Kevin Smith To Write Two New Comic Books

Hopefully this is good news for comic fans, but it would seem that we are going to get more comics from writer/ director Kevin Smith. Smith is a great film guy. Personally he is one of my favorites. In the past he has written some really good comic books, but has had many problems making deadlines. He has gone months, even years between issues which has had many fans doubt his ability to commit to a project. All of that changed this year with his release of his latest mini series Batman:Cacophony. This three issue mini had all the classic Smith dialogue mixed with some well thought out action, and on top of that it shipped on time! Now it looks like DC Comics and Dynamite Entertainment are going to give him another shot with Batman: The Widening Gyre and The Green Hornet.

The Green Hornet is a big deal! Some of you may remember that Smith was once considered to write the screen play and possibly direct the live action film for the Hornet. But, as many things do in Hollywood, projects change and new people are brought on board and Smiths tale of this crime fighter was supposed to never see the light of day. “Dynamite honcho Nick Barrucci hit me with an email, saying he’d locked up the license [for masked crime fighter Brit Reid and his nimble sidekick, Kato], and asking if I wanted to write an arc,” says Smith. “But had to decline because I was in the middle of the Batman scripts. But then I thought ‘I already wrote a Hornet story once…’ It’s the Hornet movie I’d make if I was making it today. And there’s no better time to do that than before Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry’s version defines the character for the mainstream. We haven’t picked an interior artist yet, but we’ve got some stellar cover talent on board already: Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Jae Lee, and David Finch.” says Smith. I am thoroughly excited for this event. Smith taking a somewhat obscure character sounds like a kick ass idea.

As for his new Batman series Smith, via EW.com ,states “The Widening Gyre is a 12-issue Batman mini-series split into two volumes, with a half year break between each. Issues one through six (Book I) will ship monthly. Then, the story goes on hold for six months. Then, issues seven through 12 (Book II) will once again ship monthly. Yes, I built in the break to insure we don’t run into my usual problems with lateness. But I’m trying to improve, folks: first six scripts and first issue’s art — by Cacophony artist Walt Flanagan — were already done before we took this public. But here’s the kicker: three weeks after the last issue of The Widening Gyre, we’ll launch a solo series featuring the new character, which I’ll be writing bi-monthly.” So on top of writing a good sized Batman series we will also get what seems to be a new hero out of it that Smith will also be penning.

I am excited, but I will try to contain myself. I still don’t know if I forgive Smith for never finishing Daredevil/ Bullseye: The Target which only had the first issue come out in 2002. Batman:Cacophony was amazing and had some of the best Joker/ Batman dialogue in recent history. We will just have to wait and see about these two amazing series.

What do you think? Let us know.

Source: EW, Dynamite Entertainment