to check out another title. :)

[Chad Anderson]

Originally posted by MattBrady
“I first met Andersen at a friend's birthday party,” Batman Group Editor Bob Schreck told Newsarama. “He’s an avid comics reader and absolutely loves the medium. Almost a year later he called and made an inquiry as to how he might get into writing comics and I took a chance and read his work. He's an actor and has also written a few plays.

Obviously Andersen had the talent to back up his pitch, but given that DC doesn't accept blind submissions right now, I find it hilarious that Detective is being handed to a comics newbie whom Schreck met at a friend's birthday party. If he makes a mark in the industry, that'll be a break-in story to drive all the aspiring comic writers out there crazy.

[Fazhoul]

Well, I'll give the book a look-see but most likely this will be a couple more dollars a month that I will save. (Yeah, like I won't spend it on some other series or mini-series. :) )

[shakey]

I thought DC had figured out that having top creators on your flagship titles mens huge sales. Loeb & Lee, The new writers taking over the Superman titles.

Hope the new guy is good, but couldn't readers find out other than handing him the reigns to Detective?

There are far too many Batman specials out there all at the same time, they waterdown the significance of the monthlies.

[shakey]

Spelling's not my strong suit:)

[gOgIver]

Nice to see Pete Woods stepping up from Robin to 'Tec. :)

[adamania]

I was kind of hoping Pete Woods would be going to the Batman & Robin series I keep hearing rumblings about, as I really enjoy the clean and expressive style for the two he has used in Robin. I also think he would be great for one of the Spider-Man books.

Anywho, good luck Pete. Cograts on landing one of the biggest gigs in comics.

[The Blue Spider]

Originally posted by Chad Anderson
Obviously Andersen had the talent to back up his pitch, but given that DC doesn't accept blind submissions right now, I find it hilarious that Detective is being handed to a comics newbie whom Schreck met at a friend's birthday party. If he makes a mark in the industry, that'll be a break-in story to drive all the aspiring comic writers out there crazy.

It's a valid networking technique. Thousands of people in hundreds of other fields get work/jobs in just this manner. They got work the exact same way this guy.

They knew someone. They met someone else. They talked and they made a good impression. It's fair, it's valid, and it'll drive people crazy that they don'r know someone who knows someone.

[aphterburn]

I love the fact that they're giving an unknown a chance. I will be picking this up most likely.

[Simon DelMonte]

Used to be that you had to earn your stripes before DC or Marvel would let you write the big boys. Now, it feels like we have a lot of unestablished writers handling things they just are not redy for. I hope this new guy works out, but far too many untested writers have flopped badly on Batman and Superman and so forth.

Beyond that, if fair is fair, we should be getting up in arms about this, given how we reacted to a newbie from the theatre world taking over FF. We over-reacted there, but that doesn't mean we have to like it here.

I would much rather have seen Brubaker stick it out, especially since Sook was coming on board, but Brubaker's work here was just not as good as it could be, and now we know why. I would also have preferred DC give the book to either Brian Vaughan - who seemed destined to write Batman someday - Paul Bolles, another newbie who has written some issues of 'Tec and has impressed me.

Funny. Just when I am excited about Superman again, I begin to drop the Batman books. I dropped Knights when Bettay came on, will drop Batman when Hush ends, and will probably not give the new guy on 'Tec that long. But now I can afford Rucka's Superman book.

[Chad Anderson]

Originally posted by The Blue Spider
It's a valid networking technique. Thousands of people in hundreds of other fields get work/jobs in just this manner. They got work the exact same way this guy.

They knew someone. They met someone else. They talked and they made a good impression. It's fair, it's valid, and it'll drive people crazy that they don'r know someone who knows someone.

Just to be clear, I wasn't begrudging Andersen's use of networking; I recognize that it's a valid technique to get employment (having gotten a couple of jobs myself by being recommended by folks I knew).

After reading the intro about "everybody else getting the breaks," I was just imagining all the would-be comic writers out there who can't even get an editor to look at their stuff reading this and thinking: "What? He met him at a birthday party? %$#&@!"

[Banana_Oil]

So now they want to explore "The Hill," and nobody thought to call Priest, who's written more about that part of town than anybody?

That's one for the Priest conspiracy theorists out there...

[Jeremy Williams]

Eh? "Planet Mars calling Bob Shreck, Planet Mars calling Bob Shreck" :D

[ZOD]

Damn. What the hell happened? Ed was just talking about his and Ryan Sook's upcoming run at the summer cons and now all of a sudden he's gone. He was talking about how he was excited to be writing Detective 800 and all that.

