Post by David on Jun 7, 2009 22:17:44 GMT -5
Hi, and welcome back to The DC2 Pull List!
Check back every Monday for member reviews of each week's new issues! We will also spotlight one title every week to critique and discuss, interview the writer and artist and celebrate the talent and effort that goes into creating the #1 DCU fan fiction/art site on the web!
They are the World's Greatest Heroes, a legendary gathering of iconic characters--- the team you call when armageddon is knocking on the door. Three years ago they came together in the hour of Earth's greatest need, then they triumphed even when the people they swore to protect turned against them, and now they face their most desperate battle against foes who are cunning without equal, who have one goal: the downfall of the Justice League! In a storyline with its roots all the way back to the writer's first issue, this is the culmination of a true Justice League epic.
This week's Spotlight Title is Justice League #24, and joining me are Brian Burchette (writer New Outsiders, Green Arrow, Titans West), House Of Mystery (writers Detective Comics, DC2 Nemesis, The Question), Jay McIntyre (writer Teen Titans, Titans: Resistance, Elseworlds Editor-in-Chief) and representing the creative team for this issue is Don Walsh (writer, Justice League, Danger Trail, Ultimate All-Star, Mightiest Mortals, DC3 Editor-in-Chief).
As always, beware of SPOILERS below!
(click on cover to go straight to the issue)
Written by Don Walsh
Cover by Jamie Rimmer
DAVID: I am embarrassed and ashamed to say that this is the first issue of Justice League that I've read since the end of Brian's run, and boy does it look like I've been missing out!
However, I am grateful for the Previously in Justice League... preludian blurb; not only does it help latecomers to catch-up, but it also sets an urgent and immediate tone for the issue which follows.
The nice thing about coming into this run in it's penultimate stage is there is no uncertainty whether this is going to be a story that will pay-off: it seemed like every scene was something that had been building for a long time. From the D-Day style paratroop drop of the Injustice Unlimited band in the opening moments, to the creep-tastic scene at the end with Xotar and Sue evoking the horrific events of Identity Crisis!
Something that stood out for me, a newcomer to this arc (so I may be off the mark), is that this story belonged to its villains: Crime Doctor, Atomic Skull, Penny Dreadful, Prometheus, Clock King, I.Q., Toyman, Angle Man and the Weapons Master. None of these guys are A-listers (most of them aren't even B-listers!) and yet they're as compelling as any Lex Luthor, Joker or Cheetah. Don, did you set out to write a story that rehabilitated third tier villainy?
DON: You pretty much hit the nail on the head for a lot of the inspiration to Injustice Unbound, from the very first issue I did. I wanted to really elevate some of these guys to a greater threat level, really make them shine, show why they get super-hero attention, but I wanted to go for a different angle than the typical "Injustice Gang/The Society" kind of story, or do a "powering up" kind of story. It just occurred to me as I plotted out the nature of Injustice Unlimited (a super-criminal union hall) that most of these guys would want to get better by just being smarter and more patient. I daresay Prometheus should be a-list, but his usage after Morrison-era JLA and current rejuvenation have really hurt his portfolio, so letting him and Angle Man get a chance to come across as just really scary planners (and desperate for recognition in Angelo's case) was fun to get across. But yeah, the whole hope with Injustice Unlimited and the plot from the Big Bads was to offer the DCU2 a new way to make the second and third-tier villains dangerous.
CHARLIE: Now, I've enjoyed this title, month after month, for going on two years now. It's one of the titles that never ceases to impress, and it's plain to see that the writer has had this planned pretty much, I assume, since his first issue. Everything's coming together, and I adore it.
How do you plot a beast of a story like this?
DON: One step at a time. LOL
Very carefully?
Okay, a real answer now.To be honest, the first two comments are true. Doing the long-term, slow-burn plot is really tricky to pull of satisfactorily, and by that, I mean for writer and readers to be satisfied. It involves long-term planning, obviously, but by this I mean, having X# of issues laid out in at least skeletal form, or you'll never keep it all straight. Then you need to figure out the most important elements of the story, and make sure that these little nuggets of information and story/character development appear at least a tiny bit in each and every segment. It's easy for readers (and writer!) to forget where along the road the story is if there's not a consistent return to it. You can see that in the TV shows that have become adept at the "season-long" arc. It's really all in building the road map in advance, and then having the willpower to stick to it, even if smaller portions of that map change up or alter a bit. And the willpower...man...that's the tough part.
CHARLIE: How long have you been wanting to tell it?
DON: Since I started. This whole road to the big villain reveal and the masterminds behind the story have been in my head since "JL vs. America" was in the works and there was discussion about who would take JL afterward, and if there'd be a second JL of A title. Originally, this was that proposal, a JLofA spin-off. It was decided to just have the one series though, and Mark had this pitch in hand and it was getting close to the wire. I feel the League is a tentpole series for the DCU in any incarnation, so I stepped up and said I'd do it.
There have been twists I've been waiting to reveal and get out since I started in #8 though. Getting to that scene at the end of #21, where I get to reveal who the real mastermind and Big Bad is, that was a killer. Patience is rewarded though. When people got to it (or new readers get to it) and go "Whoa!" then my anxiousness to get to that scene will be rewarded. The huge ender to #23 was another one I've been dying to get to since about halfway through my run when I figured out the masterminds would strike like that.
CHARLIE: Who's your favourite Leaguer to write?
