Scott Snyder: How Humanity's Worst Appears In Nostalgia
Scott Snyder, now there's a name no comic fan will ever be able to escape from. His exploits with Batman are so notable they serve as the highlight of DC's New 52. But long before Batman, Snyder's path to becoming a storyteller is rough and requires getting through hard truths. As Snyder finds, it's not a path of glory as it is one about continuous self-reflection. With that in mind I can even see why Batman resonates with him so much.
Scott Snyder: The First Glimpse into the Horizon
As a child, young Scott gains insight into storytelling through Stephen King's The Eyes of the Dragon. So there are alternatives to scary stories. Pretty soon Snyder starts to delve into more of the writing of King and several others; when it comes to comics though he cites Alan Moore and Frank Miller as his favorites. But unlike many such as Mark Millar who take the more sensational aspects, Snyder takes the hard truths of legends. Which he comes across in later years.
To be a better storyteller, Snyder gets a creative writing degree in an Ivy League. Unfortunately, not a lot of jobs are open to people with that degree. So his first major jobs are actually at "The Most Magical Place On Earth"... as a custodian and a mascot. Yeah and places like that get messily busy really quick. It isn't long before his jobs at Disney start to affect him in the best and worst ways. Writers and artists are freelancers most of the time so a fear of commitment comes often. Being around so many happy people can feel pretty isolating as well. It's only a matter of time before Snyder takes the...
The Short and Small Steps
With inspirations by all the greats in short stories, Snyder publishes his first collection of short stories. Voodoo Heart as the hardcover edition explains is a whimsical and imaginative world; however these fun times can easily turn ugly. The worst part is, those uglier aspects are more believable than the positive ones. Stephen King himself praises Snyder's work to the point of being on the shortlist for The Story Prize. Pretty soon though he delves into the superhero sub-genre with The Thirteenth Egg. But rather than make it empowering, it's a tale of burdens. A WWII soldier comes back from the war alive from the nuclear bomb sites but one small disruption takes it all away. Both of these stories influence his later work.
Sidekicks to Masters
Some of comics older ideas including the sidekicks are part of a big influence for Snyder. Starting with the original Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Snyder demonstrates the ideals of hope. Hammond fears the time he will explode in nuclear fire after earning his humanity. His sidekick Toro is no small part of that; which is why Hammond entrusts his legacy to him.
Snyder himself serves as a sidekick to his own hero, Stephen King in the first volume of American Vampire. It's even at its most ideal when the two exchange roles of mentor and mentee. This reflects best through series main characters Skinner Sweet and Pearl. Skinner is King's influence while Pearl serves as an audience viewpoint. By the time King gives everything to Snyder though, it demonstrates Snyder's rocky relationship with him. Skinner seems nice at first and he all but steals the show. Pearl meanwhile reflects Snyder's desire to step out of his idol's shadow. It all pays off when Snyder's efforts eventually get the attention of DC's editorial department.
Scott Snyder Meets his Totem
Scott Snyder's exploits get him an exclusive contract with their most profitable character, Batman. Starting in Detective Comics, Snyder lays the foundations of Batman for the next decade. What better way to start than by showing how he's become his own hero through Dick Grayson, the first Robin? I'll let Matt Draper handle introductions:
Snyder really shows his appreciation of Frank Miller in this series. He like Miller sees Batman as this legendary figure that renews people. But Batman is also a by-product of the hungry nature of Gotham; a symbol of the choices to accept or alleviate the hunger. In fact the storytelling methods that Snyder uses in Black Mirror is rather similar to Batman: Year One. The narrative however grows into much more extreme territories. Dick and Gordon might be resilient to Gotham's hunger thanks to Bruce; but now the city is ready to swallow them whole.
Scott Snyder: Predators from the Familiar
That hunger is a reoccurring theme in a lot of Snyder's work. In The Gates of Gotham, Dick's last adventure as the Dark Knight shows just how vulnerable he is to the city. It's for that very reason, he gives the cowl back to Bruce. Not even the company reboot in the New 52 could stop the hunger. But this younger and less experienced Bruce Wayne himself is vulnerable to new threats.
