Grad. student makes comic splash
Published Sept. 18, 2008
"The Dark Knight" swept this summer with record-breaking box office sales. Now Brad Desnoyer, a journalism school graduate and third-year law student, will make his comic-writing debut with "Scarred and Scared," which features Batman's favorite antagonists.
DC Comics will publish the short story in an upcoming Halloween special.
Desnoyer's story offers a unique twist to the typical Batman, good-versus-evil and hero-versus-villain plot. Desnoyer said Two-Face is the protagonist and rather than just battling evil, he struggles to combat the turmoil within himself.
The story takes place on Halloween night in Arkham Asylum. The plot thickens when a new inmate arrives with a threatening secret and a very sinister demeanor, Desnoyer said. With the flip of a coin, Two Face decides to do something about it and save himself as well as the rest of Batman's imprisoned rogues.
Desnoyer said the story shows that the scariest thing of all aren't the villains we read about in comic books or see on the big screen, but the real criminals themselves.
Desnoyer works at the law firm Smith Lewis LLP and hopes to one day defend civil rights as an attorney. Although he's passionate about law, Desnoyer said he has an insatiable need to write.
"I unapologetically love comic books," he said. "I'm currently taking an off-campus class in creative non-fiction writing, and hope to pursue writing books one day."
Many graduate students look to be published in scholarly journals, but Desnoyer feels just as proud of his accomplishment.
"It's really exciting," he said. "Most of all I enjoy the reactions and congratulations from friends and colleagues."
An inspiration for Desnoyer is his mentor Brad Meltzer, who writes thrillers for DC Comics and created "The Justice League" and "Identity Crisis" comic series.
"All I did was get an editor to read his work," Meltzer said. "Brad did the hard work himself. I knew the moment I first read his work that this day would come."
"Scarred and Scared" will go on sale Oct. 22 at comic book stores, including local Rock Bottom Comics. The store is located at 1029 E. Walnut St.
