East of Gotham: Who Should Write What DC Comic

Columns, Top Story

A couple of weeks back, I looked at everyone I wanted to write each Marvel Comic. This week, DC writers. The only rule was no writer could work on a book on which they’d already had a run, and no one could be kept on their book. I tried to keep Marvel writers on Marvel books and DC writers on DC books, since I couldn’t find a list of who’s exclusive where. Here we go!

Action Comics – Paul Tobin – The Marvel Adventures line writer flat out gets superheroes. He could be another Mark Millar or, at least, Jeff Parker (whom I actually prefer) if given a high enough profile. He’s just fun and tells down to earth stories as well as he does big, epic stuff. Tobin is perfect for the Man of Steel.

Superman – Peter Tomasi – Batman and Robin, his upcoming assignment is perfect, so there was a temptation to cheat and leave him there since he didn’t start yet, but Tomasi’s work on both Green Lantern Corps and Nightwing suggest he could handle the top flight adventure of Big Blue and the human component of Clark Kent.

Superman/Batman – Robert Kirkman – This title should be a big deal, and it isn’t anymore, so the only way it should continue is with a writer who can make it matter. Feel like doing work for hire on the two biggest superhero icons in the world Mr. Kirkman?

Supergirl – Adam Warren – Warren is the king of the “sexy superhero comedy” and that’s a take I’d love to see on Supergirl to make her truly stand out.

Adventure Comics – Grant Morrison – Grant Morrison on the Legion of Superheroes works for me. Let him launch their origins with his own unique twist.

Legion of Superheroes – Grant Morrison – And then let him take them into the future as a top selling, totally insane title. Sure, it would get us the Legion Corporation, but the path there would be sweet.

Azrael – Eric Powell – Azrael is a big silly as a concept and all the attempts to play him totally straight fall flat. Enter Powell. Let him add tongue-in-cheek humor to Azrael’s over-the-top violence and see where that leads.

Batgirl – Joe Kelly – Kelly, as most-recently seen with I Kill Giants, is an amazing writer of young women and one I’d love to see tackle Stephanie Brown and continue her development.

Batman – Geoff Johns – Johns needs a big book and has yet to take on the Bat… probably the only major DC property he hasn’t tackled after some form or fashion.

Batman and Robin – Paul Cornell – Cornell has a similar sensibility to Morrison and could really help keep this title semi-insane, just like we all like it.

Detective Comics – Gail Simone – I’d like this to go back to being primarily a Bat-Title. Simone deserves a top seller for being DC’s most consistently great writer.

Batman: Beyond – John Rogers – Batman: Beyond is a property in need of exploitation. John Rogers, due to his excellent Blue Beetle that no one read, is a writer in need of recognition. Shake lightly.

Red Robin – Sterling Gates – Gates is good, but can be a bit clunky. I’d like to take away all the trappings of Superpowers and see what he can do with Tim Drake.

Robin (Damian) – Brian Q Miller – Damian is a hot character right now and Miller is DC’s best brand-new writer. This is a great way to make his name stick to the average fan.

Batwoman – Gray, Palmiotti – Like you wouldn’t buy it.

Wonder Woman – Geoff Johns – If anyone is going to make her sell and relevant, it’s Johns. Bring him in for the big anniversary issue and make WW relevant.

Birds of Prey – Chris Roberson – Roberson, who does the Fables stuff Willingham doesn’t, is a very good writer who can handle spy stuff that Birds tend to deal with. This would have been Greg Rucka, but he seems to have left DC.

Secret Six – Paul Cornell – So, let Cornell go nuts with Gail’s book. He can do this kind of book, it really isn’t that far off tone from his Wisdom mini, and do it well.

Suicide Squad – Fabian Niczeia – Let Fabian go nuts and kill some folks, reliving his early 90s days with great plots backing it up.

Booster Gold and Blue Beetle – Joe Kelly – Kelly is funny, he gets teen characters, and he knows how to keep this kind of thing serious without sacrificing the humor. Adding the Blue to the Gold, even if it isn’t Ted Kord, is just good marketing.

Justice League – Paul Dini – He would write the hell out of this book, and it’s time for him to branch out away from Gotham. Let him spread his wings and let loose with the League.

Justice League International – Paul Tobin – They have a fanbase but need a new voice. Enter the hilarious Tobin to add pure superheroics and silliness with his fresh take.

Flash – Tom Defalco – If he’s truly on the outs with Marvel, this would be perfect. Defalco is the best at brightly colored superheroes and fast adventure. Sound familiar?

The Authority – James Robinson – Relaunching the core Wildstorm books will be a way to draw in some lapsed fans and give respected creators a way to play without worrying about continuity. Robinson being pulled away from his pet themes and dealing with the Authority is step 1.

Gen 13 – Gail Simone – Gail Simone being put on this book, as she’s the only one I trust to not make it pure cheesecake, is step two. Superpowered kids dealing with spies is perfect for her.

Wildcats – Tony Bedard – Bedard is here simply due to competence. He could write Wildcats in his sleep, mixing the Halo Corporation 3.0 stuff with some fun space stuff from the book’s past.

Stormwatch – John Ostrander – Ostrander would get an unfettered superhuman peacekeeping organization. This one is all but guaranteed critical acclaim and the jewel of the line.

Green Arrow – Paul Dini – Dini is a big deal and should be kept happy. Justice League pushes his boundaries, while Green Arrow allows him to examine themes from his Batman run with a different hero and different perspective.

Green Lantern – Duane Swierczynski – He handled all the cool mystic insanity of Iron Fist. He’s always had a crime focus, which would be cool to see GL do again.

Green Lantern Corps – Keith Giffen – This… well… Giffen wrote Annihilation. Any questions?

Jonah Hex – Brian Azzarello – Azz needs something and he’s best at his own little corner not interfering with anything, telling his own badass stories. He never got to be the next-big-thing many predicted, but this is his niche and he’s great at it.

Warlord – Dan Jurgens – Let Jurgens take a crack at this epic, lost character. He’s a big enough name to keep it above the sales threshold, while telling really compelling stories.

JSA – Scott Lobdell – I miss Lobdell on a monthly team book. He could absolutely handle JSA and all their history and backstory and make it worth reading again. In many ways, he’s the prototype of Geoff Johns.

Outsiders – JT Krul – I don’t like him, but wanted to stick him somewhere to make Grey happy.

Teen Titans – Fabian Niczeia – He can do teen heroes and, for this, he’d be doing the iconic ones in an iconic manner. Fabian always deserved more pub than he gets, and could gain it by reinvigorating this franchise.

Zatanna – Mark Guggenheim – He get screwed on the Bart Allen Flash thing, so let him ease his way back into the company with Zatanna.

Rebels – Brian Azarello – I just want to see what happens. It might be a trainwreck, but it might be great.

Shazam – Brian Clevinger – Atomic Robo and Penny Arcade’s Clevinger could wander in on an off day and write the most compelling Shazam since Jeff Smith’s run on the book. Want Shazam to matter again? I can only think of three names that make it work that might be available to DC… Tobin, Morrison and Clevinger. Let’s give the new guy a shot.

Glazer is a former senior editor at Pulse Wrestling and editor and reviewer at The Comics Nexus.