Scott Beatty


Scott Beatty is an American author, comic book writer, superhero historian, and creative writing teacher actively published since the late 1990s. He is an alumnus of Juniata College, Iowa State University, and DeSales University.

Biography

Scott Beatty has authored hundreds of adventures for many of comics' most iconic characters, including Batman and Robin tales for DC Comics, as well as The Phantom, Buck Rogers, and Sherlock Holmes for Dynamite Entertainment.
Beatty has also contributed comic book stories to Antarctic Press, Crossgen Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, and Marvel Entertainment.
Beatty co-wrote the acclaimed Robin: Year One, Batgirl: Year One, Nightwing: Year One, and Joker: Last Laugh miniseries for DC. Beatty's and Dixon's Batgirl: Year One—the middle arc of their Batman "Sidekick Trifecta" at DC—was named Best Miniseries of 2003 by Wizard: The Comics Magazine. In 2009, Batgirl Year One was adapted into a nine-episode motion comic featuring Kate Higgins as Barbara Gordon. It was later made available as a DVD with the motion comic of The Batman Adventures: Mad Love featuring Harley Quinn, as well as on YouTube and streaming platforms. On its 20th anniversary, DC Comics published a softcover collection of Batgirl: Year One on September 26, 2023.
Beatty's "Regnum Defende"—a two-part *Year One* styled origin of Batman's valet Alfred Pennyworth as an agent of the British Secret Service—was one of the stories which inspired DC Entertainment's Pennyworth streaming television series that lasted three seasons beginning on Hulu and concluding its run on HBO Max.
In addition to his comics work, Beatty has authored more than a dozen encyclopedic books about superheroes including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, the Justice League, and the Avengers. Beatty's *Ultimate Guides* for UK publisher Dorling Kindersley in the early 2000s defined the standard for all genre character and movie guidebooks to follow. Beatty's The Batman Handbook, a literal how-to guide on how to be the Dark Knight, was a top-selling title for Quirk Books.
Outside of comic books, Beatty has written G.I. Joe and Transformers animation for Hasbro, Inc.
Before he became a full-time freelance writer, Beatty launched ToyFare magazine as its founding Editor for Wizard Entertainment, publisher of Wizard: The Comics Magazine and other best-selling pop culture magazines, and guided it through its first two years of publication.
Beatty's novels have included prose adaptations of his own Sherlock Holmes: Year One, in addition to the young readers hardcover Batman: Scarecrow's Panic ''Plot and Tron Uprising: The Junior Novel.
More recently, Beatty's Loot Crate exclusive Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down graphic novel was the top selling comic book of 2017 with nearly a half-million copies shipped to LC subscribers.
In his role as superhero and pop culture scholar, Beatty has appeared on E! Entertainment Television and Prism Films documentaries, and is a frequent guest on comic book, graphic novel, and superhero podcasts. He is frequently called upon to write introductions and essays for superhero books and collected editions. Beatty wrote the forewords for DC Comics' The Brave and the Bold – The Bronze Age Omnibus Volume 3 and Batman in the Silver Age Omnibus Volume 1.
DC Comics released Beatty's Nightwing: Year One - The 20th Anniversary Edition slipcase hardcover on August 6, 2024.
On September 3, 2024, DC published Beatty's Robin: Year One, Batgirl: Year One, and Nightwing: Year One in The Batman Family Year One Box Set, collecting all three popular graphic novels in a single set for the first time.
In March 11, 2025 DC Comics collected two of Beatty's Green Arrow stories in the Green Arrow: Archer's Quest Omnibus Volume 1'' hardcover. Both were commissioned as fill-in issues during writer/director Kevin Smith's run on the title and are being reprinted for the first time.

Personal life

Beatty is married to English professor and fellow author .

Animation

Beatty's animation writing credits include the following webisodes first aired on Hasbro internet sites, including "The Hub":

Hasbro Inc.

  • G.I. Joe: Operations H.I.S.S. Episodes 1-9
  • G.I. Joe: Operations H.I.S.S. Spotlight Episodes 1-4
  • Transformers: Cyber Missions Episodes 1-13

    Capstone

  • Batman: Scarecrow's Panic Plot
  • 'Batman: Le Terrible Projet de L'épouvantail'''''

    Chronicle Books

  • 'The DC Comics Action Figure Archive'''''

    Disney Press

  • 'Tron Uprising: The Junior Novel'''''