DON: For my Justice League run, my favorites have been: Kid Eternity, who's a long under-rated character who could be a breakout with a truly cool and unique power; Manitou Dawn, who I didn't like at all in the comics. She broke all the rules: she wasn't her own character but a female version of a male hero, she wasn't particularly strong in personality or design, and she was mishandled as a "strong woman" archetype by male writers who can really screw up what that means. I wanted to refurbish a basically sound idea, and wanted to prove she could be done properly, and ended up falling in love with her myself; and Hawkgirl, Kendra Saunders. The version of her started by Dave was very neat, and getting to grow her up, getting her to find her role and her place in the superhero community was a blast.
For more traditional Leagues though, and not my "author's pets" who will be forgotten in the grand rosters of teams (the way so many others have in the comics as well), I have to say my favorite character is the League itself. I love all these guys, even the ones I'm not big fans of, because it's who the people are and figuring out how they spark and bounce off each other that's so much fun. People change how they are and are perceived when they meet up with another, and when you get a large group, that changes even more. So really, the most fun character was the meeting table, where all these strong, vibrant personalities are just flying around the room, bouncing off each other in new permutations.
CHARLIE: If you had another year, do you know where you'd go with the title?
DON: A little, yeah. I actually had to stop myself from plotting beyond #25, to be honest, back when I was laying out the groundwork for the Injustice Unbound! storyline. I had some ideas, and more villains I'd have liked to play with. Getting the kids some more growth, having a leadership change (which is always entertaining), rotating the Big Blue Boy Scout back into full-time duty, getting Aquaman back onto the roster perhaps; on the villain side, a return bout with the Lord of Time perhaps, I know I was interested in some of the scientist villains the League's compiled over the years, perhaps a feud between Dr. 7 and Amos Fortune. But I'm glad to be stopping now too. I had lots of hiccups, dead ends, and difficulties getting this tale told by nature of the League having to revolve around individual titles as well. So I think Justice League #25 is an excellent place to put a full stop to my run. Sticking around too long can be bad as well, and I've said some good stuff here, I feel.
CHARLIE: Yes, I'm aware of some of the problems your choice roster has undergone-- reminds me of Dwayne McDuffie's situation, his idea of writing "Cap's Kooky Quartet", as it were, but I think you were lucky in some ways because you had some fun big guns, and the new characters you introduced into the roster were a very fun addition, and you made the reader care with the amount of time and energy you put into developing them.
I find that throwing characters together you might not consider from the get go-- such as Zauriel and Jason Todd in DC2 Nemesis right now-- creates so much fun, and gives a better idea of who these people are without the natural fall back on certain relationships.
DON: I had some issues with the roster choices I wanted, but the more difficult aspect was the villain choices I wanted to use, actually. Initially, the secret mastermind was supposed to be the Riddler, and not Angle Man, with a focus on the two Big Bads being focused on proving they could out-think Batman. Coming off of "JLvA", I felt using Riddler (even in secret) would be too sudden. I went for Hugo Strange, and then Grant began plotting the big changes in Batman, and I realized that villains targeting Dick (even unwittingly) just wasn't the same for Justice League stories. That's when I hit on Angle Man and Wonder Woman being the new target, since really, she should be considered every bit the scary thinker that Batman and Nightwing are considered. After that, it all fell into place.
And it is definitely fun to stick together characters that normally don't get to play together. There's classic friendships (like Ollie and Hal, Hal and Barry, Barry and Ralph) and classic rivalries (any ol' Hawk and Ollie), but mixing it up (like Kid Eternity and Hawkman) does force the writer to look a little deeper into who these people are and how they bounce off of each other.
CHARLIE: Are there any characters you felt you short-changed over the course of your run?
DON: The only one that I felt got a bit short-changed at this point was Black Lightning. I had initially wanted him for the team, but that didn't pan out. I had him set up for his guest-stint against Starbreaker and Byth, but there was such a full cast for that one, and more being introduced, that he really kind of got lost in the shuffle. I feel bad too, he's an interesting character, especially in situations where he's suddenly in over his head, since he's not your typical world-saver.
CHARLIE: I agree, you could tell by the writing there was almost an itch for him to keep appearing, but I guess appearances in other books kept him away, which is a shame. A book like this is a place for characters without their own ongoings to appear, to be put in the spotlight, and that's why I enjoyed seeing the Hawks, Kit, Dawn and the others appear. A really wonderful run that seems to have come full circle.
CHARLIE: What are your favourite moments from your run as a whole?
DON: That's a tough one. There were so many over the period in question. While not a specific moment, per se, but a running series of moments, I liked the relationship of Diana and Kendra. I liked having Diana see all this potential in Kendra and slowly just heap more and more responsibility on her as a result. I really enjoyed Diana, Kendra and Dawn training on Paradise Island. Superman dealing with Mon-El's appearance and loss I felt good about, as I did about Ray and Blue Jay, and then Blue Jay's loss. That also let me set up one of my favorite moments, when Blue Jay and Hummingbird appear courtesy of Kid Eternity to save Jean Loring. There were many, many small moments of humor and drama in the series I loved.
My favorite moments of all though, were working with Roy. He just had such wonderfully classic, Silver Age/early Bronze Age/Satellite era ideas for the covers, that every time I'd pitch him the synopsis of the issue, I'd be all excited for what he'd send back for ideas. Then more excited to see the ideas sketched up and built up over time. He really just nailed what I had in mind. Sometimes even enhancing it, or providing inspiration for something in the writing.
