This week we’re gonna do something a little different and I’m going to tell you a little bit about the first Batman story I wrote - Tiny Hands in the Dark.
TINY HANDS IN THE DARK
Last March, I was just getting out of my third viewing of Matt Reeves’ The Batman when I looked at my phone to see an email from DC Comics. They asked me if I wanted to write a “Zac Thompson” batman short. Hearing that really made my head spin but I did my best to email back something calm and collected like, “YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I immediately expressed my interest to write a mystery with a “lesser” Batman villain (which is actually an oxymoron because everyone in Batman’s rogue’s gallery fucking rules). After some back and forth, we settled on a pitch that was very Giallo-inspired (if you’re unfamiliar, go watch some Dario Argento flicks and get back to me). I wanted to do something with a character known for using his hands in weird ways - The Ventriloquist.
So in keeping with the Giallo point of reference I wanted the reader enter with a series of very restrained voyeuristic panels. Letting the “hands in the dark” do a lot of work while each revealed more information about the weird killer we’re dealing with. Luckily, I was paired with the incredible visionary artist Hayden Sherman so it all looks incredible.
So my little bit of script that read like this…
Ended up looking like this…
From there we build from that sense of restraint and give Batman this ultimate question - is there a murderous child running around Gotham?
I wanted to give Batman a central question that would haunt him. The type of thing that would keep him up at night. But the Giallo influence was also top of mind, so I wanted to make sure we had plenty of opportunities to play with retrained light and shadows. This is a Batman story after all!
So the final confrontation with “Tiny Hands” is a culmination of everything we’re playing with in the story. A lack of light, a terrifying child, and Batman pushed to the absolute brink.
So when it’s finally revealed that “Tiny Hands” is just one of Arnold Wesker’s puppets. The reveal stings. It’s insulting to Batman and going back it all feels so obvious. Wesker is pulled from the shadows and has his ass kicked by the Dark Knight with a few swift moves. Because remember folks, Batman always wins.
The entire 8 page story can be found in the pages of BATMAN URBAN LEGENDS #19. I’m remarkably proud of it and really believe it’s some of my best work. Perhaps it seems obvious but telling a complete mystery story in 8 pages is no easy task. Misdirects are tough to pull off with twenty pages of story but Hayden and Dave made it all look easy.
I know you’re all here for Astra.
Behold.
She’s getting so big! Honestly, she’s already doubled in size since we took her home. We’re getting the hang of living with a puppy but a lot of my writing is getting done in the dead of night when she’s sleeping. So it goes.
Until next time!
Be good to one another. Drink some water. Thank me later.
- Z 04/25/23
Nice! And awwww.