    Dorling Kindersley

  • Avengers: The Ultimate Guide to Earth's Mightiest Heroes
  • Avengers: The Essential Guide
  • Batman: The Animated Series Guide
  • Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight
  • Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight – Updated Edition
  • Batman Begins: The Visual Guide
  • Batman Beyond: The Animated Series Guide
  • Catwoman: The Visual Guide to the Feline Fatale
  • The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe
  • The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe – Updated and Expanded
  • The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe – All-New Edition
  • The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe – New Edition
  • The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe
  • DC Comics Universe Guide
  • JLA: The Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America
  • Superman: The Animated Series Guide
  • Superman: The Ultimate Guide to the Man of Steel
  • Superman: The Ultimate Guide to the Man of Steel – Updated Edition
  • 'Wonder Woman: The Ultimate Guide to the Amazon Princess'''''

    Dorling Kindersley Foreign Editions

  • Avengers: Die Grossten Superhelden Aller Zeiten
  • Avengers: Le Guide Ultime
  • Batman: Die Welt Des Dunklen Ritters
  • 'JLA: Die Gerechtigkeitsliga'''''

    Dynamite Entertainment

  • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes: Year One
  • 'Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes: Year One / Year Two Two-Pack'''''

    Insight Editions

  • Incredibuilds – Marvel's Captain America: Civil War – Iron Man Signature Series Book and Model Set
  • Marvel Comics: Mini Book of Heroes
  • 'Marvel Comics: Mini Book of Villains'''''

    Insight Editions Foreign Editions

  • Marvel Comics: Les Heros
  • 'Marvel Comics: Les Villains'''''

    Quirk Books

  • The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual
  • The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual - バットマンハンドブック
  • 'The Superman Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Day'''''

    Comicography

Beatty's writing credits include hundreds of stories from the following publishers:

Antarctic Press

Beatty's writing credits for Antarctic Press include the following:
  • UNPrepped #1-5

    Crossgen Comics

Beatty's writing credits for Crossgeneration Comics include the following:
  • Ruse #10-26

    Crossgen Comics Collected Editions

  • Edge #7-12
  • Ruse – Volume Two: The Silent Partner Trade Paperback
  • Vector #13
Crossgen Comics Deutschland
  • Ruse #4-9

    Dark Horse Comics

Beatty's writing credits for Dark Horse Comics include the following:
  • Star Wars Tales #13

    Dark Horse Comics Collected Editions

  • '''Star Wars Tales Volume 4'''

    DC Comics

Beatty's solo and collaborate writing credits for DC Comics and its Wildstorm imprint include the following:
  • Amazing Adventures of the JLA
  • Aquaman Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Batgirl: Year One #1-9
  • Batman 80-Page Giant #2
  • Batman Begins: The Official Comics Adaptation
  • Batman Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Batman Villains Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Batman: Day of Judgment #1
  • Batman: Gotham City Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Batman: Gotham Knights #33-49
  • Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Special #1
  • Batman: No Man's Land Secret Files & Origins #1
  • The Batman Chronicles #16-17, 20
  • The Batman Strikes! #27, 32
  • Beware the Batman #3
  • Birds of Prey Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Cartoon Network Action Pack! #54, 56–57, 61
  • Countdown to Final Crisis #37-32, 30–28, 25-2
  • Day of Judgment Secret Files & Origins #1
  • DC Comics Presents: Harley Quinn #1
  • DC Comics Presents: Young Justice #2
  • DC Nation FCBD Super Sampler 2013: Beware the Batman / Teen Titans Go!
  • DC Nation Super Spectacular #2
  • DCU Holiday Bash III
  • DCU Villains Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Detective Comics #806-807
  • Energy & Safety Adventures: Superman and Friends
  • The Flash Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Gen13 #21-32
  • Golden Age Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Green Arrow #22, 33
  • Green Lantern 80-Page Giant #3
  • Green Lantern Secret Files & Origins #1-3
  • Green Lantern: Circle of Fire – Green Lantern / Power Girl #1
  • Guide to the DC Universe 2000 Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Guide to the DC Universe 2001–2002 Secret Files & Origins #1
  • JLA #59
  • JLA Secret Files & Origins #2-3
  • JLA/JSA Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Joker: Last Laugh #1-6
  • Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files & Origins #1
  • JSA Classified #19-20
  • JSA Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Justice League: Unstoppable Forces #1
  • Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #3, 9
  • Nightwing #101-106
  • Nightwing Secret Files & Origins #1
  • New Gods Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Number of the Beast #1-8
  • Robin #88-91
  • Robin: Year One #1-4
  • Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #5, 19, 22, 130
  • Secret Files and Origins Guide to the DC Universe 2000 #1
  • Sins of Youth Secret Files & Origins #1
  • The Silver Age Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Snakes on a Plane #1-2
  • Son of Vulcan #1-6
  • Superboy #77
  • Superman 80-Page Giant #2
  • Superman Secret Files & Origins #1-2
  • Superman / Batman Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Superman: Our Worlds at War Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Superman: Metropolis Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Titans Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Wildstorm: Revelations #1-6
  • Young Justice in No Man's Land Special #1
  • Young Justice Secret Files & Origins #1
  • Young Justice: Sins of Youth Secret Files & Origins #1