I'm really confused.

[Studio D Comics]

Originally posted by ZOD
Damn. What the hell happened? Ed was just talking about his and Ryan Sook's upcoming run at the summer cons and now all of a sudden he's gone. He was talking about how he was excited to be writing Detective 800 and all that.

I'm really confused.

I know, tell me about it! Weird stuff going on.

But for those who haven't seen Pete Woods work recently, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I picked up a couple issues of Robin at a sale, I don't collect the title, but the art looked great. I think he'll do some pretty good work on Dectective.


later
don

[woodstock]

Yeah... I remember Brubaker saying he's already planning for 'Tec 800...

Man, this really sucks. I was looking forward to a long and fantastic Brubaker/Sook run. How cool would it be to get 'Tec 800 written by Brubaker - but now we're going to have it by Anderson Gabrych. Sheesh. I'll try him out, but wow I don't like this development.

[Simon DelMonte]

Originally posted by Banana_Oil
So now they want to explore "The Hill," and nobody thought to call Priest, who's written more about that part of town than anybody?

That's one for the Priest conspiracy theorists out there...

Do you want to see Detective Comics cancelled? :)

I think Priest is in no rush to work for DC again, anyway.

[Michael Norton]

Wow, I don't like this at all.

I've noticed Ed's blog hasn't been updated in quite a while, I hope everything is cool.

Well, hopefully whatever he finds is good for him. I wish Woods the best but as I'm on a tight budget anyway, I might be dropping this one once Brubaker leaves.

Michael Norton

[The Escapist]

Well, I'll certainly give it a try (and I don't begrudge either of the new guys for getting such an excellent gig) but I can't imagine sticking around unless it's amazing work. I REALLY like Pete's stuff, I just think his current style is not a good fit for such gritty stories. The more 'cartoony' look works for Robin, but I don't think I'll be sold on it for Detective. Who knows, maybe he'll try out a new style...

[Gregg Cummings]

Originally posted by The Escapist
Well, I certainly give it a try (and I don't begrudge either of the new guys for getting such an excellent gig) but I can't imagine sticking around unless it's amazing work. I REALLY like Pete's stuff, I just think his current style is not a good fit for such gritty stories. The more 'cartoony' look works for Robin, but I don't think I'll be sold on it for Detective. Who knows, maybe he'll try out a new style...

You said it. The style that Pete Woods currently uses is perfect for Robin. The fill-in issues of Harley Quinn were off-the-script! If he continues with his current style I am not so sure it will click in the page of Detective Comics.

Ryan Sook uses the exact kind of style that I am looking for in Detective Comics.

Other artists whose style I think fit Detective:


Charlie Adlard
Lee Bermejo
Marcelo Frusin
Cully Hamner
Tomm Coker
Jock
Doug Alexander
Duncan Fegredo
Peter Gross
Phil Hester
Cliff Chiang
Francisco Paronzini
Giuseppe Camuncoli
Tsutomu Nihei
Tom Mandrake
Cam Kennedy
Lee Weeks

[Chuck]

I love Pete Woods.

Why Lee Burmejo is not on one of the main Bat-books is beyond me. He is as perfect as an artist can get for Batman.

Chuck

[Michael Eidson]

Brubaker is my favorite comics writer, so of course I'm disappointed by this news. But out of all his work, past and current, Detective was the weakest. I'll be happy to give Gabrych a shot, but I remember a few recent issues with fill-in writers that were absolutely dreadful, so I don't exactly have faith in Detective's editors right now. Not reallly fair to judge it before I've read it, though.

I too was really looking forward to the addition of Sook. Arkham Asylum: Living Hell is a beautiful book. Not familiar with Woods, no knock against him or anything, but I hope that Brubaker/Sook Batman story comes sooner rather than later.

[Jamie S. Rich]

Originally posted by Zadillo
Yeah, I can't say I understand it at all..... I wonder what the story is behind it.

-Zadillo

Probably none. Just what they said. It's not all backroom backstabbings, you know. ;)

[Zadillo]

Originally posted by Jamie S. Rich
Probably none. Just what they said. It's not all backroom backstabbings, you know. ;)

I know, I'm not trying to see conspiracies where there aren't any, or even suggest there is anything nefarious.

