Hot on the heels of Newsarama’s interview with Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada, we get a similar peek into DC’s Dan Didio, recently re-titled as Vice President – Executive Editor, DC Universe. While Didio scores points for eschewing the cadaverous “true believer!” shtick, what really strike me are the distinct differences between these two comics juggernauts.
So, gents, how do these crossover events come about?
JQ: “What’s most fun about this is that our Marvel creative community is so into this as well, it must be in the air… There are strings of e-mail I wish I could show you in which our creators are spitballing about events involving the Marvel U and trying to keep things cohesive.”
DD: “The most exciting thing to say about the follow-ups and connected stories is that I can’t tell you where an idea started, because everybody has taken ownership of it. Everybody who’s involved is involved in the process. We’ve been talking about it, and massaging it, and working it through, so it really has a natural sense of how it can go.”
Wow! Creator synchronicity rocks! But doesn’t it suck when books get great reviews and still don’t sell?
DD: “At the end of the day, if we put something out that we’re proud of, that we all believe in, and are glad to put the DC bullet on, then I think it’s worth putting out, regardless of the sales.”
JQ: “We just have to pull the plug once the book no longer makes money, others have the ability to let their books fall into the red and continue publishing. I wish we could work that way, but we just can’t.”
Okay, that’s kind of different. But what about pushing the envelope with new ideas?
JQ: “I firmly believe that as the business continues its sturdy, steady growth, we’ll all be able to break in new ideas that have a better chance of survival. To be honest, we’ve launched several new projects that have done better in today’s climate than we were expecting and that’s a great sign.”
DD: “I have to say though, that we need to continue pushing different stories, different characters, and different ideals. Realistically, what happens if the superhero bubble bursts one day? Where do we stand? We’re standing with nothing.”
Ouch! Maybe there’s more of a schism than I thought! But what about reader response to controversial stories?
DD: “It’s great that it’s positive and negative too. If it’s one flavor, one answer, then it’s not striking any chords. The fact that we’re able to polarize so many people with such strong opinion is a wonderful thing to do.”
JQ: “Yes, I’ve been ecstatic with the stories and response. We’ve touched a nerve and it seems that people are buzzing at comic shops. They love it, they hate it, they don’t know what to think or expect but they’re reading it!”
Wow! It’s okay to hate it, so long as we keep buying it! Thanks, guys! But what’s coming up? What are the defining trends for your respective companies?
JQ: “ARRRGH! I can’t tell you just yet. We’re about two weeks, maybe sooner, from breaking some news but let’s just say it involves a Hollywood director, and a single character book launching out of Marvel Knights with a #1 in February. This particular book will be affecting the Marvel U in huge ways. It may not seem like it at first but trust me, it will big and a lot of fun!”
Goody! More star-f___ing!
DD: “There are so many strong threads that come out of Identity Crisis that we were able to hang a lot of stories on into 2005…”
Awwww… they’re f___ing the star they’re with. *Sniff.*