Writer James Robinson reveals more about his 12 issue Shade maxi-series. I’m really looking forward to this. His Starman run is iconic and Shade was a big part of that. 2011 is shaping up to be a great year for comics fans.
There was some more big news at New York Comic Con that “Starman” fans are really excited about and that’s a “Shade” limited series. What can you tell us about that one?
I’ve written two issues and I’m writing the third one this week. It’s 12 issues and one over-riding storyline that’s divided into three different three-part arcs, interspersed with three single-issue, “Times Past” issues, so each arc and each “Times Past” issue will get a separate artist. We’re lining up some pretty great artists! I’m loathe to tell you who they are just yet until we have every single one of them lined up and locked down, but it’s a pretty stellar art group that we have on this series.
I’m really taking my time with it, but you should see the first issue some time next year. Well, there is no “should see” – you will see the first issue some time next year.
While you’ve worked on a lot of great projects over the years, there is perhaps none that you’re name is more synonymous with then “Starman.” Why is now the right time to return to Opal City?
This is the perfect way for me to preserve the legacy of Jack Knight and not dredge it up and muddy it up. A good magician never repeats his tricks, so it’s a good way to do that but at the same time, I get to revisit Opal City and some aspects of it, which I always felt there was more to, even after Jack Knight retired and moved to San Francisco.
Is this series set within the current DCU? And will we see characters from “Starman?”
You’ll see some of the characters from the DC Universe, and yes, it’s current but it’s self-contained too. You’ll see some of the characters that I introduced in “Superman” and from different parts of the DC Universe too, so there’s that. But I think you’ll be very happy with the series. I’m very proud of it. I’m proud of the outline I’ve come up with and I’m proud of the two issues that I’ve written already.