It's just that the story told in the above article (that Brubaker was done with the series and ready to move on) just sort of seems to conflict with things he had been saying earlier, as others have pointed out, about being happy to be on the book and excited to get to even write up to issue 800.

It seems like there is just something more to the story, or something that must have changed.

-Zadillo

[Jamie S. Rich]

Originally posted by Zadillo

It seems like there is just something more to the story, or something that must have changed.


Not to speak for Ed, but I imagine it could have been a momentary reinvigoration with the move and artist change. He could have also just been putting on a good face for the camera. I mean, I am sure he was putting his best into the scripts, so I don't mean like he was faking it there--but that if he was starting to grow tired of the assignment and wasn't going to let DC down by not supporting it.

Like I said, I don't know. Ed is an a guy with true integrity, and I'm sure it's probably something terribly mundane.

[TylerS]

I'll skip this. I have no desire to spend money seeing if this guy can make it in the big leagues. I'd like to see the major titles reserved for established writers. Let the rookies work on lesser titles. If they do well, then promote them.

[farwell3d]

I remember Lee Weeks doing some brilliant work on Daredevil back during Last Rites, what has he done in all the years since then?

As for Bru, he might be the nicest comics guy I have ever had the privelege of having contact with. I'm sorry to see him leave Detective so soon after he talked me into trying it out, but oh well.

[woodstock]

My personal preference for a 'Tec artist would be Alex Maleev. His work for the first No Man's Land arc was fantastic, as is his current DD run.

And Mr. Cummings... suggesting Charlie Adlard as a suitable 'Tec artist? I shudder at the thought.

[kossori]

If Gotham Central ever gets the axe, I suggest putting Michael Lark on Detective. His style would fit perfect.

And Alex Maleev does need to be on a regular title, too. Probably another Bat-book. That is, if he doesn't return to Daredevil after Mack's five-parter.

[Boink182]

Uh...wtf?

First Chuck Austen on Action Comics and now this? You know...they should have given this creative team a Bat-mini to cut their teeth on. Else, give the book to the creative team of Arkum Asylum. Now, that series is pretty damn cool. For the last few month, I thought AA has been better than Brubaker's Detective.

Btw, I like Brubaker's Detective more than his Batman, but both weren't even close to Rucka's Detective. Still...it was ok...Looking at the decisions of both DC and Marvel, any new name could just mean another Chuck Austen...

Well...maybe we'll get luck and get another Brian Vaughan instead...

[Jamie S. Rich]

Originally posted by kossori
If Gotham Central ever gets the axe,

Perish the thought!

[rjjb7]

'Tec has been the strongest (if not always recognized) Bat title in my opinion for
some time. Rucka's run was stellar and Brubaker's quite good as well.

A bizarre change in the creative team. I wish the new team the best.

I will be dropping the book. (I'm buying to many titles currently anyway.)

[paulski]

When I saw the headline, I was wondering what happened to Sook's proposed run. That explains it.

Oh well, guess I get to save some money until his Batman work (whatever that may be) begins...

[Zadillo]

Originally posted by kossori
If Gotham Central ever gets the axe, I suggest putting Michael Lark on Detective. His style would fit perfect.

And Alex Maleev does need to be on a regular title, too. Probably another Bat-book. That is, if he doesn't return to Daredevil after Mack's five-parter.

Maleev has already been confirmed to be returning to Daredevil along with Bendis after Mack's five-parter. As near as anyone can tell, Maleev will be on it at least as long as Bendis (a few years at least), or as long as he wants to at least.

-Zadillo

[kossori]

Originally posted by Zadillo
Maleev has already been confirmed to be returning to Daredevil along with Bendis after Mack's five-parter. As near as anyone can tell, Maleev will be on it at least as long as Bendis (a few years at least), or as long as he wants to at least.

-Zadillo

Cool. He's made such an impact on Daredevil that it just wouldn't be the same without him.

I saw it mentioned somewhere that he did a recent issue of Sam & Twitch, so I figured he might have moved there, but the one in the Previews isn't by him. How many issues of Sam & Twitch's new series has he done?

Also... what Batman books did Maleev do? I didn't know he did any. Aside from Gotham Central and Catwoman, I keep a blind eye to the Bat-books. I tried Detective for Brubaker but couldn't stomach the art...

[Zadillo]

Originally posted by kossori
Cool. He's made such an impact on Daredevil that it just wouldn't be the same without him.