To that end though, Jamie's been a great replacement for Roy. A different sensibility, but he's enthusiastic, talented, done some powerful covers, and if he can pull off the idea he has in #25, I think we're all going to get floored.
DAVID: For those of us not as well-versed in the more obscure DC villains, can you give us a run down on who appears on Jamie Rimmer's beautiful cover?
DON: Up at point is the fabulous redesign of I.Q. Jamie came up with. I really love the look, so keeping the original design in mind and just making it look rather modern and almost effete. I loved it. Flanking I.Q. is Volcana, introduced two issues ago, and seen in action last issue, she's lifted from Superman: the Animated Series, and with our League story, she's become an enforcer for Injustice Unlimited; on I.Q.'s other flank is Volcana's honey, Dreadbolt, son of the original Bolt (killed in an early Suicide Squad...oddly, along with Angle Man, and yet HE'S back and yes, that's getting revealed at long last next issue). Next to Dreadbolt is Big Sir, again, another redesign that conveys the man's simple nature while bringing him into a more modern presentation. Next to Volcana is Javelin, a rather lightweight Green Lantern foe, who I forgot to let USE those neat new javelins I hinted at in the opening scene. Have to give him his moment next issue. LOL and finally, on either end are Double Dare, wonderfully under-utilized Nightwing foes.
CHARLIE: And you can really tell that you care about these characters! The events of Justice League Annual #2 was beautiful, the reunited Blue Jay and Hummingbird just... well. If I was a crying man, then I would be bawling, Don. It was a neat scene, and it made the book into something more than just a Lord of Time versus JL battle that could have been forgettable. Every facet of your run matters, be it a throwaway scene or a throwaway line-- some how, some way, down the line, it will be picked up on and explored. I remember the early scenes with Penny Dreadful and Atomic Skull-- fun, different, but seemingly disconnected from the main narrative... but as the months went on, everything wove together into an amazing tapestry that is up there with some of the best JLA runs over in the DCU proper, and I do not say that lightly.
Yours will be a tough act to follow.
DAVID: Can't help but notice the resemblance of Atomic Skull and Penny Dreadful to Ringo and Honey Bunny from Pulp Fiction... Coincidence or intentional?
DON: From their very first appearance, where I cribbed...er, "homaged" the conversation the two of them had in the diner, there were some definite deliberate layering of those two, coupled with a taste of Bonnie and Clyde. They've been so much fun to write over my run.
DAVID: I really enjoyed the reveal that Xotar was from Bgtzl, and the harm that the Kryptonians unwittingly did to their universe... Will this have ramifications for the future, and it is possibly a tease that you have designs on a certain other super team with a huge roster?
DON: I was rather pleased with myself for a new origin for Xotar. I wanted to avoid making him a future human for any number of reasons. I'm not sure what pointed me to Bgtzl, but realizing that the Ghost Zone/Phantom Zone was already in play thanks to Prometheus and Mon-El, it made sense, and I wanted to try and get some explanation to how, if at all, these three places differ. I'm hoping there are ramifications and consequences followed up, but I don't have plans for the Legion, not here in Earth-One anyway. Maybe down the road, otherwise... here's hoping another writer likes to run with it too.
JAY: I've been on and off with this title, but I certainly appreciate both a) The mixed-membership of the League and b) The smarter, smoother Injustice Unlimited. Of course, treachery is a fact of life for villains, and it's happened here.
Is Penny Dreadful really dead? Did I read that right, are the twins dead?
I've always enjoyed Don's writing style, no doubt of that.
DON: Yes, sadly, Penny Dreadful has shuffled off this mortal coil. Where that leaves Atomic Skull as a result is a whole other question...and potential problem for the good guys.
As for the twins being dead...certainly doesn't look good for them does it? However, I'll give a bit of a peek for our readers: Zan and Jayna do make a very brief appearance in this very issue.
And thanks very much for the compliments, Jay. I've always been a big fan of a mixed group of Leaguers, because you can do so much more with them than the Big 7 on a personal scale, and also because we know how the Big 7 interact. As Charlie and I touched on earlier, finding new pairings for these heroes to bounce off of can be much more interesting work for the writer.
BRIAN: With all these amazing characters you've used in your run, Don, are their any in particular that you hope continues to make their precence known in the DC2?
DON: I would love Injustice, Unlimited to continue to be used, even if the leadership alters. I think the way it works, the way its membership works (fluid and connected by the needs of a specific crime), there's lots of potential in the group. I know Charlie is going to use them some over in his Secret Society series, but here's hoping the group catches on. I'll probably give them a Secret Files entry somewhere too, for reference.
As for Justice League members, here's hoping I've brought interest to Ralph and Sue (though that's not hard, I think); Manitou Dawn and Kid Eternity (who I admit, belong in other series as much, if not more, than the League); and I'm hoping to find a home for Gypsy (and Zan and Jayna...if they're alive ). The twins were probably even a bigger rehabilitation project than Dawn.
BRIAN: Any chance we might see you on a Kid Eternity mini-series?
DON: Brian, you really want to work my writing fingers to the bone, don't you? LOL I think this is the third or fourth mini-series you've wondered if I'll do during the run of Justice League. If you want to see more Kid Eternity, there's the DC3 version (there IS a difference between the two, though they are similar in attitude) in Ultimate Outsiders (starting later this month) and popping up with the Marvel Family on Earth-S.
