Ben Morse here, live from San Diego, on into the wee hours of the morning…
…and don’t forget me, Tim Stevens, staying up late…for America.
We’ve got straight up mad crazy news like for you like you can’t handle, yo. We’ve got in-depth coverage of the JLA/JSA panel today that makes The Pulse’s efforts look like a third grader’s book report. We’ve got comments straight from Scholastic and Jeff Smith about Bone launching the Graphix imprint from a very ritzy launch party where Newsarama was nowhere in site. We’d also have Vertigo stuff, but Jamie Hatton is probably passed out in a San Diego gutter somewhere with the notes he took, so we’ll get those tomorrow (check outNewsarama & The Pulse if you want the news now…). We’ve also got the Geoff Johns panel coming at some point as soon as Tim finishes taking down notes from the tape recorder.
I am so wasted right now! WooWOO!
Let’s kick things of with some justice…STREET justice…or DC justice, that’s cool too…
DC Comics: In The Name of Justice
First up, that is one bad ass panel name. Second, you may read on CBR that “it took people a little while to raise their hands,†but what they fail to mention is who the first ones to raise their hands were…that’s right, Team 411 represent; when all was said and done, we asked two questions apiece. [JLA Editor] Mike Carlin’s explanation as to why he kept calling on us: “You guys have those cool suits, you look important†(Yep, we wore pimped out black suits, red tie for me, blue for Tim, dressed for success).
I pledge allegiance…TO BOOZE!!!
Let’s get to the stuff you want to know…
Panel Participants: Mike Carlin (JLA editor), Ron Garney (JLA), Joe Kelly (Justice League Elite), Geoff Johns (JSA), Chuck Austen (JLA)
One last initial observation: Ron Garney is ripped. I know we said yesterday that Rags Morales is a stud, but I think Garney could wipe the floors with him and take his woman.
Onto the news…
-A second JLA book called JLA Classified will be launched soon. The creative teams will rotate with each arc and are free to use any roster from any period in JLA history. Grant Morrison & Ed McGuinness will do the first arc. Gail Simone & Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (inked for the first time in his career by Klaus Janson)’s arc, previously scheduled for the main title, will be moved here. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Justice League, the sequel to Formerly Known As The Justice League by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis & Kevin Maguire, previously scheduled to be a limited series, may end up here (three issues are already penciled, but in Carlin’s words: “Kevin is an artist you don’t rush).
-In response to Tim’s question on whether or not the rotating creative teams experiment was a success, Carlin responded that “Some people would pick up some arcs, some people picked up others, but with a regular creative team some people don’t ever pick it up…neither is perfect…we’re glad we tried it and will continue to use it on JLA Classified while moving JLA back to a regular creative team with Kurt Busiek and Ron [Garney].â€
-Kelly explained the purpose of Justice League Elite (in contrast to JLA or past books like Justice League Task Force) as being that he was “interested in the nature of undercover work and heroes skirting darkness more. We’ll explore themes you can’t really touch on in JLA. Also, I didn’t write Justice League Task Force, but you always need to experiment.â€
-Johns explained the need for a JSA as being “To show that the DC Universe is a generational one†and also gave props to David Goyer & James Robinson for starting the current series, as the general misconception is that he did.
-At the moment there is no plans to collect John Ostrander’s JLA: Incarnations in trade paperback form.
-In response to Tim’s question on what other characters he would focus on if he could extend ‘Pain of the Gods,’ Austen said “I think six issues and six characters was enough…with the exception of Martian Manhunter’s chapter, things got pretty grim…I couldn’t handle that for more than six issues…I’d rather keep having fun as I am in Action Comics.â€
-Johns announced there will be a JSA/JSA story at the end of the year teaming the current team with the classic one (with Alex Ross covers) and he and Carlin said there will be another JLA/JSA crossover at some point in 2005.
-Johns also said that while the JSA roster is pretty full, two new members will join early next year.
-There are no plans for Solaris, Prometheus or the Global Guardians in the main JLA title, but they could show up in JLA: Classified (Garney noted Bat-Mite could show up as well).
-In regards to Hal Jordan returning to the JLA, Carlin coyly said “There’s always a chance.â€
-Kelly commented there was a possibility of using some of the Ancient League from the Obsidian Age in Justice League Elite while Carlin said something will be happening sooner or later with the DC 1,000,000 characters.
-In response to how hard it was to negotiate plot threads from JLA/Avengers into Busiek’s first arc on JLA, Carlin answered that only the DC parts would be referenced and there would be no flashback. Johns did note, however, that Batman had stolen Captain America’s shield, but that Cap had the utility belt; when a fan asked what Cap would do with Bat Shark Repellent, Johns responded with: “Cry.â€
-When Ben asked about how Kelly felt about giving up Faith, the character he created, to John Byrne and Doom Patrol, he replied that he never got a chance to tell her backstory, but that she was too nice for Elite and that he was honored that somebody else, particularly Byrne, wanted to use her.
-Responding to concerns that Superman/Batman took away some of the luster of seeing the World’s Finest team in JLA, Carlin said there was room for both books and Johns said that the appeal was in “putting a third hero in between Superman and Batman;†Garney suggested the third hero be Wonder Woman and the book be renamed JLXXX (at which point Carlin said they would have to acquire the X from Marvel).