This first appears in the form of the Court of the Owls, a secret society that serves as Batman's polar opposite. Batman is a legendary byproduct of Gotham, the Owls meanwhile are mythical roots ingrained within Gotham. It all drives home the point of the more someone thinks they know about what they love; the more exposed they are towards surprises, including the Owls' sleeper agent Lincoln March. Is he just a pawn of the Owls they condition, or is he the long-lost brother of Bruce? Even the world's greatest detective can't figure it out.
The Hunger Out of Gotham
Gotham however is just a piece of the gluttony. Image Comics is where Scott Snyder expands the hunger without fear of continuity. In Severed the hunger manifests in the form of the open road and the primary antagonist. A life of adventure sounds exciting for Jack Garrison who goes out to find his father. In order to do so however, he left his cushy life with his foster mother behind. As such he is exposed to the perils of life on the railway, especially for kids. You might think that staying home would be the safest place, but that's not the case for Snyder's next Image.
Wytches displays that this predatory nature is closer to home than people think it is. This folk horror story shows just how much people are willing to go to keep things as they are. Even if that means sacrificing small yet very crucial parts of their own life. The worst part however comes from the fear that this kind of place is where you actually belong. The wytches themselves are just the tip of a terrifying iceberg, an embodiment of this unknowable hunger.
Scott Snyder: The Age of Re-Discovery
Despite this dour situation, there is some fulfillment that some of the hunger drives towards. In American Vampires, readers get a reexamination of the bloodsuckers. Like real people or creatures they are environmental products. European vampires are the usual bat-like lords while the American variety share traits with rattlesnakes. The American vampires also value their independence rather than stick to traditions, by any means necessary. It sounds scary but that's kind of the beauty of discovery.
Just look at one of Snyder's earliest comics in Iron Man Noir. Rather than stick to the depression era's gloominess it's a tribute to the pulp era; the era that lifted people's spirits in all of the bleakness. Who hasn't dreamed of living like Indiana Jones and punching out Nazis? Admittedly there are some controversies surrounding this including how Stark flourishes when other businesses fail. Yet that's a small ripple some of Snyder's other work.
Respecting the Past
Look no further than Swamp Thing when it comes to doubling back on history. In this series, nostalgia is more of something to hold people back. Alec Holland remembers his life as Swamp Thing from the pre-New 52. Unfortunately for him it's not exactly the best thing for his state of mind. Alan Moore's iconic run reveals that Alec Holland's identity was taken by the Swamp Thing. This is one of the few times when Alec gets a fresh start to a new life devoid of the traumas. Unfortunately it's also what separates him from long time love-interest Abby.
It's almost a meta-commentary on rebooting something fans consider sacred. Because how could Scott Snyder repeat what made fans love Swamp Thing in the first place? For Snyder that means both preserving the emotional core of the character and pruning everything else. In this case, it's the love Alec shares with Abby and how circumstances beyond their control force them out of comforts.
Snyder creates an Eco Horror story in conjunction with a forbidden love story. Ultimately, Alec becomes Swamp Thing for love in spite of the horrors that he faces. This in turn helps Abby come to terms with the Black and continue her relationship with Alec. All despite the fact that Abby's source of power is the opposite to Alec's Green. It's an ironic case of how something people find familiar changes dramatically into something else.
How Nostalgia Becomes Toxic
In most of Snyder's horror/thriller pieces, a reoccurring theme comes in the form of how something familiar flips over. Earlier with Batman, it's how the Dark Knight doesn't really know everything about his city. This includes his Rogue's Gallery like when a former joke villain Cluemaster becomes a serious threat. Or even the Joker who nobody can seem to get a read on because he changes into whatever he wants. The Jester of Genocide is one mystery the world's greatest detective can never solve. (Yeah Geoff Johns did not handle his Three Jokers well). But it's the things that people love and fear the most that really change how people look at things.
In the Dark Nights series Metal and Death Metal there comes the Dark Multiverse. In this place, anything that is even remotely possible but can't support itself without continuity go here. The kind mostly represented by the Dark Knights, alternate Batmen that could very well have been the main one. Because as far as circumstances go, anything that can happen serves as the building blocks of greater stories. That dependency on possibilities can fundamentally change how people look at things.
Even For Outsiders
Just look at Snyder's collaboration with Charles Soule, Unknown Country. You ever wonder what would happen if the US cut itself off from the world? These people will tell you some things; but what if America itself changed? Well realistic means aren't the point here, it's how people react to this. Both this and Snyder's other work Nocterra detail how the worlds change fundamentally if something people take for granted change. Sure the sun not giving off light and just heat causes people to turn into monsters doesn't make any sense; but sense is just words at points like those. If you ever live in worlds like these you've got to hold onto the small things like family.
