Swing by room 6DE for this special spotlight on DC’s Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, the mastermind behind the BLACKEST NIGHT, BRIGHTEST DAY and GREEN LANTERN and THE FLASH comic books. Prep your questions and tune in to see Group Editor Eddie Berganza interview one of comics’ modern masters.
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It was such a good BLACKEST NIGHT (I was just lamenting in this very space how sad I was that it was over), but now come the white rays of a brand new BRIGHTEST DAY.
Mustn’t hit snooze… must get up…
…No rest for the wicked or Editors working with Geoff Johns.
Time to make the Comics.
With that bit of incentive, I leap out of bed and recharge starting off with reciting the DC oath—
“--When BRIGHTEST DAY must ship because BLACKEST NIGHT is over, no script or crossover shall escape my sight. Let those who do not obey the deadline right beware my power, an Editor’s might!”
With that my will is fully charged to deal with New York’s transit system. Aside from a hundred or more happy campers on the train, I have other company, one that will be haunting me for a while.
Deadman or currently after the events of BLACKEST NIGHT Aliveman.
“Hey, Boston.” I say. (yes, an occupational hazard for writers and editors is that we live with our characters 24/7). “What? You see me?!” he replies a bit startled. Note this is a huge deal for Mr. Brand because since he got back as the only bearer of a white ring he has been tossed from one resurrected person to another while remaining invisible as “seen” in BRIGHTEST DAY #0.
“Yeah, you doof,” I snort. “How else am I gonna tell Peter Steigerwald how to color you and add more glows to your White Ring effects?”
Noting I am not a morning person, Boston remains silent for the rest of the trip, which is good, people were starting to stare.
Finally arriving at the Dark Tower that is the fortress for DC Comics, I am greeted by my associate editor Adam Schlagman—I am convinced that Adam is a Manhunter robot as I have never seen him sleep and he is returning e-mails around the clock.
Speaking of which, I valiantly try to catch up to the rest of the world as I check in with Spain (6 hours ahead) and Ardian Syaf’s agent Pepe Caldelas to see how the latest pages on the Hawkman sequence are doing. He tells me inker Vincente Cifuentes will have the part with _________ in just a bit. It looks amazing especially the… you’ll see.
Then only an hour ahead in Brazil I check in with designer/finisher/agent extraordinare Joe Prado to see how he and Ivan Reis are doing with Aquaman and my pal Boston.
“Don’t worry. Be Cool, all will be well,” he confidently states in a deep voice that has a hint of his Portuguese accent.
OK then, seeing jpegs, I’m happy that mine and co-writer Pete Tomasi’s time watching the Discovery Channel has paid off giving Geoff an idea for a particularly nasty scene between Aquaman and one of his finny friends.
But I’m not making up any time, so I try to get the drop on L.A. (who we’re ahead of by 2 hours).
Nope. Geoff is already awake. He wants notes on the latest GREEN LANTERN. Does the White Lantern scene work with what’s happening in BD?
Before I’m even off the phone, I now have messages from both Pete and Pat Gleason to see if we like the design on the baddie that’s gonna make J’onn J’onzz life hell on Earth.
Yup, no looking back at past wins, we’re in full BRIGHTEST DAY mode here!
And I need another recharge. No oath this time.
I stop assistant editor Rex Ogle from ballooning for a bit to take a short trip across the street for some Starbucks. He fills me in on what Maxwell Lord is doing in JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST, and then Caramel Macchiato grande in hand back to work. Have to see if the other BRIGTEST DAY books, FLASH, GREEN ARROW, BIRDS OF PREY, TITANS, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, GREEN LANTERN CORPS and the upcoming GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS are all on track with their bits that will add to explain why the twelve have returned.
They are back for a reason!
For all involved there is no slacking this BRIGHTEST DAY!
As THE RISE AND FALL continues to rage, we're getting a glimpse of how things will shake down amidst the rubble and tragedy surrounding Star City.
Oliver Queen has been branded a murderer by his friends. Roy Harper is facing a shattered and twisted reflection of his past life. The Brightest Day looms -- but what does it mean?
Some of those questions will be answered in the coming months, and a few more will be answered in June, with the debut of a new, ongoing series: GREEN ARROW.
From writer J.T. Krul and artist Diogenes Neves, the team that brought you the turning point GREEN ARROW #30, comes a tale of redemption and rebirth -- but for whom? After "The Fall of Green Arrow" how can Ollie Queen effectively carry the heavy bow of the Emerald Archer? And what mysteries await in the shadows of what's left of Star City?
We got on the line with writer J.T. Krul for some hints, but there wasn't a lot to say, which just made us all the more curious. Take it away, J.T.:
"This is it! We've been saying for awhile now that 2010 was going to be big for Green Arrow, and you can't get much bigger than this. As we put together the story for the Fall of Green Arrow and developed where he was going to end up and what Ollie's life was going to be like, we knew it was truly a new beginning. A BRIGHTEST DAY beginning at that!
In the wake of the turmoil in Star City, the people need someone in their corner more now than ever. Most of those in power, be it business or government, are looking for ways to exploit the situation to their advantage. The city is rife with crime and corruption of epic proportions and it's only getting worse. But all is not lost. Oliver Queen's got his quiver. Now, it's time for Green Arrow to move into the role he was always meant to be - outlaw for the people.
