On May 5th DC Comics will release their newest original graphic novel The Lost Carnival, a young adult story focused on Batman’s future ward Dick Grayson when he was still a circus performer. While the comic features one of DC’s most popular sidekicks, it provides an introduction that is every bit as accessible to a new reader as a stalwart superhero fan. The story is filled with original ideas of magic, intrigue, and romance—offering a much-needed escape for any reader seeking an escape, as seen in the ComicBook.Com exclusive preview here.
Writer Michael Moreci took some time to discuss the upcoming release with our comics reviews editor Chase Magnett. They discussed creating an accessible starting point for a classic character, developing a complete graphic novel for DC Comics, and the many ways in which the work of artist Sas Milledge and colorist David Calderon enhance the story.
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You can read it all right here before The Lost Carnival debuts on May 5th.
ComicBook.Com: One thing that struck me right after finishing The Lost Carnival was that the story would read every bit as well even if I didn’t know a thing about Batman or DC Comics. How did you approach telling this story in order to make it accessible to readers?
Michael Moreci: First, I’m really glad you said that. This was an important goal for me—I’ve been writing comics for years, and I’ve been reading them my entire life. And I still can’t get over how hard it is to find good entry points for new readers, especially with superhero books. My ambition was to take what we know about Dick Grayson and distill it into a more accessible framework. You don’t need to know anything about Dick’s decades-long history, and you shouldn’t have to. I didn’t want this to be squeezed into any continuity or even just be a repackaging of the Grayson story we know. This has to be vintage Dick, yes, but also fresh and able to stand on its own two feet.
ComicBook: Unlike the Waynes, Dick Grayson’s parents are rarely depicted outside of their deaths. What about The Flying Graysons helped you understand the character of Dick Grayson?
Moreci: I always say this: Nightwing (Dick Grayson) is just fun, optimistic Batman (Bruce Wayne). And when I think about Dick’s warmth and his good nature, I can’t help but think how loving of an upbringing he had to have had. I always figured he and his parents were close, very close, and that’s why Dick’s able to see past the tragedy of their murder and still retain some of that love in ways Bruce seems incapable of. It was really interesting for me to explore that relationship and how it had formed Dick—that caring, intimate relationship that he had with his parents, to me, is reflected so much in the relationships he has with the people in his life as an adult.
ComicBook: Besides Dick and his parents, every character in The Lost Carnival is essentially new. How did you approach developing so many new characters within the framework of a well established (and well loved) character’s life?
Moreci: One of the big things for me, having been given this tremendous opportunity to tell a Dick Grayson story we’ve never seen before, was to restrain myself from repackaging the hits. I didn’t want to tell a story that was basically “teenage Nightwing.” This isn’t teenage Nightwing; it’s teenage Dick Grayson. I’d mentioned this before, but my goal was to make something new and fresh while retaining—in spirit—the Dick Grayson story. With that in mind, I wanted to create a different world for Dick, with new friends and new locations. I loved giving him new dynamics; his relationship with his friend, Willow, is maybe my favorite part of the book. And the romance he has with Luciana, in my opinion, gave so much new life into Dick’s mythology.
ComicBook: Readers familiar with comics featuring Dick Grayson have also come to expect certain tropes, including crime-related mysteries, gangsters, and colorful supervillains. The Lost Carnival plays against type in its conflicts and motifs. Without giving too much away, what led you to tell a story that defies expectations in many ways?
Moreci: It’s all about doing something new. It would have felt lazy to take those adult Nightwing stories and more or less repackage them for a YA audience. It wouldn’t be interesting for me to write, and it certainly wouldn’t be fair to readers. If there’s one thing I’ve learned now that I have kids of my own and I’m writing for younger readers, it’s that the expectations of young audiences are not the same as the expectations of older audiences. I crafted a story that would work for the people reading it—to respect them and the stories that are meaningful to their lives.
ComicBook: There are two carnivals that form the key settings of the comic, as well. What influenced your idea of what these carnivals should be and contrast with one another?
Moreci: I wanted Haly’s (Dick’s circus) to be a more grounded, working-class locale. There’s glamour on stage, but backstage it’s people grinding away, setting up and breaking down, sore from their acts, and not really making much money. I wanted Dick to see this world and realize what a trap it was, so when he runs into The Lost Carnival and its magic and eloquence, he’s attracted to it on a deeper level. As Dick has this coming-of-age experience, he has to discover what he wants out of life, and how what you want isn’t a binary choice. While Haly’s might not be the place for him, being with his parents is; and while he may be entranced by The Lost Carnival and Luciana, he simply doesn’t belong there. That felt real to me—rare is a desire cleanly fulfilled.
ComicBook: Thinking of these two carnivals, there is an instantly recognizable difference between them when they appear on the page. What was your experience working with artist Sas Milledge to design these settings like?
Moreci: That’s all Sas. So much of this book is thoroughly her—she’s really the star of this team, and I had the good fortune to be able to sit back and watch her make these nuanced and brilliant decisions that shaped the story and leveled it up in wonderful ways.
ComicBook: There are two color schemes that alternate throughout the book with a clear purpose—colorist David Calderon’s work moves between a cool, crisp appearance in blues and warm, sepia-adjacent tones. Where did this concept originate?
Moreci: As far as I know, that was a choice David developed with the editorial team—and what a choice it was. I was apprehensive at first, I’ll admit, but when I saw the results, I quickly saw how wrong I was. The colors set this mood and atmosphere—and emotional scale—that, if absent, the book would be lost. David’s work is vital to this story.
ComicBook: The Lost Carnival is debuting at a moment where there are very few new comics being released due to complications from the coronavirus. Could you tell us a little bit about what it’s like to adjust and bring a new project to readers in this moment?
Moreci: It’s a rollercoaster, to be honest. Most importantly, I have to remember to keep things in perspective. I’m just trying to be positive and do what I can to support my work—and comic retailers and booksellers—during this challenging time. And I hope that through that, when these books do eventually roll out, readers will remember them and be eager to pick them up. So, we’ve just got to be vigilant in doing what we do—caring for our stories as best as we can and seeing them find their way into readers’ hands.