Scott Snyder: Just Live
For Scott Snyder, it's not only about finding the worst of situations but making the most of it. Just look at Batman and why he fights for Gotham, the city allows Bruce to become anyone. All of the conflicts and issues that arise require a human face, not just a symbol. It's why Bruce Wayne has to step out of the shadows for the city he loves. For both Batman and Bruce allow people to become their best selves including Duke as Signal.
For Batman and Superman, it's important to keep loved ones close even if it's not forever. Superman in particular cherishes his time as Clark Kent but still worries about the future. That doesn't stop him from living in the moment though. For that matter it's the World's Finest's friendship that gets them out of their darkest hours. Because even the greatest heroes need some important people in their lives. Batman's got an entire family behind him for that reason. Snyder has people like Soule and Jeff Lemire.
Meeting the Right Person
Lemire and Snyder's collaborations such as Rotworld are about the nature of relationships. If people take more than they can give, that's a display of toxicity. Everyone's got ways of expressing themselves to loved ones, it's just a matter of finding what works out. Otherwise people get stuck.
As for Scott Snyder, he gains a friend in Lemire. The pair collaborates on the Image Comics series A.D.: After Death. Snyder's writing combines with Lemire's art for a mutual story about solitude and finding the best of the situation. With literally all the time in world, all that a person can do is think. I wonder how long it takes a writer and artist to get something like this in the publications.
Making the Dive With a Friend
Sometimes those scary situations become less so when you have a friend on your side. Sean Murphy illustrates the two-part series The Wake. People know very little about the ocean. The first part plays out like a monster horror movie. The marine biologist of the team, Archer Lee, even seems to come out on top like a Last Girl. Unfortunately, more of the creatures show up and they take over the world. In the second part, a scavenger with the apt name of Leeward looks for signals from Lee. While the ending has a divide in opinion with the monsters doing some form of good, a message of hope is always great.
Scott Snyder: Molding His Successor
Snyder's career as a writer has brought him closer to a lot of people. Sometimes he works as a writing class teacher so its inevitable he finds a teacher's pet. James Tynion IV meets Snyder going through his comic book career and gets a recommendation from him. Starting as an intern for Vertigo in advertising, Snyder has Tynion write back-up stories for Court of the Owls. Things turn out very well for that event including one involving Mr. Freeze. In fact, Snyder later has Tynion write for the Talon series.
Afterwards Snyder keeps Tynion close, often working together on series. In effect, Snyder found his own Robin, one he continued to mentor for a long time. All of this pays off with Tynion becoming a great writer in his own merit; and succeeding as the writer of Batman. Good enough for executives to meddle! Snyder and Tynion also remain close with a number of other people including Joshua Williamson.
Scott Snyder: Are You Secretly Batman?
It's no secret that Scott Snyder shares quite a lot with Batman. Gotham and Batman have this complicated relationship that can pull the two back and forth. Look no for no better example than Batman Eternal, a celebration of Batman's 75 years in comics. But rather than just a Dark Knight story, it's an ensemble Bat family drama. Snyder himself handpicks his own found family in the form of writers and artists at DC. His situations in DC aren't always ideal but it's worth the experiences.
Even when Snyder transfers from Batman to the Justice League, he remains close to his creative team. He even goes on record to state he and Greg Capullo are like family. Some of those same friends like Lemire help develop Dark Nights Metal with Hawkman Found. Did you know that comic book legend Grant Morrison gives Snyder the idea that becomes his final chapter on Batman. From the Infected storyline to Death Metal, nothing can stop this Snyder family.
Scott Snyder Has this to Say
Every day is bleak and there will be days when things don't make any sense. Scott Snyder is only trying to tell you that it's like getting to know someone better. There will be things you will not know about your other; if you're not careful, you are vulnerable to their worst traits. People have a lot of burdens to deal with which can make or break a relationship. But those people who you can reach out to you can influence you in the best way. The most important thing is to keep on going even though things get hard. You might not be around one day to see your achievements, but inspiring people is its own reward. Hope is just around the corner.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always... remember to look between the panels.