DAVID: The roster that Don has assembled for his run will no doubt go down as one of the more unique and interesting team dynamics the Justice League has seen--- on the DC2 or otherwise! So this question is for everyone: put yourself in the driver's seat, and tell me who you would assemble for your JLA dream team, if you were going to do a defining 12 issue run! No character is off limits. Let's get imaginitive!
JAY: Before I answer that, let me say that what Don has done here is not so unusual; what is unusual is that he makes it work. Any roster for the League can fly if the right writer is behind them. So credit to him for that.
I don't know if I have a clear roster in my mind for the League right off the bat. Titans has always been more my speed. Hmmm....
Wonder Woman
Martian Manhunter
Flash
Geo-Force (something I think Meltzer got right, though he probably did it for the wrong reasons)
Power Girl (no disrespect to her being in JSA, David!)
Captain Marvel
Aztek
John Stewart
Triumph
Tomorrow Woman (Morrison version, assuming she hadn't died)
And that's just off the top of my head. I've often wondered what a redeemed Prometheus would have been like. But I'm wandering towards Elseworlds there, as I tend to do, and I realize the list above is by itself enough for two teams.
Note the absence of both Superman and Batman. While I've always been a Batman fan, and have slowly come to appreciate Superman down the years, I think the League functions best without having to rely on them. That having nothing to do with the current DC2 Bruce Wayne "dead"/Dick-as-Batman situation.
BRIAN: Interesting question. I'd probably play it safe and be mostly old school.
Martian Manhunter
Green Lantern (Hal)
Green Arrow
Hawkman (Katar Hol)
Wonder Woman
Gypsy
Nightwing
Hawkgirl
and
The Creeper
CHARLIE: Ha, wait two months.
...What?!
DAVID: Some neat choices, fellas!
I have a soft spot for the Satelitte Era League, so I'm going to go with:
Superman
Batman
Wonder Woman
Green Lantern (Hal)
Black Canary
Firestorm (Ronnie/Stein)
Green Arrow
Elongated Man
Atom (Ray)
Hawkman (Katar)
Hawkwoman (Shayera)
Zatanna (Perez-designed costume)
Flash (Barry)
Aquaman
Red Tornado
I loved the character-interactions during this period. However, if I were going to do another run at this title on the DC2, I think I'd do something like an anti-Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire League and choose:
Wonder Woman III (Zenobia)
Green Lantern (Guy Gardner)
Manbat
Fire
Ice
Black Lightning
Phantom Stranger
Red Tornado
This is what is most fun about the Justice League: everyone has their own idea of what would make a great run!
CHARLIE: What future projects can we expect from you, Don?
DON: Well, focusing on DC2, I have Seven Soldiers of Victory of course, and the last chapter to their opening story from me is set for a couple of weeks. There's still Danger Trail as well, which I'm reinvigorated for, and hopefully, with a very neat crossover coming up from a surprising source, focused on a surprising bad guy.
I'm also plotting with Samantha Chapman to release a Birds of Prey story in All-Star Comics. The initial idea was pitched to the editor, and now we just have to finalize it, get it all approved and covered, and start it up. Some events from Justice League 25 will spin out into it, as well as picking up on threads from Johnny Thunder in Weird Western Quarterly.
As for WWQ, Susan and I have been plotting our brains out over there, and Johnny will have the lead story there, and then Johnny and Madame .44 have a great story with Jonah Hex, in a way, for New Year's Eve, and let me tell you, Susan and I are excited as all get out for that.
At DC2, there's Mightiest Mortals, All-Stars and I'll be picking up Ultimate Outsiders on Earth-Five, and co-plotting Wonder Woman with Sam and Green Lantern Corps (a very different take on GLC as well) with Tim Abramo, as well as some projects for Earth-Two for Riz, including Legionnaires, Titans and a Resurrection Man two-part special!
And now I'm just tired thinking of all that work! LOL
And now for our reviews of this week's new issues:
(click the cover to go straight to the issue)
Written by House Of Mystery
Cover by Gaff1229
Reviewed by Brian Burchette
If you haven't been reading the Batman titles in a while, I implore you to get on the bandwagon now! This issue is just a hint of the powerful story that is coming down the pike. The Wayne Boys (Jason, Dick, and Tim) are heading towards something big, it seems. Not only do we get an exceptionally eerie Man-Bat, but the sub-plot with Black Mask and the 3 major crime families is building at a great pace. This is a must read!
(click the link to go straight to the issue)
Written by House Of Mystery
Cover by Ramon Villalobos
Reviewed by Pat Owens
DC2 Nemesis #4 shows off how a middle point in an event should be one of the most exciting moments of the entire story. And boy does it deliver. House Of Mystery pretty much turns the world upside down in this one, writing a death that I don't think anyone would ever expect. The cover is beautfiul and colorful but it vits into the dark mood that is Nemesis. Don't miss this installment in this year's DC2 event!
]
(click the link to go straight to the issue)
Written by House Of Mystery
Cover by Jina B
Reviewed by Jina B
A poignant portrait of Diana Prince as warrior, friend, sister, and champion of justice, Charlie ends his epic Wonder Woman run beautifully and with just the right touch of reverence. Don't miss this fantastic tribute to one of the most powerful and stirring characters in the DC2 Universe!