For this relaunch, Eddie and Adam and the guys at DC have put together the best team possible to make Ollie shine like never before. Diogenes Neves and Vicente Cifuentes killed on the Black Lantern Green Arrow special and we knew they were the guys to relaunch the Emerald Archer. And don't even get me started on the cover work by Mauro Casciolli. I'm so happy to finally share it with the rest of the world - because it's been my screen saver ever since I saw it. Now THAT'S Green Arrow!!!"
And we probably won't get much more info than that, but until then, we've got a lovely piece of Mauro Cascioli cover art to keep us on our toes right above this text.
As Roy Harper lies in critical condition after the events of JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE his fever dreams show him the perfect future life he wants for the Titans. Unfortunately for him, it's a life the Titans will never see. Featuring the work of guest writer Eddie Berganza and artists Scott Clark and Ardian Syaf.
TITANS #23 hits 3/17.
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Here’s a behind-the-scenes bit of fun for all you Sourcers out there. As one of the most fun editorial tasks yet, I’ve spent the past two days running up and down the hall getting pictures of some of our editors. They all seem to be pretty scared of…something… Can’t be Halloween-related at this point, right? So what’s going on here?
For instance, here’s Mike Carlin and Rachel Gluckstern, looking very unhappy about whatever’s going on over Mike’s desk:
Maybe it’s the same thing that’s about to hit Harvey Richards in the head:
Janelle Siegel is doing a pretty good job keeping it at bay:
While Mike Marts isn’t so lucky – it’s coming right at him!
Sean Ryan and Wil Moss are doing the smart thing and high-tailing it out of here:
Which – oh, man – gives it a clear shot at me. Look out, me!
Welp, looks like it passed me by, considering I’m still here typing. And I think I know where it went – straight for Eddie Berganza and Adam Schlagman:
That’s gonna be trouble. As soon as we can actually see what it is, that is….
Until next time – wish us luck!
NO.
In a very brief interlude with the mighty mite super-hero, the Atom, as he inexplicably jumped out of my phone, I was able to discuss the true nature of these creatures and assemble this list of why the Black Lanterns are not just the undead.
Zombies attack mindlessly.
Black Lanterns have all the characteristics of the living, just meaner.
Zombies growl and don't speak.
Black Lanterns are nasty taunters.
Zombies want flesh, particular ones want brains.
Black Lanterns seek only our hearts feeding on emotion.
Zombies either shamble or run.
Black Lanterns can float.
Zombies wear the tattered remains of their clothes.
Black Lanterns accessorize their Black Rings with a dark version of their
clothes or costume.
Zombies can be stopped by chopping their heads off.
Black Lanterns reconstitute any limb that is severed.
Zombies have no purpose for rising from the grave.
Black Lanterns .... Do.
Well, it's not actually Wednesday, but that's never stopped us from posting cool images from WEDNESDAY COMICS, has it? The new weekly series, slated to launch in July, is the brainchild of DC Art Director Mark Chiarello, who has collected an impressive array of creators for the book.
This time around, we have a look at writer Eddie Berganza and artist Sean Galloway's TEEN TITANS strip, which, as you can see, is really a delight. Enjoy.
July.
Geoff Johns.
Ivan Reis.
Blackest Night!
“BRING OUT YOUR DEAD!”
In an effort to prevent you from spiraling into any kind of Monday morning sadness, here's a quick roundup of notable news that hit over the weekend:
• Geoff Johns continued to talk up FLASH: REBIRTH, this time with io9's Graeme McMillan:
Why bring back Barry Allen?
Because the world needs heroes.
Bringing back Barry Allen, that was something that grew out of everything we were doing with Final Crisis with Grant [Morrison] and everything. You know, Grant and I had talked a lot about this, too, when we were working together on DC Universe Zero way back when, about what was going on with the Flash Universe, and more specifically the DC Universe.
With Final Crisis, it was a full circle from Crisis on Infinite Earths, and with Darkseid representing the ultimate evil, and Grant really playing the theme that Darkseid really is evil incarnate without room for any grays, Barry Allen was by all accounts considered the greatest force for good in the DC Universe, and so he was brought back to combat that as a signal of ushering in the new age of heroes back in the day with Showcase #4. Barry represents that.
• FLASH: REBIRTH artist Ethan Van Sciver stopped by BLOG@NEWSARAMA as well, talking to Russ Burlingame about the mini-series.
• IGN also spoke to GREEN LANTERN and BLACKEST NIGHT editor Eddie Berganza about the upcoming mega-event:
IGN Comics: Obviously you have an interesting situation with Blackest Night running alongside Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps – can you give us an idea of the focus of each title? Will they weave together or are their stories pretty distinct? Is Blackest Night a "big DCU picture" idea with GL and GLC focusing strictly on Hal Jordan and his friends?
Berganza: Ideally, we're giving you complete stories in each title, but if you read them as a whole you are getting a larger view of this threat that is spreading death throughout the universe.
Both GL and GLC will be looking at it from the perspective of the Green Lanterns and the Guardians, and how all the new Corps are affected by it. BN itself will be about how the Black Lanterns are terrorizing the rest of the heroes of the DCU, and you see Hal interacting with them.
