CBR has an interview with writer artist Tony Daniel on his first outing in Detective Comics #1:

CBR News: Last Wednesday you really hit the ground running starting with Joker as your first big villain. Why lead with Batman’s biggest bad guy for your inaugural story arc?

Tony S. Daniel: Well, mainly because he is Batman’s biggest bad guy, like you stated. I’m looking at this from the perspective of grabbing the attention of the casual reader, or a new reader, to fully take advantage of this enormous opportunity to reel in some brand new readers. So leading the first story off with Batman’s biggest foe gives those readers a sense of familiarity. They can read and enjoy a good Batman vs. Joker story.

But there’s a story underneath, hiding under the flash and dazzle of Joker vs. Batman. I think by the end of issue one, I’ve grabbed everyone’s attention. I know people want to know what the hell’s going on and guess what? That’s how you hook new readers: making them feel like that have to find out what happens next.

Between knifing Bruce and brutally attacking the Dollmaker’s son, this Joker seems a lot more willing to directly engage in combat than Jokers past. Is your idea for the Joker that he’s a more actively violent criminal?

I’m not turning him into an MMA fighter or anything, but heck yeah, he can fight and he can kill. He’s no stranger to this.

When we last talked about how you drew Bruce during your “Batman” run, you compared him to Dick Grayson, saying he was a Bull to Dick’s more graceful Deer. In this first issue, while you’ve streamlined his costume a bit, Bruce still retains that hulking quality. To your mind, are you still drawing the “Batman” Bull?

Well, I don’t think so really. He’s bigger and badder than the Dick Grayson version of Batman. But he’s not as bulky as I drew him when I reunited with Grant Morrisson for “Batman” #701 and #702. Bruce is younger here. So right now my approach is strong and brutal, while being graceful and agile. I’m thinking a little more like Neal Adams’ Batman with a little Frank Miller grit thrown in.

For the full interview click here…