Check back every Monday for member reviews of each week's new issues! We will also spotlight one title every week to critique and discuss, interview the writer and artist and celebrate the talent and effort that goes into creating the #1 DCU fan fiction/art site on the web!
They are the World's Greatest Heroes, a legendary gathering of iconic characters--- the team you call when armageddon is knocking on the door. Three years ago they came together in the hour of Earth's greatest need, then they triumphed even when the people they swore to protect turned against them, and now they face their most desperate battle against foes who are cunning without equal, who have one goal: the downfall of the Justice League! In a storyline with its roots all the way back to the writer's first issue, this is the culmination of a true Justice League epic.
This week's Spotlight Title is Justice League #24, and joining me are Brian Burchette (writer New Outsiders, Green Arrow, Titans West), House Of Mystery (writers Detective Comics, DC2 Nemesis, The Question), Jay McIntyre (writer Teen Titans, Titans: Resistance, Elseworlds Editor-in-Chief) and representing the creative team for this issue is Don Walsh (writer, Justice League, Danger Trail, Ultimate All-Star, Mightiest Mortals, DC3 Editor-in-Chief).
As always, beware of SPOILERS below!
(click on cover to go straight to the issue)
Written by Don Walsh
Cover by Jamie Rimmer
DAVID: I am embarrassed and ashamed to say that this is the first issue of Justice League that I've read since the end of Brian's run, and boy does it look like I've been missing out!
However, I am grateful for the Previously in Justice League... preludian blurb; not only does it help latecomers to catch-up, but it also sets an urgent and immediate tone for the issue which follows.
The nice thing about coming into this run in it's penultimate stage is there is no uncertainty whether this is going to be a story that will pay-off: it seemed like every scene was something that had been building for a long time. From the D-Day style paratroop drop of the Injustice Unlimited band in the opening moments, to the creep-tastic scene at the end with Xotar and Sue evoking the horrific events of Identity Crisis!
Something that stood out for me, a newcomer to this arc (so I may be off the mark), is that this story belonged to its villains: Crime Doctor, Atomic Skull, Penny Dreadful, Prometheus, Clock King, I.Q., Toyman, Angle Man and the Weapons Master. None of these guys are A-listers (most of them aren't even B-listers!) and yet they're as compelling as any Lex Luthor, Joker or Cheetah. Don, did you set out to write a story that rehabilitated third tier villainy?
DON: You pretty much hit the nail on the head for a lot of the inspiration to Injustice Unbound, from the very first issue I did. I wanted to really elevate some of these guys to a greater threat level, really make them shine, show why they get super-hero attention, but I wanted to go for a different angle than the typical "Injustice Gang/The Society" kind of story, or do a "powering up" kind of story. It just occurred to me as I plotted out the nature of Injustice Unlimited (a super-criminal union hall) that most of these guys would want to get better by just being smarter and more patient. I daresay Prometheus should be a-list, but his usage after Morrison-era JLA and current rejuvenation have really hurt his portfolio, so letting him and Angle Man get a chance to come across as just really scary planners (and desperate for recognition in Angelo's case) was fun to get across. But yeah, the whole hope with Injustice Unlimited and the plot from the Big Bads was to offer the DCU2 a new way to make the second and third-tier villains dangerous.
CHARLIE: Now, I've enjoyed this title, month after month, for going on two years now. It's one of the titles that never ceases to impress, and it's plain to see that the writer has had this planned pretty much, I assume, since his first issue. Everything's coming together, and I adore it.
How do you plot a beast of a story like this?
DON: One step at a time. LOL
Very carefully?
Okay, a real answer now.To be honest, the first two comments are true. Doing the long-term, slow-burn plot is really tricky to pull of satisfactorily, and by that, I mean for writer and readers to be satisfied. It involves long-term planning, obviously, but by this I mean, having X# of issues laid out in at least skeletal form, or you'll never keep it all straight. Then you need to figure out the most important elements of the story, and make sure that these little nuggets of information and story/character development appear at least a tiny bit in each and every segment. It's easy for readers (and writer!) to forget where along the road the story is if there's not a consistent return to it. You can see that in the TV shows that have become adept at the "season-long" arc. It's really all in building the road map in advance, and then having the willpower to stick to it, even if smaller portions of that map change up or alter a bit. And the willpower...man...that's the tough part.
CHARLIE: How long have you been wanting to tell it?
DON: Since I started. This whole road to the big villain reveal and the masterminds behind the story have been in my head since "JL vs. America" was in the works and there was discussion about who would take JL afterward, and if there'd be a second JL of A title. Originally, this was that proposal, a JLofA spin-off. It was decided to just have the one series though, and Mark had this pitch in hand and it was getting close to the wire. I feel the League is a tentpole series for the DCU in any incarnation, so I stepped up and said I'd do it.
There have been twists I've been waiting to reveal and get out since I started in #8 though. Getting to that scene at the end of #21, where I get to reveal who the real mastermind and Big Bad is, that was a killer. Patience is rewarded though. When people got to it (or new readers get to it) and go "Whoa!" then my anxiousness to get to that scene will be rewarded. The huge ender to #23 was another one I've been dying to get to since about halfway through my run when I figured out the masterminds would strike like that.
CHARLIE: Who's your favourite Leaguer to write?