I saw it mentioned somewhere that he did a recent issue of Sam & Twitch, so I figured he might have moved there, but the one in the Previews isn't by him. How many issues of Sam & Twitch's new series has he done?

Also... what Batman books did Maleev do? I didn't know he did any. Aside from Gotham Central and Catwoman, I keep a blind eye to the Bat-books. I tried Detective for Brubaker but couldn't stomach the art...

Don't remember the exact issues, but he at least did some of the Batman stuff during the No Man's Land storyline. The first No Man's Land TPB at least has a Maleev cover and Maleev art in about half the book I think (although it seems like he has refined his style quite a bit on Daredevil..... you can still tell it's Maleev in those Batman issues, but it looks a bit more traditional).

-Zadillo

[Leroy]

i did have to laugh when i read this article - met him at a birthday party. sheesh! any honest professional will tell you that it's who you know that gets you into comics. this is true for both writers and artists, writers even more so.

if there is really unknown talent out there, i still think that the way for them to break in is self-publishing their own work. it's not easy, but that may be the only way for a lot of fan boys are going to get an eventual shot at writing that "groundbreaking" and "really cool" Batman or X-Men mini-series peculating in their brains.

COMICBOOKBIN (http://www.comicbookbin.com)

NEGROMANCER (http://www.negromancer.com)

[AtLastAtLast]

Thank god, they've finally lifted the Brubaker curse from another bat title. Now if they'll just wake up on Catwoman, the art change is certainly a start, but a wasted effort until they change the rest of the team.

So now that his star is falling, how long is it going to take you idiots to admit you were sold a bill of goods, hm?

[Matches Malone]

Originally posted by kossori
Also... what Batman books did Maleev do? I didn't know he did any. Aside from Gotham Central and Catwoman, I keep a blind eye to the Bat-books. I tried Detective for Brubaker but couldn't stomach the art...

He drew DETECTIVE #723, which was part of the Chuck Dixon "Brotherhood of the Fist" crossover. He drew the "No Law & A New Order" NML arc, which ran through NML #1, SotB #83, BATMAN #563, and DETECTIVE #730.

Maleev also did the covers for the final month of NML issues (LotDK #126, BATMAN #574, DETECTIVE #741, and SotB #94).

[Shackmania]

Originally posted by Barry
Guess I'm dropping Detective....

??????????????????

WHY? Because you don't know this new guy's work? How can you judge without even knowing what or how this guy writes?

Shackmania

[Ian]

Originally posted by AtLastAtLast
Thank god, they've finally lifted the Brubaker curse from another bat title. Now if they'll just wake up on Catwoman, the art change is certainly a start, but a wasted effort until they change the rest of the team.

So now that his star is falling, how long is it going to take you idiots to admit you were sold a bill of goods, hm?

I hope people have the good sense not to respond to this troll.

[Sean Walsh]

I was upset to hear that Pete Woods - whose art I've enjoyed since his EXCALIBUR days - was leaving ROBIN..........but turns out he just jumped from the sidekick book to the co-flagship book.

As for Andersen Gabrych.......I think the fact that his last name is so tricky will exclude him from the kind of heat that Ron Zimmerman and the playwright dude taking over Fantastic Four are getting. So yay! :p

Sean

[cactusmaac]

Patton Oswalt was a comics newbie who wrote one of favourite JLA stories of recent memory with the JLA:Welcome to the Working Week one-shot.

So I'll give this guy a shot in case lightning strikes twice.

I mean think about it. Schreck isn't a rookie editor and he wouldn't take a risk with somebody unproven unless he was pretty sure about them.

I'm not too upset about Sook not being the regular artist since his work wasn't that impressive to me.

But yeah, I'd have liked Dan Slott as the new writer.

[Jeremy Williams]

An annoying trend that is developping i comics is giving books to newbies because of contacts. Whatever happened to the times when you had to have credentials or you had to essentialy graduate before you were given the chance to write the big boys? The comic-book industry is turning into Hollywood where you get a job because you`re the new thing(a la Peyton Reed for the Fantastic Four movie). Meanwhile you have a lot of proven veterans who could do marvels on the job, but are ignored because they carry a lot of baggage. I think it`s not very fair to these guys and the fans would swallow much easier having a guy who earned his stripes so they can have a good idea what they are getting into.

Can you imagine Brian Azzarello getting the Superman gig if he hadn`t done 100 Bullets? Get the picture?

[farwell3d]

Much like the FF, I'm going to wait and read the new guy before I judge it.