Scott Snyder
Snyder at a signing for Batman: Gates of Gotham at Midtown Comics in Manhattan
Snyder at a signing for
Batman: Gates of Gotham at
Midtown Comics in Manhattan
Born1976
New York City, New York, United States
OccupationWriter
GenreFantasy, horror, superhero fantasy

Scott Snyder is an American writer. He is known for his 2006 short story collection Voodoo Heart, and his comic book writing, including American Vampire, Detective Comics, Batman, Batman: Gates of Gotham, and Swamp Thing.

Early life

At the age of nine, Snyder attended a summer camp where one of the counselors read Stephen King's Eyes of the Dragon to him over the summer, an experience that Snyder says "really jump-started my love of story-telling."[1] He was also influenced by the writing of Denis Johnson, Raymond Carver, Rick Bass, Joy Williams, and George Saunders.[1]

Snyder graduated from Brown University in 1998 with a degree in creative writing, and then worked at Walt Disney World for about a year.[2] He initially worked as a custodian, but after he injured his shoulder and started to have some problems with his co-workers, he auditioned and worked as some of the characters.[3] Snyder's Disney World stint strongly influenced his writing; he later recalled, "it did a world of good for my writing ... All the things I ended up writing about, those things that are deeply frightening to me—fear of commitment and growing up, fear of losing loved ones, the wonder and terror of falling in love—all of it was constantly being played out all around me in this weird, cartoonish, magnified way at Disney."[2]

Career

Snyder signing copies of American Vampire and Detective Comics at a September 21, 2011 store appearance.

Prose fiction

His first collection of stories, Voodoo Heart, was published by the Dial Press in June 2006. The collection received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and was a Kirkus Reviews "Hot Debut" of the year. The New York Times published a positive review by author Andrew Sean Greer in the Sunday Book Review.[4]

Stephen King picked two of the included stories—"Wreck" and "Dumpster Tuesday"—for the 2007 The Best American Short Stories anthology shortlist. Voodoo Heart was shortlisted for The Story Prize in 2006.[5]

Snyder teaches writing at New York University,[6] Columbia University,[7] and Sarah Lawrence College.[8]

Comics

In 2009, Snyder began writing for Marvel Comics. His first foray into the genre was a one-shot focusing on the first Human Torch, part of Marvel's 70th anniversary celebrations. He later wrote the four-issue miniseries, Iron Man: Noir, which debuted in April 2010.[9]

Vertigo began publishing American Vampire,[10] Snyder's first creator-owned ongoing series, in March 2010.[11] The first five issues feature an original storyline by Stephen King.[12][13] American Vampire won the 2011 Eisner Award for Best New Series, as well as the 2011 Harvey Award for Best New Series.

His run as writer of Detective Comics began with issue No. 871 (Jan. 2011) of that title,[14] which marked the beginning of his exclusive contract with DC Comics.[15] He and Kyle Higgins wrote the Batman: Gates of Gotham miniseries which debuted in May 2011.[16]

Beginning in September 2011, Snyder became the writer of both Batman[17][18] and a new Swamp Thing ongoing series as part of The New 52, DC Comics' company-wide relaunch of all of its titles.[19][20][21] Snyder later became the co-writer of Talon, a spin-off of the "Court of Owls" storyline in Batman, which focused on a rogue Talon from the Court.[22][23]

It was announced at the 2012 New York Comic Con[24] that Snyder would be writing a new Superman ongoing series, titled Superman Unchained, with art by Jim Lee. The series began publication in June 2013.[25]

Snyder left the Swamp Thing series as of issue #18 (May 2013) and began writing The Wake, a 10-issue, ocean-based horror miniseries drawn by Snyder's American Vampire: Survival Of The Fittest collaborator Sean Murphy.[9] The series follows marine biologist Lee Archer, who along with the Department of Homeland Security, discovers a potential threat to humanity that may involve strange, humanoid creatures that inhabit the ocean depths. The story shifts between three time periods: the near future, two centuries in the future and the distant past. The covers of the first five issues form a mural when placed side by side.[26][27][28]

The same month, DC published a Free Comic Book Day sneak preview of Superman Unchained,[9] an ongoing series written by Snyder and illustrated by Jim Lee, which was later published on June 12, 2013, and intended to coincide with the feature film Man of Steel, which opened two days later. Snyder explained his approach to the series: "The way to approach a character as iconic as him is you just come at it from a standpoint of what you love the most about the character, and then write a story that explores that, tear it down and build it back up."[29]

