We are telling stories that are accessible to people who've never read a comic, or aren't familiar with these characters, but we don't turn our backs on what's made these characters great in the first place. JW: I think it's first time in a very long time that we are looking to bridging the gap between new readers and long-time readers. Q: The New 52 was a huge success for DC, but how to you think it affected the comic book industry as a whole? But instead they found the birth of this character, and this world we’ve built around him.

I think they were expecting something very clichéd, with Batwing flying through the jungles of Africa and battling alongside lions and giraffes. JW: I was delighted how surprised folks were with Batwing.

Q: What have you thought about the response so far for The New 52 and your title(s) as whole? We take our hyper reality of superheroes and marry to the real-world drama of Africa. This is still about super heroes fighting super villains, but it's set in the realistic landscape of Africa. That isn't to say that reading Batwing is like a trip to a social studies class. But Batwing is the 'Batman of Africa.' And his life and upbringing are culturally based. They are both men who have been forged in tragedy. JW: Batwing is very much like Batman, but very, very different. Q: What would you say defines the character you are working on? The mission was to create stories that felt inventive, present, topical, and just knock folks right over with surprise. Judd Winick: When it came to Batwing it was a chance to take on an entirely new character on a whole new playing field. Q: What's it like working on a huge initiative like The New 52? Q & A with Judd Winick, the author of Batwing Vol.

Batwing, Vol. 1 by Judd Winick