DON: For my Justice League run, my favorites have been: Kid Eternity, who's a long under-rated character who could be a breakout with a truly cool and unique power; Manitou Dawn, who I didn't like at all in the comics. She broke all the rules: she wasn't her own character but a female version of a male hero, she wasn't particularly strong in personality or design, and she was mishandled as a "strong woman" archetype by male writers who can really screw up what that means. I wanted to refurbish a basically sound idea, and wanted to prove she could be done properly, and ended up falling in love with her myself; and Hawkgirl, Kendra Saunders. The version of her started by Dave was very neat, and getting to grow her up, getting her to find her role and her place in the superhero community was a blast.
For more traditional Leagues though, and not my "author's pets" who will be forgotten in the grand rosters of teams (the way so many others have in the comics as well), I have to say my favorite character is the League itself. I love all these guys, even the ones I'm not big fans of, because it's who the people are and figuring out how they spark and bounce off each other that's so much fun. People change how they are and are perceived when they meet up with another, and when you get a large group, that changes even more. So really, the most fun character was the meeting table, where all these strong, vibrant personalities are just flying around the room, bouncing off each other in new permutations.
CHARLIE: If you had another year, do you know where you'd go with the title?
DON: A little, yeah. I actually had to stop myself from plotting beyond #25, to be honest, back when I was laying out the groundwork for the Injustice Unbound! storyline. I had some ideas, and more villains I'd have liked to play with. Getting the kids some more growth, having a leadership change (which is always entertaining), rotating the Big Blue Boy Scout back into full-time duty, getting Aquaman back onto the roster perhaps; on the villain side, a return bout with the Lord of Time perhaps, I know I was interested in some of the scientist villains the League's compiled over the years, perhaps a feud between Dr. 7 and Amos Fortune. But I'm glad to be stopping now too. I had lots of hiccups, dead ends, and difficulties getting this tale told by nature of the League having to revolve around individual titles as well. So I think Justice League #25 is an excellent place to put a full stop to my run. Sticking around too long can be bad as well, and I've said some good stuff here, I feel.
CHARLIE: Yes, I'm aware of some of the problems your choice roster has undergone-- reminds me of Dwayne McDuffie's situation, his idea of writing "Cap's Kooky Quartet", as it were, but I think you were lucky in some ways because you had some fun big guns, and the new characters you introduced into the roster were a very fun addition, and you made the reader care with the amount of time and energy you put into developing them.
I find that throwing characters together you might not consider from the get go-- such as Zauriel and Jason Todd in DC2 Nemesis right now-- creates so much fun, and gives a better idea of who these people are without the natural fall back on certain relationships.
DON: I had some issues with the roster choices I wanted, but the more difficult aspect was the villain choices I wanted to use, actually. Initially, the secret mastermind was supposed to be the Riddler, and not Angle Man, with a focus on the two Big Bads being focused on proving they could out-think Batman. Coming off of "JLvA", I felt using Riddler (even in secret) would be too sudden. I went for Hugo Strange, and then Grant began plotting the big changes in Batman, and I realized that villains targeting Dick (even unwittingly) just wasn't the same for Justice League stories. That's when I hit on Angle Man and Wonder Woman being the new target, since really, she should be considered every bit the scary thinker that Batman and Nightwing are considered. After that, it all fell into place.
And it is definitely fun to stick together characters that normally don't get to play together. There's classic friendships (like Ollie and Hal, Hal and Barry, Barry and Ralph) and classic rivalries (any ol' Hawk and Ollie), but mixing it up (like Kid Eternity and Hawkman) does force the writer to look a little deeper into who these people are and how they bounce off of each other.
CHARLIE: Are there any characters you felt you short-changed over the course of your run?
DON: The only one that I felt got a bit short-changed at this point was Black Lightning. I had initially wanted him for the team, but that didn't pan out. I had him set up for his guest-stint against Starbreaker and Byth, but there was such a full cast for that one, and more being introduced, that he really kind of got lost in the shuffle. I feel bad too, he's an interesting character, especially in situations where he's suddenly in over his head, since he's not your typical world-saver.
CHARLIE: I agree, you could tell by the writing there was almost an itch for him to keep appearing, but I guess appearances in other books kept him away, which is a shame. A book like this is a place for characters without their own ongoings to appear, to be put in the spotlight, and that's why I enjoyed seeing the Hawks, Kit, Dawn and the others appear. A really wonderful run that seems to have come full circle.
CHARLIE: What are your favourite moments from your run as a whole?
DON: That's a tough one. There were so many over the period in question. While not a specific moment, per se, but a running series of moments, I liked the relationship of Diana and Kendra. I liked having Diana see all this potential in Kendra and slowly just heap more and more responsibility on her as a result. I really enjoyed Diana, Kendra and Dawn training on Paradise Island. Superman dealing with Mon-El's appearance and loss I felt good about, as I did about Ray and Blue Jay, and then Blue Jay's loss. That also let me set up one of my favorite moments, when Blue Jay and Hummingbird appear courtesy of Kid Eternity to save Jean Loring. There were many, many small moments of humor and drama in the series I loved.
My favorite moments of all though, were working with Roy. He just had such wonderfully classic, Silver Age/early Bronze Age/Satellite era ideas for the covers, that every time I'd pitch him the synopsis of the issue, I'd be all excited for what he'd send back for ideas. Then more excited to see the ideas sketched up and built up over time. He really just nailed what I had in mind. Sometimes even enhancing it, or providing inspiration for something in the writing.
