janelle asselin | DC Comics

DC Comics All Access: Bob Harras

And so we come to Week Four–marking the end of September, the month that ushered in the debut of DC Comics-The New 52 and the unprecedented transformation of the entire DC Universe. It’s hard to believe we’re finally here because for us September started a long time ago. Let me explain:

It’s been quite a ride since the writers conference that initiated this evolution. It’s been a year of pitch meetings, story conferences and design sessions that often went far into the night. It’s been a year of hard work on everyone’s part and truth be told – it’s been a lot of fun.

One of my favorite aspects of this period was our weekly New 52 editorial meeting. Every Friday, all of us in DC Editorial—me, our Executive Editor Eddie Berganza, VP Art Direction & Design Mark Chiarello, Coordinating Editor Liz Gehrlein, Group Editors Matt Idelson and Mike Marts, Senior Editors Bobbie Chase and Joey Cavalieri, Editors Pat McCallum, Brian Cunningham and Rachel Gluckstern, Associate Editors Janelle Asselin, Harvey Richards, Rex Ogle, Wil Moss, Chris Conroy and Assistant Editors Sean Mackiewicz, Katie Kubert, Kate Stewart, Darren Shan and Rickey Purdin—would assemble in our conference room for a two-hour gathering (complete with pizza—any cholesterol concerns temporarily forgotten) not to discuss schedules, or production concerns (these we saved for other meetings)—but to share. Everyone came to that meeting with whatever new material had excited them: whether it was a new script, new art from one of the titles, new designs or new logo concepts. It allowed everybody to see what was being used to build The New 52. Pages would be passed around, discussions would ensue—but most of all, excitement would build.

As that excitement built I was constantly reminded that comics are unique. Unlike movies, or TV, or even video games, comics have no budgetary restraints. A writer and an artist working together as a team can move you from the banality of an office in a major American metropolis to the heart of a dying planet from one page to the next. They can bring characters you care passionately about to places that cannot possibly exist except in the realm of imagination…or in comics.

It is that blend of story and art—that sense of wonder—that you will see in such titles as AQUAMAN by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, or TEEN TITANS by Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth or THE FLASH by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato. These are only three examples of the excitement we can finally share with you as part of the New 52.

September may be ending (longest September ever)—but for The New 52 and for DC Comics, trust me, things are only getting started…

See you in October,

Bob Harras – Editor in Chief

#DCeditorwk

If you’ve been following @DCComics on Twitter, you’ve probably noticed that each week we’ve been using different hashtags to focus on different aspects of DC Comics-The New 52. Whether it was coverage of midnight release events, revealing new villains or debuting artwork (amongst many other things), Twitter has become a must-stop destination for DC Comics fans.

Each day this week, a different editor will be taking over the @DCComics Twitter handle. Expect them to answer your questions and tease what’s to be expected from the titles they’re working on. They’ll be using the hashtag, “#DCeditorwk,” so don’t forget to put that into your tweets when interacting with them!

Kicking off the week? Janelle Asselin, Editor of BIRDS OF PREY and SAVAGE HAWKMAN and Associate Editor of DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN, BATWOMAN, BLACKHAWKS and BATMAN, INC. Tweet away.

Tags:

DC Comics-The New 52, janelle asselin, twitter

From The Editor’s Desk: Janelle Asselin on BIRDS OF PREY

Like most DC editors, I’m not just an editor - I’m also a fan. And the book that made me a DC fan was BIRDS OF PREY. I’ve read a lot of DC books over the years, but BIRDS is the book that really hooked me. So when we were originally told that DC was bringing back BIRDS OF PREY in 2010, I may have knocked a few people over in claiming editorial rights to the book. I thought I was excited then.

It’s nothing to how excited I am right now.

