Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: absolute, Absolute Batman, nick dragotta, scott snyder

Scott Snyder On The Future Of Absolute Batman And Absolute Spoilers

Scott Snyder takes to social media to talk about the future of Absolute Batman as well as what to do with covers and Absolute spoilers...

As Absolute Batman is slipping down the schedules slightly, and starting to run "redacted covers", Scott Snyder took to social media to talk about what's coming for Absolute Batman and the Absolute line. As Bleeding Cool readers know, the comic can often come down to the wire… He writes;

"I just wanna say thanks for your patience lately. I know we can be a week late here and there, and that's totally on me. I've had a lot of life stuff between our kid, leaving for college, health scare all good, as mentioned), etc. Nick and I will always keep the book 1/2. And as a thank you, Nick and I have a plan that I'll talk about soon, probably in my newsletter early this week, to make sure we keep spoilers hidden for upcoming issues that we think will also add some fun to the solicits – these next ten months are really full of huge reveals."

So what are you and Nick Dragotta thinking, Scott?

"So here's what Nick and I are thinking. Solicits tend to ruin things coming up bc the covers show things two or three months down the line. For example, if solicits coming out when 11 is in stores show Catwoman on the cover of 14, you know she's coming which spoils stuff . So our choices are either to not put anything on the cover that's a spoiler, which is hard on Nick, and also not as fun, or, we just let solicits spoil stuff. When it's too big a spoiler DC has let us redact things on covers. We did that with 10, and now with 17… And this has actually worked really well for fans, because it enhances the fun. For eg, on the day 9 came out, when you got to see Bane's bigger design at the end, we unreacted the cover to 10, which had that design on the cover (& would've spoiled it if it was out earlier).  So what we're thinking of is doing that as a regular thing for the issues coming up because there are some really big revelations – new characters, twists etc."

How will it go, Scott?

"It'd go like this: We have a big twist at the end of AB 19 (April). That twist is on the cover of AB 20 (May, but solicits show the cover in Feb). So we redact the spoiler for 20 in solicits but a few days after 19 comes out, and people have read it, we un-redact 20 cover on SM. This way, you'd have a few days to read an issue before there's anything on social media revealing spoilers on following issues. And we get to make covers that are awesome and fun. What do you think? We would do the same with retailers – if they wanted to do covers that didn't have a spoiler they could post it early, but if there's a spoiler, that cover would have to be withheld until the release of the issue with that spoiler in it."

But what will we guys have to do, Scott?

"The one thing is, you guys would really have to read the issue when it comes out if you want to avoid spoilers on social media. But right now you don't even have that option — anything on a cover for an issue a couple months from now gets spoiled ahead of time. The goal really is just to make the book the most fun for you guys. We're beyond grateful for your excitement for it, and we want the experience of reading it and talking about it with your friends to be the best possible bc we're having the time of our lives on this thing."

So what would this be like?

"So this would be like – 19 has a big reveal at the end. That reveal is on the cover to 20, but we hide it in solicits 19 comes out. You have Wed to Fri to read it unspoiled. Fri we reveal the cover to 20 (so folks can order it by Monday, when orders for 20 would be due). Anyway, let us know what you think. Especially retailers if you can. Reply, DM. We really wanna make sure anything we do is only upping the positives for you guys."

Thanks Scott! So what's next?

"Eric Canete is on art for 17-18 and is almost done with 18 now. Nick and I are finishing 19 now. Having Eric do these two issues allows Nick to jump ahead so he can do a bunch in a row for our big scarecrow are starting in April. Nick was just over at my place & we were looking at it again & we have at least 35-40 planned now. We have an ending we're headed towards, but we keep coming up with new Story that pushes it back haha Same happened on American vampire. I thought it'd be 30 issues ended up w 50+ I've never been on a book where we didn't have an ending planned. It's just how my own process works? But that doesn't mean that ending needs to come anytime soon…"

But what do the retailers think? John Ernenputsch of Comicosity responded,

"I hope this doesn't sound harsh, because this all sounds great in theory, but it just won't matter at all if the whole stores breaking street date deal isn't figured out. For example, next week's issue of KO has already been spoiled, and pics of the bracket posted.  You can go through all the trouble of obscuring spoilers in solicitations and redacted covers, and there's a good chance it will just be a waste, because one store anywhere breaks street date."

I mean, yeah, um, *whistles nonchalantly, hands in pockets, walks round the corner and legs it into the distance*…

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