To that end though, Jamie's been a great replacement for Roy. A different sensibility, but he's enthusiastic, talented, done some powerful covers, and if he can pull off the idea he has in #25, I think we're all going to get floored.
DAVID: For those of us not as well-versed in the more obscure DC villains, can you give us a run down on who appears on Jamie Rimmer's beautiful cover?
DON: Up at point is the fabulous redesign of I.Q. Jamie came up with. I really love the look, so keeping the original design in mind and just making it look rather modern and almost effete. I loved it. Flanking I.Q. is Volcana, introduced two issues ago, and seen in action last issue, she's lifted from Superman: the Animated Series, and with our League story, she's become an enforcer for Injustice Unlimited; on I.Q.'s other flank is Volcana's honey, Dreadbolt, son of the original Bolt (killed in an early Suicide Squad...oddly, along with Angle Man, and yet HE'S back and yes, that's getting revealed at long last next issue). Next to Dreadbolt is Big Sir, again, another redesign that conveys the man's simple nature while bringing him into a more modern presentation. Next to Volcana is Javelin, a rather lightweight Green Lantern foe, who I forgot to let USE those neat new javelins I hinted at in the opening scene. Have to give him his moment next issue. LOL and finally, on either end are Double Dare, wonderfully under-utilized Nightwing foes.
CHARLIE: And you can really tell that you care about these characters! The events of Justice League Annual #2 was beautiful, the reunited Blue Jay and Hummingbird just... well. If I was a crying man, then I would be bawling, Don. It was a neat scene, and it made the book into something more than just a Lord of Time versus JL battle that could have been forgettable. Every facet of your run matters, be it a throwaway scene or a throwaway line-- some how, some way, down the line, it will be picked up on and explored. I remember the early scenes with Penny Dreadful and Atomic Skull-- fun, different, but seemingly disconnected from the main narrative... but as the months went on, everything wove together into an amazing tapestry that is up there with some of the best JLA runs over in the DCU proper, and I do not say that lightly.
Yours will be a tough act to follow.
DAVID: Can't help but notice the resemblance of Atomic Skull and Penny Dreadful to Ringo and Honey Bunny from Pulp Fiction... Coincidence or intentional?
DON: From their very first appearance, where I cribbed...er, "homaged" the conversation the two of them had in the diner, there were some definite deliberate layering of those two, coupled with a taste of Bonnie and Clyde. They've been so much fun to write over my run.
DAVID: I really enjoyed the reveal that Xotar was from Bgtzl, and the harm that the Kryptonians unwittingly did to their universe... Will this have ramifications for the future, and it is possibly a tease that you have designs on a certain other super team with a huge roster?
DON: I was rather pleased with myself for a new origin for Xotar. I wanted to avoid making him a future human for any number of reasons. I'm not sure what pointed me to Bgtzl, but realizing that the Ghost Zone/Phantom Zone was already in play thanks to Prometheus and Mon-El, it made sense, and I wanted to try and get some explanation to how, if at all, these three places differ. I'm hoping there are ramifications and consequences followed up, but I don't have plans for the Legion, not here in Earth-One anyway. Maybe down the road, otherwise... here's hoping another writer likes to run with it too.
JAY: I've been on and off with this title, but I certainly appreciate both a) The mixed-membership of the League and b) The smarter, smoother Injustice Unlimited. Of course, treachery is a fact of life for villains, and it's happened here.
Is Penny Dreadful really dead? Did I read that right, are the twins dead?
I've always enjoyed Don's writing style, no doubt of that.
DON: Yes, sadly, Penny Dreadful has shuffled off this mortal coil. Where that leaves Atomic Skull as a result is a whole other question...and potential problem for the good guys.
As for the twins being dead...certainly doesn't look good for them does it? However, I'll give a bit of a peek for our readers: Zan and Jayna do make a very brief appearance in this very issue.
And thanks very much for the compliments, Jay. I've always been a big fan of a mixed group of Leaguers, because you can do so much more with them than the Big 7 on a personal scale, and also because we know how the Big 7 interact. As Charlie and I touched on earlier, finding new pairings for these heroes to bounce off of can be much more interesting work for the writer.
BRIAN: With all these amazing characters you've used in your run, Don, are their any in particular that you hope continues to make their precence known in the DC2?
DON: I would love Injustice, Unlimited to continue to be used, even if the leadership alters. I think the way it works, the way its membership works (fluid and connected by the needs of a specific crime), there's lots of potential in the group. I know Charlie is going to use them some over in his Secret Society series, but here's hoping the group catches on. I'll probably give them a Secret Files entry somewhere too, for reference.
As for Justice League members, here's hoping I've brought interest to Ralph and Sue (though that's not hard, I think
); Manitou Dawn and Kid Eternity (who I admit, belong in other series as much, if not more, than the League); and I'm hoping to find a home for Gypsy (and Zan and Jayna...if they're alive ). The twins were probably even a bigger rehabilitation project than Dawn.BRIAN: Any chance we might see you on a Kid Eternity mini-series?
DON: Brian, you really want to work my writing fingers to the bone, don't you? LOL I think this is the third or fourth mini-series you've wondered if I'll do during the run of Justice League. If you want to see more Kid Eternity, there's the DC3 version (there IS a difference between the two, though they are similar in attitude) in Ultimate Outsiders (starting later this month) and popping up with the Marvel Family on Earth-S.