Snyder was one of the co-writers of the Batman Eternal series which launched in April 2014.[30] The second run of Batman Eternal, retitled as Batman & Robin Eternal launched on October 7, 2015.[31][32] In 2016, Snyder and artist John Romita Jr. collaborated on the All-Star Batman series as part of the DC Rebirth relaunch.[33][34]

Snyder and Capullo launched the Dark Nights: Metal limited series in August 2017.[35][36] In December 2017, Snyder will collaborate with artist Andy Kubert on the New Challengers, part of the Dark Matter line.[37][38]

Personal life

Snyder is married, with two children.[26]

Awards

Nominations

Bibliography

Fiction

Marvel Comics

DC Comics and Vertigo

Image Comics

Kodansha

References

  1. ^ a b Henderson, Susan (August 31, 2006). "Scott Snyder". Susan Henderson's Lit Park. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b Borondy, Matt (July 10, 2006). "Scott Snyder". Identity Theory. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Jones, Seth (July 18, 2012). "CCI: A Toast to Scott Snyder". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. 'I worked at Disney World as a janitor at Magic Kingdom. I worked my way up to a character,' Snyder told the crowd. 'I was Eeyore, Buzz Lightyear and Pluto. I was completely brainwashed. I was so happy.' ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Greer, Andrew Sean (July 16, 2006). "Flights of Fancy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Other noteworthy story collections". The Story Prize. 2006. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. Other auspicious debuts include Scott Snyder's Voodoo Heart (The Dial Press) with its imaginative and authentic stories. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Watson, Sasha (September 27, 2010). "A Literary Imagination Goes Graphic". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2012. In a creative writing class that Scott Snyder teaches at NYU, "The Monster Under Your Story," students discuss the intersections of literary fiction, genre fiction, and comics. ((cite web)): Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ Hill, Tommy (April 22, 2009). "Professor's stories combine the strange and silly". Columbia Daily Spectator. Columbia University. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. This is the philosophy of Scott Snyder, Columbia professor and author of the critically acclaimed short story collection Voodoo Heart. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "SLC Faculty". Sarah Lawrence College. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b c Scott Snyder at the Grand Comics Database
  10. ^ "Vertigo Readying New Comic Series American Vampire". Dread Central. October 26, 2009. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (October 26, 2009). "Stephen King Brings an American Vampire Tale to Vertigo". Newsarama. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Variant Cover Revealed for Vertigo's American Vampire No. 1". Dread Central. February 23, 2010. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "2000s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 340. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The first five double-sized issues consisted of two stories, illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque. Scott Snyder wrote each issue's lead feature, and Stephen King wrote the back-up tales. ((cite book)): |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Dougall, Alastair, ed. (2014). "2010s". Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 316. ISBN 978-1-4654-2456-3. Superstar writer Scott Snyder began his tenure on the Batman titles alongside popular artist Jock in this issue. ((cite book)): |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Phegley, Kiel (July 14, 2012). "Snyder Goes Exclusive With Detective Comics". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 18, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Batman: Gates of Gotham #1". DC Comics. May 18, 2011. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Manning "2010s" in Dougall, p. 320: "Scott Snyder was paired with superstar artist Greg Capullo for this new series."
  18. ^ Phegley, Kiel (June 27, 2011). "The Bat Signal: Snyder Relaunches Batman". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (July 5, 2011). "Scott Snyder Wants DCnU Swamp Thing to Build on Legacy". Newsarama. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Phegley, Kiel (August 24, 2011). "Snyder Dredges Up A Human "Swamp Thing"". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ Walecka, Travis (September 20, 2011). "Batman and Swamp Thing: Scott Snyder's dark plans for DC". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012. ((cite news)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Manning "2010s" in Dougall, p. 330: "This zero issue began a new ongoing series starring Calvin Rose, a Talon who escaped from the corrupt life of the Court of Owls."
