Artists Alley: Becky Cloonan draws Batman

This week, DC Comics is celebrating 80 years of Batman with the release of Detective Comics #1000. One of the contributing artists is none other than Becky Cloonan, the first woman to ever draw an issue of the Batman ongoing series. However, Cloonan's comic credits are far more extensive than her time with the Dark Knight. She was the artist on Demo in 2004 and the writer and artist of East Coast Rising before working on American Virgin for Vertigo Comics. In the DC universe, Cloonan co-created the Gotham Academy series.

For our latest edition of SYFY WIRE's Artists Alley series, Cloonan s sketches and inks the Dark Knight, a character she was happy to revisit on the millennial issue.

"It’s not everyday that I get to draw Batman, so it was kind of a treat," says Cloonan. "[Detective Comics #1000] is such a milestone issue, you know? It's really cool to be a part of."

Batman's striking design is one of the most famous superhero costumes ever created. According to Cloonan, the heavy blacks in Batman’s costume give her some leeway when it comes to drawing the Dark Knight.

"What I like about Batman is you can just fill everything in," explains Cloonan. "I always feel like if I mess something up, I just fill it in and make it black. It's really more about the silhouette. I think that's the most important thing... make it backlit [and] super dramatic."

Cloonan also shares more information about her technique and preferred materials. But you'll have to watch the entire video for those details!