The new BIRDS OF PREY is thrilling, fun, and beautiful. Writer Duane Swierczynski has crafted a story that takes off from issue one and does not let you stop for breath. It’s a new take on the characters and the team, so both new and old fans will come into the book on equal footing. But the spirit of BIRDS OF PREY - the spirit of doing good against all odds and the spirit of unlikely friendships - that remains in full force.

This spirit of friendship is most evident between Black Canary and our new character, Starling. Black Canary is, for the most part, the same incredible character she’s always been. As we move forward with the series, readers will discover that Black Canary in world of the New 52 has moved to the fringes of the super-heroic world but refuses to give up trying to save the world in her own way. Her good friend Starling has been by her side since college and they make a fun duo. For anyone who’s ever had that awesome BFF that’s nothing like you but seems to understand you anyway - you’ll immediately recognize and love the dynamic between Black Canary and Starling. Katana joins the team thanks to a nudge from another of Black Canary’s old friends - and while she isn’t exactly what Canary and Starling expect, well, she delights in bustin’ evil heads the same way they do.

But how does that spirit of friendship work with Poison Ivy, you ask?

For that you’ll have to wait and see - we have to keep some aces up our sleeves, you know! I will say that Duane’s done a great job of making her part of the team in a way that’s true to the spirit of all of the characters.

All of that being said, I’d be seriously remiss to not talk about artist Jesus Saiz’s contribution to the book. Holy cow, it’s so pretty. The thing I love about Jesus’s art is that he draws women realistically. The BIRDS are sexy, don’t get me wrong. But they’re a realistic kind of sexy that is a visual representation of the dedication the whole team has to making these characters real - not just eye candy. Each character has an individual style and flair that Jesus takes pains to show in his art. From the classic, traditional style of Black Canary to the rockabilly flair of Starling to the modern-samurai-chic of Katana to the sexy organic dress of Poison Ivy, each lady looks different and matches their personality externally. Jesus did endless designs and sketches to make sure we had each character right before we started on the book. And beyond the look of the characters, Jesus’s storytelling is dynamic and eloquent.

I could not be more proud of the work the whole BIRDS OF PREY team has done to put together our portion of the New 52. We look forward to having you along for the ride.

Tags:

birds of prey, black canary, DC Comics-The New 52, Duane Swierczynski, janelle asselin, jesus saiz, Katana, poison ivy, Starling

From The Editor’s Desk: Bobbie Chase on Joining DC Comics

Hey DC Nation,

My first blog here, coming at you from the 6th floor of 1700 Broadway, home of the DC Comics’ Editorial Team. From my window I look down on the front of David Letterman’s Ed Sullivan Theater, where every afternoon the shouts of fans of a different kind can be heard. And out my door are the offices of my Bat-Group comrades who have made me feel so welcome; Mike Marts, Rachel Gluckstern, Rickey Purdin, Janelle Asselin, Harvey Richards and Katie Kubert. In other words, from where I sit, life looks good!

Some of you know, some of you don’t, I was a member of another comics editorial staff for years. A few people have asked me if it’s hard to go work for the “competition.” Huh? Half the faces I meet in the halls are people I’ve worked with before – half the creators, too! In fact, years ago, I did stints as assistant editor for current DCers Mike Carlin and Bob Harras. Sometimes it’s about the characters you love, but a lot of times it’s about the work. Putting together a fantastic creative team, helping to craft a terrific story line, working with an interesting, talented new writer or artist, messing with the lives of great characters… And with the DC Universe, there are a LOT of great characters to mess with.

I thought, when I started two weeks ago, that I was going to have a few weeks to learn stuff, keep my mouth shut, absorb the ways of the new co., but instead they threw me into the deep end of the pool. What might that pool include? Well … more next time about the projects I’ll be working on. For the moment, they’re a bit hush-hush.

Now back to catching up on a few years’ worth of continuity…

Bobbie Chase

Tags:

bob harras, bobbie chase, harvey richards, janelle asselin, katie kubert, mike carlin, mike marts, rachel gluckstern, rickey purdin

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