  23. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (June 8, 2012). "DC Adds Four to New 52, Including DiDio's Phantom Stranger". Newsarama. Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012. This new comic ... introduces a new "anti-hero on the run" to the DCU. Calvin Rose, the only Talon to escape from the control of the Court of Owls, will be traveling all around the DCU as he is hunted by his former masters. While the story spins out of the Court of Owls storyline that is running through the first year of Snyder's Batman, the title character is a brand new one. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Truitt, Brian (October 11, 2012). "Snyder, Lee team for new Superman comic in 2013". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Truitt, Brian (March 5, 2013). "DC Comics makes the most of Superman's 75th year". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ a b Campbell, Josie (March 29, 2013). "Snyder & Murphy Tackle The Primal Fear Of The Unknown In The Wake". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 25, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Wilson, Matt D. (June 4, 2013). "Intrigue Abounds In Scott Snyder & Sean Murphy's The Wake #1". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (April 24, 2013). "The Wake: Snyder, Murphy Dive Into Underwater, Sci-fi Horror". Newsarama. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ Esposito, Joey (March 4, 2013). "Scott Snyder and Jim Lee's Superman Unchained Confirmed for June". IGN. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (January 10, 2014). "Scott Snyder Explains Batman: Eternal Structure, Talks Bat-verse Changes". Newsarama. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ Arrant, Chris (July 10, 2015). "Batman & Robin Eternal and Robin War Announced". Newsarama. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Batman & Robin Eternal is described as a sequel to the previous weekly Batman Eternal, and will run for six months beginning on October 7. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  32. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (July 10, 2015). "Comic-Con: DC Announces Weekly Comic Batman & Robin Eternal". IGN. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Batman & Robin Eternal is scheduled to debut on Wednesday, October 7 and will ship weekly for six months. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ Gaudette, Emily (August 11, 2016). "In All-Star, Batman Has 'A Target on Him, Nowhere to Go'". Inverse.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. DC has just released All-Star Batman, a dark road-trip story in the American midwest. The superhero-horror comic, created by beloved DC heavyweights Scott Snyder and John Romita Jr., is the freshest and scariest Batman story since 1988's The Cult. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ Marston, George (March 29, 2016). "Scott Snyder: All-Star Batman Is 'My Long Halloween'". Newsarama. Archived from the original on April 16, 2016. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ Diaz, Eric (July 31, 2017). "Scott Snyder Talks Dark Nights: Metal, the end of All-Star Batman, and more". Nerdist.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Dark Nights: Metal is a new six-part mini-series event that begins in August and takes things cosmic, ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ Ching, Albert (May 22, 2017). "Scott Snyder Reveals Dark Nights: Metal Details and the Dark Multiverse". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ Holub, Christian (April 20, 2017). "DC Comics superstars unite for new Dark Matter line". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. The final book in the line, New Challengers, debuts in December and will be written by Snyder with art by Andy Kubert. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ Baily, Benjamin (April 20, 2017). "Andy Kubert Talks DC's Dark Matter and New Challengers (Exclusive)". The Nerdist Podcast. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Of the all awesome series announced, we're most excited about New Challengers by Snyder and legendary artist Andy Kubert. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  39. ^ Melrose, Kevin (July 23, 2011). "SDCC '11 Winners announced for 2011 Eisner Awards". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  40. ^ Cavna, Michael (August 21, 2011). "Baltimore Comic-Con: Your 2011 Harvey Award winners are ..." The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  41. ^ Spurgeon, Tom (May 25, 2012). "Your 2012 Eagle Awards Winners". The Comics Reporter. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ Melrose, Kevin (May 21, 2012). "Scott Snyder and Sara Pichelli dominate Stan Lee Awards". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  43. ^ a b Spurgeon, Tom (May 21, 2012). "Your 2012 Stan Lee Awards Winner". The Comics Reporter. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  44. ^ a b "2014 Eisner Awards Nominations". San Diego Comic-Con International. April 2014. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ Melrose, Kevin (March 14, 2011). "Voting opens for 2011 Eagle Awards". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  46. ^ Flanagan, Josh (July 5, 2011). "2011 Harvey Award Nominees". iFanboy. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ "2013 Final Ballot". Harvey Awards. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2013. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Interviews

Preceded byDavid Hine Detective Comics writer 2010–2011 Succeeded byTony S. Daniel Preceded byJoshua Dysart Swamp Thing writer 2011–2013 Succeeded byCharles Soule Preceded byFabian Nicieza Batman writer 2011–2016 Succeeded byTom King