DC High Volume: Batman

Episode: Interviews with Director Fred Greenhalgh & Batman Group Editor Rob Levin
Host: Coy John Dreux (DC | Realm)
Date: October 23, 2025

Brief Overview

This engaging episode of DC High Volume: Batman brings together two central creative forces behind the audio adaptation of iconic Batman stories: Rob Levin, Group Editor for all Gotham-related DC comics, and Fred Greenhalgh, director and co-writer of DC High Volume: Batman. Host Coy John Dreux delves deeply into both the editorial and audio production processes, exploring how Batman’s universe is maintained, reimagined, and brought to life, especially in the context of “Year One,” “The Long Halloween,” and “Dark Victory.” The episode shines a light on the collaborative “alchemy” of comics creation, the unique qualities of Batman and his rogues gallery, and what it takes to adapt such timeless material into an immersive audio experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Role and Challenges of a Group Editor (Rob Levin)

• What a Group Editor Does

  • Rob oversees the entire line of Gotham-related books, ensuring continuity, quality, and thematic coherence across multiple creative teams.
  • Troubleshooting artist changes, approving creative decisions, and reading every draft of every script in the line.
    • “A group editor is much like an editor, only you go to a lot more meetings. You have to oversee an entire line of books.” (Rob Levin, 02:33)

• The Alchemy of Comics Collaboration

  • Comparing the creative process to “alchemy,” Rob highlights that assembling the right writer-artist-colorist teams is a delicate, sometimes unpredictable process:
    • “It’s alchemy. You put these pieces together, and when it works, it’s amazing.” (Rob Levin, 05:10)
  • The best collaborations make his job “easy,” while failed combinations are unpredictable even with the best ingredients.

• Balancing Passion With Professionalism

  • Rob, a lifelong fan, emphasizes the love for the medium despite the business and logistical stresses.
    • “You can’t replicate [comics] in film or TV or novels. It’s its own unique thing.” (Rob Levin, 03:41)

2. Enduring Popularity and Elasticity of Batman

• Why Batman Lasts

  • Batman’s “cool factor,” elasticity, and relatability fuel his status as an enduring icon:
    • “He’s elastic. There’s a bunch of different takes… but the core mission doesn’t change.” (Rob Levin, 08:42)
  • Batman’s appeal grows as readers age, evolving from a childhood power fantasy to mature admiration for his choices and resilience.

• Batman as a Symbol and His Rogues Gallery

  • Batman’s brokenness “mirrors” that of his villains, making his enemies not just obstacles but mirrors of human struggle:
    • “He’s a broken individual, but he’s broken in a way that he is making into a positive for his city.” (Rob Levin, 09:51)
  • Gotham’s rogues have “pathos”—the best ones are complex and relatable, not just evil for evil’s sake.
    • “There are just a million ways for them to come at him and make you just understand what they’re trying to do, even if you’re rooting against them.” (Rob Levin, 10:26)

3. Current & Future Directions for Batman Comics

• The New Batman #1 and Relaunch

  • Only the fourth new Batman #1 in the character’s history, with a new creative team (Matt Fraction & Jorge Jimenez) aiming to balance tradition with innovation.
    • “It’s a lot of pressure… but I couldn’t be happier with the team… It’s the next level for both those guys.” (Rob Levin, 14:58)
  • A “brighter” Gotham, both literally and figuratively, underlines the desire for a fresh but recognizable tone.
    • “It’s not going to be all nighttime, all danger… it’s vibrant and alive.” (Rob Levin, 13:12)

• Continuity and “Banana Split” Approach

  • Each Gotham title has a unique flavor—readers can sample tones to their liking, not just duplicate experience.
    • “Our North Star is making sure you get something different in each book while also being true to the character.” (Rob Levin, 16:21)
  • Main Batman is the “mothership,” but each book gives a new “ice cream flavor.”

4. The Joy and Artistry of Audio Adaptation (Fred Greenhalgh)

• Falling in Love With Sound

  • Fred traces his passion for audio to childhood, evolving into a career after college through immersive experiences and early exposure to radio drama.
    • “Storytelling is the only actual superpower that humans have… we can somehow create some sort of vibrational frequency that projects an image into your brain.” (Fred Greenhalgh, 28:46)

• Why Audio for Batman?