DAVID: The roster that Don has assembled for his run will no doubt go down as one of the more unique and interesting team dynamics the Justice League has seen--- on the DC2 or otherwise! So this question is for everyone: put yourself in the driver's seat, and tell me who you would assemble for your JLA dream team, if you were going to do a defining 12 issue run! No character is off limits. Let's get imaginitive!
JAY: Before I answer that, let me say that what Don has done here is not so unusual; what is unusual is that he makes it work. Any roster for the League can fly if the right writer is behind them. So credit to him for that.
I don't know if I have a clear roster in my mind for the League right off the bat. Titans has always been more my speed. Hmmm....
Wonder Woman
Martian Manhunter
Flash
Geo-Force (something I think Meltzer got right, though he probably did it for the wrong reasons)
Power Girl (no disrespect to her being in JSA, David!)
Captain Marvel
Aztek
John Stewart
Triumph
Tomorrow Woman (Morrison version, assuming she hadn't died)
And that's just off the top of my head. I've often wondered what a redeemed Prometheus would have been like. But I'm wandering towards Elseworlds there, as I tend to do, and I realize the list above is by itself enough for two teams.
Note the absence of both Superman and Batman. While I've always been a Batman fan, and have slowly come to appreciate Superman down the years, I think the League functions best without having to rely on them. That having nothing to do with the current DC2 Bruce Wayne "dead"/Dick-as-Batman situation.
BRIAN: Interesting question. I'd probably play it safe and be mostly old school.
Martian Manhunter
Green Lantern (Hal)
Green Arrow
Hawkman (Katar Hol)
Wonder Woman
Gypsy
Nightwing
Hawkgirl
and
The Creeper
CHARLIE: Ha, wait two months.
...What?!
DAVID: Some neat choices, fellas!
I have a soft spot for the Satelitte Era League, so I'm going to go with:
Superman
Batman
Wonder Woman
Green Lantern (Hal)
Black Canary
Firestorm (Ronnie/Stein)
Green Arrow
Elongated Man
Atom (Ray)
Hawkman (Katar)
Hawkwoman (Shayera)
Zatanna (Perez-designed costume)
Flash (Barry)
Aquaman
Red Tornado
I loved the character-interactions during this period. However, if I were going to do another run at this title on the DC2, I think I'd do something like an anti-Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire League and choose:
Wonder Woman III (Zenobia)
Green Lantern (Guy Gardner)
Manbat
Fire
Ice
Black Lightning
Phantom Stranger
Red Tornado
This is what is most fun about the Justice League: everyone has their own idea of what would make a great run!
CHARLIE: What future projects can we expect from you, Don?
DON: Well, focusing on DC2, I have Seven Soldiers of Victory of course, and the last chapter to their opening story from me is set for a couple of weeks. There's still Danger Trail as well, which I'm reinvigorated for, and hopefully, with a very neat crossover coming up from a surprising source, focused on a surprising bad guy.
I'm also plotting with Samantha Chapman to release a Birds of Prey story in All-Star Comics. The initial idea was pitched to the editor, and now we just have to finalize it, get it all approved and covered, and start it up. Some events from Justice League 25 will spin out into it, as well as picking up on threads from Johnny Thunder in Weird Western Quarterly.
As for WWQ, Susan and I have been plotting our brains out over there, and Johnny will have the lead story there, and then Johnny and Madame .44 have a great story with Jonah Hex, in a way, for New Year's Eve, and let me tell you, Susan and I are excited as all get out for that.
At DC2, there's Mightiest Mortals, All-Stars and I'll be picking up Ultimate Outsiders on Earth-Five, and co-plotting Wonder Woman with Sam and Green Lantern Corps (a very different take on GLC as well) with Tim Abramo, as well as some projects for Earth-Two for Riz, including Legionnaires, Titans and a Resurrection Man two-part special!
And now I'm just tired thinking of all that work! LOL
And now for our reviews of this week's new issues:
(click the cover to go straight to the issue)
Written by House Of Mystery
Cover by Gaff1229
Reviewed by Brian Burchette
If you haven't been reading the Batman titles in a while, I implore you to get on the bandwagon now! This issue is just a hint of the powerful story that is coming down the pike. The Wayne Boys (Jason, Dick, and Tim) are heading towards something big, it seems. Not only do we get an exceptionally eerie Man-Bat, but the sub-plot with Black Mask and the 3 major crime families is building at a great pace. This is a must read!
(click the link to go straight to the issue)
Written by House Of Mystery
Cover by Ramon Villalobos
Reviewed by Pat Owens
DC2 Nemesis #4 shows off how a middle point in an event should be one of the most exciting moments of the entire story. And boy does it deliver. House Of Mystery pretty much turns the world upside down in this one, writing a death that I don't think anyone would ever expect. The cover is beautfiul and colorful but it vits into the dark mood that is Nemesis. Don't miss this installment in this year's DC2 event!
](click the link to go straight to the issue)
Written by House Of Mystery
Cover by Jina B
Reviewed by Jina B
A poignant portrait of Diana Prince as warrior, friend, sister, and champion of justice, Charlie ends his epic Wonder Woman run beautifully and with just the right touch of reverence. Don't miss this fantastic tribute to one of the most powerful and stirring characters in the DC2 Universe!
JOIN US NEXT WEEK HERE AT THE PULL LIST WHEN THE SPOTLIGHT TITLE WILL BE...
ULTIMATE GOTHAM GIRLS #18
ULTIMATE GOTHAM GIRLS #18