DC Comics has been spreading out the previews to their New 52 titles among different news outlets, this time it’s USA Today – getting the preview for Detective Comics #1 by Tony Daniel. Detective Comics #1 is the first Batman title to be published and will be followed by Batman #1, Batman and Robin #1, and Batman: Dark Knight #1 in subsequent weeks.

Daniel says his Batman will emphasize the “detective” part of the character.

"It allows me to do some edgier stories. We’re concentrating on serial killers and real bad guys in Gotham City— the scum of the earth — so I get to have a really good film-noir vibe going on with the character: dark, gritty, intense story lines that wouldn’t have felt right with the more superhero-y Batman comic."

The Dollmaker is the first villain that Batman will face in Detective Comics, an adversary created by Daniel. Although Batman has plenty of villains to choose from, he chose to create a brand new one. According to Daniel:

"Batman has the greatest rogues’ gallery in all of comics, so there’s plenty to choose from but I don’t want to own the crutch of needing the Penguin or the Mad Hatter or Scarecrow, in my next arc. Fresh, brand-new villains are the ones who will give Batman challenges he’s never faced before."

You can read the entire article here. Enjoy the preview artwork by Tony Daniel below.

– The Comic Book Critic