  • Audio provides a unique way to honor comics, sticking closer to the source material than film or TV adaptations and letting both long-time and new fans experience classics anew.
    • “We can sort of be like… we’re the truest adaptation you’re gonna get because of how audio works.” (Fred Greenhalgh, 32:09)

• The Process & Collaboration

  • As director/co-writer/producer, Fred shifts constantly between big-picture logistics and intimate creative sessions—to him, working with actors and sound designers is a “flow state.”
  • Voice direction in audio strips away visual distractions, focusing entirely on what is communicated through sound.
    • “When you’re just hearing the voice, you… are really just listening. Like, what is your voice communicating?” (Fred Greenhalgh, 36:00)

• Adapting Timeless Stories

  • Audio enables a fresh yet faithful rendering of “Year One,” “The Long Halloween,” and “Dark Victory.”
  • Fred discusses the resonance and universal appeal of Batman’s journey, as well as the emotional arcs created through cumulative storytelling.
    • “The evolution of Bruce’s journey from ‘I shall become a bat’ to ‘I believe in Batman’…to kind of live in his psychology… is so cool.” (Fred Greenhalgh, 44:02)

5. Philosophy & Takeaways

• Relatability and Inspiration

  • Batman is someone who, despite privilege, acts against a broken world. Both Bruce Wayne and Gordon act in large part from personal trauma but channel it for good.
    • “If you don’t… like what’s going on within the world, you shouldn’t be waiting around for someone else to don the cape. You gotta put that cape on yourself.” (Fred Greenhalgh, 46:41)
  • Fred hopes listeners will feel empowered by Batman’s example to address their own flaws or challenges—“anyone can be the Batman of their own story.”

• The Future of Audio Storytelling

  • Fred sees DC High Volume as a bold map for fiction podcasting—advocating for more dedicated, high-production works for other superheroes and stories.
    • “There is only one DC High Volume Batman…this is what the future looks like.” (Fred Greenhalgh, 47:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

[03:41] Rob Levin:
“The business is sometimes hard and the job is sometimes hard. But…picking up a comic and reading a great story is still a really special experience you can’t replicate in film or TV or novels.”

[05:10] Rob Levin:
“It’s alchemy. Like, it is just—you put these pieces together, and when it works, it’s amazing.”

[09:51] Rob Levin:
“It’s not a healthy lifestyle. He’s a broken individual, but he’s broken in a way that he is making into a positive for his city.”

[14:58] Rob Levin:
“It’s a lot of pressure… but I couldn’t be happier with the team… It’s the next level for both those guys.”

[28:46] Fred Greenhalgh:
“Storytelling I consider is, like, the only actual superpower that humans have… We can somehow create some sort of vibrational frequency that projects an image into your brain.”

[32:09] Fred Greenhalgh:
“We can sort of be like…the truest adaptation you’re gonna get because of how audio works and how we’re able to approach it.”

[44:02] Fred Greenhalgh:
“The I believe in Batman at the end of Long Halloween is one of my favorite moments… even just the evolution of Bruce’s journey from ‘I shall become a bat’ to ‘I believe in Batman.’”

[46:41] Fred Greenhalgh:
“If you’re not comfortable…with what’s going on within the world, you shouldn’t be waiting around for someone else to don the cape. You gotta put that cape on yourself.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• What a Group Editor Does (Rob Levin): [02:33–04:30]
• Comics Collaboration/Alchemy: [05:10–06:12]
• Passion for Comics: [03:41–04:43]
• Batman’s Enduring Appeal: [08:42–10:26]
• Unique Tone of New Batman Series: [11:34–13:12]
• Managing Continuity (“Banana Split” metaphor): [16:21]
• Audio Storytelling Origins (Greenhalgh): [27:27]
• Philosophy of Audio Immersion: [28:46–30:24]
• Process of Adapting Batman in Audio: [32:09–33:39]
• Directing and Working with Talent: [33:39–36:00]
• Emotional High Points in Adaptation: [44:02–45:12]
• Takeaways/Themes for Listeners: [45:45–47:16]
• Audio Fiction Future: [47:45–49:03]

Final Takeaways & Recommendations

• Comics as Lifelong Storytelling:
  The episode is a love letter to comics, their collaborative “alchemy,” and their power to connect across time, media, and individual experiences.

• Batman as an Inspirational Archetype:
  Both guests see Batman, not just as a superhero, but as an example that anyone can take initiative in their own struggles and for their community.

• Audio as a Fresh Medium for Classics:
  The creators convey a sense of excitement in using audio to give both new and veteran Batman fans a singular, immersive experience of well-trodden but ever-evolving Batman stories.

Further Reading & Listening (As Recommended)

• Batman Superman: World’s Finest by Mark Waid & Dan Mora
• Robin: Year One by Chuck Dixon

This episode is an essential listen for Batman fans and anyone interested in the art and craft of storytelling—through comics, through sound, or both.