-Kelly didn’t mind bringing in Hawkgirl or John Stewart to fit in somewhat with the animated series because he liked Hawkgirl and felt Stewart was underutilized; he thought it was good for new readers.
-Carlin said there were no further plans for Plastic Man in the JLA now that his solo title is up and running.
-Kelly explained that he picked the backup JLA in Obsidian Age half based on who he really thought Batman would pick and half with characters he liked.
-In regards to Kyle Rayner’s future with the team, Johns gave his favorite response: “Read Rebirth.â€
-Austen said he’d never turn down more work on JLA and Carlin confirmed there was an Austen fill-in issue written he may use sooner than later.
-When asked if there plans for any obscure villains, Kelly was quick to say “they’re all in the next issue of JSA†(which was just him making fun of Johns…they won’t really be there…we don’t think). Carlin said there was a seldom-used villain in Dan Slott & Dan Jurgens’ arc on JLA (before Busiek & Garney take over for good) and Kelly said he’d be using mostly new villains on Elite.
-Carlin said he felt there was always room for more JLA titles.
-Kelly said he had purposely left it open for The Burning to return at the end of Trial By Fire but wasn’t sure if or when he would.
-There are no future plans for Snapper Carr, but Johns will be using the android Hourman in JSA, which Carlin knew nothing about.
-No plans for Zatanna in the JLA except in Identity Crisis.
-Johns said “keep reading†in regards to the fate of Atom Smasher; Carlin said Johns gave lame answers, so Geoff amended it to “read issue #66;†Carlin kept chiding him, so Johns changed his answer again to “read issue #66 of JSA and you will find out more about Atom Smasher,†at which point Carlin backed off (probably because Geoff is our boy and we looked tough in our suits).
-Johns explained that Captain Marvel broke up with Stargirl because Billy Batson and Cap are two different people and the gods that give Cap his powers refused to let him reveal his secret identity because they though too many people knew; Captain Marvel will return to JSA by the end of the year.
-Carlin and Kelly both argued it was tough to do “down time†issues of JLA because most of the characters got enough in their solo titles.
-Johns said that there is still more to come with Mr. Bones that will affect the entire DCU.
-When the panel was asked if Identity Crisis was encouraging them to do more retroactive stories about the history of the DCU, Johns responded that he would be playing around with it in The Flash.
-Johns confirmed Hawk & Dove would show up in Teen Titans.
-Finally, in response to Ben’s question (which ended the panel as Tim began it, providing 411 symetry), Garney said he had been offered JLA after signing his exclusive contract, not the other way around, and that he may still be working on another project with Busiek which brought him to DC to begin with.
And that’s that.
Swanky Party Spells the Beginning of Graphix
Across and down the street from the Convention, past the multiplying robots and the bicycle drawn rickshaws, there lies a mall, (or plaza, if you prefer), that was designed by Ray Bradbury, author spectacular behind such great works of fiction as Fahrenheit 451 (this fact, by the way, is brought to you by Byron Preiss of ibooks, inc. Look for further news concerning him and Stan Lee (!) later this week in this space. Trust us, it is cool).
This Horton Plaza is home to the Napa Valley Grill, host of the coming out party of Scholastic Books brand new Graphic Novel imprint, Graphix. It’s first attempt is, of course, Jeff Smith’s Bone.
According to Scholastic Publisher Jean Feiwel, they sought out an already existing mythology because, “if we were going to begin an imprint, I knew I wanted to start with something that had already been published. That built in audience that established characters bring to the table would bring to the table is very important.†By choosing Bone, she hopes that Graphix is “taking a cautious but ambitious step forward. At least one that isn’t stupid anyway.â€
That does not, however, mean that Graphix will be dedicated solely to the repackaging of already existing materials. Even at this moment, they are “developing original works…which we have always done with our publishing. We are just figuring out what would be a good idea to present and bringing the right people on to the project.â€
Feiwel understands that it is not an endeavor devoid of complications. In presenting the plan to retailers, she explains that they (booksellers), “really perceive graphic novels as something mysterious, something they don’t understand.†In the end, she feels it is a matter of convincing them that graphic novels are just as viable a storytelling means as any. “I want to say, ‘You know what, it is fiction. You can put it right next to Captain Underpants or Harry Potter.’ It does not need to be someplace else.â€
A proclamation like that, Jeff Smith believes, will go a long way, “having Scholastic say this is a “real†book makes it so.†“I’ve done all I can with it (Bone), it is time for them to help,†he says, further explaining the benefits of this collaboration, “Doing something like this is like graduating, you know.â€
Although Smith jokes, “I think, in time, it will be a good thing for the industry. Or, I just made a colossal mistake and set the industry back 15 years,†it is clear that both he and Feiwel share an enthusiasm for the project. “When you have a big publishing house in Scholastic supporting you, it can only help the art form,†he would later acknowledge. Feiwel, for her part, views the enthusiasm and energy of comics and the fans that follow them as being a shot in the arm to the publishing industry which, she states, can occasionally come across as older and stiffer that its literary counterpart.
Bone will hit bookshelves in January of 2005.
That is all for today at 5:00 EST (oh God, I am SO tired). Look for us tomorrow, hopped up on caffeine and all a flutter about: MARVEL! THE AVENGERS! SUPERMAN! AND SO MUCH MORE!!!!!!
Dig it.
