Scott Beatty is an American author, comic book writer, and superhero historian actively published since the late 1990s. He is an alumnus of Juniata College and Iowa State University.
Biography
Scott Beatty (also credited as "Scott M. Beatty", "Scott Matthew Beatty", and "Scotty 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.
With Chuck Dixon, Beatty co-wrote the critically acclaimed and bestselling 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 and is considered the definitive Batgirl origin story. In 2009, Batgirl Year One was adapted into a nine-episode Motion Comic featuring animation voiceover actress Kate Higgins in the role of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl. It was later made available as a DVD alongside a Motion Comic of Batman Adventures: Mad Love featuring Harley Quinn. On its 20th anniversary, DC Comics will release an all-new 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 the recent Pennyworth streaming television series that lasted three seasons beginning on Hulu and concluding its run on HBOMax.
In addition to his comics work, Beatty has authored more than a dozen encyclopedic books about superheroes including DC Comics' Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Justice League of America, and Marvel's 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 technically accurate The Batman Handbook, a literal guidebook 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 and guided it through its first two years of publication.
Beatty's novels have included prose adaptations of his own Sherlock Holmes: Year One (Dynamite), in addition to the young readers hardcover Batman: Scarecrow's PanicPlot (DC/Capstone) and Tron Uprising: The Junior Novel (Disney).
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.
On September 3, 2024, DC Comics will publish 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.
Animation
Beatty's animation writing credits include the following webisodes first aired on Hasbro internet sites, including "The Hub":
Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down Digest-Sized Edition (Reprint of 2017 Loot Crate Exclusive Graphic Novel)
Marvel Entertainment
Beatty's writing credits for Marvel Entertainment include the following:
Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Menace Revealed #2 Trade Paperback
Comic Book Character Creations
During his comic book career, Beatty has co-created the following characters listed A to Z with writing collaborators and artist co-creators noted in parentheses following each:
DC Comics Characters
The Aeronaut (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Agent Fawkes (Detective Comics – Co-created with artist Jeff Parker)
A'monn A'mokk (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
A'morr (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Barney Blaine (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Black Anvil (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Blitzkrieg (Detective Comics – Co-created with artist Jeff Parker)
Blur (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Breakdown (a.k.a. "Goo") (Wildstorm – Gen13 – Co-created with artist Dan Hipp)
Buster (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Charliehorse (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
The Coalition of Crime (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Daughter of Vulcan (Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century – Co-created with artist Sanford Greene)
Dino-Mite II (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Ditto (Wildstorm – Gen13 – Co-created with artist Dan Hipp)
Doctor Sin (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Endless Winter (JSA Classified – Co-created with Mike Carlin and artist Rags Morales)
Engine Joe (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Falconette (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
The Fearsmiths (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Felix Desidero (Batman: Gotham Knights – Co-created with artist Roger Robinson)
Fishmonger (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Flex (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Frag (Joker: Last Laugh – Co-created with Chuck Dixon and artist Marcos Martin)
Green Lantern Alisand'r (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant #3 – Co-created with artist Graham Nolan)
Green Lantern Ash-Pak-Glif (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant #3 – Co-created with artist Graham Nolan)
Green Lantern B'shi (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant #3 – Co-created with artist Mike Lilly)
Green Lantern Kendotha Kr'nek (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant #3 – Co-created with artist Joyce Chin)
Green Lantern Raker Qarrigat (Green Lantern 80-Page Giant #3 – Co-created with artist Graham Nolan)
Gudra the Valkyrie (Detective Comics – Co-created with artist Jeff Parker)
Hardbody (Wildstorm – Gen13 – Co-created with artist Dan Hipp)
Honeybee (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Hotfoot (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Invulnera-Boy (Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century – Co-created with artist Sanford Greene)
Iron Curtain (Detective Comics – Co-created with artist Jeff Parker)
Johnny Photon (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Kid Kobra (Robin – Co-created with writer Chuck Dixon and artists Andy Kuhn & Pete Woods)
Little B.U.D.D.Y. (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Mago (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Midnight Rider (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Mite (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Monkey-in-the-Middle (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Neandra (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Nightmary (Wildstorm – Gen13 – Co-created with artist Mike Huddleston)
The Paladins (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Pandora (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Patrick Morgan Wayne (Bruce Wayne's paternal grandfather – Batman Secret Files & Origins #1)
Petrified Girl (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Pix (Batman: Gotham Knights – Co-created with artist Roger Robinson)
Praetor (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Private Warr (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Quaker (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Ragamuffin (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Rancor (Joker: Last Laugh – Co-created with Chuck Dixon and artist Pete Woods)
Redeemer (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Red Scare (Detective Comics – Co-created with artist Jeff Parker)
Runt (Wildstorm Gen13 – Co-created with artist Dan Hipp)
Sapling (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Scramjet (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Seafarer (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Shrike II (Robin: Year One – Co-created with Chuck Dixon and artist Marcos Martin)
Shrike III (Robin: Year One – Co-created with Chuck Dixon and artist Marcos Martin)
Silhouette (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Skeleton Crew (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Son of Vulcan II (Miguel Devante) (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant / Re-Imagining of Charlton Comics Character)
Stinkbug (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Stormfront (Joker: Last Laugh – Co-created with Chuck Dixon and artist Andy Kuhn)
Strongarm (JSA Classified – Co-created with artist Rags Morales)
Taipan (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Third Rail (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Thrush (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Tumbleweed (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Urumi (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Vulcan (Erich Thonius) (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
Wallflower (Wildstorm – Number of the Beast – Co-created with artist Chris Sprouse)
Warjack (Joker: Last Laugh – Co-created with Chuck Dixon and artist Andy Kuhn)
Windsprint (Wildstorm – Gen13 – Co-created with artist Dan Hipp)
Witchazel (Son of Vulcan – Co-created with artist Keron Grant)
STAR WARS Comic Book Characters & Concepts
Admiral Ektol Traz (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Jon Sommariva)
Bak Rychuk (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Jon Sommariva)
Er'stacians (Aquatic inhabitants of Er'stacia, a planet located beyond the Galactic Rim in so-called "Wild Space")
Hopeata (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Jon Sommariva)
Imperial Star Destroyer Spectral (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Derek Charm)
K-8Z8 (Imperial Security Droid) (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Derek Charm)
Noblesse Eiram (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Jon Sommariva)
Olee Beasco (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Jon Sommariva)
Shepherd Squadron – New Republic Fighter Wing (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Jon Sommariva)
Yancee Drai (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Jon Sommariva)
Z2-Z2 (Zeetoo-Zeetoo Astromech Droid) (Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down – Co-created with artist Jon Sommariva)
