Avengers/JSA?
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seems it was just a few months ago that he took over Flash from writer Mark
Waid, but in fact it was Flash #164, more than 2 years ago. In the
intervening time, Johns has become one of the most sought-after writers in the
business. With Flash, JSA, and Hawkman from DC on his regular
schedule, he recently added Marvel’s The Avengers to his duties.
SCOOP: In the minds of many comics fans, you’ve gone rather
quickly from “the guy who took over Flash from Mark Waid” to
a very high profile creator. Reality is rarely that simple. What was it like
breaking in, and how does that compare to now?
Geoff Johns: It was hard.
I think it is for anyone in this business. There are a lot of people that have a
passion for this industry. Now, it can still be difficult — but in different
ways. Mostly behind the scenes stuff. But for the most part, I love my job. I
work with some terrific people and I’m having a lot of fun.
The
Justice Society is the original super group. Is there any added pressure that
comes with writing JSA?
Actually, the pressure on this book is the
least I think-mostly because there hasn’t been JSA series that has gotten
attention in awhile. I already respect the history of this team, so there’s no
fear in totally screwing it up.
Hawkman is a popular character with so
many different incarnations that even a die-hard enthusiast would be confused.
What’s your approach to this, and how would you recommend the new series to a
reader who might be somewhat jaded by the sheer volume of the seeming
contradictions?
Simply pick up Hawkman #1 or #5. It’s
extremely reader friendly. There’s a little origin box that should tell you what
you need to know.
You’ve got a rapidly increasing resume for DC, but
now you’re also adding a fair amount of work at Marvel, particularly with The
Avengers. What attracts you to that title, and in what ways is it different
than writing JSA?
The Avengers is very different than the
JSA-just by dealing with the different themes of the book. JSA is
legacy, to me Avengers is about trust. The way people trust the Avengers,
and the trust issues between themselves. The Avengers characters are some of the
most iconic and human heroes in print. To work with so many major characters in
one title is a trip and a half.
Is there a typical Geoff Johns work
day? Do you have a regular work area or can you write anywhere? What time of day
do you prefer to write?
I have an office where I work from about 9am to
7pm-sometimes weeknights and weekends if needed, but I try not to. I find I
usually can write best right in the morning (when the phone doesn’t ring) and in
the afternoon.
Can you work with a lot of distractions or do you need
quiet and some private space to write?
I like music most of the time,
just as long as the noise isn’t overwhelming I’m good to go.
What’s
the first comic you remember reading? What were the circumstances?
The
first one I remember buying was Batman and the Outsiders #13. It was a
stand alone story and for some reason it seemed really cool to me-the Outsiders
making Batman relive his origin. I was on a camping trip. I think I was like 11.
I also used to read my uncle’s old Silver Age comics in my Grandma’s attic.
Flash, Batman, Fantastic Four, Superman. All the
checkerboard stuff.
What do you enjoy reading at the moment (comics,
books, scripts, etc.)?
All of the above. My favorite comic book at the
moment is The Ultimates.
On your website you mention your work
on Marvel’s Bloodstone TV project. What’s going on with that? What other
film or TV work do you have going on at the moment?
The script is being
written. Other projects are in different stages of development.
Do you
think your film background helps you in comics? If so, how?
Definitely. I
spent years developing scripts and pilots before breaking in — and my story
sense and pacing comes from that experience.
Geoff Johns’ website is
http://www.geoffjohns.com and
he invites Scoop readers to stop by.
in slightly different format in Comic Book Marketplace. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved.]
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>Only in Hollywood!</b><br><br>In the highly acclaimed, Sam
Mendes-directed fil promote the 2000 movie. With <i>X-Men 2</i> due in theaters May 7,
2003 and with the first <i>X-Men</i> feature netting a reported $157,2of the book is obvious, but how would you describe it
to someone who might be thinking of checking it out for the first time because
they’re a fan of Geoff’s other work?</b><br>Brevoort: It’s Geoff playing in the
big league. It’ll have all of the strengths of Geoff’s other work-the
chilling-yet-relatable menaces, the strong characterization, and the tendency to
pull the rug out from under the readers-but more and bigger. The Avengers are
the A-list team of the Marvel Universe, so they tend to be more
front-and-center, more in the thick of things than the <i>JSA</i>, who by
definition have to defer to the JLA. No such restrictions apply to the Avengers,
as will be readily apparent by the end of Geof