Batman writer James Tynion IV moving from DC Comics to new venture

James Tynion IV big move from DC Comics to Substack will help the comic book industry and future creators. 

The comic book industry continues to change and evolve with the time. The writing has improved by adapting with the times, now including more topics that affect people everyday and also creating characters from all different walks of life. The artwork doesn’t look the same either; you have a plethora of different artists who all have their own unique characteristics. What’s better is that the art now reflects the character. You have artists like David Finch whose art is perfect for Batman.

Speaking of the Caped Crusader, the current Batman writer James Tynion IV will be leaving DC Comics for something new.

The comics veteran will be joining the platform Substack – a website that primarily focuses on the creators. According to their official website, Substack “is home to writers of every size and shape. Whether you’re writing about parenting, philosophy, or pedestrianism, you’re in good company.” Tynion spoke about this new move on his personal Substack saying,

"“DC had presented me with a three-year renewal of my exclusive contract, with the intent of me working on Batman for the bulk of that time. I was grateful of the offer, but I couldn’t help but look at the success of my original, creator owned titles and wonder if it was the right choice.And then I received another contract. The best I’ve ever been given in a decade as a professional comic book writer. A grant from Substack to create a new slate of original comic book properties directly on their platform, that my co-creators and I would own completely, with Substack taking none of the intellectual property rights, or even the publishing rights.”"

James Tynion IV’s move from DC Comics to Substack could signify a new era for writers

One of the biggest concerns for creators is owning your creations. We’ve seen performers and podcasters like Joe Budden speak on the importance of giving the power to the creators. With Substack, James Tynion IV will own and have complete control of his comic books. Something you can’t have when writing characters owned by major companies like Marvel and DC Comics. That’s not to say that it’s a bad thing. However, James Tynion may want something more.

James Tynion IV has been writing for years. His current run of Batman and The Joker have put him in a new category. No matter how popular a character is, the writer has to make them interesting and that’s something that James Tynion IV has done – especially with The Joker. That title may be about the Clown Prince of Crime, but it’s heavily focused on Jim Gordon and it’s an incredible read. This, on top of years of fantastic writing has put him in a spot to help future creators realize there’s more than just the few platforms that are regularly promoted.

James Tynion IV’s first comic book for Substack is titled Blue Book. It will be drawn by artist Michael Avon Oeming with Aditya Bidikar doing the letters. While this is a new platform for writers, James Tynion said something that should inspire future creators, commenting that this movie will be a, “big gut punch to the traditional comic book hierarchy.”

What do you think? Is this a good move for future creators? Let us know in the comments below.